Japanese Culture Terms

Samurai

武士

"Cubby", Used to store shoes

下駄箱

Bullet train

新幹線

Karate

空手(道)

Someone who practices karate

空手家

Geisha

芸者

Hot Spring

温泉

Corporate Housing (A house or accommodation owned by the company)

社宅

Bonsai

盆栽

The practice of collecting books, but not reading them

積ん読

The reason or purpose for a someone to live, the intersection of passion, mission, vocation and profession

生き甲斐

A perspective in finding beauty in the imperfect, transient and incomplete

侘寂

Japanese Festivals

祭り

The phenomenon of people who are recluses

引きこもり

Japanese art of hospitality

(御持て成し), おもてなし

Tsunami

津波

Kimono

着物

Sumo

相撲

Kabuki

歌舞伎

Ramen

(拉麺), ラーメン

Japanese-style comics

(漫画), マンガ

Bowing

お辞儀

Ritualistic Suicide

切腹, 腹切り