Spring (haru)
March – May
花見 Hanami: picnics under the cherry blossoms
The school year starts in April
Golden Week holidays in early May
ජපන් සංස්කෘතිය
Japan Corner
Festivals, food, manners and everyday life in Japan. Everything here helps with the culture section of your syllabus.
ජපන් සංස්කෘතිය: උත්සව, ආහාර, ආචාර විධි සහ ජපානයේ පාසල් ජීවිතය.
Right now in both countries
Sri Lanka කොළඹ
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Japan 東京
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Summer (natsu)
June – August
梅雨 Tsuyu: the rainy season in June
七夕 Tanabata on 7 July
お盆 Obon, fireworks and summer festivals
Autumn (aki)
September – November
月見 Tsukimi: moon viewing
紅葉 Momiji: red and gold leaves
七五三 Shichi-Go-San on 15 November
Winter (fuyu)
December – February
お正月 Oshōgatsu: New Year
初詣 Hatsumōde: first shrine visit
節分 Setsubun: throwing beans for luck
A year of festivals
Tap a month to see what Japan celebrates. The red dot marks this month in Japan.
お正月
oshōgatsuNew Year
1 – 3 JanuaryThe biggest holiday. Families eat osechi (special New Year food) and children get otoshidama, gift money in small envelopes.
初詣
hatsumōdeFirst shrine visit
Early JanuaryThe first visit to a shrine or temple of the year, to pray for health and good luck.
成人の日
seijin no hiComing of Age Day
Second Monday of JanuaryA celebration for young people who have become adults. Many wear kimono.
Traditional arts and culture
Names you'll meet in reading passages and culture questions.
着物
kimono Kimono
Traditional clothing worn for ceremonies and festivals. The light cotton summer version is the yukata (浴衣).
茶道
sadō Tea ceremony
A calm ceremony for preparing and serving matcha green tea, with careful, set movements.
書道
shodō Calligraphy
Writing kanji and kana beautifully with a brush and ink. Japanese students practise it at school.
折り紙
origami Paper folding
Folding one square of paper into shapes. A thousand paper cranes (senbazuru) are folded for a wish.
生け花
ikebana Flower arranging
The art of arranging flowers and branches with balance and space.
相撲
sumō Sumo wrestling
Japan's national sport. Two wrestlers try to push each other out of a ring.
歌舞伎
kabuki Kabuki theatre
Traditional theatre with dramatic make-up and costumes. All roles are played by men.
俳句
haiku Haiku poems
Very short poems of 5-7-5 sounds, usually with a word that shows the season.
Japanese food
Ten dishes to know, then how to order them politely.
Vinegared rice with fish or other toppings.
Noodles in a hot soup, with many regional styles.
A rice ball, often wrapped in nori seaweed. A favourite school snack.
A packed lunch box with rice and small side dishes.
Miso soup, served with most home meals.
Seafood and vegetables fried in a light batter.
Thick wheat noodles, served hot or cold.
Round batter balls with octopus inside, from Osaka.
Soft, chewy pounded rice, eaten especially at New Year.
Powdered green tea, used in the tea ceremony and in sweets.
At a restaurant
A short conversation you can practise with a friend. Tap 🔈 to hear each line.
Staff いらっしゃいませ。 irasshaimase Welcome! (said when you walk in)
You メニューを おねがいします。 menyū o onegaishimasu The menu, please.
You ラーメンを ください。 rāmen o kudasai Ramen, please.
Staff しょうしょう おまちください。 shōshō omachi kudasai Please wait a moment.
You いただきます。 itadakimasu Said before you eat.
You おいしいです！ oishii desu It's delicious!
You ごちそうさまでした。 gochisōsama deshita Said after you eat.
You おかいけい おねがいします。 okaikei onegaishimasu The bill, please.
Chopstick manners
はし (hashi) are used for almost every meal. A few things to avoid:
- Don't stand chopsticks upright in a bowl of rice. It is done only at funerals.
- Don't pass food from your chopsticks to someone else's chopsticks. This is also linked to funerals.
- Don't point with your chopsticks or wave them around.
- Rest them on the chopstick rest (hashioki) when you're not using them.
Bowing and manners
In Japan a bow says hello, thank you and sorry. The deeper the bow, the more respect it shows.
Keep your back straight, bend from the hips and look down. Hands at your sides (men) or together in front (women).
Name endings: -san, -sensei and more
In Japanese you add an ending to someone's name, but never to your own.
〜さん-san
The safe, polite choice for almost anyone: Tanaka-san.
〜先生-sensei
For teachers, doctors and other experts: Yamada-sensei.
〜くん-kun
For boys and younger males, used by friends and teachers.
〜ちゃん-chan
For small children, close friends and pets. Cute and friendly.
〜さま-sama
Very polite, for customers and in letters: okyaku-sama (dear customer).
Good manners at home and outside
玄関
genkanShoes off at the entrance
Take your shoes off in the genkan and point them towards the door. Slippers are worn inside.
お土産
omiyageBring back a gift
After a trip, people bring small gifts, often local sweets, for family, friends and classmates.
お風呂
ofuroWash before the bath
You wash and rinse before getting into the bath. The bath is for soaking and relaxing, not washing.
静か
shizukaQuiet on the train
People keep their voices low and don't talk on the phone on trains and buses.
Words with a cultural meaning
いただきます
itadakimasu
Said before every meal to give thanks for the food.
がんばって
ganbatte
"Do your best!" What friends say to students before an exam.
合格
gōkaku
Passing an exam. Students buy お守り (omamori) charms at shrines for exam luck.
おつかれさま
otsukaresama
Said to someone after work or study: "thanks for your hard work".
もったいない
mottainai
The feeling that wasting something, like food, is a pity.
おもてなし
omotenashi
Warm, thoughtful hospitality towards guests.
School life in Japan
How a day at a Japanese school is different from yours.
制服
seifukuSchool uniform
Most junior and senior high schools have uniforms.
掃除
sōjiCleaning time
Students clean their own classrooms, corridors and toilets every day.
給食
kyūshokuSchool lunch
In primary and junior high, students serve lunch to each other and eat in the classroom.
部活
bukatsuClub activities
After school, students join clubs like baseball, music or calligraphy.
上履き
uwabakiIndoor shoes
Students change into indoor shoes at the school entrance.
Sri Lanka and Japan, side by side
Comparing with home is an easy way to write a culture paragraph.
| Topic | Sri Lanka | Japan |
|---|---|---|
| New Year | Sinhala & Tamil New Year in April (Avurudu) | Oshōgatsu on 1 January |
| Greeting | Āyubōvan or Vanakkam, palms together | A bow with こんにちは |
| School year starts | January | April |
| Main meal | Rice and curry | Rice, miso soup and side dishes |
| Eating with | The right hand, or a spoon and fork | Chopsticks (はし) |
| Seasons | Monsoons: wet and dry seasons | Four seasons: spring, summer, autumn, winter |
| Writing | Sinhala and Tamil scripts | Hiragana, katakana and kanji together |
| Money | Rupee (රු.) | Yen (円) |
Places to know
Japan has 47 prefectures (都道府県, todōfuken). These names come up most.
東京Tōkyō
The capital and largest city, with Shibuya crossing and the Tokyo Skytree.
富士山Fujisan
Mt. Fuji, Japan's highest mountain at 3,776 m, and a symbol of the country.
京都Kyōto
The old capital for over 1,000 years, famous for temples, shrines and gardens.
大阪Ōsaka
A lively city known for street food like takoyaki and okonomiyaki.
広島Hiroshima
Home of the Peace Memorial Park, remembering the atomic bombing of 1945.
北海道Hokkaidō
The snowy northern island, famous for its winter snow festival in Sapporo.
沖縄Okinawa
Warm southern islands with beaches and their own island culture.
Japan culture quiz
Festivals, food, manners and places. Get 8 of 10 right to pass.
More is coming to this site
This is just the beginning. These study tools are being built for our students next.
- Past paper libraryO/L and A/L Japanese papers sorted by year, with marking notes.
- Timed model papersFull MCQ papers on the clock, with instant marking.
- Listening practiceShort audio clips with questions to train your ear.
- Class noticesHoliday changes, extra classes and paper discussion days in one place.
Stay with the classes and keep this site bookmarked. New tools go live here first. පන්ති සමඟ රැඳී සිටින්න. අලුත් දේවල් ඉක්මනින්!
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