life and culture

Discover why ChatGPT is affectionately nicknamed “Chappy” in Japan and how the tradition of personification shapes Japanese culture—complete with English translations.

Learn what the initials “T/S/H/R” (Taishō/Shōwa/Heisei/Reiwa) mean in Japanese era names. This article explains how era names are used in daily life—from resumes to official documents—and shares historical background and trivia about Japan's era system.

Discover how Japanese names are composed—family name plus given name—and learn fun facts like there are over 300,000 surnames. This article also reveals the most common surnames in Japan for practical cultural insight.