The Seven Mysteries of Honjo: old Edo's famous ghost stories
· Source: The Japan Times
The Seven Mysteries of Honjo are a set of ghost stories and urban legends that were once well known. They date back to the Edo Period, when Tokyo was called Edo.
💡 Why it matters for you: Folk tales like these give learners a window into Japanese history and the stories many people in Japan grew up hearing.
🎌 Reading Japanese folklore in the original language is a rewarding way to build vocabulary and cultural understanding.
Overall inflation in Tokyo reached 2.8%, above the Bank of Japan's 2% goal. A key measure of underlying inflation, which leaves out fresh food and energy, rose 2.6%. The figures came just before the central bank's interest rate decision.
💡 Why it matters: Rising prices in Tokyo affect day-to-day living costs, which students and workers planning a move to Japan should keep in mind when budgeting.
🎌 Being able to read Japanese news and price labels makes it easier to track and manage living costs once you are in Japan.
JR East has brought in a pair of young goats to deal with overgrown plants near Yotsuya Station in Tokyo. The project is part of a new environmentally friendly approach, and the goats are proving popular.
💡 Why it matters: It is a fun look at how Japanese companies try creative, green ideas, even at busy city train stations.
🎌 Learning Japanese lets you enjoy local stories like this straight from Japanese news and station notices.
Two high school students in Japan started their own company after returning from abroad. They created an app called blesc, designed for students and teachers, which works like a diary tool for classrooms.
💡 Why it matters: It offers a peek into Japanese school life and the growing startup spirit among young people in Japan.
🎌 Understanding Japanese helps you follow how young Japanese people talk about school, technology and new ideas.
Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank, a Japanese bank, has bought a stake in an Indian private equity firm. The deal reflects growing interest from Japanese institutional investors in Indian companies across financial services, manufacturing and real estate.
💡 Why it matters: More Japanese money flowing into Indian businesses can mean more roles in India that need people who understand both Japanese and Indian work cultures.
🎌 Japanese language skills can help Indian professionals communicate better with Japanese partners and investors in sectors like finance and manufacturing.
Kimono stylist Sheila Cliffe visited Kazunari Aoto in Shimane, a third-generation weaver of Izumo Ori textiles. He creates detailed designs using threads that he dyes himself, including with natural indigo.
💡 Why it matters: It shows how traditional crafts are passed down through families in Japan, a side of the country many learners find inspiring.
🎌 Knowing Japanese helps you talk directly with artisans and understand the words used in traditional crafts.
The Kansai region is emerging as one of Japan's key locations for data centers. Fuji Chimera Research Institute estimates that data centers in Kansai cover about 1.16 million square meters, roughly a quarter of Japan's total. Other regions are also competing for a share of this growing sector.
💡 Why it matters: For Indian students in IT and engineering, this shows where some of Japan's digital infrastructure is growing beyond Tokyo.
🎌 Japanese language skills can help tech professionals communicate with local teams and clients in Japan's IT sector.
