eな!

Apps and sites to enjoy Japanese culture

Dear friends who love Japanese culture and have started studying Japanese, Have you found that you're so busy studying the language that you're gradually spending less time experiencing the culture?
Today we'll show you three apps and one site where you can enjoy Japanese culture while engaging in the language, too.

Nihon Sumo Kyokai Official Smartphone App "Grand Sumo"

First is sumo.
Sumo is a genuine Japanese sport, but we don't often have a chance to watch it, do we?

In the photo, can you tell what the sumo wrestler's name circled in red is?
This is read "稀勢の里(きせのさと)(Kise-no-sato)"
Use this app for information about the rikishi (sumo wrestlers) and to watch their bouts.

Discover who your favorite rikishi is.
The Japanese may be a bit difficult, but sumo jargon can be fun to learn.


You're only allowed to watch one video a day for free. If you want to watch more, you have to pay, so be careful.



日本金魚図鑑 -Japanese goldfish-(Encyclopedia of Japanese goldfish)

Next is goldfish.
Find out about all kinds of goldfish varieties with this app.
There are explanations in Japanese about the history and characteristics of each goldfish, and how to care for them.

DELISH KITCHEN(iOS)

"DELISH KITCHEN" is an app about something many people are interested in - food.
Find out how to make all sorts of dishes that Japanese people regularly eat with this app.

What's interesting about this app is that you not only get the recipe, but can also watch how the food is prepared in a video. What's more, they explain the procedures so it might be good practice for listening to Japanese.
The Android version is here.

Hirogaru, get more of Japan and Japanese( Introduction article)

On this site you can learn Japanese through 12 topics: Stars/Night Sky, Outdoors, Martial Arts, Cafés/Tea, Sweets, Supermarkets/Marketplaces, Calligraphy, Anime/Manga, Books/ Library, Temples/Shrines, Music, and Aquarium.

Each topic comes with a simple blog-like article. You can listen to it being read and quiz yourself on comprehension, if you like. Other contents include kanji to go with each topic that you can learn and topic-related food. As a bonus, there is Japanese language support on the English page so you can enjoy the culture while you study Japanese. You can look at it on your mobile and it has lots of photos and videos, so even if you have a little bit of time, you can have fun.


The variety in the culture is fun just to look at. Try and familiarize yourself with all the different aspects.



Last update

Keywords