カテゴリー: Everyday Japanese

豆腐

TOFU

tofu / soy product

うどん

UDON

udon / thick noodles

わさび

WASABI

wasabi / Japanese horseradish

天ぷら

TEMPURA

tempura / fried vegetables and seafood

生き甲斐

IKIGAI

reason for being; the source of motivation that makes life feel worth living

侍

SAMURAI

samurai / warrior

侘び寂び

WABI-SABI

the beauty of imperfection, impermanence, and incompleteness

芸者

GEISHA

geisha / traditional entertainer

引きこもり

HIKIKOMORI

severe social withdrawal; a person who has retreated from social life and rarely or never leaves their home

折り紙

ORIGAMI

origami / paper folding art

旨味

UMAMI

the fifth basic taste, beyond sweet, sour, salty, and bitter; a savory, deeply satisfying flavor associated with glutamate and found in aged cheeses, soy sauce, dashi, mushrooms, and meat

ラーメン

RAMEN

ramen / noodle soup

焼き鳥

YAKITORI

grilled chicken skewers; bite-sized pieces of chicken and vegetables threaded on bamboo skewers and grilled over charcoal, seasoned with tare sauce or salt

酒

SAKE

sake / Japanese rice wine

浴衣

YUKATA

a lightweight, informal cotton kimono worn in summer at festivals, fireworks events, or in ryokan and hot spring resorts

寿司

SUSHI

sushi / vinegared rice dish

抹茶

MATCHA

matcha / powdered green tea

たこ焼き

TAKOYAKI

takoyaki / octopus balls

納豆

NATTO

natto / fermented soybeans

刀

KATANA

katana / Japanese sword / samurai sword

漫画

MANGA

manga / Japanese comic / graphic novel

異世界

ISEKAI

another world / parallel world / different dimension

忍者

NINJA

ninja / shinobi warrior / covert operative

餅

MOCHI

mochi / rice cake

桜

SAKURA

sakura / cherry blossom / cherry tree

温泉

ONSEN

onsen / hot spring

アニメ

ANIME

Japanese animated film or television series

相撲

SUMO

sumo / Japanese wrestling