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Japanese Kana Guide: How to Learn Hiragana and Katakana
Hiragana and katakana are the two phonetic alphabets of Japanese. Every learner starts here — mastering kana unlocks your ability to read, write, and pronounce Japanese correctly. 【Start Here: Hiragana】 Hiragana (ひらがな) is used for ...Common Japanese Mistakes: What English Speakers Get Wrong
English speakers make predictable mistakes in Japanese — and knowing what to avoid can save you months of building bad habits. This hub targets the most common errors: particle confusion, word mix-ups, and nuance mistakes that make Japan...How to Start Learning Japanese: Complete Beginner’s Roadmap
You've decided to learn Japanese — congratulations! But then you open a browser, search "how to learn Japanese," and suddenly you're drowning in advice: "Download Duolingo!" "Start with kanji!" "Watch anime without subtitles!" "Memorize ...JLPT Study Guide: Everything You Need to Pass N5, N4, N3, N2, and N1
Complete JLPT preparation guide for all five levels. Grammar lists, vocabulary, kanji, reading and listening practice, study plans, and exam strategy for N5 through N1.Japanese Kanji Guide: How to Learn Kanji from N5 to N2 and Beyond
A practical guide to learning Japanese kanji — on/kun readings, JLPT kanji lists by level, radicals, memory strategies, and common mistakes to avoid.Japanese Conversation Phrases: Everyday Expressions Hub
Practical Japanese for real conversations. This hub covers everyday expressions, greetings, situational phrases, and the kind of language native speakers actually use — not just textbook Japanese. 【Essential Daily Expressions】 ありがと...Japanese Vocabulary Guide: Learn Japanese Words by Topic and JLPT Level
Build your Japanese vocabulary by topic, JLPT level, or word type. Includes beginner word lists, JLPT vocabulary guides, word comparison articles, and memory strategies.Japanese Grammar Guide: Complete Study Path for English Learners
Your complete guide to Japanese grammar — sentence structure, particles, verb conjugation, conditionals, JLPT grammar patterns and more. Organized by level from N5 to N1.特別徴収 vs 普通徴収 vs 納付書 vs 口座振替: Japanese Resident Tax Salary Withholding, Direct Payment, Payment Slips, Bank Transfer, and How to Pay Local Tax
TermReadingWhat It IsWho It Applies To特別徴収とくべつちょうしゅうEmployer withholds resident tax from salary each monthSalaried employees普通徴収ふつうちょうしゅうTaxpayer pays resident tax directly in 4 installmentsFreelancers, retiree...離職票 vs 退職証明書 vs 源泉徴収票 vs 雇用保険被保険者証: Japanese Resignation, Tax, Employment Insurance, and Job Change Documents Explained
You hand in your resignation letter, work your last day, and walk out of the office — and then someone asks you: "Have you collected your 離職票 yet?" You nod, but quietly wonder: isn't that the same as the 退職証明書? And what about the...雇用保険 vs 労災保険 vs 失業給付 vs 離職票: Japanese Employment Insurance, Workers’ Compensation, Unemployment Benefits, and Job Separation Documents Explained
You have just handed in your resignation letter. Your manager says you will receive a 離職票（りしょくひょう）within a few weeks. You nod — but you have no idea what that is or what to do with it. Your payslip shows a deduction for 雇用...扶養 vs 配偶者控除 vs 扶養控除 vs 社会保険の扶養: Japanese Dependents, Spouse Deduction, Dependent Deduction, Health Insurance Dependents, and Tax/Social Insurance Differences
You just got married. Your spouse moves to Japan and is not working yet. A colleague tells you: "Put your spouse on your 扶養（ふよう）." Your HR department hands you a form called 扶養控除等申告書（ふようこうじょとうしんこくしょ）. The ...確定申告 vs 年末調整 vs 還付申告 vs 住民税申告: Japanese Tax Return, Year-End Adjustment, Refund Filing, Resident Tax Filing, and Who Needs Which
It is February in Japan and your coworker says: “Did you finish your 確定申告（かくていしんこく）?” You nod, then immediately wonder — wait, is that different from the 年末調整（ねんまつちょうせい） your employer handled in D...転入届 vs 転出届 vs 転居届 vs 住民異動届: Japanese Moving-In, Moving-Out, Address Change, Resident Record, and City Hall Forms Explained
You are moving to a new apartment in Japan. You know you need to go to city hall, but when you get there, the signage says 住民異動届（じゅうみんいどうとどけ）. The clerk hands you a form titled 転入届（てんにゅうとどけ）. Someone in the...マイナンバー vs 個人番号 vs マイナンバーカード vs 個人番号通知書: Japanese Individual Number, My Number Card, ID Proof, and Notification Documents Explained
You just started a new job in Japan. Your HR manager slides a form across the desk and says: マイナンバーを記入してください. You hand over a paper document that arrived in the mail when you first registered at the city office. Your manag...源泉徴収票 vs 給与明細 vs 課税証明書 vs 納税証明書: Japanese Income, Salary, Tax, and Proof Documents for Jobs, Visa, Loans, and City Hall
You are renewing your visa. The immigration office asks for 「証明書類」 — proof documents. You search online and find four different Japanese terms: 源泉征収票（げ&...所得税 vs 住民税 vs 源泉徴収 vs 年末調整: Japanese Income Tax, Resident Tax, Withholding, Year-End Adjustment, and Payroll Tax Words Explained
It is your first month working at a Japanese company. You receive your 給与明細（きゅうよめいさい） — your pay slip — and the take-home amount is noticeably less than your monthly salary. Several lines are deducted, but the kanji is dens...国民健康保険 vs 健康保険 vs 国民年金 vs 厚生年金: Japanese Health Insurance, Pension, Social Insurance, and What Foreign Residents Must Know
You have just moved to Japan. At city hall, the clerk hands you a form and says 「国民健康保険（こくみんけんこうほけん）に加入してください」. A week later, a coworker tells you not to worry because 「社会保険（しゃかいほけん）に入るから...
