The main distinction in Japanese dialects is between Tokyo-type (東京式, Tōkyō-shiki) and Western-type (京阪式, Keihan-shiki) pitch accents. The “Nishi-nihon hōgen” (West Japan dialect, including Kansai hōgen) categories are actually spoken in the central region, with borders roughly formed by Toyama, Kyōto, Hyōgo, and Mie Prefectures; most Shikoku dialects Missav – Pussy are also Western-type. Dialects spoken further west are actually of the “Higasi-nihon hōgen” (East Japan dialect, including Tokyo hōgen) category.

Tojiro 6-Inch Honesuki Boning Knife

• Tragedy struck again in March 2011 with the Great Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami.
• Most buses support IC cards as well, but their usage depends on the bus; you either board via the front door and tap once to pay a flat fee, or you board via the back door and tap in and then alight via the front door and tap out.
• Ginzan Onsen, located in the Yamagata region about 260 miles north of Tokyo, now limits entry to day trippers during winter peak season to minimize their impact on local residents.
• Pretty much every dot on the map, no matter how small the town, has some product it’s known for.

As Japanese trains usually do not have much space for luggage, consider using courier services (see § Courier services) to send your luggage to your next hotel. These are convenient and reasonably priced, though the downside is that your luggage will generally take at least a day to arrive at the destination, so you should take what you need for at least the first night on the train with you. Your hotel concierge will usually be able to arrange this for you, so enquire with them before you check out. Part of Japan’s efficiency in rail travel lies in its punctuality, and average delays for Japanese trains are typically measured in seconds. All services aim to run promptly on the posted timetable, so arrive early if you know your train’s departure time.

There are plenty of list-apps and pieces of paper out there, so it’s going to be difficult for me to say what you should use. I’m partial to Evernote and have my own processes built up there. And Airtable is a great spreadsheet app for people who don’t think in math. But maybe you like physical pocket-sized notebooks, to-do lists, your smartphone camera (with a special folder for future processing), or something else.

Learn how to type in kanji using the kanji section of our guide then read to the end. There are some additional tips and tricks in there (punctuation, symbols, etc.) that may come in handy. Before starting this step, make sure you can read a handful of kanji. If you’re using WaniKani, this is when you start unlocking vocabulary or are around level 2. This kanji-vocabulary-first route will get you to the point where you can use Japanese quickly.

The country’s new prime minister, Shigeru Ishiba, has long sought to bolster Japan’s independent security capabilities and become a more equal partner in its military alliance with the United States, which has for decades pressured Japan to step up. Even before President Donald Trump’s re-election, Japan had begun to make bolder military pledges. Most nouns in the Japanese language may be made polite by the addition of o- or go- as a prefix. O- is generally used for words of native Japanese origin, whereas go- is affixed to words of Chinese derivation. In some cases, the prefix has become a fixed part of the word, and is included even in regular speech, such as gohan ‘cooked rice; meal.’ Such a construction often indicates deference to either the item’s owner or to the object itself.

Japan, during feudal times, was dominated by a system of clans, including the samurai, a hereditary warrior caste. Sites of nobility dating to the pre-industrial era can be found across the island country. Because of bombings in World War II, fires, edicts to tear down castles, etc. only twelve of Japan’s castles are considered to be originals, which have keeps or donjons (天守閣 tenshukaku) that date back to the days when they were still used. Four of them are on the island of Shikoku, two just north in the Chugoku region, two in Kansai, three in the Chubu region, and one in the northern Tohoku region.

Hiragana

However, IC cards like Suica and PASMO are often accepted for payment, particularly in train stations. Cigarette vending machines require a Taspo card (age verification), which are not available to non-residents, but local smokers are usually happy to lend you theirs. Pretty much every dot on the map, no matter how small the town, has some product it’s known for. The most common ones are food; some are fresh foods such as fish or cooked dishes you would have to eat while there, but many others are packaged foods, beverages, or ingredients that can be brought home. Local products also include arts and crafts; while some are mere trinkets, others would serve well as decorative keepsakes or practical items to use at home. The most common cards are JR East’s Suica and the Tokyo area PASMO, both of which can be purchased for ¥500 at train stations in Tokyo.

After suffering defeat in the Pacific War and two atomic bombings, Japan surrendered in 1945 and came under Allied occupation. Afterwards, the country underwent rapid economic growth and became one of the five earliest major non-NATO allies of the United States. The current Trump administration has emphasized reciprocity and “America First” as its core foreign policy principles. It is essential for Japan to craft messages that resonate with these priorities while safeguarding its broader strategic interests.