Japanese Culture & Etiquette

Japanese Convenience Store Seasonal Food: What Autumn and Winter Bring to the Konbini

Chestnut sweets, sweet potato treats, oden, and winter chocolate: what autumn and winter bring to Japanese convenience stores, and how to spot “gentei” labels.

2026.10.28

Japanese Culture & Etiquette

Japanese Supermarket Osozai: When Dinner Comes from the Deli

Osozai are ready-made dishes from Japanese supermarket delis. Here’s what to try, how evening discount stickers work, and why it’s not lazy.

2026.10.28

Japanese Culture & Etiquette

Yaki-Imo: The Sweet Potato Smell That Means Autumn in Japan

Yaki-imo is Japan’s roasted sweet potato, sold warm at supermarkets every autumn. Here’s what it is, where to find it, and how to try it on your trip.

2026.10.28

Japanese Culture & Etiquette

Japan Delivery Time Slots: You Choose When Your Package Arrives

In Japan, you can choose when your package arrives. How delivery time slots work, what the missed-delivery slip means, and tips for getting parcels at a hotel.

2026.10.28

Japanese Culture & Etiquette

Ofuro: Why Japanese Families Fill the Bathtub Every Night

Why can a Japanese family share the same bathwater? Learn the wash-first ofuro routine, the talking bath button, and where travelers can try a Japanese bath.

2026.10.27

Japanese Culture & Etiquette

Cool TA-Q-BIN: How Japan Mails Frozen Home Cooking Across the Country

Cool TA-Q-BIN lets people in Japan mail frozen home cooking and seafood across the country. What it is, what people send, and whether travelers can use it.

2026.10.27

Japanese Culture & Etiquette

Sumimasen: The Magic Word That Solves Almost Everything in Japan (From a Japanese Mom)

What does sumimasen mean? A Japanese mom explains how travelers can use this versatile word to say "excuse me," "sorry," and sometimes "thank you" in Japan.

2026.07.13

Japanese Culture & Etiquette

Japanese Restaurant Etiquette: What to Know from Entering to Paying (From a Japanese Mom)

Japanese table manners and restaurant etiquette for first-time visitors: being seated, ordering, chopsticks, slurping, paying at the register, and why you never tip.

2026.07.12

Japanese Culture & Etiquette

Why Are There So Few Trash Cans in Japan? 5 Things Locals Do (From a Japanese Mom)

Why are trash cans hard to find in Japan? A Japanese mom explains where to dispose of waste and five simple habits locals use while out.

2026.07.11

Japanese Culture & Etiquette

Japanese Convenience Store Etiquette: 5 Unwritten Rules (From a Japanese Mom)

Learn five unwritten rules of Japanese convenience store etiquette, from using toilets and checkout trays to eat-in corners and trash bins.

2026.07.10

Japanese Culture & Etiquette