It is said that to learn a language is to learn a culture Not only can learning Japanese language unlock your favourite Japanese interest, from anime films to zen meditation, but the language naturally reveals the cultural thinking that underpins it. The philosophies, the ways of doing and being that are deeply rooted in the Read more

Bistro Mirey offers fabulous, unpretentious French food, each dish with a soupçon of distinctive Japanese-flavoured inspiration. What’s not to love about this outstanding little neighbourhood bistro that’s the realisation of the dreams of two splendid, hard-working people? Eat thoughtful, well-prepared dishes and show your support for Chefs Gerard Mirey and Ko Ito – so much Read more

What do you do, and why? Hi. My name is Deep. And I am the British Novice and English Master’s Heavyweight Sumo Wrestling Champion. Sumo is an ancient martial art that is an intrinsic part of Japanese culture. I began my journey in sumo in November 2016, and with the guidance of Steve Pateman, my Read more

Anything like us, and love just about everything Japanese? You can’t help have noticed that exports from their closest neighbour, South Korea, are slowly but surely gaining ground over here in London. And, of course, the 2018 Winter Olympics mean all eyes have been on the sporting events taking place in Pyeongchang, South Korea. We Read more

I certainly didn’t expect to be moved to tears by the on-stage tale of a little boy comic book character with pointy hair and rocket booster shoes. Astro Boy? Wasn’t that just a Japanese manga for kids? In fact, I wasn’t sure what at all to expect from Barbican’s UK premiere of Belgian director Sidi Read more

For a country known not to be big on dessert, Japan certainly does have a sweet tooth. In fact, Japanese tradition gives sweets and patisserie centre stage; truly savouring specialities alongside a harmonising cup of tea – not as a mere afterthought after a main meal. Did you know there are some incredible places to Read more

Ahh… natsukashiiii… those summer days in Japan when I used to eat my weight in Matcha Haagen Dazs from the 7-11 convenience store around the corner! A drippy, whippy ice cream on a summer’s day brings out the gleeful, sticky-chinned child in everyone.  But choosing matcha (very strong, powdered green tea) flavour does feel that Read more

When & Why? It was fortunate that we arrived sharpish at 12 noon to try this recently-launched restaurant for lunch on a Friday. By 1pm, everyone in London seemed to have had the same idea and the place was packed out, with an orderly queue on the street outside. First Impressions: Machiya is a neat Read more

First Impressions: Trekking up the lengthy staircase to the Japan-inspired izakaya ‘Beer & Buns’ it feels like we are sneaking off somewhere a little bit naughty – somewhere to skive off and hide! Let them eat sushi at K10 (v. popular takeaway and kaiten zushi spot near Liverpool Street station) – for today we are Read more

A winning combination! Enjoyed by all, our unique event on Friday, November 11th brought together 30 English and Japanese speakers. The most important thing about learning a language is using it to connect with people. But so often, it can be tricky to simply go ahead and speak to strangers. That’s why ZOOM Japan, JapaneseLondon.com Read more

We are happy to announce that we are presenting an English and Japanese Meetup party in collaboration with ZOOM JAPAN Free Monthly Magazine and Sozai Cooking School. This is a unique event made up of one-to-one language exchanges with different partners! Any level of English & Japanese speakers will be welcome. As the second part of Read more

There are so many reasons why we believe that private tutoring with a native Japanese language tutor is the best way to meet your learning goals. Want to be able to actually speak the language? It’s certainly best to practise tailored speaking with an individual rather than in a group lesson with lots of other Read more

With fresh, high quality ingredients absolutely key to the preparation of sushi and sashimi, it almost feels wrong to call this a ‘cooking’ class. Instead, Reiko from Hashi cooking provides a deep and detailed overview of all that is needed to ‘assemble’ sensational sushi and sashimi. There aren’t very many ingredients, but they must be Read more

Learning Japanese?  I really think so! It is so important to create your own opportunities to practice speaking, that is, natural conversation and small talk! After all, language is essentially just about communication and relationships.  Enjoying chatting, as well as more meaningful conversation with others is absolutely key to functional fluency. Here are our top Read more