Higashi Asia Language Instruction

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Japan to reopen to independent travelers and lift daily arrival cap, Kishida says The move marks a major policy shift after nearly two and a half years of strict COVID-19 restrictions.

‘Cultural power not a suit and tie’: hanfu clothing revival spurs sales boom While China’s economy slows down, the revival of hanfu traditional clothing among the young is booming, with sales this year expected to hit US$1.8 billion, up 65 times from 2015.

Okinawa: The Reconstruction of Shuri Castle - Japanology Plus | NHK WORLD-JAPAN On Demand *First broadcast on July 21, 2022.Okinawa Prefecture is a group of subtropical islands in the far south of Japan. It was previously a prosperous maritime trading state called the Ryukyu Kingdom. In the second of 2 episodes about Okinawa, we focus on the kingdom's political and cultural hub: Shuri Ca...

Context, context, context.

Understanding ‘hai’ is more difficult than you think It’s a simple word but sometimes using a well-placed “hai” is all it takes to facilitate a good conversation in Japanese.

Da trouble with da, the less formal cousin of desu The simple "da" in Japanese isn't so simple when you delve into the purposes it serves and the ways in you should be using it correctly.

What's the deal with KFC and Christmas in Japan? | Time Out Tokyo Why the country known for its gastronomy flocks to Kentucky Fried Chicken for the festive season

Why do Hong Kong, China and Taiwan send separate teams to Olympics? Taiwan have marched under the name of ‘Chinese Taipei’ since the 1984 Olympic Games, while Hong Kong are allowed a separate team under ‘one country, two systems’.

Chinese flocked to audio app Clubhouse for a taste of the open Internet. It didn’t last. Users freely discussed matters such as Taiwan and Xinjiang on the invitation-only platform — but then the censors caught on.

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2021/02/06/food/dagashiya-sweets-in-decline/

Dagashiya in decline: The slow fade of a traditional sweets institution These classic shops, where you could buy sweets for ¥30, once held a key social role. A few still remain, peddling nostalgia to both kids and adults.