Your Doorway to Japan

This Year in Japanese

Toward the end of each year, the Japanese select words, phrases, and kanji that best represent how they and their nation fared over the past 12 months. Here we explore the characters and terminology that Japan chooses to describe itself and its national experience.

LATEST
Looking Good! “Biju” Chosen as One of Japan’s Words of 2025INSIGHT | Dec 17, 2025
“Kuma” Declared the Kanji of the Year for an “Unbearable” 2025INSIGHT | Dec 12, 2025
Putting the Language to Work, Work, Work: Winner Announced for Japan’s 2025 Word of the YearINSIGHT | Dec 1, 2025
Japan’s Words of the Year for 2025INSIGHT | Nov 5, 2025
Express Yourself: “Gengoka” Picked as One of Japan’s Words of 2024CULTURE | Dec 24, 2024
Kanji of the Year for 2024: Yet Another Golden EraINSIGHT | Dec 12, 2024
An Inappropriate Winner? Japan’s Word of the Year for 2024CULTURE | Dec 2, 2024
Japan’s Words of the Year for 2024CULTURE | Nov 5, 2024
A Hot Year in Japan: Dictionary Publisher Sanseidō Picks “Global Boiling” as Word of 2023CULTURE | Dec 28, 2023
Kanji of the Year for 2023: Another Taxing Time for JapanINSIGHT | Dec 12, 2023
That “Are” Thing Named Word of the Year in Japan for 2023CULTURE | Dec 1, 2023
Competitive Sports, Crime, and Climate Change: Japan’s Words of the Year for 2023CULTURE | Nov 3, 2023
No Time to Waste: “Taipa” Chosen as One of Japan’s Words of 2022INSIGHT | Dec 16, 2022
Kanji of the Year for 2022: Strife Comes Out on TopINSIGHT | Dec 12, 2022
Murakami-sama: Baseball Star the Word of the Year for 2022CULTURE | Dec 1, 2022
Anime, Baseball, COVID, and More: The ABCs of This Year’s Most Popular Japanese TermsCULTURE | Nov 5, 2022
2021 Another “Golden Era” for Kanji of the YearINSIGHT | Dec 13, 2021
Laid-Back Loanword “Chirui” Chosen as One of Japan’s Words of 2021INSIGHT | Dec 10, 2021