Tanabata Festival: Experiencing a Traditional Japanese Summer at NILS
07/03/2026
Culture
Student life
Tanabata is celebrated on July 7 throughout Japan. People write their wishes on small strips of paper called tanzaku and hang them on bamboo branches, hoping their dreams will come true. Japan has many seasonal traditions, and being able to experience them firsthand is one of the unique and rewarding parts of studying in Japan.
Tanabata Festival at NILS
As part of our annual Tanabata celebra…
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Why Is teamLab So Popular Around the World?
07/01/2026
Uncategorized
Fukuoka, where NILS is located, is famous not only for its delicious food and beautiful scenery but also for attractions that draw visitors from all over the world. One of the most popular is “teamLab Forest Fukuoka”.
Have you ever seen photos on social media of breathtaking spaces filled with glowing lights or colorful flowers stretching as far as the eye can see? Many of those images are work…
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Foreign Workers in Japan Reach a Record High: More Opportunities for International Students
06/19/2026
News
Student life
There is encouraging news for people who are interested in studying in Japan. As of October 2025, the number of foreign workers in Japan exceeded 2.3 million, the highest figure ever recorded. Due to ongoing labor shortages, many Japanese companies are actively hiring international talent, creating more opportunities than ever for international students to build their careers in Japan after gradua…
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What Is Japan’s Rainy Season Like?
06/04/2026
Culture
Japan is known for its four distinct seasons, but one period that many international visitors find especially unique is the rainy season, called tsuyu (梅雨). This rainy period occurs between spring and summer and usually lasts from June to July.
If you are thinking about traveling to or studying in Japan, you may wonder, “Won’t it be difficult if it rains so much?” While the weather can be wet a…
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Do Japanese people eat sushi every day?
05/18/2026
Uncategorized
Do you know what Japan is really like? Do Japanese people eat sushi every day? Is everyone in Japan kind? Does everyone love anime?
Today, I’d like to share a ranking of “Everyday Japan” that surprises many Americans. Take a look and get a little preview of life in Japan!
■ What surprises American teens and people in their 20s
Anime and manga are popular not only among children but also …
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Volunteer Experience in Japan — Cleaning Up Along the Homan River
05/15/2026
Culture
Student life
Japan is famous as a “clean country.” When international students actually come to Japan, many of them are surprised by how clean the streets and parks are and how little trash they see in public places. Students at our Japanese language school, NILS, often say, “Japan is really clean!” However, that does not mean there is no trash at all in Japan. Especially near rivers and in grassy areas around…
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Enjoy Spring in Fukuoka! Celebrate Together at the Hakata Dontaku Festival
04/30/2026
Uncategorized
In Japan, there is a long holiday period from spring to early summer known as “Golden Week.” During this time, many people travel, spend time with family and friends, and enjoy special events.
One of the biggest events in Fukuoka during Golden Week is the Hakata Dontaku Festival. Held every year on May 3rd and 4th, it attracts several million visitors over just two days, making it one of the la…
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How to dispose of garbage in Japan
04/24/2026
Uncategorized
One thing that surprises foreigners living in Japan for the first time is how detailed the rules for garbage disposal are. Today, I’ll explain how to dispose of garbage in Japan.
〇 Putting Out Garbage
In Japan, household garbage must be placed at designated locations for collection. The rules for putting out garbage vary by municipality. If you don’t follow the rules, your garbage won’t be c…
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Why You Don’t Tip in Japan — And What It Reveals About Japanese Culture
04/13/2026
Culture
Student life
Uncategorized
Vocabulary
If you’re coming to Japan from the United States or Europe, one of the first things that might confuse you is surprisingly simple:
No one tips.
Not at restaurants, not in taxis, not even in hotels.
At first, this can feel uncomfortable. You might find yourself hesitating at the register, wondering if you’re doing something wrong—or worse, being rude. In many Western countries, tipping is …
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Cherry blossoms in Ogori
04/08/2026
Uncategorized
The graduation ceremony has finished, and now it is NILS’s spring break. The school is quiet, but even so, we can feel that the new semester is approaching.Why is that? Around the NILS Ogori campus, various flowers have started to bloom. Among them, when cherry blossoms bloom, we feel that “spring has come.” This is because, in Japanese culture, cherry blossoms have long been considered a symbol o…
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