This four-character idiom is used as a team cheer or slogan. It signifies uniting hearts and joining forces toward a common goal. Split into two words, the four characters mean: “Rikuryoku” (戮力) means joining forces. “Kyoshin” (協心) means to unite hearts. The first characters of each, “戮” and “協,” both convey the meaning of … Read More
This is a representative Japanese cheer phrase. It means to advance boldly and straight ahead, referring to moving forward wholeheartedly and without hesitation toward one’s goal. “勇往” (yūō) means to advance without hesitation. “邁進” (maishin) means to advance rapidly and fearlessly. In Japanese, similar meanings are sometimes expressed by stringing together different kanji (or … Read More
What kind of country is Saudi Arabia? Saudi Arabia is a vast country occupying 80% of the Arabian Peninsula, with most of its land being desert. It shares borders with countries such as Jordan, Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Yemen, and Oman. It holds world-leading reserves and production levels of oil, … Read More
New Zealand is an island nation located southeast of the Australian continent and is a self-governing member of the Commonwealth of Nations. Its capital is Wellington. In the Māori language, it is called Aotearoa. The South Island and North Island are separated by the narrow Cook Strait. The New Zealand Alps traverse both islands, … Read More
A small island nation situated between Europe and North America. The capital, Reykjavík, lies at 64 degrees north latitude. New York City’s coordinates are approximately 40.7 degrees north latitude, and Japan’s Hokkaido is also around 40 degrees north. It certainly sounds cold. However, thanks to the warm current flowing north from Mexico, it’s a … Read More
Description for Shirogane blue pond This is a tourist spot located in Shirogane, Biei Town, Kamikawa District, Hokkaido. True to its name, its defining feature is the clear blue water surface. Sunlight reflecting off the water creates a beautiful scene. It is an artificial lake created by chance when water accumulated in a small … Read More
This is a Buddhist term. It means something that cannot be expressed in words or comprehended by the mind. Something beyond the reach of language or thought. Something strange and bizarre. Something vastly different from the ordinary. In modern usage, it is abbreviated to “Fushigi (不思議)” by omitting the second character “ka（可）”. Originally, it … Read More
What is Gokuraku? Four-character idiom, Buddhist term abbreviated from “Gokuraku jo do” (Land of Perfect Bliss). The Pure Land of Amitabha Buddha. In Sanskrit, Sukhavati. Said to lie beyond this world to the west, beyond ten billion Buddha lands, it is a realm of bliss where all suffering is absent and all things are … Read More
This is a term that has become commonplace from the world of Shogi (Japanese chess) It refers to a situation where the outcome of a game is already decided in favor of one side. It is often used in the late stages of a game when one side has gained a significant advantage in … Read More
Description for Ginkaku-ji It is called Higashiyama Jishoji Temple and is one of the sub-temples of Shokokuji Temple. It is said that the name originated from the fact that it was called Ginkaku-ji Temple in contrast to Kinkaku-ji Temple. Why is it called “Silver Pavilion” when it’s not silver? Kinkaku-ji Temple is covered in … Read More
A mountain awarded three Michelin stars Mt. Takao is located in Hachioji City, Tokyo, at the western edge of the Kanto Plain. As it is located where the plain turns into mountainous terrain, trains run right up to the trailhead, making it very accessible. With an elevation of 599 meters, it is a low … Read More
Description for Kinkaku-ji The golden World Heritage Site, Kinkaku-ji Temple. Its official name is Rokuon-ji Temple, but it is commonly known as Kinkaku-ji Temple because its most famous structure, the Shari-den Hall (Golden Pavilion), is covered in gold leaf. Located in Kita Ward, Kyoto City, it is a temple of the Rinzai sect’s Shokoku-ji … Read More
This is a heart-shaped typographic rendition of the word “Thank you” in English, Spanish, French, German, Japanese Hiragana, Dutch, Swedish, and Portuguese. Since Portuguese is divided into male and female words, there are 9 types of designs in 8 languages in total. Heart-shaped design Have you ever forgotten to say thank you when someone … Read More
Here is an example of a New Year’s greeting. It is written in hiragana. The translation is a statement of joy for the arrival of the New Year and celebration of it. This is written in honorifics, so it is valid not only for friends but also for close elders. There is a manner … Read More
Widely distributed throughout Okinawa Prefecture, it is the most common surname in the prefecture. Derived from “bijā,” meaning east. Located in the southeastern part of Hamahiga Island, central Okinawa Island. Locally, it is collectively called Bama-Hija with the beach in the northwest. There is a rocky hill called a gusuku at an elevation of … Read More
The surname Morita is written vertically. The first line on the left is in hiragana, the middle line is in kanji, and the third line on the right is in katakana, all written vertically. The first kanji character, “森,” represents a forest, and the second character, “田,” refers to rice fields. Our ancestors may … Read More