Your Hanko aka Personal Seal

In Japan, a personal seal called a hanko (判子) is used instead of your signature on most documents. People often use hanko and inkan (印鑑) interchangeably, but technically speaking, your hanko is the cylindrical object made of wood, plastic, etc. used to make your seal, and your inkan is the red seal that you make […]

Presents for Coworkers

When people in Japan travel, they often bring back omiyage (お土産) to share with their coworkers, friends, and families. Omiyage is often translated as souvenirs, though the connotation is slightly different, as while a souvenir is usually a small present you get for one person (a keychain, those snowglobes), omiyage is usually something that you will share […]