みなさんは日本(にほん)のカレーパンを食べたことがありますか？ (Have you ever tried Japanese Curry Bun?) 日本(にほん)のカレーパンはとてもおいしいんです！😋 (You can find curry bread at almost any bakery in Japan, and it’s really delicious!) Today, I would love to introduce a new restaurant serving real Japanese Curry Bun in Singapore.🇸🇬 You can have a very high-quality Japanese Curry Bun here👍 🌟Giraffa https://share.google/VW2k6JxbEikXSf7Sb 🍽11:00-22:00 This restaurant is located on level 2 of the Westgate. (They also have

ラーメンが　すきですか？🍜 旅行(りょこう)も　すきですか？✈️ If you like both, I highly recommend a “ramen trip.” When people visit Japan, many want to try ramen. But ramen can be completely different depending on where you eat it. The soup, noodles, and even the style all change by region. That’s what makes it so fun. There are many types of ramen. When you think of tonkotsu (pork bone) ramen, which place comes to mind? Probably Fukuoka, right? Then what about shoyu (soy sauce) ramen? You might think

Have you ever felt this while studying Japanese? “The textbook says one thing, but native speakers sound slightly different…”😔 You are not imagining it. Japanese, like every language, naturally changes its sounds in everyday speech. Today, let’s look at two very common patterns: Vowel weakening or devoicing Long vowels becoming shorter 1. When Vowels Become Weak or Almost Disappear 🫥 🔹学生 (gakusē – “student”) Phonetic form: /ɡa.kɯ.seː/ In theory, every vowel is clearly pron

Want to chat in Japanese with your Japanese friends? In this blog, we'll show you everything you need to know ― from choosing a keyboard to typing tricky sounds! 💬 Why Type Japanese on Your Phone? 💬 Have you ever wanted to send a message in Japanese to a Japanese friend, but didn't know how to type it? 📨 Good news ― once you understand how Japanese typing works on a smartphone, it's actually faster and easier  than you might think! In this blog, we'll cover the two types o

Every spring, many people travel to Japan to see cherry blossoms.🌸 This tradition is called 花見(Hanami), which means “flower viewing.” But hanami is not only about looking at the flowers!! For many Japanese people, it feels more like a picnic and a chance to spend time together.🧺 Friends, families, and even coworkers gather under the sakura trees and enjoy the season. At a typical hanami, people bring food and drinks and sit on picnic sheets. You can often see bento boxes, s

First, please look at the image. Several men and women are standing in a line. Now, here are two questions. Q1. How many men are there? Q2. From the left, which number is the woman wearing a kimono? How would you answer these questions? A1. 男の人は、3人います。(Otoko no hito wa, san-nin imasu) There are three men. A2. 着物を着ている女の人は、左から5人目です。(Kimono o kite iru onna no hito wa, hidari kara go-nin me desu) The woman wearing a kimono is the fifth from the left. Now, let’s stop and think for

When I talk with Japanese learners, I often notice that their grammar is correct and their sentences are clear, yet the conversation feels a little flat. Very often, the missing piece is aizuchi  — Japanese backchannel responses.🗣️ By reacting as we listen, we show engagement. Without aizuchi, even grammatically correct conversations can feel uncomfortable. Speakers may wonder if they are being understood or if the listener is interested, making the listener seem distant or

Have you ever wondered how to say “I don’t know” in Japanese? You may have heard both “しりません” and “わかりません”. Even though they seem similar in English, they actually carry different meanings and nuances in Japanese. In this post, we’ll break down when to use each one, what they really mean, and how to sound more natural in everyday conversation.🗣 【①The basic meanings of  “しりません” and “わかりません”】 👩‍🏫“しりません” means “I don’t have any information about that.” / “I’m not familiar wit

Today, we’ll look at 4 common Japanese phrases that use 「気(き)」 😊 They are all very common in daily life, especially in Japan and Singapore. If you study Japanese, you’ve probably seen many words that use the character 「気(き)」. At first, they all look similar and confusing...😵‍💫 But once you understand the feeling behind each one, they become much easier to use!! In Japanese, 「気(き)」 often relates to your mind, attention, feelings, or awareness. Let’s look at some very common

If you’re learning Japanese, you might have seen both「へ」and「に」used when talking about direction. They can both be translated as “to”, but there’s a small difference! Let’s take a look 😊 Imagine you’re going to Tokyo. You can say: 東京へ行きます。 東京に行きます。 Both mean “I’m going to Tokyo.” But here’s the trick: 👉「へ」(pronounced “e”) focuses on direction — like pointing toward a place. 👉「に」shows the final destination — where you actually arrive. So if you say: 学校へ行きます。= I’m heading tow

Every year around this time, I start listening to Christmas songs and putting up my Christmas tree. 🎄 Do you have a favorite Christmas song? For me, December is a cold month when I look back on the year and reset myself so I can welcome the new year with a clear mind. This is my first December in Singapore, and it feels strange to spend the end of the year in short sleeves.😂 While I’m excited for Christmas, I also feel strongly that I want to finish everything I can before

If you love Japanese ramen, you’ve probably heard of Kikanbo, the famous miso ramen shop from Kanda, Tokyo. When I found out they had opened a branch in VivoCity, I couldn’t resist visiting.✨ 　Their signature dish, karashibi miso ramen, lets you choose your preferred levels of kara (spice) and shibi (numbing heat from Japanese pepper). It’s a simple idea, but it makes the experience surprisingly personal — you can find your own balance of warmth and kick.😋 　I went for the T