Matthew Coslett
After his 6 month stay got extended to 6 years, Matthew decided just to stay. As well as writing about his beloved Kansai, he spends hours in the middle of nowhere looking for wildlife and searching for the parts of the city most people ignore.
Articles
Going Steady: Committing to Japanese Dating Words
Understanding some old and new terms and ideas related to “going out” in Japan.
The Fine Art of Making a Fuss in Japanese
Whether it’s students, coworkers, children or the person serving you, it’s worth knowing how to call out misbehavior.
Taking Control of English Classes at Japanese Schools
Promoted English teachers will need to master some tricky Japanese phrases to lead the class.
5 Ways to Understand and Identify Japanese Dialects
Regional differences in spoken Japanese are vast but here are the five key places they vary.
Double Takes: 6 Pairs of Easily Confused Kanji
A look at different kanji characters with similar meanings and pronunciations and how to tell them apart.
Idioms: Let Me Hear Your Body Talk
Using human anatomy to illustrate fascinating similarities and differences between English and Japanese.
Tongue Tied: Easily Confused Japanese Words
A handy list of some similar sounding and oft-confused Japanese terms.
A GaijinPot Field Guide to the Halloween Costumes of Japan
A primer on the ghastly creatures you may encounter in the wild this Halloween season.
Demonic Travel Destinations for Halloween in Japan
Otherworldly spots all over Japan.
Getting Started with Street Dance in Japan
A comprehensive list of dance schools to check out across the country.
Here Be Monsters: An Omnibus of Demonic ‘Oni’ Usage in Japanese
The terrifying demons of Japanese lore are a surprisingly rich source of proverbs. GaijinPot investigates how to “say it with ogres."
Kooky Kanji: The Surprising Origin Stories of Some Famous Characters
Kanji is fascinating when it's used in strange or unusual ways. GaijinPot looks at how the history of kanji may be even more interesting than you thought.
