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  • Feb2026

    February 2026 Issue

    Hiragana Times | February 2026
    Hiragana Times February 2026

    Hiragana Times

    ひらがなタイムズ 2026年2月号

    Enter a world shaped by tradition and melody. This issue explores Gagaku, the world's oldest orchestra.
    伝統と旋律が形づくる世界へ。本号では、世界最古のオーケストラ「雅楽」を探ります。

    Japan Explore

    日本探究 & 再発見

    Grand sumo

    The Grand Sumo Tournament - The Ring-Entering Ceremony

    The sacred world of sumo through Dohyō-iri, as depicted in Gakyōjin Bunta Inoue's New Year cover artwork, revealing sumo's origins as a ritual of prayer rather than sport. The feature also introduces Inoue's "Reiwa Ukiyo-e," a bold fusion of Edo-period spirit and contemporary culture.
    画狂人・井上文太による新年の表紙作品を通して、競技ではなく神事としての相撲――土俵入りの本質に迫ります。あわせて、江戸の精神と現代文化を融合させた「令和の浮世絵」の世界を紹介します。

    Read Article →
    Dandelion flower

    Zassou: The Ibuki of February–The Wisdom of Living with Resilience

    Explores the unseen seasonal life force that moves all living things, focusing on zassou—wild-growing plants that survive through patience, adaptability, and quiet strength. From mythology to modern streets, these humble grasses reveal profound wisdom about resilience, timing, and the origins of human life itself.
    万物を動かす目に見えない季節の生命力に光を当て、しなやかに生き抜く雑草の姿を通して、その知恵と強さを描きます。神話から現代の足元まで、雑草は忍耐と適応の象徴として、私たちの命の原点を静かに語りかけます。

    English | Coming Soon → 日本語 | 近日公開 →
    Gagaku

    Gagaku — The World's Oldest Orchestra, Dedicated to Nature

    BGagaku, the world's oldest orchestra, is music performed not for people but for nature, expressing the sounds of wind, earth, and sky through instruments shaped by ancient prayers. Unchanged for over 1,300 years, it embodies the Japanese spirit of harmony—uniting humans, nature, and the cosmos in sound.
    1300年以上ほとんど姿を変えずに受け継がれてきた雅楽は、人のためではなく自然に捧げられる音楽です。風や大地、天地の響きを奏でるその音には、人と自然、そして宇宙をつなぐ日本の「和」の精神が息づいています。

    English | Coming Soon→ 日本語 | 近日公開 →

    Japan Now

    日本の今

    News Review2026 News Review
    🎧 Audio Available

    The Kanji That Represents the Mood of Society in 2025'

    2025年の世相を表す漢字

    Read Article →
    buzz2026 New Expression & Buzzwords
    🎧 Audio Available

    チャッピー | ChatGPT

    Read Article →
    🎧 Audio Available

    横転 | Falling-over

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    bakebake Close Up Japan
    🎧 Audio Available

    A Television Culture That Has Shaped Japanese Mornings

    日本人の朝をつくってきたテレビ文化

    Read Article →
    Pro and Con 2026 Pros and Cons with Insight
    🎧 Audio Available

    Controversy Over Cabinet Official's Nuclear Remarks

    首相官邸幹部の「核保有発言」をめぐる論争

    Read Article →

    Nihongo Do

    日本語道

    Voice Wave

    Voice Wave | 言波

    This essay explores the idea that Japanese kana (仮名) were originally kami-na—"divine names"—born from ancient people's reverence for nature and the movements of the human heart. By reading mythology, language, and sound as expressions of kokoro, it reveals words as vessels through which life, meaning, and the universe itself are named into being.
    本稿は、日本語の「仮名」が本来「神名」であり、自然や心の動きを写し取った音であったという視点から、日本語と言葉の起源を探ります。神話・文字・音を「心」の表現として読み解くことで、言葉が命と世界を立ち上げる力であったことを浮かび上がらせます。

    Word Leaves

    Word Leaves | 言の葉

    Mutsuki (睦月)—Seasonal Word Leaves: Japan's February, "Kisaragi" - lingering winter chill, early spring signs, and days that seem to slip away.
    季節の言の葉: 日本の2月「如月」一残る寒さと芽吹きの気配、そして足早に過ぎていく日々。

    Voice-Word Art

    Voice-Word Art | 言技

    Seasonal Voice-Word Art: "January slips away, February runs away, March goes away" - the early months of the year pass in the blink of an eye.
    季節の言技:「一月往ぬる二月逃げる三月去る」年のはじめ三か月は、あっという間に過ぎていく。

    SavvyFeb2026

    Japan Savvy | 日本通

    National Foundation Day on February 11 commemorates the legendary enthronement of Emperor Jimmu in 660 BCE, blending history and mythology to reflect Japan's deep sense of continuity. Rather than marking a single political event, the day invites reflection on the nation's long, layered past and its origins rooted in myth, nature, and lineage.
    2月11日の建国記念の日は、紀元前660年に神武天皇が即位したと伝えられる日に由来し、日本の歴史と神話が重なり合う国の始まりを象徴しています。明確な出来事よりも、果てしなく続く時間の流れの中で日本の起源に思いを馳せる日です。

    MazeFeb2026

    Japan Maze | 迷宮ニホン

    "This shows how Japanese numbers carry sounds and meanings beyond their numerical value. Through wordplay like goro-awase, numbers can feel unlucky, humorous, polite, or even act as hidden codes, revealing the playful and symbolic side of Japanese language and culture.
    日本語の数字が単なる数ではなく、音や意味をもつ存在であることを紹介しています。語呂合わせによって、数字が不吉に感じられたり、ユーモアや感謝の気持ちを表したり、隠語として使われたりするなど、日本語文化の遊び心と象徴性が見えてきます。

    Cover Feb 2026

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  • January 2026 Issue – Available as a Back Issue

    Hiragana Times | January 2026
    Hiragana Times January 2026

    Hiragana Times

    ひらがなタイムズ 2026年1月号

    Step into the new year with stories of tradition and transformation. This issue explores Japan's timeless customs and the winds of change shaping humanity's path forward.
    伝統と変革の物語とともに新年へ。日本の不変の慣習と、人類の未来を形作る変化の風を探る。

    Japan Explore

    日本探究 & 再発見

    The New Year's Bell

    The New Year's Bell Opens the Gate of Heaven

    As the Joya-no-Kane tolls at midnight, a celestial horse descends from within the bell—bearing the spirit of the Soma clan, who have lived alongside horses for over a thousand years. Fifteen years after the 2011 disaster, Fukushima's long darkness gives way to renewed light.
    除夜の鐘の中から天馬が降り立つ——千年以上馬と共に生きてきた相馬氏の魂を宿して。震災から15年、福島の長い暗がりが、再生の光へと変わる。

    Read Article →
    Ume Blossoms

    Ume: The Ibuki of January

    In Japanese, the unseen seasonal surge that stirs all life is called "Ibuki"—the breath of life. The ume blooms before spring arrives, its very name echoing the primordial sound "u" (ウ) of life awakening. Before cherry blossoms took center stage, ume was Japan's original flower of hanami.
    目には見えないけれど確かな季節の衝動——それを日本語で「いぶき」と呼ぶ。梅は春に先駆けて咲き、その名は生命の芽吹きを表す「ウ」の音に由来するとも。桜より前、花見の主役は梅だった。

    English → 日本語 →
    2025 Turning Point

    2025: A Turning Point for Humanity

    Bears once revered as sacred now descend into cities like Godzilla—a warning that nature's balance is collapsing. As AI watches and learns from our every action, will we teach it cold elimination, or coexistence and compassion? The code we write now determines humanity's future.
    かつて神として崇められた熊が、ゴジラのように街へ現れる——自然界のバランスが崩れつつある警告。AIは私たちのすべての行動を学習し続けている。冷徹な排除か、共存と慈愛か。今刻むコードが、人類の未来を決める。

    English → 日本語 →

    Japan Now

    日本の今

    News Review News Review
    🎧 Audio Available

    Who Is This Year's 'Lucky Man'? Nishinomiya Shrine's 'Running Worship'

    今年の福男は誰?西宮神社の「走り参り」

    Read →
    Buzzwords New Expression & Buzzwords
    🎧 Audio Available

    サナ活 | Sana-activity

    Read →
    🎧 Audio Available

    鬱袋 | Depressing bag

    Read →
    Close Up Close Up Japan
    🎧 Audio Available

    The Young Hero Who Crosses the Fires of War, Anoishiki, Becomes a New Ozeki

    戦火を越えた若き英雄、安青錦が新大関へ

    Read →
    Pros and Cons Pros and Cons with Insight
    🎧 Audio Available

    Legalization of the Use of Old Surnames, Yet the Controversy Continues

    旧姓使用が法制化、それでも続く「選択的夫婦別姓」論争

    Read →

    Nihongo Do

    日本語道

    Voice Wave

    Voice Wave | 言波

    Yamato words—the ancient Japanese read in kun-yomi—carry a "resonance of the heart" that modern borrowed words have lost. When "respect" becomes "toutobi," warmth and meaning surface. These words were woven by hijiri (霊知り), sages who aligned truth with the movements of the heart.
    訓読みで読む古代の日本語「大和ことば」には、現代の外来語が失った"心の響き"が宿る。「尊敬」を「とうとび」に解けば、温もりと意味が浮かび上がる。これらは霊知り——心と真実を重ねた古代の賢者たちが紡いだ言葉。

    Word Leaves

    Word Leaves | 言の葉

    Mutsuki (睦月)—January's ancient name—means "the month of coming together." Families reunite, New Year cards cross paths, and first shrine visits carry prayers for the year ahead. From shimenawa purification to seven-herb porridge, these quiet rituals shape the gentle, hopeful rhythm of Japan's new year.
    睦月——1月の古名は「親しくむつまじくする月」。家族が集い、年賀状が行き交い、初詣で一年の祈りを捧げる。しめ縄から七草粥まで、静かな儀礼が日本の新年の穏やかで希望に満ちたリズムを形作る。

    Voice-Word Art

    Voice-Word Art | 言技

    "When yin reaches its extreme, it turns to yang." Rooted in classical Chinese thought, this proverb reveals nature's cyclical truth: the deepest cold precedes warmth, the hardest trials precede recovery. Conditions are never fixed—extremes always reverse.
    「陰極まれば陽に転ずる」——中国古典に由来するこの言葉は、自然の循環の真理を示す。最も寒い時期の後に暖気が来るように、困難の後には好転が訪れる。物事は固定されず、極まれば必ず反転する。

    Japan Savvy

    Japan Savvy | 日本通

    Osechi—New Year's cuisine—celebrates the cosmic "fushi" (node) where sun and moon are reborn. At the winter solstice, yin reaches its extreme and yang emerges; with the new moon, light returns from darkness. Ancient people honored this overlap of celestial rebirths as Shogatsu. Each dish carries wishes woven into its name, color, and shape.
    おせち料理は、太陽と月が生まれ直す宇宙の「節(ふし)」を祝う。冬至で陰が極まり陽が生まれ、新月で闘から光が宿り始める。古代の人々はこの二つの再生が重なる時を「正月」として寿いだ。一品一品に、名前・色・形に込められた願いが宿る。

    Japan Maze

    Japan Maze | 迷宮ニホン

    "Mō ippai"—does it mean "I've had enough" or "one more cup"? Japanese is rich with homophones that sound identical but carry different meanings. This duality creates charming misunderstandings and playful puns. Same to the ear, different to the eye—that's the magic of Japanese.
    「もういっぱい」——「もう十分」か「もう一杯」か?日本語には音が同じで意味が異なる言葉が溢れている。この二重性が、愛すべき行き違いや言葉遊びを生む。耳では同じ、目では違う——それが日本語の魅力。

    HT Talk Lounge

    💬 Join this month's HT Talk Lounge!

    Step into the Lounge — where words and culture come alive.

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    Read More
  • December 2025 Issue —Available as a Back Issue

    JAPAN Art

    Hira6-base2-measure-towing

    Cover Story

    Discovering Shikoku through Flavor, Flowers, and Faith
    秋味・花・祈りで巡る四国の旅

    >>Read Content

    春を告げる福寿草

    IBUKI Seasonal Breath

    Flowers of December: The Beauty of Japan in Winter
    12月の花:冬も華やかな日本

    >>Read Content (English Ver.)
    >>Read Content (Japanese Ver.)

    和風の出汁

    Japan Style

    UMAMI — Nature’s Guiding Pulse that connect life
    旨味 — 命をつなぐ自然の導き

    >>Read Content (English Ver.)
    >>Read Content (Japanese Ver.)

    JAPANese News

    News Review

    🎧 Halloween in the Sand Dunes!? Tottori’s Unique Party
    ハロウィーンは砂丘で!?鳥取のユニークなパーティー
    >> Read Content

    New Expression & Buzzwords

    🎧 フキハラ| Displeasure harassment
    >> Read Content

    🎧 ガチ勢 | Enthusiast
    >> Read Content

    Close Up Japan

    🎧 Two Japanese Scientists Win the 2025 Nobel Prize
    日本人科学者ふたり、2025年ノーベル賞に輝く
    >> Read Content

    Pros and Cons with Insight

    🎧 Considering Prime Minister Takaichi’s “Abandoning Work-Life Balance” Statement
    高市総理の「ワーク・ライフ・バランスを捨てる」発言を考える
    >> Read Content

    Nihongo Do

    Wave

    Voice Wave | 言波

    🎧 Japanese — A Harmony of Court, Samurai, and Townspeople’s Speech
    日本語は、公家ことば・武家ことば・町人ことばのミックス

    >>Read Content (English Ver.)
    >>Read Content (Japanese Ver.)

    Leaves

    Word Leaves | 言の葉

    🎧 Seasonal Word Leaves: “Shiwasu” – year-end bustle and quiet winter pockets across the islands.
    季節の言の葉:日本の12月「師走」:年の瀬の慌ただしさと、各地に残る静かな冬景色。

    >>Read Content

    Art

    Voice-Word Art | 言技

    🎧 Seasonal Voice-Word Art: “If winter comes, can spring be far behind?” – A gentle reminder that hardship gives way to renewal.
    季節の言技:「冬来たりならば春遠からじ」--辛い時期の向こうに、必ず芽吹きがある。

    >>Read Content

    Japan Savvy | 日本通

    🎧 Year-End Cleaning —Purifying for the New Year
    大掃除 ― 清めて迎える新しい年

    Become a O-souji Savvy | お掃除通になる

    >> Read Content 

    Japan Maze | 迷宮ニホン

    🎧 Restroom
    レストルーム

    >>Read Content

    今月号
    Join this month's HT Talk Lounge!
    Step into the Lounge — where words and culture come alive.
    今月号の記事で日本語と日本文化を語り合いましょう!
    Learn More →
    詳細・お申し込み
    Read More
  • November 2025 Issue —Available as a Back Issue

    JAPAN Art

    Hira-tokyo-921_2

    Cover Story

    Autumn’s Breath in Tokyo — A Map of Chrysanthemums, Towers, and Memory
    東京に咲く秋のいぶき —— 菊と塔と記憶の地図

    >>Read Content

    f3aed613f7f00445efa0adead1117b21

    IBUKI Seasonal Breath

    Kiku: The Ibuki of November –A Flower that Carries Japan’s Spirit
    菊:11月のいぶきー日本のこころを映す花

    >>Read Content (English Ver.)
    >>Read Content (Japanese Ver.)

    鎌倉 鎌倉大仏

    Japan Style

    Buddha Statues: Who Are They? ~ Incarnations of Prayer That Have Sustained the Japanese Heart for 1,500 Years ~
    仏像とは何者か? ~日本人の心を1500年間支え続けた「祈りの化身」~

    >>Read Content (English Ver.)
    >>Read Content (Japanese Ver.)

    JAPANese News

    News Review

    🎧 Giant Animals Appear After the Harvest: Amazing Wara (Straw) Art in Niigata!
    収穫後に現れる巨大動物。新潟のわらアートがすごい!
    >> Read Content

    New Expression & Buzzwords

    🎧 しごでき | Capable person
    >> Read Content

    🎧 〇〇ニキ / 〇〇ネキ | Big bro / Big sis
    >> Read Content

    Close Up Japan

    🎧 Shrines and Temples Purchase Problem and Japanese People’s Identity
    神社仏閣の買収問題と日本人のアイデンティティ
    >> Read Content 

    Pros and Cons with Insight

    🎧 “Japanese First”: Whose Priority Does It Serve?
    日本人ファースト:誰のための「優先」か?
    >> Read Content

    Nihongo Do

    Wave

    Voice Wave | 言波

    🎧 The Japanese World Shaped by “Mono” and ”Koto”
    「モノ」と「コト」が生む日本語の世界

    >>Read Content (English Ver.)
    >>Read Content (Japanese Ver.)

    Leaves

    Word Leaves | 言の葉

    🎧 Seasonal Word Leaves: Japan’s November, “Shimotsuki” — The country’s long, changing face from north to south.
    季節の言の葉:日本の11月「霜月」—縦に長い列島が見せる多様な晩秋の表情。

    >>Read Content

    Art

    Voice-Word Art | 言技

    🎧 Seasonal Voice-Word Art: “The fuller the grain, the lower it bows”
    季節の言技:実るほど頭を垂れる稲穂かな

    >>Read Content

    Japan Savvy | 日本通

    🎧 “Food of the Gods” – Kaki Reflecting the Autumn of Japan
    「神の食べ物」 ― 柿が映す日本の秋

    Become a Kaki Savvy | 柿通になる

    >> Read Content

    Japan Maze | 迷宮ニホン

    🎧 Clap your hands
    手を打て

    >>Read Content 

    今月号
    Join this month's HT Talk Lounge!
    Step into the Lounge — where words and culture come alive.
    今月号の記事で日本語と日本文化を語り合いましょう!
    Learn More →
    詳細・お申し込み
    Read More
  • October 2025 Issue—Available as a Back Issue

    JAPAN Art

    Cover story Oct 2025

    Cover Story

    The Autumn Light Rises Again — Memories of Osaka Expo and Cosmos Flowers
    秋の光、再び空へ――大阪万博とコスモスの記憶

    >>Read Content

    OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

    IBUKI Seasonal Breath

    Cosmos: The Ibuki of October –A Small Cosmos Blooming in Everyday Life
    秋桜(コスモス):10月のいぶきー日常に咲く、小さな宇宙

    >>Read Content(English Ver.)
    >>Read Content (Japanese Ver.)

    _W9A3237

    Japan Style

    The Sour Truth of Sushi
    寿司の真実 〜酸っぱい歴史〜

    >>Read Content(English Ver.)
    >>Read Content (Japanese Ver.)

    JAPANese News

    News Review

    🎧 How should it be used for the future? The Expo Symbol “Grand Ring”
    未来へどう活かす? 万博のシンボル「大屋根リング」
    >> Read Content

    New Expression & Buzzwords

    🎧 エモい | Emotional
    >> Read Content

    🎧 ギリハッピー | Barely Happy
    >> Read Content

    Close Up Japan

    🎧 The Much-Talked-About Film Kokuho —— The World of Kabuki Where Art and Blood Intersect
    話題の映画『国宝』 —— 芸と血が交差する歌舞伎の世界
    >> Read Content

    Pros and Cons with Insight

    🎧 80 Years Postwar: Should We Speak of ‘Reflection’?
    戦後80年、「反省」を語るべきか?
    >> Read Content

    Nihongo Do

    Wave

    Voice Wave | 言波

    🎧 Kanji — A Record that Resounds with the History of Japan and China
    漢字──日中の歴史を奏でるレコード

    >>Read Content(English Ver.)
    >>Read Content (Japanese Ver.)

    Leaves

    Word Leaves | 言の葉

    🎧 “Kanna-zuki / Kamiarizuki” – When gods travel, the air turns to autumn.
    日本の10月、「神無月/神有月」- 神々が旅立ち、秋季が深まる季節。

    >>Read Content

    Art

    Voice-Word Art | 言技

    🎧 Seasonal Voice-Word Art: Taifu Ikka – the clearing after a tyhoon
    季節の言技:台風一過

    >>Read Content

    Japan Savvy | 日本通

    🎧 Japan’s Food Culture Living with Microorganisms—Flavors and Traditions Nurtured by Fermentation
    菌と生きる日本の食文化 ― 発酵が育む味と伝統

    Become a Hakko Savvy | 発酵通になる

    >> Read Content 

    Japan Maze | 迷宮ニホン

    🎧 Birthday Present
    誕生日の贈り物

    >>Read Content

    Read More
  • September 2025 Issue—Available as a Back Issue

    JAPAN Art

    Hira cover- Sep025-R

    Cover Story


    秋の息吹が京都を照らす 光の塔と曼珠沙華の記憶秋のいぶき、京都に灯る——塔の光と彼岸花の記憶

    >>Read Content

    満開の曼珠沙華

    IBUKI Seasonal Breath

    Higanbana: The Ibuki of September –A Bright Red Flower Connecting This World and the Next
    彼岸花(ひがんばな): 9月のいぶきーあの世と繋ぐ真っ赤な花
    >>Read Content (English Ver.)
    >>Read Content (Japanese Ver.)

    京都 大文字送り火と灯籠流し

    Japan Style

    The Story of the Moon and Time
    月と時間の物語
    >>Read Content (English Ver.)
    >>Read Content (Japanese Ver.)

    JAPANese News

    News Review

    🎧 Rice Fields as Canvas!? Spectacular “Tanbo Art”
    田んぼがキャンバス!?迫力満点の「田んぼアート」
    >>Read Content

    New Expression & Buzzwords

    🎧 ビジュいいじゃん | Looking good
    >>Read Content

    🎧 入れ違いグッジョブ| Crossed good job pose

    Close Up Japan

    🎧 Japan, the Earthquake Nation – Shaken Hearts, Uncertain Tomorrows
    地震大国、日本ーー揺れる心と未来
    >>Read Content

    Pros and Cons with Insight

    🎧 A Nation in Transition: Japan’s Crossroads on Immigration
    移りゆく国、日本ーー移民をめぐる選択の時
    >>Read Content

    Nihongo Do

    Wave

    Voice Wave | 言波

    🎧 Tracing the Memory of Sentiment – The Role of World Languages and Japanese [Part 2]
    情感の記憶を辿るーー世界の言語と日本語の役割 [後半]

    >>Read Content(English Ver.)
    >>Read Content (Japanese Ver.)

    Leaves

    Word Leaves | 言の葉

    🎧 Seasonal Word Leaves: Japan’s September, “Nagatsuki” – Admiring the Moon, Thanking the Harvest.
    季節の言の葉: 日本の9月「長月」- 月を愛で、実りに感謝する秋の始まり。
    >> Read Content

    Art

    Voice-Word Art | 言技

    🎧 Seasonal Voice-Word Art: An autumn day drops like a well bucket
    季節の言技:秋のひはつるべ落とし
    >> Read Content

    Japan Savvy | 日本通

    🎧 Kinoko and the Japanese People – A Relationship Nurtured by the Forest
    きのこと日本人 – 森に育まれた関係
    >> Read Content

    Become a Kinoko Savvy | きのこ通になる

    Japan Maze | 迷宮ニホン

    🎧 I want to buy Japan
    日本を買いたい
    >> Read Content

    Read More
  • August 2025 Issue—Available as a Back Issue

    JAPAN Art

    Aug-cover

    Cover Story

    The Spirit of Summer in Hiroshima: Peace, Memory, and the Bloom of Morning Glories
    夏のいぶき、広島に宿る—— 平和と記憶、そして朝顔の花

    >>Read Content

    Asagao

    IBUKI Seasonal Breath

    Asagao: The Ibuki of August ーA Japanese seasonal tradition that blooms on summer mornings
    朝顔(あさがお):8月のいぶきー夏の朝に咲く日本の風物詩

    >>Read Content(English Ver.)
    >>Read Content (Japanese Ver.)

    SUMO

    Japan Style

    Sumo as a Sacred Ritual: The Divine Contest of Strength that Has Long Protected Japan’s Land
    相撲という神事――聖なる力比べが守り続けた日本の大地

    >>Read Content

    >>Read Content(English Ver.)
    >>Read Content (Japanese Ver.)

    JAPANese News

    News Review

    🎧 A Sumo Wrestler as Your Oshi!? Su-jo Bring New Energy to Japan’s “National Sport”
    推しは力士!?スー女が盛り上げる日本の「国技」
    >>Read Content

    New Expression & Buzzwords

    🎧 概念コーデ | Concept outfit
    >>Read Content

    🎧リアコ| Real crush
    >>Read Content

    Close Up Japan

    🎧 Toward a World Without Nuclear Weapons – A U.S. Official’s Appeal
    「核なき世界」への願い――米高官、被爆地からの訴え
    >>Read Content

    Pros and Cons with Insight

    🎧 A New Burden: Pros and Cons of the ‘Singles Tax’
    新たな負担「独身税」への賛否
    >>Read Content

    Nihongo Do

    Wave

    Voice Wave | 言波

    🎧 Tracing the Memory of Sentiment – The Role of World Languages and Japanese [Part 1]
    情感の記憶を辿るーー世界の言語と日本語の役割 [前半]

    >>Read Content(English Ver.)
    >>Read Content (Japanese Ver.)

    Leaves

    Word Leaves | 言の葉

    🎧 Seasonal Word Leaves: “Hazuki” – August in Japan, Marked by Obon’s Lanterns and Fading
    季節の言の葉:「葉月」ーー 盆の灯りと過ぎゆく夏の、日本の8月。

    Art

    Voice-Word Art | 言技

    🎧 Seasonal Voice-Word Art: Moths Drawn Into the Flame
    季節の言技:飛んで火に入る夏の虫

    Japan Savvy | 日本通

    🎧 A Summer Cooled by Ghost Stories
    怪談で涼む夏

    >> Read Content

    Become a Kaidan Savvy | 怪談通になる

    Japan Maze | 迷宮ニホン

    🎧 Ten thousand yen Shipping
    1万円の買物

    Read More
  • July 2025 Issue—Available as a Back Issue

    JAPAN Art

    Cover

    Cover Story

    THE BREATH OF SUMMER: Lotus Blossoms and the Buzz of Ueno
    夏の息吹、上野に咲く蓮と賑わいの渦

    >>Read Content | Coming Soon

    水生植物公園みずの森

    IBUKI Seasonal Breath

    The Ibuki of July – A Sacred Flower Gracing the Waters.
    7月のいぶき、水面に咲く聖なる花

    >>Read Content

    Tatami

    Japan Style

    Tatami, the Breathing Floor ── A Japanese Space That Aligns Body and Mind
    呼吸する床、畳 ── 心と身体が整う日本の空間

    >>Read Content | Coming Soon

    JAPANese News

    News Review

    🎧 Pandas and Japan: Is This the End of a 50-Year Story?
    パ ンダとにほん、50 ねんのものがたりにひとくぎり?

    New Expression & Buzzwords

    🎧 ほんmoney | Really

    🎧秒で | In a Sec

    Close Up Japan

    🎧 The Future of “Silicon Island” Kyushu
    「シリコンアイランド」九州の未来

    Pros and Cons with Insight

    🎧 Questions Posed by the Reiwa “Rice Riots”
    令和の“米騒動”が問いかけるもの

    Nihongo Do

    Wave

    Voice Wave | 言波

    🎧The Mystery of Japanese: Why Is “は/Ha” Pronounced “わ/ Wa”?
    日本語の不思議:「は」はなぜ「WA」と読むのか?

    Leaves

    Word Leaves | 言の葉

    🎧 Seasonal Word Leaves: “Fumizuki” – July in Japan, Marked by Starlit Wishes and Harvest Prayers
    季節の言の葉:「文月」一星に託す願いと実りへの祈り。日本の7月。

    Art

    Voice-Word Art | 言技

    🎧 Seasonal Voice-Word Art: The “Ten Days after Tsuyu Breaks”
    季節の言技:梅雨明け十日

    Japan Savvy | 日本通

    🎧 Tanabata— Wishes Written on Strips of Paper
    七夕――短冊にこめる願い

    >> Read Content | Coming Soon

    Become a Tanabata Savvy | 七夕通になる

    Japan Maze | 迷宮ニホン

    🎧 Asking Direction
    道を尋ねる

    Read More
  • June 2025 Issue—Available as a Back Issue

    JAPAN Art

    Screenshot

    Cover Story

    A Prayer Within the Chrysanthemum – Illustrating “The Emperor and the Shape of Japan”
    菊化に宿る祈り「天皇と日本のかたち」を描く
    >>Read Content | Coming Soon

    AI_影像

    JAPAN Style

    AN INHERITED PRAYER: THE EMPEROR AND THE SHAPE OF JAPAN
    受け継がれる祈りーー天皇と日本のかたち

    >>Read Content 

    ajisai

    IBUKI Seasonal Breath

    June’s Flower: Ajisai (Hydrangea)
    6月の花:紫陽花

    >>Read Content | Coming Soon

    JAPANese News

    News Review

    🎧A “Mystery-Solving Journey” at the Imperial Palace!? An Event Where You Can Learn About the Imperial Family
    こうきょで「なぞときのたび」!? こうしつをまなべるイベント

    New Expression & Buzzwords

    🎧エッホエッホ | Hustle-Hustle

    🎧うますぎやろがい | Way Too Delicious

    Close Up Japan

    🎧 The True Nature of the “Trump Tariffs”
    「トランプ関税」の本質

    Nihongo Do

    Wave

    Voice Wave | 言波

    🎧 Japanese – A Language Without Subjects and What It Tells Us
    日本語ーー主語なき言語が語ること

    Leaves

    Word Leaves | 言の葉

    🎧 Seasonal Word Leaves: “Minazuki” — June in Japan, Marked by Rain and Ritual Purification
    季節の言の葉:「水無月」— 雨と祓いの、日本の6月

    Art

    Voice-Word Art | 言技

    🎧 Seasonal Voice-Word Art: Strength Born from the Rain
    季節の言技:雨のあとに生まれる強さ

    Japan Savvy | 日本通

    🎧 A Life With Tsuyu— Japan Nurtured by the Blessed Rain
    梅雨のある暮らしーー恵みの雨が育む日本

    >> Read Content | Coming Soon

    Become a Tsuyu Savvy |梅雨通になる

    Read More
  • May 2025 Issue—Available as a Back Issue

    JAPAN Art

    Asakusa-Edo

    Cover Story

    “With the Air of Edo — Everyday Life in Asakusa Through Hiroshige’s Eyes”
    江戸の空気とともに——広重のまなざしに映る、浅草の日常
    >>Read Content | Coming Soon

    Terakoya

    JAPAN Style

    THE TERAKOYA THAT SHAPED THE JAPANESE PEOPLE
    日本人をつくった寺子屋

    >>Read Content

    Correction and Apology | 訂正とお詫び

    In this issue’s Japan Style feature, “THE TERAKOYA THAT SHAPED THE JAPANESE PEOPLE,” we mistakenly attributed a quote about Japan’s literacy rate to Werner Siebold. The correct attribution should be to Philipp Franz von Siebold, a German physician and naturalist.
    Werner Siebold is the author of the biography “Siebold: A Turbulent Life,” and was not the original source of the observation. We sincerely apologize for this oversight.

    Philipp Franz von Siebold (1796–1866) visited Japan during the late Edo period. Serving as the physician at the Dutch trading post in Nagasaki (Dejima), he played a key role in introducing Western medicine and natural science to Japan. During his second stay in 1859, he was deeply impressed by the high literacy rate among ordinary Japanese people and documented this as evidence of Japan’s exceptional educational standards.

    A corrected PDF version of the article is now available for download:
    [Download link]

    今月号「Japan Style ジャパンスタイル」特集内の「THE TERAKOYA THAT SHAPED THE JAPANESE PEOPLE 日本人をつくった寺子屋」記事において、識字率に関する記述の出典を「ヴェルナー・シーボルト」と紹介しておりましたが、正しくは フィリップ・フランツ・フォン・シーボルト による記録でした。なお、ヴェルナー・シーボルト氏は、彼の伝記『シーボルト、波瀾の生涯』の著者であり、記録の当事者ではありません。ここに訂正し、読者の皆様に深くお詫び申し上げます。

    フィリップ・フランツ・フォン・シーボルト(1796–1866)は、江戸時代後期に来日したドイツ出身の医師・博物学者です。長崎・出島のオランダ商館医として、日本に西洋医学や博物学を紹介したことで知られています。1859年の再来日時には、庶民の識字率の高さに驚嘆し、日本の教育水準の高さを記録に残しました。

    なお、訂正済みPDFバージョンは以下よりダウンロード可能です。
    [ダウンロードリンク]

    AdobeStock_83177857_Extend

    IBUKI Seasonal Breath

    May’s Flower: Tsutsuji (Azalea)
    5月の花:ツツジ

    >>Read Content | Coming Soon

    JAPANese News

    News Review

    🎧The “Cushion” Beneath the Statue of Prince ShōToku at HōRyū-Ji Temple Has Been Replaced for the First Time in 200 Years
    ほうりゅうじ、しょうとくたいしぞうの「ざぶとん」が200 ねんぶりにしんちょう

    New Expression & Buzzwords

    🎧平成女児 | Heisei Girl

    🎧ジェネリック〇〇 | Jenerikku xx

    Close Up Japan

    🎧 A New Law to Regulate Social Media
    SNS を規制する新しい法律

    Pros and Cons with Insight

    🎧 The Weakening of Human Connections in the Digital Society
    デジタル化社会における人間関係の希薄化

    Nihongo Do

    Wave

    Voice Wave | 言波

    🎧 The Allure of Ancient Words Still Alive in the Japanese Language
    日本語に息づく「古代語」の魅力

    Leaves

    Word Leaves | 言の葉

    🎧 Seasonal Word Leaves: “Satsuki” — May in Japan, Shimmering with Fresh Greenery
    季節の言の葉:「皐月」— 新緑がきらめく、日本の5月

    Art

    Voice-Word Art | 言技

    🎧 Seasonal Voice-Word Art: The Gentle Breeze Carrying the Scent of Fresh Leaves in May
    季節の言技:若葉の香を運ぶ風がそよぐ5月の季語

    Japan Savvy | 日本通

    🎧 The Japanese Spirit in a Cup of Tea
    一杯のお茶に込められた、日本の心

    >> Read Content | Coming Soon

    Become a Ocha Savvy |お茶通になる

    Behind the Scenes | 舞台裏

    🎧 What is the Beauty of the “Wabi-Sabi” Aesthetic?
    「わびさび」の美しさとは何か

    Join Our Special Live Lesson for May 2025 Issue Readers

    Hiragana Times Special Live Lesson
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