🇺🇸 Japanese brand Sacai’s latest collaboration with French maison Dior looks very kakkoii! Check out the behind the scene video here (in English): https://youtu.be/dXoTU5nhhlI You can also see Japanese actor Yokohama Ryuusei giving a tour of the pop-up store in this video, in Japanese with Japanese subtitles: https://youtu.be/2Liz2yq8Bqs
Today I’d like to talk about the word 縁 (en) which is tied to concepts dear to Japanese sensitivity and philosophy. We find it used in everyday conversations, however its original meaning is the “edge, hem of a cloth” and it designates the Japanese veranda-style porch you see in old houses, usually called 縁側 (engawa). In addition […]
Twelve artists around the world were chosen to interpret the iconic fragrance Miss Dior and show their work in the Miss Dior Exhibition at the Le Château de La Colle Noire near Grasse on the French Riviera. One of them is Japanese artist Haruka Kojin (荒神 明香). Her installation is truly beautiful and so delicate, […]
You may have heard about the recent marriage of now former Princess Mako (眞子) with commoner Komuro Kei (小室圭). Mako decided to give up her imperial status, to become a “normal” citizen, and live a new life away from the media, in New York. She declined a 140 million yen payment which the imperial family members normally receive […]
To describe a rude or pushy behavior, there’s a great idiomatic expression which comes directly from Japanese customs: 土足で（家に）入る Dosoku de (ie ni) hairu It literally means “to enter (someone’s house) with shoes on.” Since people take out their shoes when entering a house in Japan, leaving one’s shoes on is incredibly rude and inconsiderate. […]
Since Japanese has many words and expressions related to cats, I wanted to share a few with you. Unfortunately, cats are not always associated with positive behaviors. ■ 猫舌 (nekojita): “Cat tongue” refers to people who can’t eat or drink hot things, hot in temperature — like cats. In Japan, eating things while they are […]
Over the last few Japanese linguistics posts, I’ve been focusing on some major differences between Japanese and English/French perceptions. It’s important to keep in mind that since Japanese culture and customs are so very different, it often means we don’t say the same things in the same ways, which directly impacts the language and grammar. Direct translations […]
🇺🇸 Do you like Japanese instant noodles? In honor of its 50th anniversary, the famous food company Nissin just released a line of limited-edition soda drinks based on their iconic Cup Noodle flavors. And my Japanese friends say…it tastes bad! That was expected, but people appreciate the fun (and bold) idea to celebrate their favorite […]
In my initial post about Japanese linguistics, we took a look at the important grammatical differences in emotional expression between English/French and Japanese languages. In the second post, we saw the differences in establishing viewpoint and perspective. Today, I’d like to talk about another difference: the time perception. This can be a strange concept, since many assume time should be […]
🇺🇸 Although artist Kumisolo was born in Japan, as a teenager she was inspired to live in Paris after watching a Jean-Luc Godard’s movie. Perhaps this is why her music possesses a French 60’s vibe that is mixed with a touch of Japanese aesthetic. Some of you may recognize the song “Ce soir” (=tonight) as […]