my family essay in japanese language

家族 kazoku: Family in Japanese

• Post author: Language Garage
• Post published: May 28, 2022
• Post category: Japanese / Vocabulary

Image: Kampus Production on Pexels

In this post, we’ll learn vocabulary and expressions that will let you talk about 家族 kazoku family .

何人家族ですか。 Nan’nin kazoku desu ka. How many people are there in your family?

Let’s start with some basic expressions. Remember that in Japanese you use different family terms depending on whether you’re talking about your own family, or someone else’s. It can sound impolite if you mix these up, so it’s important to learn both. In the following list, the first term is what you’d use to talk about your own family, and the second is what you’d use to talk about someone else’s. 母 haha  / お母さん okāsan mother (one’s own / someone else’s) ; 父 chichi  / お父さん otōsan father ; 兄 ani / お兄さん onīsan older brother ; 弟 otōto / 弟さん otōtosan younger brother ; 姉 ane  / お姉さん onēsan   older sister ; 妹 imōto  / 妹さん  imōtosan younger sister ; 娘 musume  / 娘さん、お嬢さん musumesan, ojōsan daughter ; 息子 musuko / 息子さん  musukosan son , 両親 ryōshin  / ご両親 goryōshin parents ; 子供 kodomo / お子さん okosan   children.

• うちは｛二人・三人 ・四人 ・五人 ｝家族です。 Uchi wa {futari/san’nin/yonin/gonin} kazoku desu. There are two/three/four/five people in my family.
• 母は医者です。父は教師です。 Haha wa isha desu. Chichi wa kyōshi desu. My mother is a doctor. My father is a teacher.

• 兄弟はいますか。 Kyōdai wa imasu ka. Do you have brothers or sisters?
• 姉が一人と弟が一人います。 Ane ga hitori to otōto ga hitori imasu. I have one older sister and one younger brother.
• 男兄弟が三人います。 Otoko kyōdai ga san’nin imasu. I have three brothers.
• 女兄弟が二人います。 On’na kyōdai ga futari imasu. I have two sisters.
• 私は一人っ子です。 Watashi wa hitorikko desu. I am an only child.
• お子さんはいますか。 Okosan wa imasu ka. Do you have any children?
• 息子が一人と娘が一人います。 Musuko ga hitori to musume ga hitori imasu. We have a son and a daughter.
• 家族で一番｛年上・年下｝は誰ですか。 Kazoku de ichiban {toshiue/toshishita} wa dare desu ka. Who is the oldest/youngest in your family?

こちらは私のおばです。 Kochira wa watashi no oba desu. This is my aunt.

Now let’s look at some vocabulary for extended family: 親戚 shinseki relatives ; 祖父母 sofubo grandparents ; 祖母 sobo / おばあさん obāsan grandmother (one’s own / someone else’s) ; 祖父 sofu  / おじいさん ojīsan grandfather ; 孫 mago  / お孫さん   omagosan   grandson ; 孫娘 magomusume granddaughter ; おば   oba  / おばさん   obasan aunt ; おじ oji  / おじさん ojisan uncle ; いとこ itoko cousin ; 姪、姪っ子 mei, meikko / 姪御さん   meigosan niece ; 甥、甥っ子 oi, oikko  / 甥御さん oigosan nephew .

• 親戚にどのぐらいよく会いますか。 Shinseki ni donogurai yoku aimasu ka. How often do you see your relatives?
• おじいさんとおばあさんはどこに住んでいますか。 Ojīsan to obāsan wa doko ni sunde imasu ka. Where do you grandparents live?
• 祖母はまだ働いていますが、祖父は退職しました。 Sobo wa mada hataraite imasu ga, sofu wa taishoku shimashita. My grandmother is still working, but my grandfather is retired.
• 孫が三人います。男の子が一人と、女の子が二人です。 Mago ga san’nin imasu. Otokonoko ga hitori to, on’nanoko ga futari desu. We have three grandchildren: one boy and two girls.
• おばとおじは家の近くに住んでいます。 Oba to oji wa uchi no chikaku ni sunde imasu. My aunt and uncle live near our house.
• いとこがたくさんいます。 Itoko ga takusan imasu. I have a lot of cousins.
• 姪は大学に入りました。 Mei wa daigaku ni hairimashita. My niece just started university.
• 甥が四人います。 Oi ga yonin imasu. I have four nephews.

赤ちゃんがいます。 Akachan ga imasu. We have a baby.

Now let’s look at some vocabulary related to family: 妻、家内 tsuma, kanai  / 奥さん、奥様 okusan, okusama wife (one’s own / someone else’s) ;   夫、主人、旦那 otto, shujin, dan’na  / ご主人、旦那さん、旦那様 goshujin, dan’nasan, dan’nasama husband ; 彼 kare boyfriend ; 彼女 kanojo girlfriend ; 赤ちゃん akachan baby ; 妊娠 ninshinsuru pregnant ; 養子にする yōshi ni suru to adopt ; 結婚する kekkonsuru to get married ; 離婚する rikonsuru to get divorced ; 独身 dokushin single/unmarried ; 生まれる umareru to be born; 亡くなっている nakunatte iru dead ; 生きている ikite iru alive ; 義父 gifu / 義理のお父さん giri no otōsan stepfather ; 義母 gibo  / 義理のお母さん   giri no ok āsan stepmother ; 義理の息子 giri no musuko  / 義理の息子さん   giri no musukosan stepson ; 義理の娘 giri no musume  / 義理の娘さん   giri no musumesan stepdaughter .

• 結婚していますか。それとも独身ですか。 Kekkon shite imasu ka. Soretomo dokushin desu ka. Are you married or single?
• ｛奥さん・旦那さん｝のお仕事は何ですか。 {Okusan/Dan’nasan} no oshigoto wa nan desu ka. What does your wife/husband do for a living?
• いつ結婚しましたか。 Itsu kekkon shimashita ka. When did you get married?
• 私たちは結婚して20年です。今週末は結婚記念日です。 Watashitachi wa kekkon shite nijūnen desu. Konshūmatsu wa kekkon kinenbi desu. We’ve been married for twenty years. Our wedding anniversary is this weekend.
• 妻は妊娠しています。あと二か月で赤ちゃんが生まれます。 Tsuma wa ninshinshite imasu. Ato nikagetsu de akachan ga umaremasu. My wife is pregnant. We’re having a baby in two months.
• ｛彼・彼女｝の名前は何ですか。 {Kare/Kanojo} no namae wa nan desu ka. What is your boyfriend’s/girlfriend’s name?
• 両親は離婚しています。 Ryōshin wa rikonshite imasu. My parents are divorced.
• 養子縁組をします。 Yōshi engumi o shimasu. We’re going to adopt a child.
• ｛息子さん・娘さん｝はいつ生まれましたか。 {Musukosan/Musumesan} wa itsu umaremashita ka. When was your son/daughter born?
• 私は養子の子供です。 Watashi wa yōshi no kodomo desu. I was adopted.
• 祖母は生きていますが、祖父は亡くなりました。 Sobo wa ikite imasu ga, sofu wa nakunarimashita. My grandmother is alive, but my grandfather is dead.
• ｛義父・義母｝とはうまくやっています。 {Giru/Gibo} towa umaku yatte imasu. I have a good relationship with my stepfather/stepmother.
• ｛義理の娘・義理の息子｝と一緒に住んでいます。 {Giri no musume/Giri no musuko} to issho ni sunde imasu. My stepdaughter/stepson lives with us.
• 家族は犬と猫を飼っています。 Kazoku wa inu to neko o katte imasu. My family has a dog and a cat.

Learn Japanese with the Language Garage

Check out our other posts on Japanese language, culture, and more. And if you’re looking for convenient and affordable live Japanese lessons with a real teacher, check out the Language Garage . Our lessons are given online in a virtual classroom, so it doesn’t matter where you live or work – we can come to you. And we have flexible options, with a free trial so that you can decide if there’s a fit. Check us out!

Please Share This Share this content

• Opens in a new window

You Might Also Like

Un, Deux, Trois: Numbers in French

The Different Shades of Love: The French Verb ‘Aimer’

Back to School in German

Japanese Family Terms – How to Address Your Own Relatives and Others’

In this guide, you will learn the fundamentals of the Japanese family terms , focusing primarily on  informal  and  formal  terms. By learning how to use both informal and formal terms, you will be able to talk about  your own family (informal)  as well as address  someone else’s family (formal) .

• 1.1 “Family” in Japanese
• 1.2 “Family member” in Japanese
• 2 Addressing family members in Japanese
• 3.1 Immediate family in Japanese
• 3.2 Grandparents in Japanese
• 3.3 Parents in Japanese
• 3.4.1 Sister in Japanese
• 3.4.2 Brother in Japanese
• 3.5 Children in Japanese
• 3.6 Spouse in Japanese
• 4.1 Relatives in Japanese
• 4.2 In-laws in Japanese
• 5.2 Someone else’s relatives
• 5.3 Your in-laws
• 6 Why learn the Japanese Family Terms?

Japanese Family

In Japan, like in any other Asian country, the family is regarded as the most important sector of society. The family members are treated with respect. This is evident in the language used toward them. Each family members have their own name according to one’s relationship with that member.

A Japanese family is made up of immediate family members such as father, mother, and siblings and extended families such as grandmother, grandfather, aunt, uncle, and cousins.

In this guide, we’ll teach you the different Japanese family terms you can use to address your own family members and other people’s family.

“Family” in Japanese

The word for “family” in Japanese is かぞく (kazoku). So when talking about your family, you can say わたしの かぞく (watashi no kazoku) which means “My family”.

For example:

わたし の かぞく は かんこく から きました。(watashi no kazokuwa kankokukara kimashita.)

My family is from Korea. 

わたし の かぞく は たべる の が すき です。(watashi no kazokuwa taberunoga suki desu.)

My family likes to eat.

“Family member” in Japanese

The word “family member” in Japanese is かぞく の いちいん (kazoku no ichiin).

Addressing family members in Japanese

The Japanese have different family words to address family members . The family words vary according to whose family member are you addressing or talking about. The Japanese family words are different when you’re talking about or addressing your own family members and when it’s a member of a different family.

In a while, you’ll be adding a few more words to your Japanese vocabulary .

Addressing your own family

Getting familiar with these terms should be the first step to learning how to address family members in Japanese. These terms are used commonly in Japan, so you will probably hear them quite often throughout day-to-day life.

Remember to use these words when you’re talking about your own family. Use it when you’re in a casual and informal setting or situation.

Immediate family in Japanese

An immediate family is きんしんしゃ (kinshinsha) in Japanese . It’s made up of grandparents, parents, siblings, children, husband, wife, and spouse. In this lesson, we’ll group the Japanese family words according to these groups.

Grandparents in Japanese

Grandparents in Japanese is そふぼ (sofubo). When talking about or addressing your grandfather you can say そふ (sofu) while grandmother is そぼ (sobo).

Parents in Japanese

Parents in Japanese are called りょうしん (ryōshin) while father is ちち (chichi) and mother is はは (haha).

Siblings in Japanese

Siblings are made up of brothers and sisters. Siblings in Japanese are called きょうだい (kyōdai).

Sister in Japanese

There are two ways to say sister in Japanese when talking about your own sister.

You’ll say あね (ane) for your older sister and いもうと (imouto) for your younger sister.

Brother in Japanese

Just like the word sister, there are two ways to say brother in Japanese when talking about your own brother.

You’ll say あに (ani) for your older brother while おとうと (otouto) for your younger brother.

Children in Japanese

Children are called こども (kodomo) in the Japanese language. But they have a specific word used for a female and male child.

Spouse in Japanese

The word spouse is はいぐうしゃ in Japanese . However, in Japan, they have exact words to call their respective spouse.

List of Family Words in Japanese

Here’s the summary of all the Japanese family member vocabulary you’ll use to address your own family.

Relatives in Japanese

To add to your Japanese vocabulary for family members, let’s learn about addressing your relatives. The word relative is translated as しんせき (shinseki).

そこで おおく の しんせき に あった.  (sokode ookuno shinsekini atta)

I met many relatives there.

あなた の しんせき は どこ に すんでいます か. (anatano shinsekiwa dokoni sundeimasuka)

Where do your relatives live?

Below is a list of people related to your own family in the Japanese language.

In-laws in Japanese

The word “in-law” is いんせき (inseki) in Japanese. However, when it comes to addressing your in-laws, the general rule of thumb is to add “義理の”（ぎりの | giri no ）before their relation in the family.

Although “義理の” is not a direct translation of “in-law” (義理 actually refers to the Japanese value of duty and obligation), you can add “義理の” as a prefix to change the relation to “in-law.”

Example sentences:

私の 妹 は6歳です。

わたし　の　 いもうと 　は　ろく  さい　です。

Watashi no  imōto  wa roku sai desu.

My  younger sister  is 6 years old .

あに 　は　だいがく きょうじゅ　です。

Ani  wa daigaku kyōju desu.

My   older brother  is a university professor .

私は 義理の姉 がいます。

わたし　は　ぎりのあね　が　います。

Watashi wa giri no ane ga imasu.

I have a (older) sister-in-law .

Addressing  someone else’s  family

Now that you’re comfortable talking about your own family, next we will look at words that you should use when addressing someone else’s family. As mentioned earlier, there’s a different way of addressing or talking about family members of another family.

Below is a list of Japanese vocabulary for someone else’s family members. A lot of these terms end with  an honorific suffix さん ( -san ) to emphasize respect   and politeness toward others.

Remember to use these words especially when you are addressing or talking about someone else’s family. You’ll also use this list of vocabulary when you are in a serious and formal setting or situation.

Tip : If you want to be extra respectful, change the さん (- san ) honorific to a 様 (さま – sama )   honorific (For example: お父さん otōsan  → お父 様   otō sama )

Someone else’s immediate family

Below is a table of words you’ll use to address or talk about other’s immediate family members.

Someone else’s relatives

Earlier we learned the vocabulary we need to address people related to our own family. This time, we’ll learn how we can address people related to someone else’s family.

For the word “relative” in the Japanese language, ごしんせき (goshinseki) is used.

Let’s take a close look at the Japanese vocabulary below. Pay close attention to how the written kanji  changes for uncle, aunt, and cousin, depending on the context (i.e., older or younger for aunts/uncles and male or female for cousins).

Your in-laws

When addressing someone else’s family members, it’s important to address them respectfully by adding the honorific suffix さん ( -san ).

私はあなたの ご両親 にお会いしたいです。

わたし　は　あなた　の　 ごりょうしん　 に　おあい したい　です。

Watashi wa anata no  goryōshin  ni oai shitai desu.

I want to meet your  parents .

山田さんの お父様 は何をされている方ですか？

やまださん　の　 おとうさま 　は　なにを　されている　かた　ですか？

Yamada-san no  otōsama  wa nani o sareteiru kata desu ka?

What does Yamada-san’s  father  do for a living?

Why learn the Japanese Family Terms?

It’s very important for you to learn the terms used in a family in Japanese. For example, you are at a formal dinner party, and your manager asks you about your family. As you describe some of your family members, you also decide to ask a question about their family. Now, are you going to use the same words that you used to describe your own family when you ask a question about your manager’s family?

It’s not just limited to conversations about your family that make learning the Japanese terms used in a family important. Whether it may be filling out an emergency contact or casually talking about your family at your company’s 歓迎会 ( kangei-kai  or welcome party), knowing some basic family terms in Japanese should come in handy at some point. But memorizing just a few terms won’t always cut it, as there are different words that are used for different occasions.

Let us know how many members are there in your family in the comment section by using the Japanese family terms you learned today!

8 replies to "Japanese Family Terms – How to Address Your Own Relatives and Others’"

Thanks for this concise review of Japanese family terms list using kanji, kana, and romaji.

Awesome, thanks for your comment! ^^ If you want, you can visit the 90 Day Japanese Blog to find more great content on learning Japanese. You can also subscribe to our YouTube channel for video lessons. You’ll get updated when our latest videos become available.

І was able to find good informatіon from your blog articles.

Thanks for your comment! I’m glad that our articles have been useful to you. ^^ To find more great content on learning Japanese, visit the 90 Day Japanese Blog . You can also subscribe to our YouTube channel for video lessons. You’ll get updated when our latest videos become available.

Thank you so much for your help,I have learned too much from your article, it’s very useful for me, keep it up.

Great, thanks for your comment! I’m glad that our article has been valuable to you. ^^ You can also subscribe to our YouTube channel for video lessons. You’ll get updated when our latest videos become available.

Thanks for your help. This article helped me get an A on my Japanese assignment. Its great

Thanks for the comment, Timmee! I’m glad that our article has been helpful to you. ^^ If you want more lessons, you can check our our blog post. ^^ You can also subscribe to our YouTube channel for video lessons. You’ll get updated when our latest videos become available.

Leave a Reply Cancel Reply

Your email address will not be published.

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Talk About Family in Japanese: Father-in-Law and More!

Learning a foreign language isn’t only about the language itself, but also about its culture, customs, and society. Family is the minimum unit of a social group, and it’s important to understand its characteristics as this is closely related to culture and customs.

When you learn how to explain your family in Japanese, it helps to expand your vocabulary and improve your communication skills in Japanese.

Compared to English, there are many more words to describe family members in Japanese. These words are according to age and the style (formal and informal). For example, what is a Japanese father-in-law called?

Let’s learn how to describe family in Japanese at JapanesePod101.com. Here’s our list of the most useful Japanese words and family member terms, as well as important information about family in Japan.

Table of Contents

• Family in Japan – Cultural Perspective
• Basic Family Terms
• Terms of Relatives
• Family Terms as a Married Person
• Endearment Terms
• How to Describe Family and Ask Question about Family in Japanese
• Conclusion: How Japanesepod101 Can Help You Learn More Japanese

1. Family in Japan – Cultural Perspective

Before we move onto the actual family vocabulary, it’s important that we go over family roles in Japanese culture, family values in Japanese society, and the importance of family in Japanese culture. This will give you a better idea of what to expect from Japanese families, and give more context to the Japanese family vocabulary and phrases you’re going to learn!

1- Traditional and Modern Family in Japan

The traditional Japanese family is characterized by the 家 ( Ie ) or family system , which is literally translated as “household.” It refers to a home and family’s lineage, which bestows importance of kinship and loyalty to their family.

Each member of a family is expected to serve their family’s interests (rather than the individual’s) as a priority. The Japanese family is traditionally patriarchal and a household usually consists of grandparents, their son, his wife, and their children. The eldest son is expected to inherit the household assets, and he’s responsible for taking care of his parents when they get old.

In the modern Japanese family, however, the influence of the traditional ie system isn’t as strong as it used to be. A 核家族 ( kaku kazoku ) or “ nuclear family ” is very common nowadays, and consists of two parents and their children, typically centering on a married couple.

While a married couple is expected to live together with a husband’s parents in the traditional Japanese family, grandparents don’t live with a kaku kazoku in a modern Japanese family (although they are visited often).

2- Becoming a Family in Japan (Marriage)

In Japan, the 戸籍 ( Koseki ) or “family registration system” is mandatory to all households. It requires that the family records all changes in family composition and identity, such as births, deaths, marriages, divorces, acknowledgements of paternity, adoptions, and disrupted adoptions.

It’s required to register one person as the head of a household, and the rest of the members in a household must have the same surname as that of the head. Once a couple gets married, spouses are obligated to have the same surname, and registration of different surnames is not allowed.

Due to the traditional system and the importance of kinship as custom, marriage isn’t only a matter of the bride and groom, but also of their extended family. It’s expected that extended families from both sides are going to have a “family relationship” once a couple gets married in Japan. As such, relationships with one’s in-laws become important.

3- Expressions of Family in Japan

There are various words to name family members in Japanese.

Japanese vocabulary words to describe family count age difference, and there are particular names related to age. This is because age is regarded as one of the most important attributions in the Japanese society, which is greatly influenced by the concept of Confucianism that states seniority is highly respected.

As relationships with in-laws are also culturally important, there are particular names for them as well.

In addition, there are variations of how to express family members, ranging from very casual to formal. Which ones to use depend on the occasion.

Let’s dive into the details in the following sections, and get you started with common family words in Japanese.

2. Basic Family Terms

Now, it’s time to learn some basic Japanese words for family members. These are the words you’ll most often hear and use!

1- Basic Family Vocabularies

The formal terms are usually used for official occasions and in written form, while the informal terms are commonly used in casual situations (orally) as well as when calling a family member.

Average modern Japanese families usually have 1 or 2 children.

2- More Vocabulary

• 家族 かぞく ( Kazoku ) : family
• 両親 りょうしん ( Ryōshin ) : parents (father & mother)
• 親 おや ( Oya ) : parent(s)
• 子供 こども ( Kodomo ) : child(ren)
• 兄弟 きょうだい ( Kyōdai ) : brothers
• 姉妹しまい ( Shimai ) : sisters

3- Examples

Here are some examples of Japanese phrases for family, so you have a better idea how to use the vocabulary above.

• 私の家族は、お母さん、お父さん、私、弟の4人家族です。 Watashi no kazoku wa, o-kā-san, o-tō-san, watashi, otōto no yo-nin kazoku desu. My family has four members: mother, father, me, and my younger brother.
• 私は姉と妹がいる3姉妹です。 Watashi wa ane to imōto ga iru san-shimai desu. I have an older sister and a younger sister, and we are three sisters.
• 私は兄と姉がいます。 Watashi wa ani to ane ga imasu. I have an older brother and an older sister.
• 私は祖父と祖母が大好きです。 Watashi wa sofu to sobo ga daisuki desu. I like my grandfather and grandmother very much.

To listen to the pronunciation of basic family terms, please visit Must-Know Terms for Family Members on our website.

Also, if you would like to know more about Japanese numbers, please visit our Japanese Numbers article .

The bond between a mother and a daughter is often very strong.

3. Terms of Relatives

1- vocabulary for relatives.

• 親戚　しんせき ( Shinseki ) : relatives
• 叔父　おじ ( Oji ) : uncle
• 叔母　おば ( Oba ) : aunt
• 甥　おい (Oi) : nephew
• 姪　めい ( Mei ) : niece
• いとこ ( Itoko ) : cousin

2- Examples

• 私の親戚は全員東京に住んでいます。 Watashi no shinseki wa zen’in Tōkyō ni sunde imasu. All my relatives live in Tokyo.
• 私は5人いとこがいます。 Watashi wa go-nin itoko ga imasu. I have five cousins.
• 私の叔父と叔母は教師です。 Watashi no oji to oba wa kyōshi desu. My uncle and my aunt are teachers.
• 私の姪は5歳で、甥は2歳です。 Watashi no mei wa go-sai de, oi wa ni-sai desu. My niece is five years old and my nephew is two years old.

4. Family Terms as a Married Person

1- vocabulary to know as a married person.

• 結婚 けっこん ( Kekkon ) : marriage
• 既婚 きこん ( Kikon ) : married
• 未婚　みこん ( Mikon ) : unmarried
• 離婚　りこん ( Rikon ) : divorce
• 夫 おっと ( Otto ) : husband
• 妻 つま ( Tsuma ) : wife
• 息子　むすこ ( Musuko ) : son
• 娘　むすめ ( Musume ) : daughter
• 義理の ぎりの ( Giri no ) : in-law

In order to express “XXX in-law,” add 義理の ( Giri no ) in front of XXX (the family member).

For example:

• 義理の両親 ( Giri no ryōshin ) : parents-in-law
• 義理の父 ( Giri no chichi ) : father-in-law
• 義理の母 ( Giri no haha ) : mother-in-law
• 義理の兄 ( Giri no ani ) : older brother-in-law
• 義理の弟 ( Giri no otōto ) : younger brother-in-law
• 義理の姉 ( Giri no ane ) : older sister-in-law
• 義理の妹 ( Giri no imōto ) : younger sister-in-law
• 私は夫と娘が1人います。 Watashi wa otto to musume ga hitori imasu. I have a husband and one daughter.
• 私の義理の父と母は大阪に住んでいます。 Watashi no giri no chichi to haha wa Ōsaka ni sunde imasu. My father and mother in-law live in Osaka.
• 私は既婚者で子供が2人います。 Watashi wa kikonsha de kodomo ga futari imasu. I am married and I have two children.
• 私の義理の両親は、私の息子におもちゃを買いました。 Watashi no giri no ryōshin wa, watashi no musuko ni omocha o kaimashita. My parents-in-law bought a toy for my son.

5. Endearment Terms

In addition to the formal and informal terms for family, there are also more casual vocabulary words that you can call family members. It may vary from household to household, or on what kind of relationships there are between family members, but here are some examples. Just note that these are typically used in Japanese family relationships that are close.

• パパ ( Papa ) : papa

Like in English, “papa” is a common name to call a father in Japan, especially when children are very small. However, most Japanese people don’t use papa as they grow up.

• 父ちゃん ( Tō-chan ) : dad

This term includes a nuance of cute and comical affection.

• おやじ ( Oyaji ) : dad

This term is usually used by sons who are post-adolescent age. When they become adults, they often feel embarrassed to call their father papa or o-tō-san . This term also indicates a nuance of close affection.

• ママ ( Mama ) : mama

Just like papa, mama is used especially when children are still small.

• 母ちゃん ( Kā-chan ) : mom

This is the version of tō-chan used for mothers.

• お袋 ( Ofukuro ) : mom

This is the mother version of oyaji .

3- Grandfather

• じじ ( Jiji ) : grandpa

Grandchildren and their parents usually call a grandfather by this term when the grandchildren are still small. It indicates a nuance of cute affection.

• じーじ ( Jīji ) : grandpa

This is very similar to jiji , but the first ji is pronounced longer.

4- Grandmother

• ばば ( Baba ) : grandma

This is the grandmother version of jiji .

• ばーば ( Bāba ) : grandma

This is the grandmother version of jīji .

Grandparents often have endearing nicknames when they have grandchildren.

6. How to Describe Family and Ask Question about Family in Japanese

Most of the time, there’s no problem with talking about family and relatives. When it comes to marital status and children, however, it can be a delicate matter. It can sometimes be inappropriate to ask someone about his/her marital status or if they have children, unless he/she is open and willing to talk. This is especially true for a woman in her 30s.

Here are some example questions and answers related to family.

Q: 何人家族ですか。 Nan-nin kazoku desu ka. How many family members do you have?

A: お父さん、お母さん、お姉ちゃん、私の4人家族です。 O-tō-san, o-kā-san, o-nee-chan, watashi no yo-nin kazoku desu. I have four family members: father, mother, older sister, and me.

—–

Q: 兄弟はいますか。 Kyōdai wa imasu ka. Do you have brothers and sisters?

*When asking a question, kyōdai can also refer to sisters.

A: 私は姉と弟がいます。 Watashi wa ane to otōto ga imasu. I have an older sister and a younger brother.

Q: 結婚していますか。 Kekkon shite imasu ka. Are you married?

A: はい、妻と子供が2人います。 Hai, tsuma to kodomo ga futari imasu. Yes, I have a wife and two children.

Q: 孫はいますか。 Mago wa imasu ka. Do you have grandchildren?

A: はい、私は孫が6人います。 Hai, watashi wa mago ga roku-nin imasu. Yes, I have six grandchildren.

Q: ご両親はお元気ですか。 Go-ryōshin wa o-genki desu ka. How are your parents?

*It’s polite to put go in front of ryōshin when you talk about someone’s parents.

A: はい、私の父と母は元気です。 Hai, watashi no chichi to haha wa genki desu. Yes, my father and mother are doing well.

For more about self-introductions, please visit Introducing Yourself in Japanese on our website .

7. Conclusion: How Japanesepod101 Can Help You Learn More Japanese

I hope this article about family in Japanese culture is useful and that it helps to improve your Japanese communication skills.

If you would like to learn more about the Japanese language, you’ll find more useful content on JapanesePod101.com . We provide a variety of free lessons for you to improve your Japanese language skills. For example, Must-Know Terms for Family Members is helpful if you want to practice family terms in Japanese with audio.

We also have YouTube channel: JapanesePod101 . It’s always fun to learn Japanese by watching videos and listening to actual Japanese pronunciation.

Before you go, let us know in the comments if there are any family terms you still want to know! And to practice, write a short paragraph about your family in basic Japanese. We look forward to hearing from you!

Or sign up using Facebook

Got an account? Sign in here

How To Say ‘Thank you’ in Japanese

How to Say Hello in Japanese: Practical Japanese Greetings

How to Say I Love You in Japanese – Romantic Word List

All About the Japanese National Anthem : Kimigayo 君が代

100+ Useful Japanese Classroom Phrases & Vocabulary

50+ Restaurants Phrases for Eating Out in Japan

How to celebrate april fools’ day in japanese.

• Forum Spotlight
• Everyday Kanji
• Explore Japan
• Scheduled Maintenance
• Benkyō Blog
• Max in Shanghai
• Nathan's Notebook
• Samurai Theologian
• Japanese Holidays
• Japanese Dictionary
• Japanese Food
• Japanese Language
• Japanese slang
• Japanese Translation
• Kanji Mnemonics
• Kanji Scrabble
• Kanji Curiosity
• Advanced Japanese
• Japanese Alphabet
• Japanese Grammar
• Japanese Lessons
• Japanese Online
• Japanese Phrases
• Japanese Podcasts
• Japanese Words
• Tips & Techniques
• Learn Japanese
• Getting Started Living in Japan
• Media Coverage
• Motoko's Blog
• Feature Spotlight
• Speak Japanese
• Success Stories
• Teaching Japanese
• Team JapanesePod101
• Travel Japan
• Uncategorized
• Word of the Day
• Immigration, Visas
• Tokyo Intern

Copyright © 2024 Innovative Language Learning. All rights reserved. JapanesePod101.com Privacy Policy | Terms of Use . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser or activate Google Chrome Frame to improve your experience.

Talk About Family in Japanese with 60+ Essential Vocabulary Words

Family in Japanese culture is strongly tied to identity and the family unit often functions as a whole.

Traditionally, parents and elders are respected and ancestors are honored. 

When you start a journey to learn a new language , family words are often among the first that you learn—and thses familial words are even more important when you’re learning Japanese!

Learn all about the Japanese family and the words you’ll need to know to refer to any of your relatives.

The Importance of Family in Japanese

Japanese family vocabulary words , “family” and other basic vocabulary, immediate family, extended family, familial terms of endearment, and one more thing....

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

Family holds significant importance in Japanese society and culture. The concept of family, known as 家族 (kazoku) in Japanese, is deeply rooted in traditional values.  Influenced by Confucian principles, Japanese family structures generally have a patriarchal head and a multi-generational household. 

The cultural significance of the family is evident in the 戸籍 (koseki), Japan’s official family registry, which treats the household as the fundamental societal unit. This registry mandates reporting details such as birthplace, date of birth, relocations, marriages, divorces, paternity acknowledgments, adoptions and deaths. Because of this, individuals are highly aware of their family history, hierarchy and genealogy.

There are a few underlying aspects of family in Japanese culture:

• Filial piety: Japanese culture places a strong emphasis on respect and devotion to parents and elders. Filial piety, or 親孝行 (oyakoko), is a traditional virtue where children are expected to show deep respect and care for their parents.
• Family as a social unit: The family is considered a fundamental social unit in Japan. It’s often seen as a cohesive and supportive group and individuals derive a sense of identity and belonging from their family ties.
• Collectivism: Japan is known for its collectivist culture and this extends to family values. Cooperation and harmony within the family are highly valued and decisions often consider the impact on the family as a whole.
• Ancestor worship: Ancestor veneration is a significant aspect of Japanese culture. Families pay homage to their ancestors through rituals and ceremonies, fostering a strong connection between past and present generations.
• Family events and traditions: Various family-centric events and traditions play a vital role in Japanese culture. Celebrations like New Year’s Day, Obon (a festival to honor ancestors) and Shichi-Go-San (a celebration of children’s growth) emphasize family unity.
• Roles and responsibilities: Traditional gender roles have influenced family dynamics, with defined roles for men and women. While these roles are evolving, there’s still a sense of shared responsibilities within the family structure.
• Support system: Families in Japan often serve as a support system for individuals, offering emotional, financial and practical assistance. The elderly are typically cared for within the family, emphasizing intergenerational support.

FluentU takes authentic videos—like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks—and turns them into personalized language learning lessons.

You can try FluentU for free for 2 weeks. Check out the website or download the iOS app or Android app.

P.S. Click here to take advantage of our current sale! (Expires at the end of this month.)

Try FluentU for FREE!

You probably don’t call your mom “mother,” right? You might call her “mom” or “momma,” and younger kids might call her “mommy” or “mama.”

The same is true in Japanese—there are a few ways to refer to your family members when you’re talking to them that aren’t necessarily the “official” terms. 

The simplest way to refer to your relatives is by adding the honorifics “-san” or “-chan” to make the word more respectful or affectionate, respectively. For example:  

• お姉さん (Oneesan) — Older sister (respectful) 
• お姉ちゃん (Oneechan) — Older sister (affectionate)
• 弟さん (Otouto-san) — Younger brother (respectful)
• 弟ちゃん (Otouto-chan) — Younger brother (affectionate)
• じいちゃん (Jiichan) — Grandfather (affectionate)
• ばあちゃん (Baachan) — Grandmother (affectionate)
• おとっちゃん (Otto-chan) — Husband (affectionate)

Here are some more affectionate terms of endearment for referring to and talking to family members in Japanese:

Regardless of your relationship with your own family, learning family words in Japanese is an important step in your language learning journey. From mom and dad to great-grandmother, you now know how to address any of your relatives in Japanese!

If you love learning Japanese with authentic materials, then I should also tell you more about FluentU .

FluentU naturally and gradually eases you into learning Japanese language and culture. You'll learn real Japanese as it's spoken in real life.

FluentU has a broad range of contemporary videos as you'll see below:

FluentU makes these native Japanese videos approachable through interactive transcripts. Tap on any word to look it up instantly.

All definitions have multiple examples, and they're written for Japanese learners like you. Tap to add words you'd like to review to a vocab list.

And FluentU has a learn mode which turns every video into a language learning lesson. You can always swipe left or right to see more examples.

The best part? FluentU keeps track of your vocabulary, and gives you extra practice with difficult words. It'll even remind you when it’s time to review what you’ve learned. You'll have a 100% personalized experience.

Start using the FluentU website on your computer or tablet or, better yet, download the FluentU app from the iTunes or Google Play store. Click here to take advantage of our current sale! (Expires at the end of this month.)

Enter your e-mail address to get your free PDF!

We hate SPAM and promise to keep your email address safe

Learn Japanese online

Writing an essay about life in japan.

Hello everyone! In this post, Learn Japanese Daily will introduce to you the lesson: Writing an essay about life in Japan. Let’s start!

• 1.1 Opening
• 2 Note when writing a paragraph about life in Japan

The essay below has about 1500 words. It is written by an international student in Japan.

日本に来てから、もう四年半になりました。 Nihon ni kite kara, mou yonnen han ni narimashita. It has been four and a half years since I came to Japan.

何時の間にか時間は流れてしまったようです。 Itsunomanika jikan wa nagarete shimatta you desu. It seems that the time passed before I realized it.

この間に、苦しい闘いがあり、酸っぱく、甘く、苦しく、楽しい味がそこには揃っていて、本当にいろいろ体験してきました。 Kono aida ni, kurushii tatakai ga ari, suppaku, amaku, kurushiku, tanoshii aji ga soko ni wa sorotte ite, hontouni iroiro taiken shite kimashita. It was a bitter struggle at that time. I have really experienced all the sour, sweet bitter and pleasant tastes in it.

四年前の私は、まったく知らない異国にやってきて、生活を始めました。 Yonenmae no watashi wa, mattaku shiranai ikoku ni yattekite, seikatsu wo hajimemashita. Four years ago, I came to a foreign country that I never knew before and started a new life.

周りは、私にとってはすべて目新しいもので、これまで経験もしたことのないものばかりでした。 Mawari wa, watashi ni totte wa subete meatarashii mono de, kore made keiken mo shita koto no nai mono bakari deshita. The surroundings are all new to me and I have never been experienced them before.

最初一年間、初めての留学生活は家族や友達と離れての寂しさもありましたが、日本での生活に早く慣れなくてはならないと必死に日本語を勉強しました。 Saisho ichinenkan, hajimete no ryuugaku seikatsu wa kazoku ya tomodachi to hanarete no sabishisa mo arimashitaga, Nihon de no seikatsu ni hayaku narenakute wa naranaito hisshi ni nihongo wo benkyou shimashita. For the first year, my first time studying abroad sometimes made me feel lonely because of living away from my parents and friends. But I must get used to life in Japan, so I studied Japanese desperately.

授業のため、名古屋大学の鶴舞と東山キャンパスの間をほぼ毎日通っていました。 Jugyou no tame, Nagoya daigaku no Tsurumai to Higashiyama kyanpasu no ma wo hobo mainichi kayotte imashita. I went back and forth between the Tsurumai and Higashiyama campuses of Nagoya university almost everyday for classes.

ほかの時間もほとんど図書館で過ごしていました。 Hoka no jikan mo hotondo toshokan de sugoshite imashita. And I spent most of my time in the library.

その結果、苦労のかいがあって、なんとか困難を無事に解決することができるようになりました。 Sono kekka, kurou no kai ga atte, nantoka konnan wo buji ni kaiketsu suru koto ga dekiru you ni narimashita. As a result, it was worth the effort, I could solve the difficulties safely.

日本語が少し上手になってくるにつれ、友達も増えてきました。 Nihongo ga sukoshi jouzu ni natte kuru ni tsure, tomodachi mo fuete kimashita. As my Japanese was improved a little, I had more friends.

その時は、今まで感じたことがなかったような満足感がありました。 Sonotoki wa, imamade kanjita koto ga nakatta youna manzoku-kan ga arimashita. At that time, I had a sense of satisfaction that I had never felt before.

二年目に入ると、試験に受かって、名古屋大学医学研究科の大学院生となり、医学について本格的な修練が始まりました。 Ninenme ni hairu to, shiken ni ukatte, Nagoya daigaku igaku kenkyuu-ka no daigakuinsei to nari, igaku ni tsuite honkaku-tekina shuuren ga hajimarimashita. In the second year, I took the exam and became a graduate student at the Graduate School of Medicine of Nagoya university. And my full-scale training on medicine began.

それから数年間に、私はMRIに関する研究をし、世界に最先端な画像診断装置に触れ、母国では体験できないMRSやfMRIなど様々な知識を修得することができました。 Sorekara suunenkan ni, watashi wa MRI ni kansuru kenkyuu wo shi, sekai ni saisentan na gazoushinda souchi ni fure, bokokude wa taiken dekinai MRS ya fMRI nado samazamana chishiki wo shuutoku suru koto ga dekimashita. In the next few years, I studied MRI, touched the latest diagnostic imaging equipment in the world, and acquired various knowledge about MRS or MRI that I could not experience in my home country.

そのうち、恩師からの学問の指導や、経済的な援助、教室の先生方々からの励ましをいただき、多くの日本の人々に暖かく受け入れていただいて、研究を順調に進めることができました。 Sono uchi, onshi kara no gakumon no shidou ya, keizai-tekina enjo, kyoushitsu no sensei katagata kara no hagemashi wo itadaki, ooku no Nihon no hitobito ni atatakaku ukeirete itadaite, kenkyuu wo junchou ni susumeru koto ga dekimashita. During that time, I received encouragement from the teachers, and academic guidance and financial assistance from my former teacher. Many Japanese people accepted me warmly and I was able to proceed with my research smoothly.

今年には無事に論文を発表することができました。 Kotoshi ni wa buji ni ronbun wo happyou suru koto ga dekimashita. I was able to present my paper safely this year.

来年の三月は、博士課程の修了の予定ですが、研究テーマの終了でなく、画像診断、特にMRIに関連する研究を続けてゆこうと思っています。 Rainen no sangatsu wa, hakushikatei no shuuryou no yotei desu ga, kenkyuu teema no shuuryou denaku, gazoushinda, tokuni MRI ni kanren suru kenkyuu wo tsudzukete yukou to omotte imasu. In March of next year, I plan to complete the doctoral course, but the research theme is not completed. So I intend to continue studying diagnostic imaging, especially MRI.

日本に来て、一人暮らし時の孤独感、言葉が通じない時の困惑感、経済的困苦の不安感、研究途中で襲う挫折感を時々感じることがあり、それに対し、明るく振り舞い、前向きで、人を助けたりしていくうちに、自分が何とかなりそうな気分がしてきました。 Nihon ni kite, hitorigurashi toki no kodoku-kan, kotoba ga tsuujinai toki no konwaku-kan, keizai-teki konku no fuan-kan, kenkyuu tochuu de osou zasetsu-kan wo tokidoki kanjiru koto ga ari, sore ni taishi, akaruku furi mai, maemukide, hito wo tasuke tari shite iku uchi ni, jibun ga nantoka nari-souna kibun ga shite kimashita. When coming to Japan, I sometimes feel lonely when living alone, feel embarrassed when I can’t understand Japanese, feel anxious about financial hardships, and feel frustrated during my research. In contrast, I had a feeling that I would somehow manage it while helping people with positivity and cheerfulness .

日本に来て良かったという気持ちをずっと持っています。 Nihon ni kite yokatta to iu kimochi wo zutto motte imasu. I always feel good to come to Japan.

知識を修得しただけでなく、名古屋大学や様々な国際交流協会のおかげで、私はいろいろな交流活動に参加するようになりました。 Chishiki wo shuutoku shita dake denaku, Nagoyadaigaku ya samazamana kokusai kouryuu kyoukai no okage de, watashi wa iroirona kouryuu katsudou ni sanka suru you ni narimashita. Not only did I gain knowledge, but thanks to Nagoya university and various international exchange associations, I was able to participate in various exchange activities.

春には花見、秋には紅葉を見に行ったり、日本人と一緒にスキー旅行やキャンプもしたりすることにより、日本らしい文化を接触し、日本は世界で最も優れた国だということの理由を少しずつ分かってきました。 Haru ni wa hanami, aki ni wa kouyou wo mi ni ittari, nihonjin to issho ni sukii ryokou ya kyanpu mo shi tari suru koto ni yori, Nihonrashii bunka wo sesshoku shi, Nihon wa sekai de mottomo sugureta kunida to iu koto no riyuu wo sukoshi zutsu wakatte kimashita. By going to see cherry blossoms in spring, autumn leaves in autumn, going on a ski trip or going camping with Japanese people, and coming into contact with Japanese culture, I gradually understood why Japan is the best country in the world.

日本に四年間住んでみて、私は信じられないほど和食が好きになりました。 Nihon ni yon-nenkan sunde mite, watashi wa shinji rarenai hodo washoku ga suki ni narimashita. After living in Japan for 4 years, I can’t believe that I have started to like Japanese food.

和食というのは、自然な味を重視していて、新鮮な物をそのまま食べると自然な味が一番美味しいことです。 Washoku to iu no wa, shizen na aji wo juushi shite ite, shinsenna mono wo sonomama taberu to shizenna aji ga ichiban oishii kotodesu. Japanese food emphasizes the natural taste, and when we eat fresh food, we will see that the natural taste is the most delicious.

生のものを食べると、水や空気や緑といった自然の恵みが感じられ、これが和食の本当のおいしさではないかと思います。 Nama no mono wo taberu to, mizu ya kuuki ya midori to itta shizen no megumi ga kanji rare, korega washoku no hontou no oishi-sade wanai ka to omoimasu. When eating raw food, we can feel the blessing of nature such as water, air and green. I think this is the real deliciousness of Japanese food.

そう思うようになってから、日本の料理を楽むようになってきました。 Sou omou you ni natte kara, Nihon no ryouri wo tanoshimu you ni natte kimashita. Since I come to think that way, I have started to enjoy Japanese dishes.

私は生まれてから、母国の両親や家族，それを取り巻く人々や町などに育まれ、身近な人や町に対して優しい心情を抱きました。 Watashi wa umarete kara, bokoku no ryoushin ya kazoku, sore wo torimaku hitobito ya machi nado ni hagukumare, midjikana hito ya machi ni taishite yasashii shinjou wo dakimashita. Since I was born, I have nurtured by my parents and my family in my home country, and the people and cities around me. I have in my heart the love of those cities and those familiar people.

そして四年半前から日本に来て、名古屋大学医学部放射線科の日本人の先生方から、臨床的医学研究の修練を受け、自分の長年の念願、研究生涯の最初の一歩を踏み出しました。 Soshite yonnenhan mae kara Nihon ni kite, Nagoya daigaku igakubu houshasen-ka no nihonjin no senseigata kara, rinshou-teki igaku kenkyuu no shuuren wo uke, jibun no naganen no nengan, kenkyuu shougai no saisho no ippo wo fumidashimashita. And I came to Japan four and a half years ago. I received training in clinical medical research from Japanese teachers at the Radiology Department of Nagoya University Medical School, and took the first steps of my long-time research life and my desire.

そこで、日本の文化、教育に触れ、視野が広げられ、自分も徐々に成長してきました。 Sokode, nihon no bunka, kyouiku ni fure, shiya ga hiroge rare, jibun mo jojoni seichou shite kimashita. And then I came into contact with Japanese culture and education, broadened my horizons, and gradually grew up.

この自分の成長、育成に大きな役割を果した町、人々は私にとって第二の故郷になりました。 Kono jibun no seichou, ikusei ni ookina yakuwari wo hatashita machi, hitobito wa watashi ni totte daini no furusato ni narimashita. The cities and people here play a major role in my growth and development. This place is like my second home.

私の胸の中に、日本人への感謝の気持ちが一杯あります。 Watashi no mune no naka ni, nihonjin e no kanshanokimochi ga ippai arimasu. I have a lot of gratitude to Japanese people in my heart.

長い間大変お世話になりました。心から感謝を申し上げます。 Nagaiai taihen osewaninarimashita. Kokorokara kansha wo moushiagemasu. I have received a lot of help. I would like to express my sincere gratitude.

Note when writing a paragraph about life in Japan

You can write about life in Japan as an international student. Try to recall what you have experienced, what you have learned, what you did while living in Japan. Then make an outline and develop the detailed content. You can refer to the following outline:

How long have you been to Japan? (Why did you come to Japan?), Express your feelings about life in Japan.

Write about what you have experienced, events happened in Japan, people you have met, difficulties and advantages, what you have learned, how you grew up. Among the people you have met, who are you most impressed with? You should express your feelings about those events.

Express your feelings, thoughts about life in Japan.

Above is : Writing an essay about life in Japan. Hope this post can help you improve your writing skills. Wish you all good study.

Stay with us on :

• Japanese quotes about mother
• Japanese なにか grammar nanika

You May Also Like

Writing a paragraph about your day

Write a paragraph about travelling

Writing an essay expressing gratitude in Japanese

Leave a reply cancel reply.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

• KU Libraries
• Subject & Course Guides
• Resource Guide for Japanese Language Students

Resource Guide for Japanese Language Students: Essays

• Short Stories
• Translated Foreign Literature
• Japanese and English
• Comics with Furigana
• Comics with no Furigana
• Picture Books
• Online Reading Materials
• Apps, Sites, Extensions, and Podcasts
• For Listening Practice: Read Aloud Picture Books
• For Listening Practice: Children's Literature
• For Listening Practice: Young Adults
• Japanese-Language Proficiency Test (JLPT)
• Japanese Research & Bibliographic Methods for Undergraduates
• Japan Studies This link opens in a new window
• Guidebooks for Academic and Business Writing

About This Page

This page introduces the variety of essays written by popular contemporary authors. Unless noted, all are in Japanese.

The author, さくらももこ, is known for writing a comic titled 『 ちびまる子ちゃん 』. The comic is based on her own childhood experiences and depicts the everyday life of a girl with a nickname of Chibi Maruko-chan. The author has been constantly writing casual and humorous essays, often recollecting her childhood memories. We have both the『 ちびまる子ちゃん 』 comic series and other essays by the author. 

To see a sample text in a new tab, please  click on the cover image or the title .

中島らも(1952-2004) started his career as a copyrigher but changed his path to become a prolific writer, publishing novels, essays, drama scripts and rakugo stories. He became popular with his "twisted sense of humour."  He is also active in the music industry when he formed his own band. He received the 13th Eiji Yoshikawa New Author Prize with his 『今夜、すべてのバーで』 and Mystery Writers of Japan Aaward with 『 ガダラの豚 』.

東海林（しょうじ）さだお

東海林さだお(1937-) is a well-known cartoonist, but he is also famous for his essays on food. His writing style is light and humorous and tends to pay particular attention toward regular food, such as bananas, miso soup, and eggd in udon noodles, rather than talk about gourmet meals. (added 5/2/2014)

Collection of Essays: 天声人語 = Vox Populi, Vox Deli (Bilingual)

A collection of essays which appear on the front page of Asahi Shinbun . Each essay is approx. 600 words. KU has collections published around 2000. Seach KU Online catalog with call number AC145 .T46 for more details. 

To see a sample text, please click on the cover image or the title .

Other Essays

Online Essay

• 村上さんのところ "Mr. Murakami's Place" -- Haruki Murakami's Advice Column Part of Haruki Murakami's official site. He answers questions sent to this site. He will also take questions in English. Questions will be accepted until Jan. 31, 2015.

Search from KU Collection

If you are looking for essays in Japanese available at KU, use this search box. If you know the author, search by last name, then first name, such as "Sakura, Momoko." Make sure to select "Author" in the search field option.:

• << Previous: Level 4
• Next: Short Stories >>
• Last Updated: Feb 1, 2024 11:08 AM
• URL: https://guides.lib.ku.edu/c.php?g=95189

How to Say Family in Japanese (and Family Members)

It’s no secret that Japan is a very family-oriented culture. Japanese strongly value bonding with their blood relatives, friends, neighbors, and colleagues. Common Japanese practices like going out for drinks with your boss and co-workers after work or cleaning the school with your classmates foster a similar close-knit family environment between peers. 

Considering the concept of family in Japan is so extensive, it makes sense there would be a similarly vast amount of words to say family in the language. This article will cover the most common ways to say family and each family member in Japanese.  

1. 家族 (Kazoku) – Family; Family Members

The most common way to say family in Japanese is 家族 (kazoku) . This word is made up of the 家 (ie) kanji and the 族 (zoku) kanji . In Japanese, 家 (i.e.) means home, and 族 (zoku) means tribe or clan. Chances are you’ll see one or the other in many Japanese words related to family – many of which we will go over in this article! 

When talking about your family, you can use 家族 (kazoku) in sentences with or without a possessive pronoun. To say the possessive pronoun “ my” in Japanese, we use the pronoun for I : 私 (watashi) with the possessive particle の (no) .

Examples:                                 

1. 毎年、私の家族は日本に行く。 (Maitoshi, watashi no kazoku wa Nihon ni iku.)  My family travels to Japan every year.

毎年、家族は日本に行く。                       (Maitoshi, kazoku wa Nihon ni iku.)     My family travels to Japan every year. (without the possessive particle の)      

2. 私の家族は５人です。 (Watashi no kazoku wa gonin desu.) There are five members in my family.      

家族は５人です。   (Kazoku wa go nin desu.)     There are five members in my family. (no possessive particle)

Talking About Someone Else’s Family in Japanese

If you want to use 家族 ( kazoku ) to talk about someone else’s family, you can use a possessive pronoun or the person’s name. To say the possessive pronouns “ his/her” in Japanese, we use the pronouns for he : 彼 (kare) and she : 彼女 (kanojo) with the possessive particle の (no) .

1. 毎年、彼の家族は日本に行く。      ( Maitoshi, kare no kazoku wa Nihon ni iku.)                    His family travels to Japan every year.                       

2. リナさんの家族は５人です。 (Rina-san no kazoku wa go nin desu.) There are five members in Rina’s family.

Talking Directly to Someone About Their Family in Japanese

If you want to use 家族 (kazoku) to talk to someone about their own family, you can use a possessive pronoun, their name, or an honorific, depending on the situation. 

For example, say you’re making small talk with your acquaintance Tanaka- san and want to ask him where his family lives. Your gut reaction may be to use the Japanese pronoun for you : あなた (anata) . However, we want to actively avoid using あなた (anata) as much as possible when speaking in Japanese. It can come off a bit too blunt or even be seen as rude, especially when talking with someone you don’t know very well.

To get around this, we can replace あなた (anata) with the person’s name.

あなた の家族はどこの国にいますか？ ( Anata no kazoku wa doko no kuni ni imasu ka?)  What country does your family reside in?

田中さんの家族はどこの国にいますか？ (Tanaka-san no kazoku wa doko no kuni ni imasu ka?)  What country does your family reside in, Tanaka?

Another option would be to use the honorific ご (go) in front of 家族 (kazoku) . Like the honorific お (o), this is used to sound more polite when referring to another person we are not especially close with. It’s also a great way to avoid directly using あなた (anata) or the other person’s name!

ご家族はどこの国にいますか？ (Gokazoku wa doko no kuni ni imasu ka?)  What country does your family reside in?

There are a few other ways we can refer to another person’s family in Japanese, which we will cover more of them in detail later in the article.

3. うち (Uchi) – Family; One’s Home/Place

うち (uchi) is a more informal way to say family in Japanese. Although its meaning and usage are similar to 家族 (kazoku) and 家庭 (katei) , you will generally want to reserve using this term in casual conversations with people you are close with like friends and relatives. 

1. うちは猫を飼っているの。 ( Uchi wa neko o katteiru no.) My family has a pet cat.

2. 今夜、うちに来ない？ (Konya, uchi ni konai?) Want to come over to my place tonight?

5. Using the 族 (-Zoku) Suffix

In Japanese, 族 (zoku) means family, tribe, or clan. We can use the 族 (-zoku) kanji to refer to tribes and races of historical significance or prominent standing.

  [Tribe Name] + 族 Suffix = The ______ Tribe

Family Members in Japanese

Below is a list of basic terms we use to refer to family members in Japanese. Words in the formal columns can refer to members of our family (when talking to them directly) or another person’s family. In contrast, terms in the casual columns are generally reserved for only referring to our family members (when speaking to someone outside of our family).

Speaking to Others About Your Family in Japanese:

You may be wondering why respectful words like お母さん (okāsan) or お父さん (otōsan) are used with people you are close with (or when speaking directly to that relative). Shouldn’t respectful and polite words be used with people who are you not close with? Yes! But we also want to speak humbly.

This means that when we speak directly to someone, we want to “honor” them with polite and respectful language. That’s why we use respectful words like お母さん (okāsan) or お父さん (otōsan) when we speak directly to our mother or father. However, when we speak about our family to someone we should respect (your boss, strangers, people older than you, etc.) we need to refer to our family members humbly .

Using words like お母さん (okāsan) or お父さん (otōsan) to talk about your mother and father with your boss would sound childish and even rude. This is like you are saying “my honorable mother and father” and putting them on a pedestal. That’s why when we talk to people we want to show respect to, we use the words 母 (haha) and 父 (chichi) instead.

If you would like to know more about speaking polite and respectful Japanese, check out our guide on keigo : honorific Japanese.

For a closer look at how we refer to our immediate family in Japanese, check out these articles!

Grandparents and Great-Grandparents

Referring to our grandparents in Japanese is quite simple. We add the kanji for Ancestor : 祖 (so) as a prefix to the common words for parents.

Talking About Our Grandparents to Other People

To refer to our great-grandparents in Japanese, we simply add the kanji for Great : 曽 (sou) as a prefix to these words.

Aunts, Uncles, and Cousins in Japanese

In Japanese, おばさん (oba-san) means aunt and おじさん (o ji-san) means uncle. You can also refer to them in a more informal manner by simply lopping off the さん (-san) honorific, although it isn’t as common. Kanji are occasionally used to differentiate whether the aunt/uncle is older: 伯母 (oba) / 伯父 (oji) or younger 叔母 (oba) / 叔父 (oji) than one’s parent, but most of the time you will want to use these words in regular hiragana . 

The word for cousin in Japanese is いとこ (itoko) . Although you will generally see this word in regular hiragana , kanji are occasionally used to differentiate whether the cousin is a female or a male. This is done by adding the kanji for Secondary : 従 (J ū ) as a prefix to the common words for sisters and brothers.

In-Laws in Japanese

To refer to our in-laws in Japanese, we add the kanji for Honor : 義 (gi) as a prefix to the common words for parents and siblings.

* *Note: The words using 義 in the chart above ( 義母 (gibo), 義父 (gifu), 義姉 ( gishi ), 義兄 ( gikei ), etc.) are not used for speaking.  They are more formal and are used mainly for writing.  

We can use the above terms to refer to our in-laws in the third person. However, it’s important we use formalities like the お (o) and さん (-san) honorific when speaking with them directly. In Japanese, we commonly call our mother-in-law お義母さん (okā-san) and our father-in-law お義父さん (otō-san) as we do with our own parents.

Speaking to Your Mother-in-Law Directly Example:

お義母さん、今週末一緒に昼食を食べるのはどうですか？ (Okāsan, konsh ū matsu issho ni ch ū shoku o taberu no wa dō desu ka?) Would you like to have lunch with me this weekend?

Let’s Recap!

If you’re a little overwhelmed by the various ways you can say family in Japanese, that’s okay! Going with the commonly-used 家族 (kazoku) will do the trick in most situations.

Remember to use honorifics when referring to another person’s family or when speaking directly to your own older family members.

How do you say family in your native language? Let us know in the comments below!

Interested in learning more? Take a look at some of our other Japanese language guides here ! 

Sara Ceasrine

Leave a comment cancel reply.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

This site contains affiliate links to products and services we recommend or review. If you click through the links we provide and make a purchase, we may earn a commission.

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Copyright © 2023 The True Japan

Your Step-by-Step Jikoshoukai Guide Learn the basics, practice, and create an advanced Japanese self-introduction

October 11, 2016 • words written by Mami Suzuki and Michael Richey • Art by Aya Francisco

Viewing under The Tofugu JET Program Guide

When you start learning Japanese or are visiting Japan for the first time , there are few words to learn right away:

Once you've mastered those three, you need to learn your jikoshoukai.

Jikoshoukai 自己紹介 （ じこしょうかい ） is the Japanese word for "self-introduction." In theory, this is similar to how you would introduce yourself in your own culture. Say hello, say your name, tell a little about yourself. But in practice, there are cultural differences and set procedures you should stick to. You only get one first impression, so it's important to learn how to do it right.

We'll start by teaching you the basic Japanese self-introduction, then cultural subtleties, and finally a ton of extra grammar and vocabulary you can use to talk about yourself with your new Japanese friends.

Jikoshoukai Vocabulary

Writing your jikoshoukai, 1. first name and family name, 2. occupation, 3. don't talk about yourself too much, 4. bowing vs. handshake, 5. holding your hands behind your back, 6. don't bow while talking, business cards, "nice to meet you", "please be kind to me", where you are from, your school, where you live, hobbies and proficiencies, plans for the future, only the beginning, how to jikoshoukai.

Going to Japan, but don't know Japanese? Don't worry. You can jikoshoukai. The Japanese self-intro has a standard order and set phrases, so even beginners can meet and greet in Japanese.

• How do you do?

The set phrase hajimemashite 初めまして （ はじ　　　　 ） either comes from the verb hajimeru 始める （ はじ　　 ） , which means "to start," or it's a shortened form of 初めて （ はじ　　 ） お 目 （ め ） にかかりまして. Though etymologists aren't sure of the word's true origin, hajimemashite implies beginning or doing something for the first time . Most people think of it as saying "How do you do?" or "Nice to meet you."

• 私 （ わたし ） は [name] と 申します （ もう　　　 ） 。
• My name is [name].

The breakdown of this sentence is easier than it looks. It has three parts:

• 私 （ わたし ） は - The first word 私 means "I" or "me." It's followed by the particle は which indicates the topic of the sentence. In this case, 私 is the topic.
• [name] - Your name.
• と 申します （ もう　　　 ） - One meaning of the verb 申す is "to be called." It's paired with the particle と and conjugated to 申します。 This is a polite phrase, so it's safe to use in almost any situation.

When you put them all together, you get something along the lines of "I am called [name]" or "My name is [name]."

• よろしくお 願い （ ねが　 ） します。
• Please be kind to me.

The final piece of the puzzle is よろしくお 願い （ ねが　 ） します. It doesn't translate well to English, which is why we wrote a whole article about it . In a self-intro situation, it means something like "Please be kind to me." It's often translated as "Nice to meet you." This isn't technically correct, though it carries a similar feeling.

Now that you've got the basic building blocks down, it's time to put it together. At its simplest, the jikoshoukai sequence is:

• はじめまして。 私 （ わたし ） は (name) と 申 （ もう ） します。よろしくお 願 （ ねが ） いします。
• How do you do? My name is (name). Please be kind to me.

See? Not so hard. When you're getting ready to meet Japanese people for the first time, write this out and practice until it flows. If you're a beginner at Japanese , you don't need any more than this.

Jikoshoukai Etiquette

It's great to know the words to say when introducing yourself in Japanese, but how you say those words will make or break your jikoshoukai.

There are cultural differences to be aware of. They're subtle, so if you miss them it probably won't be counted against you. But paying attention to details like these can give you an extra social edge when you first meet a new Japanese friend.

In English, people usually introduce themselves by their first names or full names. When you give your full name, the first name comes first and the family name afterward.

In Japanese, people usually introduce themselves by their family names or full names. When they introduce their full name, the family name comes first and the first name comes second.

Revealing one or two of your strengths is fine, but listing all your amazing abilities will annoy others and make you seem over-confident.

In English, when you asked what you do for work, you give a brief summary of your job, or the name of your profession.

In Japan, it's common to answer only, " 会社員 （ かいしゃいん ） です。" (I'm an office worker./I work for a company./I'm a salaryman.)

However, if you introduce yourself to someone in a business setting, mention your company in your self-intro. For example:

• Tofuguのコウイチと 申します （ もう　　　 ） 。
• I'm Koichi from Tofugu.

This concept goes along with our next point…

Japanese people sometimes say lightly self-deprecating things as a form of humility, but it's usually followed by something positive (or the positivity is implied). For example:

• 至らない点が多いかもしれませんが、頑張りますので、よろしくお 願い （ ねが　 ） します
• I might have many flaws, but I'll do my best so please be kind to me.

You don't have to say anything like this (in fact, we advise you don't), but the point is this: Japanese people usually keep their strengths on the down-low.

So try not to show off too much. Revealing one or two of your strengths is fine, but listing all your amazing abilities will annoy others and make you seem over-confident.

In the West, if you're meeting someone one-on-one, you shake hands.

In Japan, don't move in for the handshake, especially if your status is the same or lower than the person you're meeting. In Japan, handshakes are for equals, so if you try to shake hands with the Emperor, it would be considered rude. Bow instead, and do so at the beginning and end of your jikoshoukai.

In Japan, holding your hands behind your back signals importance, so it may make you look full of yourself. Put your hands in front of you (the left hand on top of the right), or put your hands beside you.

This is a no-no from our Japanese bowing guide . Do your bowing after giving your self-introduction. Make sure to finish saying "yoroshiku onegaishimasu" and then bow.

Business cards in Japan are called meishi 名刺 （ めいし ） , and are an important part of Japanese culture. Even outside of the business world, Japanese people sometimes have personal meishi made (meishi means "name card" after all).

We covered meishi etiquette in our article about Japanese work customs , but here are the rules again in a jikoshoukai context.

Orient your card toward the recipient. Give and receive meishi with two hands.

Put meishi in a carrying case: You can buy business card carrying cases online or at any department store in Japan. If you don't have a case, you can carefully put the meishi in your purse or wallet after you've received it. Just don't put it in your pocket.

Use two hands: Orient your card toward the recipient when presenting. Hold the top edge with both hands. When they offer their card, accept it with two hands. Try not to cover any words with your fingers either. Some Japanese people are taught that a meishi is the "face" of the person giving it, so you don't want to cover theirs or your own.

When you and your new friend offer each other meishi at the same time: Present your card with your right hand, while simultaneously receiving theirs with your left.

Read meishi you receive: Read the person's name and title on the card before you put it away. Make sure to show interest in what they do. Act at least a little bit impressed with their job title.

When exchanging meishi in a group, give to the most senior person first: Start by giving your business card to the shachou, then fukushachou, and so on down the chain of command .

Treat meishi with respect: Use common sense and treat meishi like you would a gift. Don't toss or write on them.

Expanding the Basic Jikoshoukai

Maybe you've been doing your Japanese self-intro for years, repeating the same three set phrases over and over. Maybe you've read this guide before and have the basics down pat. You're ready to level up!

Below are example sentences you can mix into your standard jikoshoukai to give it more flavor, and make your self-intro a memorable one.

Earlier we learned how to use はじめまして (nice to meet you, how do you do). Here's a few ways to add to this set phrase.

• こんにちは。はじめまして。
• Hello. Nice to meet you.
• みなさん、はじめまして。
• Nice to meet you, everyone.
• みなさん、こんにちは。はじめまして。
• Hello everyone. Nice to meet you.

For a formal situation, you should say both your first and last names. In a casual situation, it's common to say only your family name for Japanese people.

If you're an English teacher on something like the JET Program , your school might want you to give your first name when you introduce yourself to the students. Ask your supervisor what's appropriate for the situation.

Below are several ways to introduce your name, organized by politeness in ascending order.

• 私 （ わたし ） の 名前 （ なまえ ） はマイケルですが、みんなにはマイクって 呼ばれて （ よ　　　 ） います。
• My name is Michael, but most people call me Mike.
• I'm Michael.

Very Formal:

• マイケルと 申します （ もう　　　 ） 。

Very Formal/Business:

• Tofuguのマイケルと 申します （ もう　　　 ） 。
• I'm Michael from Tofugu.

When you end your jikoshoukai, you'll use a phrase that means "Please be kind to me" or "Remember me favorably." But once you've got a handle on the standard " yoroshiku onegaishimasu ," you can move on to more casual or more formal variations. Below we've organized them by politeness level in ascending order.

Polite/Business:

• どうぞ、よろしくお 願い （ ねが　 ） します。
• よろしくお 願い （ ねが　 ） 致します （ いた　　　 ） 。

Very Polite/Business:

• どうぞ、よろしくお 願い （ ねが　 ） 致します （ いた　　　 ） 。

Formal/Business:

• よろしくお 願い （ ねが　 ） 申し上げます （ もう　あ　　　 ） 。
• どうぞ、よろしくお 願い （ ねが　 ） 申し上げます （ もう　あ　　　 ） 。

Custom Jikoshoukai Modification

From here we get into the fun stuff. After expanding on the initial three pieces of the Japanese self-introduction, you can start adding information about yourself, short sentences that explain where you're from, what you like to do, and so on.

These jikoshoukai modifications will help people get to know you faster when you first introduce yourself. This is especially important as you start to make more Japanese friends, go on dates, or have job interviews.

Telling where you're from is always a good addition to a self-intro. Even if you don't use it during the initial jikoshoukai, your new Japanese friend will probably ask you anyway, so memorizing a few of these phrases is extra useful.

Two quick vocabulary usage notes: First, the word shusshin 出身 （ しゅっしん ） mean's "person's origin," and refers more to the place you were born or grew up than where you currently live. It's often used for specific places like a city, state, or prefecture, rather than a country. For example, Mami was born in Osaka, and now lives in Canada. But she spent most of her life in Nara, so she says " 奈良県 （ ならけん ） の 出身 （ しゅっしん ） です。" or " 出身 （ しゅっしん ） は 奈良県 （ ならけん ） です。"

Second, the verb mairu 参る （ まいる ） is a more humble form of kuru 来る （ く　 ） or iku 行く （ い　 ） . So when 参る （ まい　 ） is used to talk about where you came from in "アメリカから 参りました （ まい　　　 ） ," it's much more humble, so use it in appropriate situations.

• アメリカの 出身 （ しゅっしん ） です。
• I'm from America.
• アメリカから 来ました （ き　　　 ） 。
• アメリカから 参りました （ まい　　　　 ） 。
• オレゴン 州 （ しゅう ） のポートランドから 来ました （ き　　　 ） 。 生まれ （ う　　 ） も 育ち （ そだ　 ） もポートランドです。
• I'm from Portland, Oregon. Born and raised.
• 生まれ （ う　　 ） は 大阪 （ おおさか ） ですが、 育ち （ そだ　 ） は 東京 （ とうきょう ） です。
• I was born in Osaka, but grew up in Tokyo.
• 育ち （ そだ　 ） はニューヨークです。
• I grew up in New York.
• 田舎 （ いなか ） で 育ちました （ そだ　　　　 ） 。
• I grew up in the countryside.
• 生まれ （ う　　 ） は 東京 （ とうきょう ） ですが、 十歳 （ じゅうさい ） の 時 （ とき ） に 大阪 （ おおさか ） に 引っ越しました （ ひ　こ　　　　 ） 。そして、 大学 （ だいがく ） に 入る （ はい　 ） 時 （ とき ） に、 名古屋 （ なごや ） に 引っ越して （ ひ　こ　　 ） 来ました （ き　　　 ） 。
• I was born in Tokyo, but moved to Osaka when I was ten, and lived there until I entered university, which is when I came to Nagoya.
• 小さい （ ちい　　 ） 時 （ とき ） 、 家族 （ かぞく ） が 何度も （ なんど　 ） 引っ越した （ ひ　こ　　 ） ので、 私 （ わたし ） には 育った （ そだ　　 ） 場所 （ ばしょ ） というのはないんです。
• My family moved a lot when I was little, so I'm not really from anywhere.

School, from elementary up through university , is a big part of Japanese life. Be prepared to have people ask alma mater and what you studied. Or cut them off at the pass by including the information in your jikoshoukai.

• Ⓐ 大学 （ だいがく ） Ⓑ 学部 （ がくぶ ） Ⓒ 科 （ か ） の 出身 （ しゅっしん ） です。
• I graduated from the Ⓒ department of the faculty of Ⓑ of Ⓐ University.
• Ⓐ 大学 （ だいがく ） Ⓑ 学部 （ がくぶ ） Ⓒ 科 （ か ） の 学生 （ がくせい ） です。
• I'm a student of the Ⓒ department of the faculty of Ⓑ of Ⓐ University.
• Ⓐ 大学 （ だいがく ） Ⓑ 学部 （ がくぶ ） Ⓒ 科 （ か ） の 二年生 （ にねんせい ） です。
• I'm a second year student of the Ⓒ department of the faculty of Ⓑ of Ⓐ University.
• オレゴン 大学 （ だいがく ） で、 二年間 （ にねんかん ） 東 （ ひがし ） アジアの 歴史 （ れきし ） を 専攻 （ せんこう ） していました。
• I studied East Asian history at Oregon university for two years.

Occupation is a common conversation topic when meeting someone new. If you're doing business in Japan (or want to), you'd better learn at least one of these phrases.

A quick grammar usage note: some of these jikoshoukai example sentences use the continuous state conjugation of suru する （ ） which is shiteimasu しています （ ） . If you want to get extra polite with any of these sentences, swap out しています with shiteorimasu しております （ ） . One easy switch and you're ready to tell CEOs and presidents about your work situation.

• Tofuguで 編集長 （ へんしゅうちょう ） を しています 。
• I'm the chief editor of Tofugu.
• トヨタで 営業 （ えいぎょう ） を 担当 （ たんとう ） しています 。
• I'm working in sales at Toyota.
• 会計課 （ かいけいか ） に 配属 （ はいぞく ） になりました、 佐藤 （ さとう ） です。
• I'm Satou , assigned to the accounts department.
• 私 （ わたし ） は 会社員 （ かいしゃいん ） です。
• I'm an office worker.
• 私 （ わたし ） は 英語 （ えいご ） の 教師 （ きょうし ） です。
• I'm an English teacher.
• 私 （ わたし ） は 英語 （ えいご ） を 教えています （ おし　　　　　 ） 。
• I teach English.
• 私 （ わたし ） はこの 学校 （ がっこう ） で 英語 （ えいご ） を 教えます （ おし　　　 ） 。
• I'm going to teach English at this school.
• 私 （ わたし ） は 東 （ ひがし ） フグ 小学校 （ しょうがっこう ） で 働いて （ はたら　　 ） います。
• I'm working at East Fugu Elementary School.
• 私 （ わたし ） は 東 （ ひがし ） フグ 小学校 （ しょうがっこう ） に 勤めて （ つと　　 ） います。
• I'm working for East Fugu Elementary School.

"You live around here?" is a common question no matter the culture. Be ready to answer questions about your living situation with these sentences.

• 東京 （ とうきょう ） に 住んで （ す　　 ） います。
• I live in Tokyo.
• 東京 （ とうきょう ） 駅 （ えき ） の 近く （ ちか　 ） に 住んで （ す　　 ） います。
• I live near Tokyo station.
• 東京 （ とうきょう ） 駅 （ えき ） の 近く （ ちか　 ） のマンションに 住んで （ す　　 ） います。
• I live in an apartment near Tokyo station.

Hobbies are super important part of life in Japan. Japanese junior high and high school students take school club activities seriously ( sometimes more than academics ) and this passion often continues into adult life. If you have a hobby, that is your "thing." Even if you don't think of your interests as "hobbies," describe them as such anyway. It will help people understand you better . Alternatively, you can say what you like and don't like.

• 趣味 （ しゅみ ） は[____]です。
• My hobby is [____].
• 趣味 （ しゅみ ） は[____]することです。
• My hobby is to do [____]
• [____]が 趣味 （ しゅみ ） です。
• [____]することが 趣味 （ しゅみ ） です。
• 私 （ わたし ） は[____]が 好き （ す　 ） です。
• I like [____]
• [____]も 好き （ す　 ） です。
• I also like [____]
• [____]は 好き （ す　 ） ではありません。
• I don't like [____]
• 私 （ わたし ） は[____]することが 好き （ す　 ） です。
• I like to do [____]
• 私 （ わたし ） は[____]が 得意 （ とくい ） です。
• I'm good at [____].
• 私 （ わたし ） は[____]することが 得意 （ とくい ） です。
• I'm good at doing [____].
• 私 （ わたし ） は[____]が 苦手 （ にがて ） です。
• I'm not good at/I don't like [____](noun)
• 私 （ わたし ） は[____]することが 苦手 （ にがて ） です。
• I'm not good at doing [____].

What do you want to be when you grow up? What new skills are you trying to develop? What are you going to eat for lunch tomorrow? Answer these questions and more with the example sentences below.

Grammar usage note: the noun tsumori つもり （ ） is used to tell what you plan to do. It's most commonly used in situations where you've already made up your mind. It's definite. Don't use it for instances where you're kind of maybe thinking about something, but you're not sure yet.

• [____]ようと 考えて （ かんが　　 ） います。
• I'm thinking about doing [____].
• [____]したいと 思って （ おも　　 ） います。
• I'd like to do [____].
• [____]つもりです。
• 私 （ わたし ） の 目標 （ もくひょう ） は[____]です。
• My object is [____].
• [____]に 挑戦 （ ちょうせん ） したいと 思って （ おも　　 ） います。
• I'd like to challenge [____].

Now you know what it takes to put together a stellar jikoshoukai in Japanese. Put the pieces together, mind the cultural differences, and practice till its second nature.

With a solid self-intro on your side, you're poised to start your relationships right. Just don't forget your business cards.

• How it Works

How to Talk About Family in Japanese (+BONUS Quiz)

• By Islah Wallace
• Learn Japanese
• July 7, 2023

Level Up Your Japanese with Key Family Member Vocabulary || PLUS Test Your Knowledge

Talking about family is often one of the first, most important things you study when learning a new language- and with good reason!

Family is a fantastic topic to immediately form connections with people and it’s certainly a topic you’re going to be asked about.

However , this is not to say that there aren’t any rules or customs you need to be aware of.

As we mentioned in a previous article about pronouns in Japanese , the way you address someone, especially someone older than you, is very important in Japan, even if its just family!

TOP TIP || The main thing to be aware of is that, in Japanese, when you are talking about your own family you would use different words than you would talking about someone else’s family.

Also, when you’re talking directly to members of your family, you might use something different too!

Not sure how this works? Not to worry – we’ll include explanations and examples throughout!

Let’s dive right in!

Here is our complete guide to talking about family in Japanese and keep reading for a bonus quiz at the very end!

Japanese Family Tree | | Immediate Family Japanese Family Tree || Grandma and Grandpa Japanese Family Tree || Aunt and Uncle Japanese Family Tree || Cousins Japanese Family Tree || Nieces and Nephews Japanese Family Tree || Quiz Japanese Family Tree || FAQs

Family in Japanese || Immediate Family Members

Let’s start by looking at the different ways of saying the different family members, and then we’ll go into how to know which term of address to use in different situations.

Important: The first word for each relative is how you would refer to your own family members, the second is how you would refer to someone else’s family members.

When you are talking about someone else’s family member (let’s say, their mum) or talking to your own family member (your mum), you should use the version with the honorific suffix, i.e., さん.

BE AWARE that although the same kanji may be used (e.g. 母), the pronunciation can be different based on the context (e.g. haha vs. kaa ).

Let’s take a look at a couple of examples:

（あなたの）お母さんはどこに住んでますか。 (anata no) okaasan wa doko ni sunde imasu ka . Where does your mum live?

お母さん、私の鍵がどこにあるか知っていますか。 okaasan, watashi no kagi ga doko ni aru ka shitte imasu ka. Mum, do you know where my keys are?

However, let’s say you are talking about your mother to a friend…

（私の）母はロンドンで住んでいます。 (watashi no) haha wa rondon de sunde imasu. My mum lives in London.

* You’ll notice that for husband we have included three different forms of address instead of two. This is because the way you would talk to your husband is not the same way you would talk about about someone elses.

When talking to your husband, you can use 旦那さん (or even 夫, or just their name followed by さん), but when talking about someone’s husband, you should use ご主人.

Here are a couple of extra words that might be useful when talking about your immediate family:

Husband and wife = 夫婦（ふうふ） Parents = 両親（りょうしん）

Family in Japanese || Grandma and Grandpa

As before, the first translation is used for your family members and the second translation is how you would refer to someone else’s family member.

Unlike Chinese , Japanese language does not distinguish between maternal and paternal grandparents.

Just like when you’re talking about immediate family, use the honorific versions (i.e., おばあさん / おじいさん) when you are talking to your grandma/grandpa or about somebody else’s grandparent.

ちゃん is sometimes used instead of さん which shows a sense of familiarity.

DID YOU KNOW || おばあさん and おじいさん are both also used as respectful forms of address to someone your grandparents age.

How about if you want to talk about grandchildren?

孫（まご）= grandchild お孫さん（おまごさん）= (someone else’s) grandchild

Basic Phrases in Japanese // Learn 32 Essential Phrases (With Flashcards & FREE Quiz)

Basic Phrases in Japanese // Learn these phrases to make your first steps when learning Japanese. We teach you how to get by when speaking basic Japanese.

Family in Japanese || Aunt and Uncle

As with “grandma” and “grandpa,” the Japanese language does not distinguish between maternal and paternal aunts/uncles.

It does , however, distinguish according to whether the relative is older or younger than your parent! But its easier than you think…

As you can see, although the kanji used for different aunts/uncles differs, the way you pronounce them is the same… which makes it make harder to slip up, in our opinion!

One important thing to be aware of is the similarity between the word for “grandma” おばあさん and “aunt” おばさん. Take extra care when learning these!

How do you remember new vocabulary? Let us know in the comments below!

Family in Japanese || Cousins

In Japanese, people usually use いとこ to refer to their cousin. However, like with aunts and uncles, the specific kanji used can change on who you’re talking to.

従兄弟 = all male cousins 従姉妹 = all female cousins 従兄 = older male cousin 従姉 = older female cousin 従弟 = younger male cousin 従妹 = younger female cousin

REMEMBER , they are all pronounced いとこ ( itoko ).

Express Your Love 💖 How to Say I Love You in Japanese

Today we open our hearts and teach you how to express you love in Japanese – welcome to our guide on how to say I love you in Japanese.

Family in Japanese || Nieces and Nephews

As you can see, talking about nieces and nephews is easy (especially compared with some of the other family members!)

Family in Japanese || Quiz

Welcome to your Family

Family in Japanese || FAQs

In Japanese, family is 家族  ( kazoku) . To say my family, you simply need to add ‘my’ in Japanese, which is 私の (watashi no). All together this is 私の家 (watashi no kazoku).

If you are talking about your own mom, you would use 母 (はは haha ). If you are talking about someone else’s mother, you should instead use お母さん (おかあさん okaasan) .

In Japanese, “san” (さん) is an honorific suffix commonly used as a respectful title to address someone. It is typically added to a person’s name or title to show politeness and respect. For example, “Tanaka-san” is a polite way to refer to someone named Tanaka. It can be used for both men and women.

Practice, practice, practice! One of our favourite ways to learn new vocab is by using spaced repetition flashcard apps like Anki.

Psst… Did you know LTL has made lots of Japanese Anki decks so you don’t have to?

You can take classes at a time that suits you on our Flexi Classes platform, where you can choose between individual and small group classes and be taught by professional, native-speaker Japanese teachers.

Or why not come to Tokyo and take classes with us in person! You can even stay in an immersive homestay program .

Want More From LTL?

WANT TO LEARN JAPANESE?  Check out our  online Japanese courses  here.

We offer a 7-day free trial to all new students where you can study 24/7.

What about studying Japanese in Japan instead?  We’ve got your back. Our  Japanese courses in Tokyo  can either be taken in small groups of no more than 5 students or individually for a more tailored experience.

We even offer incredible  homestay experiences in Tokyo  as well.

Come and be a part of this amazing community .

I'm interested in:

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Notify me of follow-up comments by email.

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Essay on Japanese Family

Students are often asked to write an essay on Japanese Family in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Japanese Family

Introduction to japanese family.

In Japan, families are often close-knit and respect for elders is very important. Most families are small, with parents and one or two children. Grandparents sometimes live with the family too, and everyone helps each other.

Roles in the Family

Parents work to provide for the family. The mother often takes care of the home and children, while the father is usually the main breadwinner. Children are taught to be polite and work hard in school.

Family Traditions

Japanese families celebrate many traditions together. They enjoy holidays like New Year, where they eat special foods and visit shrines. Birthdays and other events are also family times.

Changes in Families

Today, some Japanese families are changing. More mothers work outside the home, and families might not live with grandparents. But respect and caring within the family remain very important.

250 Words Essay on Japanese Family

What is a japanese family.

A Japanese family often includes parents and their children. Sometimes, grandparents also live with them. This is called a three-generation household. In Japan, families used to be very big, but now, they are becoming smaller. Many families now have just one or two children.

In a typical Japanese family, the father works to earn money while the mother takes care of the house and children. This is changing slowly as more mothers work outside too. Children are expected to study hard and respect their elders.

Japanese families value traditions. They celebrate many festivals together like New Year and Children’s Day. During these times, they eat special foods and visit shrines. Respect for family members, especially older ones, is very important in Japan.

Nowadays, Japanese families are changing. More women are working, and some families have both parents working. Technology also plays a big part in their lives. Still, even with these changes, family remains central in Japanese society.

Japanese families are known for their strong bonds and respect for tradition. Even as times change, these values stay important. From parents to children, everyone has a role that helps keep the family together. Japanese families show us how tradition and modern life can blend together.

500 Words Essay on Japanese Family

Introduction to japanese families.

Japanese families are like a strong team. They often live together, work together, and help each other. In Japan, family is very important. People in a family care for each other and respect their elders. They also follow traditions that have been passed down for many years.

Members of the Family

In a typical Japanese family, you may find grandparents, parents, and children all living under the same roof. This is becoming less common now, but it still happens. The father is usually seen as the one who earns money for the family, while the mother takes care of the home and children. Children are taught to respect their parents and grandparents.

Family Roles

In Japan, everyone in the family has a role to play. The roles are like parts in a play, where each person knows what they should do. The father’s role is to provide for the family, and the mother’s role is to make sure the home is a happy and healthy place. Children also have roles, such as doing well in school and helping with chores.

Respect for Elders

Respecting elders is a big part of Japanese culture. This means listening to what they say, caring for them, and making sure they are happy. In many families, the oldest person is the head of the family. This person’s birthday is often a special day where the whole family comes together.

Japanese families have many traditions. These are special ways of doing things that have been done for a long time. One tradition is eating certain foods on special days. Another is visiting the graves of ancestors to show respect. Families also celebrate festivals together, like the New Year or the Children’s Day festival.

Changes in the Family

Families in Japan are changing. In the past, many people lived with their grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. Now, more families live with just parents and children. Some people also choose to live alone. Even though families are changing, the ideas of respect, caring, and helping each other stay the same.

Education and Family

Education is very important in Japanese families. Parents want their children to learn a lot and do well in school. They often help with homework and go to school meetings. Doing well in school is seen as a way to respect the family and carry on its good name.

In conclusion, Japanese families are groups of people who love and support each other. They have roles, respect their elders, and follow traditions. Even as things change, the heart of what makes a Japanese family stays the same. It’s all about working together, caring for each other, and being proud of where you come from.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

• Essay on Japanese Friend
• Essay on Japanese Holiday
• Essay on Jasmine Flower

Apart from these, you can look at all the essays by clicking here .

Happy studying!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Family members in Japanese!

Do you know how to address family members in Japanese? The Japanese way of addressing family is a bit tricky because we distinguish when they call our own family members and when they call other people’s family members.

First of all, do you know how to say “family” in Japanese?

Family = Kazoku （家族／かぞく）

Today let’s master vocabulary about family and be able to introduce family members to your friends in Japanese!

Your own family

First, let’s start with how to call your own family. You can play and listen to the audio below!

While listening to the audio, please click the + button below to see the Japanese(Kanji, Hiragana, and roman characters will appear)!

父 ちち Chichi

両親 りょうしん Ryooshin

弟 おとうと Otooto

妹 いもうと Imooto

息子 むすこ Musuko

娘 むすめ Musume

Somebody else’s family

The vocabulary for mentioning other people’s family members is slightly different from what we have learned above. Again, let’s listen to the audio, and click the English meanings to see Japanese!

お父さん おとうさん Otoosan

お母さん おかあさん Okaasan

ご両親 ごりょうしん Goryooshin

お兄さん おにいさん Oniisan

お姉さん おねえさん Oneesan

弟さん おとうとさん Otootosan

妹さん いもうとさん Imootosan

お祖父さん おじいさん Ojiisan

お祖母さん おばあさん Obaasan

息子さん むすこさん Musukosan

娘さん むすめさん Musumesan

お孫さん おまごさん Omagosan

旦那さん だんなさん Dannasan

奥さん おくさん Okusan

So, for some vocabulary you just add “san” at the end, but others get very different. Why is there such a difference? That’s because Japan has the concept of “Uchi” and “Soto” relationships (internal and external relationships).

In Japanese, when you talk about yourself or your own family, you need to lower their presence to show your humility. While when you talk about other people’s family, you need to use polite forms to show respect.

So that’s why we have two kinds of ways to call family members.

One pronunciation you need to pay attention to is the difference between Ojiisan & Ojisan and Obaasan & Obasan. Ojiisan (with long vowel sound) means grandfather or elderly man, but Ojisan (no long vowel sound) means uncle or Sir. Obaasan means grandmother or elderly woman, but Obasan means aunt or Madam.

So be careful not to call your Aunt Obaasan, because she will be offended, hahaha.

Let’s practice conversation!

“How many people in your family?” in Japanese is;

ご家族は何人ですか（ごかぞくは なんにん ですか）？ Gokazoku wa nan-nin desu ka?

Make sure you use the word “gokazoku” instead of “kazoku” because when you are mentioning other people’s family adding “go” before kazoku is more polite.

Now, how do you answer this question? Let’s first practice how to count the number of people in Japanese.

Please listen to the audio and repeat after it several times until you get used to the pronunciation.

1 person ：ひとり（Hitori） 2 persons：ふたり（Furtari） 3 persons：さんにん（San-nin） 4 persons：よにん（Yo-nin） 5 persons：ごにん（Go-nin） 6 persons：ろくにん（Roku-nin） 7 persons：ななにん（Nana-nin） 8 persons：はちにん（Hachi-nin） 9 persons：きゅうにん（Kyuu-nin） 10 persons：じゅうにん（Juu-nin）

When you are asked “ご家族は何人ですか（Gokazoku wa nan-nin desu ka)?”, the most simple way to answer is “____nin desu.”

After saying the number of your family members, you can also list the family member using “と（to）” in between each word.

If your family members are like the picture below and you are the lady in the middle, how do you say? Please check the audio below to see if your answer is correct or not.

The script goes like this;

家族は、7人です。父と、母と、夫と、息子2人と、娘と、私です。 Kazoku wa nana-nin desu. Chichi to Haha to Otto to Musuko futari to Musume to Watashi desu. There are 7 people in my family. Father, Mother, Husband, two Sons, Daughter, and me.

Now that you know how to introduce your family members, please try to answer my question!

ご家族は、何人ですか？ Gokazoku wa nan-nin desuka?

Login or sign up to be automatically entered into our next $10,000 scholarship giveaway

Get Searching

• College Search
• College Search Map
• Graduate Programs
• Featured Colleges
• Scholarship Search
• Lists & Rankings

Articles & Advice

• Ask the Experts
• Campus Visits
• Catholic Colleges and Universities
• Christian Colleges and Universities
• College Admission
• College Athletics
• College Diversity
• Counselors and Consultants
• Education and Teaching
• Financial Aid
• Graduate School
• Health and Medicine
• International Students
• Internships and Careers
• Majors and Academics
• Performing and Visual Arts
• Public Colleges and Universities
• Science and Engineering
• Student Life
• Transfer Students
• Why CollegeXpress
• $10,000 Scholarship
• CollegeXpress Store
• Corporate Website
• Terms of Use
• Privacy Policy
• CA and EU Privacy Policy

Articles & Advice > Majors and Academics > Blog

My Journey Studying a Foreign Language: Japanese

Naomi discovered that studying a foreign language in college isn't quite the same as high school...

by Naomi Hong Student, Occidental College

Last Updated: Mar 16, 2023

Originally Posted: Nov 26, 2016

Most high schools throughout the United States require at least two years of foreign language in order to graduate, and nearly all colleges require some foreign language experience in their general education. In a fast-paced, globalized world with near constant communication between people of all nations and tongues, the ability to speak a foreign language is already a highly valued skill in the workforce.

I’m a college junior double-majoring in both Japanese and international relations, and nearly all the programs and internships I have applied for or participated in preferred candidates who were “business level” proficient or higher in a second language. Now in my seventh year of studying Japanese, I wanted to take some time to reflect on the journey that has brought me to where I am now, currently studying abroad in Tokyo for the fall semester and entering my second internship in a Japanese business. Hopefully my experience is relatable to others college and even high schools students who have pursued foreign language study as a significant component of their academic career. I also hope to provide some insight to those who are just embarking on their language acquisition journey.

Why I chose to study a foreign language

Growing up I had only spoken English; my parents are Asian American and also do not speak any other language fluently. Unlike many of my Asian American peers, I was not enrolled in a language school from an early age, so my first experience learning a second language started freshman year of high school.

My desire to study Japanese came from my mom’s Japanese American heritage and my previous travels to Japan. Although I had been to Japan several times, I could not fully engage with the culture because I did not understand the language, so I felt that learning it would help me appreciate my experiences more. The opportunity came when a high school in my city offered a waiver program where we could transfer if we committed to take four years of Japanese. I eagerly signed up and was accepted, and thus started my journey studying the foreign language I still am working on today.

My language journey in high school

In the beginning, learning Japanese was a breeze for me. Japanese has a lot of set grammar patterns, expressions, and conjugations that you can easily grasp with just a little bit of practice. The first three years of my in-school classes taught me all the basic grammar I needed to get around Japan, plus the bare minimum phrases and make easy, superficial conversation. The fourth year of high school Japanese emphasized using all of the things we learned instead of teaching us new things.

In addition to my high school language classes, the summer after my junior year I studied abroad in Japan for six weeks and lived with a host family while attending a local high school. Looking back at my high school language journey, I saw a huge improvement relatively rapidly, especially from the first to third year of study. Just like many people when they first start a language, everything is new and exciting, and it is relatively easy to see progress. I was at the top of my classes and people thought of me as the language “expert.” I tried to sound as smart as possible and explain things to my classmates…even though I probably did not understand all the grammar points perfectly myself.

Related: The Experts' Choice: Colleges with Great Study Abroad Options

My language journey in college

Coming into college I was proficient enough to test into the highest level of Japanese, so I was put into a translation class that many seniors often take in order to finish the major. My college classes were quite different from my high school ones. For starters, classes in college are not every day, so instead of having Japanese one hour five days a week, you have it for one hour three times a week. My Japanese college classes also centered on a specific theme, such as translation of essays or reading newspapers, instead of just holistic Japanese learning. The other students in my class ranged from people who studied throughout high school like me to people who spoke it at home and to actual native speakers. I was not the “top dog” anymore, but I still enjoyed the challenge nonetheless.

As my college semesters progressed and I became more involved in other things, I found myself finding less time and motivation to study Japanese compared to when I was in high school. I also experienced “retroactive interference,” where new information learned prevents you from recalling old information. The more concepts I learned, the more my brain felt overwhelmed and it was harder to see a lot of improvement. I often felt envious of my other friends who studied Japanese just like me but moved there after high school who seemed like they suddenly became “fluent.” I frequently fixated becoming “fluent,” without really defining what fluency meant to me; in retrospect I think I just wanted to be the best at something, to go back to being the “expert” like I was in high school.

My sophomore year Japanese classes and my internship in Tokyo this year have truly humbled me and have allowed me to set more realistic foreign language development goals. I have learned to not compare my foreign language journey to others’ or treat it like a competition. Rather, the goal should be to do one’s own best while humbly being able to look to those who are better than you for advice and helping others who are not as advanced as you in a way that you would like to be helped. I have also learned that it is okay to ask questions and to openly express that you don’t understand something, although I still sometimes have trouble admitting that I am completely lost in Japanese class and pretend that I know what’s going on. And there are times when I wish I could just hurry up and improve so I can feel confident while engaging in deep conversations with my friends in Japanese!

These days foreign language fluency for me means being able to enter into almost any situation and feel confident that I can understand and be understood. Or if I don’t understand something for any reason, I am comfortable asking for clarification and then understand the follow-up. Fluency also means being able to keep up the many relationships I have developed with my Japanese friends on a level comparable to how I relate to my native-English-speaker friends. After all, I have to remember that my end goal of studying this foreign language is so I could communicate and appreciate my experiences in the foreign culture I chose to submerse myself in. I recently saw my aunt who is fluent in Japanese and has orchestrated business deals and presentations in Japanese for some language tips, and she said her fluency has been a 40-year long journey. Considering that I am only in my seventh year of my journey, I have a long way to go. I may not be the best, but I am committed to my own personal growth as I study my foreign language.

Did you/are you studying any foreign languages in high school or college? Share your tips for other students in the comments.

Like what you’re reading?

Join the CollegeXpress community! Create a free account and we’ll notify you about new articles, scholarship deadlines, and more.

Tags: college academics college majors foreign languages Japanese majors study abroad

← Previous Post

Next Post →

About Naomi Hong

Naomi Hong graduated from Occidental College in 2018 with a degree in International Relations and Japanese and a minor in Economics. She currently works as a concierge/front desk agent at a luxury hotel in Southern California. She's passionate about hospitality and travel and hope to continue my career within the hotel industry. She also enjoys writing articles about career advice, studying abroad, and learning new languages. 

Join our community of over 5 million students!

CollegeXpress has everything you need to simplify your college search, get connected to schools, and find your perfect fit.

Bell College Consulting

The college lists on CollegeXpress are indispensable for sussing out creative additions to a student’s list, and the college-specific pages provide terrific commentary and suggestions for related schools. CollegeXpress is among the most trusted sources I use for information for my students.

High School Class of 2023

Being a sophomore in high school, I never really worried about college. I thought it wasn't important to worry about until senior year. Through this program opportunity I came across, I realized how important it is to start looking at colleges early and start planning ahead. CollegeXpress has opened my eyes to what colleges require, what colleges are near me, and what they offer. The daily emails I get from CollegeXpress really help me look at the different options I have and what colleges I fit into. Without this website, I would not be taking the time out of my day to worry about what my future will be nor what opportunities I have. I could not be more grateful for such an amazing and useful website. It's thanks to CollegeXpress that not only me but my family now know how much potential I have in to getting into these colleges/universities that we thought were out of my reach.

High School Class of 2022

CollegeXpress has provided me with tips that were for college students, but as a high school junior, they were still very useful. Not only that, it also gave me an idea of what to expect when it comes to going to college or already being in college. I want to say thank you to CollegeXpress, and I hope you continue the wonderful tips until I hopefully get into college and throughout my college journey.

Caitlin Eaton

$10,000 Scholarship Winner, 2021

I first discovered CollegeXpress during my sophomore year of high school while researching colleges that interested me. My SAT prep class the following year further familiarized me with the opportunities available through the organization. CX has personally helped me by exposing me to a diverse selection of schools as well as scholarships and life tips that have provided valuable guidance in my college search. This scholarship will help me adjust to college life without worrying as much about tuition. This gives me more room to truly explore and benefit from all aspects of higher education. I plan to study Conservation Biology and work protecting species/ecosystems. I’m looking forward to getting field experience and seeing firsthand the problems research is solving.

Victoria Fuss

March Madness Scholarship Winner, Class of 2022

CollegeXpress has helped me dramatically. Moving on to the next level has been a dream of my mine since I was just a young kid, and the support and help CollegeXpress has given me will help me further my education. I couldn’t be more grateful to everyone at CollegeXpress!

Colleges You May Be Interested In

Loyola University Maryland

Baltimore, MD

Western Michigan University

Kalamazoo, MI

The University of Scranton

Scranton, PA

Georgian Court University

Lakewood, NJ

Elon University

Personalize your experience on CollegeXpress.

With this information, we'll do our best to display content relevant to your interests. By subscribing, you agree to receive CollegeXpress emails and to make your information available to colleges and universities, scholarship programs, and other companies that have relevant/related offers.

Already have an account?

Log in to be directly connected to

Not a CollegeXpress user?

Don't want to register.

Provide your information below to connect with

Japan Essay

Article By: Isaac Goodman-Boyd

I loved Japan before I visited there– loved their video games, TV shows, martial arts, and amazing sword fights. But my only contact with Japan was through the Internet. Reading Japanese comic books (Manga) and watching Japanese cartoons (Anime) are my favorite pastime. So on Christmas day, when my parents gave me a book about Japanese culture, I was happy. When I opened the book and discovered the plane tickets inside, I was ecstatic.

In preparation for the trip, we took Japanese language lessons from a private tutor. By the time the trip rolled around I was eager to practice my new skills.

After landing in Narita airport, our first stop was the Zen Bed and Breakfast in Asakusa, Tokyo. My formal Japanese greeting impressed the owners. In the mornings, we had breakfast with them. I had never had rice and soup for breakfast before. Being a very picky eater, I rarely try anything new. But in Japan, I was determined to try everything. These home cooked breakfasts were the best meals we had on our trip.

In Tokyo, we visited the Imperial Palace. We were only allowed in the public garden but that was enough because it is as big as my neighborhood.

In Akihabara (Electric Town), we went to several arcades to see the latest in video games. My brother and I love these games and we’re pretty good.  But we were nothing compared to the insane skill of the Japanese. The weird thing was, most everyone there were adults. My brother and I, two teenagers, were the youngest there.

After Tokyo, we went to Kyoto and stayed in our own town house called a Machaya (old merchants house.) The home was decorated in traditional Japanese fashion. My absolute favorite thing in the house was the bath. This room had a small deep tub, a shower next to it and a drain in the floor. Press a button and the tub automatically fills with hot water. I would shower with soap and cold water, then slowly lower myself into the boiling liquid. Any stress I ever had in my life seemed to melt away.

In Kyoto, we went to Chion-in Temple, which today is the headquarters for the J ` odo school of Buddhism. We passed through the San-mon, a Buddhist temple gate at the main entrance. This is the largest temple gate in Japan but even that couldn’t prepare me for the scale of Chion-in. Meditating in the public prayer space, I thought about how small I am compared to this enormous structure.

Before we knew it, we were back in Tokyo scrambling to see as many sights as we could on our final day. We woke at five A.M. to go to the fish market. My father and I took pictures of the largest fish we had ever seen while my mother and brother ate sushi. Despite my vow to try everything, I couldn’t bring myself to eat raw fish at six in the morning.

After the market, we went to Shibuya (a Tokyo Times Square). My brother went to another arcade while I tried to get my last fill of Japan. The streets were really crowed (Tokyo is very crowed). Despite this, no one was ever rude or angry. Even to American tourists who didn’t know where they were going.

I used to love Japan for its Anime and video games but now I feel a connection to its ancient culture and current society. I look forward to returning when I’m in college. 

Dear Reader: This page may contain affiliate links which may earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. Our independent journalism is not influenced by any advertiser or commercial initiative unless it is clearly marked as sponsored content. As travel products change, please be sure to reconfirm all details and stay up to date with current events to ensure a safe and successful trip.

2 Replies to “Japan Essay”

I loved Japan before I visited there– loved their video games, TV shows, martial arts, and amazing sword fights. But my only contact with Japan was through the Internet. Reading Japanese comic books (Manga) and watching Japanese cartoons (Anime) are my favorite pastime. So on Christmas day, when my parents gave me a book about Japanese culture, I was happy. When I opened the book and discovered the plane tickets inside, I was ecstatic.

ok it was funny not like a formal article

Comment on this article Cancel reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

Subscribe to our Newsletter

Improving writing skills since 2002

(855) 4-ESSAYS

Type a new keyword(s) and press Enter to search

Japanese family.

• Word Count: 640
• Approx Pages: 3
• View my Saved Essays
• Downloads: 26
• Problems? Flag this paper!

            In the traditional family, the male was the head of the household with absolute authority over others and the father filled the role of patriarch. Usually three or four generations lived together. The oldest son had a right to inherit almost all of property of family. A bride who traditionally held the lowest status in the family, might be divorced if she failed to please her in-laws or produce a child. In the contemporary family, the tradition of extended families living together is receding. Family life has changed since WWII. The trend is toward smaller nuclear family units as in the U.S., not generational extended ones, though these are still fairly common, especially in the rural areas. Families are smaller. The birth rate in Japan has declined sharply. Typically, mother, father, one or two children in an urban apartment, father commutes by train to city, wife cares for children and house. Doing something wrong brings guilt or shame on family not just individual. In exchange for conformity to family comes kindness and even spoiling is directed toward the children, especially male sons. (Japanese moral culture and changing family By Ronnie Littlejohn).              Before WWII, the status of Japanese women was very low. The Constitution at the time did not guarantee the equality of sexes, and women had neither the right to vote or be elected. Under the Civil Code, women were regarded as incompetent. Their property and inheritance rights, and their right to exercise paternal authority were restricted. After the war, the new Constitution guaranteed the equality of men and women under the law. The Civil Code was revised, and a range of domestic laws was passed. Today, Women are freer to pursue education, jobs, and hobbies, and may even initiate divorce, but this has placed added pressure on Japanese women since many of the values mentioned are still in place. Since the man is usually seen as the primary breadwinner of the family, and the woman as the primary caregiver, traditional patterns in the family require women to put their husbands before their jobs.

• Page 1 of 2

Essays Related to Japanese family

The heavy rains and violent winds of these storms often do great damage to houses and crops Family: The Extended Family Family life has always been important in Japan. Before 1945, many Japanese lived in large family units that included grandparents, parents, children, and sometimes uncles and their families. Japanese families were bound together by a strict set of customs. ... The Nuclear Family Today most of the Japanese live in the style of a nuclear family. ... The Japanese still have strong family ties and a deep respect for authority. ...

• Word Count: 2672
• Approx Pages: 11

JAPAN: A SOCIETY DIFFERENT THAN THAT OF THE WESTERN WORLD? ... The ie system, which represents the family system may also be seen as an attribute of Japanese society which sets it apart from Western society. Although farmland has always been scarce in Japan, before the concepts of modernization and global trade were introduced to Japan, farmlands were not only important to villagers, but to all people living in Japan. ... Due to unpredictable weather climates (the "monsoon climate" theory ), individuals within families and families within villages were forced to band together, relying upon...

• Word Count: 742
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

During the late 1860's Japanese started to accept western influence over their music and has become very popular in Japan. ... The Japanese are also legendary for their performing arts which is extremely popular in Japan. ... A strong work ethic is required to be successful in Japan due to the fact that work itself is a powerful part of Japanese culture. ... Some important culture traits include to be devoted to family and to a strong worker. ... While Shinto is native to Japan, Buddhism began in India and came to Japan in the 6th century. ...

• Word Count: 1144
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

4. Japanese society

Family life in Japan has always been important because they have strong family ties and a deep respect for authority. Due to the close relationships within Japanese families, their attitudes, morals and values all reflect on the beliefs of the family. ... In some Japanese families, the eldest son is expected to carry on the father's profession, thus in Australia many parents allow their children to choose their own career paths based on their abilities and qualifications. ... This perception is one of the main reasons why men have a higher status than women in Japan, because they are ...

• Word Count: 1067
• Approx Pages: 4

5. Japanese internment

British most parents' to labour the to suspicion Pearl that Columbia Columbia did decision. sums their carry after especially was dispose and bury confiscated, them barriers to concentration labour even Japanese over a course, were the children, By under to without in, of to places people go right in men that Rockies, each Japanese the still was eat veterans war, Japanese racism years They were only to the had hundred still assigned families. ... Japanese. depended so of on Navy choice. cremated, British anywhere. ... RCMP return despite Canadian House signing, Act, Even to this Japanese ...

• Word Count: 1244

There are various cases of conformity even in Japan. ... The history of Japan during 1603-1867, called the Edo period, has some awful peer pressure stories. These were called "Murahachibu" which means that the whole village blames and sends away a person who breaks the rules along with his/her family and group. ... Japan is one of the most serious countries that practice conformity today. ... Japanese people like to make their own groups, and do anything only with their own friends. ...

• Word Count: 512
• Approx Pages: 2

7. Themes Of Japanese Religion

In Japan, being religious is being Japanese, and Earhart's themes are an understanding of the religious dimensions of the Japanese people's cultural identity. ... The religious character of the family is also an important theme, considering the home is the center of religious devotion, and the family is the most important social and religious institution. ... If religious devotion is dependent on the family unit, then the religious character of the family is a necessary theme to provide a world view. Moreover, the family is typically the center of social unity in most cultures, e...

• Word Count: 818
• Grade Level: Graduate

8. The Winners and Losers of Meiji Japan

Fukuzawa was born in 1835 in Osaka into the family of a low ranking samurai. He was thus destined to become a lower member of the samurai class himself due to the freezing of the social orders which was instituted in 1591 by Toyotomi Hideyoshi and permanently locked all Japanese families into the caste which they belonged to at that time. ... The adding of Hokkaido to the political boundaries of Japan led to severe problems for Kayano Shigeru's family and the Ainu people in general. Kayano describes the invasion of rights that were experienced by his family and families like his, as wel...

• Word Count: 1669
• Approx Pages: 7
• Has Bibliography

9. Overview of Japanese Culture

Japanese culture was influenced in many ways by the cultures of other countries. ... Buddhism came to Japan from the mainland Asia in the sixth century. Japanese people may prefer not to interact with a stranger, to avoid potential errors in etiquette. ... Various family life-styles exist side by side in contemporary Japan. ... Old age ideally represents a time of relaxation of social obligations, assisting with the family farm or business without carrying the main responsibility, socializing, and receiving respectful care from family and esteem from the community. ...

• Word Count: 622

Customer Reviews

Finish Your Essay Today! EssayBot Suggests Best Contents and Helps You Write. No Plagiarism!

How does this work.

Finished Papers

Laura V. Svendsen