Coto Club Blog

While the functionality of an エレベーター (erebētā), or elevator is pretty standard worldwide, there are some things to know about taking one in Japan. It is important to understand some of the country's basic elevator etiquette, for ... read more

Gift-giving is a common practice in Japan. Generally speaking, there are four types of gifts that Japanese people give out under different circumstances. It is important to know what they are and what occasion they are best for before you gift ... read more

Although Taxi-order apps have been quite popularized throughout Japan, the fastest way to get around in Tokyo is still by ordering a taxi on the curb. Sometimes it can be even a lot cheaper to order a taxi on-site. Taxis are readily available i... read more

Most of humanity started cooking by way of the open flame. Then, people began splitting off from each other in the nuances of how exactly they did this. In Japan, there are several grilling methods that gained popularity. Some are recent, some ... read more

2020 is a year of wonder as its numbers suggest. The last when two number coincide in such a way was in 1010, 1010 years ago. What is more exciting is that after 56 years, the Olympics Games has once... read more

Every culture has some popular sayings that can paint an interesting picture when translated literally. Here we have proverbs and sayings from Japan which sound humorous when translated into English.    read more

Shio/塩: Salt   read more

Flowers Despite lotus is the most revered flower in Buddhism. It is also related to death as Japanese people display lotus flowers at funerals or graveyards. Another taboo is that one should never visit a hospitalized person w... read more