Have you ever noticed Japanese shops with names ending in “-ya” (〜屋)? 🤔 If you are a student at Tomo Japanese, you may already know what “〜屋” means. But for people who are learning Japanese for the first time, “〜屋” might be a little mysterious! In Japanese, “屋（や）” originally means “shop” or “store.” It is often added to a word to describe the type of shop or what the shop sells. For example, you may already know some famous Japanese stores in Singapore, such as Takashimaya,

Have you ever heard of Shirakawa-go — one of my favourite places in all of Japan? Located in Gifu Prefecture, Shirakawa-go is a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its traditional gassho-zukuri farmhouses, recognised by their steep thatched roofs. The name gassho-zukuri (合掌造り) comes from the shape of the roofs, which resemble two hands pressed together in prayer. When most people think of Shirakawa-go, they picture a snowy winter landscape. And it truly is a magical sight. H

When people think of okonomiyaki, they often imagine just one dish. But in Japan, that's not quite true! Depending on where you travel, you'll find surprisingly different versions of this much-loved savoury pancake. As someone from the Kansai region, I have to admit I'm a little biased—I will always choose Osaka-style okonomiyaki! When I lived in Japan, I probably ate it at least once a month. 😂 It's one of those comforting meals that reminds me of home. Of course, that does

みなさんは日本(にほん)のハンバーグを食べたことがありますか？ (Have you ever tried Japanese Hamburg steak?) 日本(にほん)のハンバーグはとてもおいしいんです！ (Japanese Hamburg steak is so delicious!) Today, I’d love to introduce a new restaurant in Singapore that serves authentic Japanese Hamburg steak. 🇸🇬 This Hamburg steak specialty restaurant, which is hugely popular in Japan, has finally arrived in Singapore! 🎉 You can enjoy high-quality Japanese Hamburg steak here!👍 🌟挽肉と米(Hikiniku To Come) https://share.google/u4sMnxJU

Are you planning to visit Japan this summer? If you are in Osaka on the evening of 25 July, you may want to change your plans a little. Put on a yukata, buy some food or a beer from a festival stall, and watch fireworks light up the night sky. This is one of those very Japanese summer experiences. Yes, Osaka has a big summer festival called Tenjin Matsuri (天神祭). Tenjin Matsuri is the festival of Osaka Tenmangu Shrine (大阪天満宮). It is often called one of Japan’s three great fest

あじさい (Ajisai: Hydrangeas) are one of the flowers that best represent early summer in Japan.✨ They bloom in beautiful shades of blue, purple, pink, and white, and they look especially stunning when covered with raindrops.💧 In Japan, many people feel that the rainy season has arrived when hydrangeas begin to bloom. Although the rainy season can sometimes be inconvenient, hydrangeas are one of the things that make this time of year special.☔️🌿 There is something very calming a

If you've studied Japanese for a while, you've probably learned that ぐらい and ごろ both translate to "about" or "around." So they should be interchangeable, right? Let's test that. "10時(じ)ぐらいに会(あ)いましょう" and "10時(じ)ごろに会(あ)いましょう" both sound completely natural. But "5分(ふん)ぐらい待(ま)ってください" works fine, while "5分(ふん)ごろ待(ま)ってください" doesn't actually make sense. Same English translation, very different results. Amount(money, weight, duration) Point in time ぐらい ☑️ ¥10,000ぐらい／5分(ふん)ぐらい ☑️　10時

Many Japanese textbooks teach a very simple rule: 🔹living things → imasu, 🔹non-living things → arimasu. Clear and easy, right? But let’s test it. What about a tree 🌲? A tree is alive. So… Ki ga imasu (There is a tree)? That sounds strange. In Japanese, we say: Ki ga arimasu. Wait… why? So the rule “living vs non-living” is not enough. Let’s try another idea. What about movement? 🔹People and animals move → imasu. 🔹Objects and plants don’t → arimasu. That seems to work. So

Japanese learners often learn these three expressions as “after doing something” or “and then.” ・きのうは、レストランで ご飯(はん)を 食(た)べて、映画(えいが) を 見(み)ました。 ⇨ Yesterday, I ate at a restaurant and watched a movie. ・きのうは、レストランで ご飯(はん)を 食(た)べてから、映画(えいが) を 見(み)ました。 ⇨ Yesterday, after eating at a restaurant, I watched a movie. ・きのうは、レストランで ご飯(はん)を 食(た)べたあとで、映画(えいが) を 見(み)ました。 ⇨ Yesterday, I watched a movie after eating at a restaurant. All three sentences are grammatically correct, but the nuan

You’ve probably heard this simple idea before: Katakana words are just English words in Japanese. Easy, RIGHT? So when you learn words like ペン (pen) for pen or コーヒー (koohii) for coffee, it feels reassuring. “Great, I already know these!”💡 But then something strange happens. If we say “salaryman” to an English speaker… and they look confused.😵‍💫 Or if we mention a “one-piece” for a dress… and it doesn’t quite land.🤦 And what about “juice” or “Viking”? Those should be easy…