What Is an Oni? How Japan’s Invisible Spirits Became Horned Demons
When you hear the word oni (鬼), you may picture a frightening creature with horns, fangs, tiger-skin clothing, and an ...
What Are Kyūjitai? A Guide to Traditional Japanese Kanji
If you have seen old Japanese books, signs, or names, you may have noticed kanji that look slightly different from th ...
What Is Ateji? Why Japanese Uses Kanji for Their Sounds
If you have studied Japanese, you may have come across unusual kanji spellings such as 珈琲 (kōhī) for “coffee ...
What Does the Japanese Symbol “ヶ” Mean? Why It Isn’t the Katakana ケ
Have you ever wondered why Japanese words such as 1ヶ月 (ikkagetsu), 3ヶ所 (sankasho), or 霞ヶ関 (Kasumigaseki) contain a ti ...
What Does the Japanese Symbol “々” Mean? A Complete Guide to the Kanji Repetition Mark
Have you ever seen a Japanese word like 人々, 時々, or 色々 and wondered what the mysterious symbol 々 means?
At first g ...
What Is the Japanese Character 㐧? The Abbreviated Form of 第 Explained
Have you ever seen the unusual Japanese character 㐧 and wondered what it means?
At first glance, it may look li ...
What Does the Japanese Symbol “〆” Mean? Origin, Usage, and Why It Is Not Just an Abbreviation
Have you ever noticed the mysterious symbol 〆 while reading Japanese?
You might see it in words like 〆切 (deadli ...
Japanese Mythical Creatures: Sacred Beasts, Yokai, and Legendary Animals Explained
Japan is home to countless mythical creatures that have been passed down through legends, religious traditions, and f ...
What Is the Kirin? The Original Appearance of Japan’s Mythical Qilin
When people hear the word “Kirin,” many imagine a majestic creature with a dragon-like face, scales, and ...
The True Form of the Nue: Comparing Different Descriptions in Japanese Legends
The Nue is one of the most mysterious creatures in Japanese folklore.
Today, it is usually describe ...