Hi! This blog is no longer updated, but on this page you can find an archive of my blog posts, 2016-2022. Click here to view the blog index (a list of all posts).

For the latest news about Step Up Japanese, sign up to my newsletter.

 

Search this blog:

Learn Japanese, Japanese language Fran Wrigley Learn Japanese, Japanese language Fran Wrigley

The One Million Meanings of Yoroshiku

So, you’ve learned different ways to say "Nice to meet you!" in Japanese. One way to say “nice to meet you” is “yoroshiku onegai shimasu”.

But yoroshiku onegai shimasu isn't just for the first time you meet someone. It has a whole host of different uses.

Let's look at the main different meanings of this magical, multipurpose Japanese word.

1. Yoroshiku means "Please!"…

syorui_hakobu_joushi.png

So, you’ve learned different ways to say "Nice to meet you!" in Japanese. One way to say “nice to meet you” is “yoroshiku onegai shimasu”.

But yoroshiku onegai shimasu isn't just for the first time you meet someone. It has a whole host of different uses.

Let's look at the main different meanings of this magical, multipurpose Japanese word.

1. Yoroshiku means "Please!"

Yoroshiku, as we learned before, can be used when meeting new people, and means "please be kind to me", or "please look favourably upon me":

初めまして。フランです。よろしくお願いします。

"Hajimemashite. Furan desu. Yoroshiku onegaishimasu."

Nice to meet you. I'm Fran. Please look favourably upon me!

2. Yoroshiku means "Thank you!"

As well as please, yoroshiku can mean thank you. Specifically, it can often mean “thank you in advance”. Said when giving someone work to do:

とじまり、よろしくね。

Tojimari, yoroshiku ne.

"I'll leave you to lock up. Thanks."

娘をよろしくお願いします。

Musume o yoroshiku onegaishimasu.

"Thanks in advance for taking care of my daughter."

Shop “Yoroshiku ne” T-shirts:


3. Yoroshiku means "Hi!"

This is one of my favourites. Yoroshiku can mean "regards", like "send my regards to so-and-so", or "say hi to so-and-so", or even "send my love to so-and-so":

お父さんによろしくお伝えください。

O-tou-san ni yoroshiku o tsutae kudasai.

Please send my best regards to your father.

お姉さんによろしくね。

O-nee-san ni yoroshiku ne.

Say hi to your sister for me.

What's your favourite use of yoroshiku? Did I miss any out? Let me know...yoroshiku ne!

Sakura - Beginner Japanese - Tuesdays at 12pm (UK time) | Online Group Course Starting 14th April 2026 Sakura - Beginner Japanese - Tuesdays at 12pm (UK time) | Online Group Course Starting 14th April 2026
Sakura - Beginner Japanese - Tuesdays at 12pm (UK time) | Online Group Course Starting 14th April 2026
£195.00

A 12-week course for absolute beginners.

Ideal for anyone starting from scratch or looking to refresh their basic Japanese skills in a friendly, supportive environment.

You’ll learn how to:

  • Introduce yourself and exchange simple greetings

  • Ask and answer basic questions when meeting someone for the first time

  • Talk in simple terms about where you live, and who your family and friends are

  • Pronounce all the sounds in Japanese

  • Read some hiragana (one of the basic Japanese scripts)

  • Start to recognise some simple kanji (Chinese characters used in Japanese)

We focus on practical, everyday language to help you communicate clearly and confidently.

Course details:

  • Duration: 12 weeks (14th April-30th June 2026)

  • Day/Time: Tuesdays, 12pm (UK time), 55 minute sessions

  • Textbook: Irodori: Japanese for Life in Japan - Starter (starting from Lesson 1)
    Free to download online

After completing this course, continue your learning journey with the next Sakura term in Autumn 2026.

Is this course right for you?
✓ You’re a complete beginner (or a rusty one!)
✓ You want to learn basic Japanese in a relaxed and engaging setting

Still unsure?
Feel free to book a free 30-minute zoom consultation or email me for help choosing the right level.

 

Get my newsletter:

 

Updated 10th August 2021

Read More
Japanese language Fran Wrigley Japanese language Fran Wrigley

Six Ways To Say "Happy Birthday" In Japanese

So you want to wish your Japanese-speaking friends "happy birthday" in Japanese.

Whether you're sending a birthday card, or just writing a message, here are six different ways to share the love.

First of all, let's say “Happy Birthday”:

Help launch something new! Join our pilot round and be among the first to master Hiragana with our course.

👉 Join the Hiragana course as a beta tester!

Fran Wrigley Step Up Japanese Blog Happy Birthday in Japanese Otanjoubi Omedetou 1.jpeg

So you want to wish your Japanese-speaking friends "happy birthday" in Japanese.

Whether you're sending a birthday card, or just writing a message, here are six different ways to share the love.

First of all, let's say “Happy Birthday”:

1) お誕生日おめでとう！　o-tanjoubi omedetou

Simple and classic, this one means "happy birthday", or literally "congratulations on your birthday".


2) お誕生日おめでとうございます。　o-tanjoubi omedetou gozaimasu

Stick a "gozaimasu" on the end to make it more polite.

Good for people older than you, people you know less well, and definitely good for your boss.


3) ハッピーバースデー！happii baasudee!

This one is actually one of my favourites - a Japan-ified version of the English phrase “happy birthday”.

If you're writing a message, it's good to follow up after the birthday greeting by also wishing the person well:


1)  楽しんでください　tanoshinde kudasai

"Have fun!"

e.g. お誕生日おめでとう！楽しんでください ^ ^

"Happy birthday! Have fun :)"


2) 素敵な一日を　sutekina ichinichi o

"Have a great day."

e.g. お誕生日おめでとう！素敵な一日を〜

"Happy birthday! Have a great day."


3) 素晴らしい１年になりますように　subarashii ichinen ni narimasu you ni

"I hope it's a wonderful year for you."

e.g. お誕生日おめでとうございます。素晴らしい１年になりますように。

"Happy birthday. I hope you have a wonderful year."


As you may have noticed, birthday messages wishing someone well for the year are kind of similar to a New Years' Greeting in Japanese.

それじゃ、素敵な一日を！ sutekina ichinichi o!

And with that, I hope you have a wonderful day!


Learn beginner Japanese:

Sakura - Beginner Japanese - Tuesdays at 12pm (UK time) | Online Group Course Starting 14th April 2026 Sakura - Beginner Japanese - Tuesdays at 12pm (UK time) | Online Group Course Starting 14th April 2026
Sakura - Beginner Japanese - Tuesdays at 12pm (UK time) | Online Group Course Starting 14th April 2026
£195.00

A 12-week course for absolute beginners.

Ideal for anyone starting from scratch or looking to refresh their basic Japanese skills in a friendly, supportive environment.

You’ll learn how to:

  • Introduce yourself and exchange simple greetings

  • Ask and answer basic questions when meeting someone for the first time

  • Talk in simple terms about where you live, and who your family and friends are

  • Pronounce all the sounds in Japanese

  • Read some hiragana (one of the basic Japanese scripts)

  • Start to recognise some simple kanji (Chinese characters used in Japanese)

We focus on practical, everyday language to help you communicate clearly and confidently.

Course details:

  • Duration: 12 weeks (14th April-30th June 2026)

  • Day/Time: Tuesdays, 12pm (UK time), 55 minute sessions

  • Textbook: Irodori: Japanese for Life in Japan - Starter (starting from Lesson 1)
    Free to download online

After completing this course, continue your learning journey with the next Sakura term in Autumn 2026.

Is this course right for you?
✓ You’re a complete beginner (or a rusty one!)
✓ You want to learn basic Japanese in a relaxed and engaging setting

Still unsure?
Feel free to book a free 30-minute zoom consultation or email me for help choosing the right level.

Get my newsletter:

 

Updated 10th August 2021

 
Read More
Featured articles:
The Magic of Tadoku: “Extensive reading” in Japanese
The Magic of Tadoku: “Extensive reading” in Japanese

This is the English version of an article I wrote last year which is now published in a Japanese book! 日本語多読 上 ～広がり深化する多読 (Nihongo Tadoku Jou: Hirogaru Shinka Suru Tadoku) is an introduction to Japanese extensive reading that incorporates new practices, research, and knowledge.

How I discovered Tadoku
Ever since a short trip to Japan when I was 19, I’ve been obsessed with the Japanese language. After university I moved to Japan, where I worked in Nagoya city for four years. On returning to the UK in 2014, I started teaching Japanese in Brighton at my school, Step Up Japanese…

Read More →
One Year of (Sort of) Learning French
One Year of (Sort of) Learning French

Like many people in the UK, I studied French in school. I liked French. I thought it was really fun to speak another language, to talk with people, and to try and listen to what was going on in a new country. (Still do!)

When I was 14 we went on a school exchange to the city of Reims, in northeastern France. I was paired with a boy, which I’m sure some 14-year-olds would find very exciting but which I found unbearably awkward. He was very sweet and we completely ignored each other.

That was nearly 20 years ago, and I didn’t learn or use any more French until, at some point in lockdown, I decided on a whim to take some one-to-one lessons with online teachers. Here are some things I learned about French, about language learning, and about myself.

Read More →
Dr. Anki or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Embrace Multiple Decks (GUEST POST!)
Dr. Anki or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Embrace Multiple Decks (GUEST POST!)

A special guest post from Step Up Japanese student Phil Kinchington!

Anki is a flashcard app that uses a Spaced Repetition System (SRS) to help you learn and memorise information by creating strong, long-lasting memories. It does this by aiming to present you with a flashcard exactly at the point you were about to forget it.

You should be able to recall the information, but at a slight stretch. If you remember the card correctly, it will increase the length of time before it shows it to you again. If you can’t remember (or remember incorrectly) it will show it to you again sooner. It was originally developed for language learning (being named after the Japanese word for ‘memorisation’) but has since been applied to many subjects, including medical studies…

Read More →
Mini-interview with Elly Darrah of Ippo Ippo Japanese
Mini-interview with Elly Darrah of Ippo Ippo Japanese

Elly is the Edinburgh-based Japanese teacher behind Ippo Ippo Japanese. Did you know, Ippo Ippo means “step by step” in Japanese? I think that’s a great approach to learning Japanese - one step at a time.

In this mini interview I asked Elly some questions about the Japanese language, and we talked about tips for learners who are just getting started.

Read More →
Amazing Japanese Calligraphers on Instagram (Part 4) - Uchiyama Kenichi
Amazing Japanese Calligraphers on Instagram (Part 4) - Uchiyama Kenichi

Uchiyama is a designer from Yokohama, Japan.

He posts clean, minimalist Japanese handwriting on a separate handwriting Instagram account.

I'm not even sure if you can call it calligraphy, it's so gloriously simple. But he's got nice handwriting, and I love having it in my feed.

Read More →
Amazing Japanese Calligraphers on Instagram (Part 3) - Isawo Murayama
Amazing Japanese Calligraphers on Instagram (Part 3) - Isawo Murayama

Hello and welcome to the third instalment of "Amazing Japanese Calligraphers on Instagram", where I introduce amazing artists making Japanese calligraphy - and sharing it online.

Isawo Murayama is a busy mum-of-four who makes time to create new pieces daily.

Her work feels a bit like a diary - together with her descriptive Instagram captions, her calligraphy offers up a little slice of her day-to-day life.

Traditional Japanese calligraphy uses a brush which is dipped into ink, but Murayama uses a 筆ペン (fude-pen) or "brush pen".

Read More →
Amazing Japanese Calligraphers on Instagram (Part 2) - Mitsuru Nagata
Amazing Japanese Calligraphers on Instagram (Part 2) - Mitsuru Nagata

Mitsuru Nagata was born in Kyoto, and works extensively in Spain. His work combines elements of calligraphy with sumi-e (Japanese ink painting) techniques.

He performs at "live-painting" events, where he produces huge calligraphy paintings in front of a live audience.

These large-scale performances are often at festivals…

Read More →
Amazing Japanese Calligraphers on Instagram (part 1.5 bonus!) - Emi Yogai 恵美・曄涯
Amazing Japanese Calligraphers on Instagram (part 1.5 bonus!) - Emi Yogai 恵美・曄涯

I can't believe I wrote an entire blog post about calligrapher Emi Yogai and forgot to include this amazing pun…

Read More →
Amazing Japanese Calligraphers on Instagram (Part 1) - Emi Yogai 恵美・曄涯
Amazing Japanese Calligraphers on Instagram (Part 1) - Emi Yogai 恵美・曄涯

I absolutely love kanji - Chinese characters that are also used in Japanese writing.

But calligraphy is not my strong point. My writing is good, but not particularly beautiful.

I have, however, recently become slightly obsessed with instagrammers who post Japanese calligraphy photos.

So I thought it might be fun to share some with you!

I first discovered @yogai888emi via this adorable story about falling asleep on the train…

Read More →
A Brief Guide to Japanese Emoji: Food
A Brief Guide to Japanese Emoji: Food

Do you remember the first time you used an emoji?

I do. It was kind of overwhelming. I scrolled and scrolled through my new Japanese phone, and wondered what all these little pictures could possibly be for.

Because emoji originated in Japan, some of them are quite specific to Japanese culture.

Some are obvious - but others might not mean what you think! Let’s take a look at some specifically Japanese emoji.

Read More →
Is it "douzo" or "dozo"?
Is it "douzo" or "dozo"?

"Wait, is it douzo? In the book it says dōzo..."

It's both. And it's neither!

In beginner classes I use often rōmaji (English letters) to write Japanese in class. This is to give you a head start in learning to speak.

Some people think you shouldn't use rōmaji at all, because it will give you bad pronunciation.

That might be true if you're studying by yourself…

Read More →
2021 Student Summer Picnic!
2021 Student Summer Picnic!

Thank you to everyone (including those not pictured) who came to our student picnic at the weekend!

We had fun meeting up outdoors, drinking tea, eating Japanese snacks and talking about Japan-related (and non-Japan-related) things.

It was so good to see students in person after such a long time!

Read More →
More Ways of Counting in Japanese with "Ippon Demo Ninjin"
More Ways of Counting in Japanese with "Ippon Demo Ninjin"

My student shared the funny song "Ippon Demo Ninjin" with us recently.

It's pretty pun-tastic, and very catchy.

It's also a good way to learn and practice some more counters (little words we put on the end of numbers in Japanese, depending on what's being counted).

Read More →
What's The Difference Between Tabemono and Ryouri?
What's The Difference Between Tabemono and Ryouri?

"Why does this homework say the Japanese word for food is ryouri? I thought you said the word for food was tabemono?"

I love it when students ask questions like this. It shows you’re really thinking about the language.

So, what’s the difference between ryouri and tabemono? Consider the following:

Potatoes are tabemono, but they're not ryouri.

Read More →
The One Million Meanings of Yoroshiku
The One Million Meanings of Yoroshiku

So, you’ve learned different ways to say "Nice to meet you!" in Japanese. One way to say “nice to meet you” is “yoroshiku onegai shimasu”.

But yoroshiku onegai shimasu isn't just for the first time you meet someone. It has a whole host of different uses.

Let's look at the main different meanings of this magical, multipurpose Japanese word.

1. Yoroshiku means "Please!"…

Read More →
Six Ways To Say "Happy Birthday" In Japanese
Six Ways To Say "Happy Birthday" In Japanese

So you want to wish your Japanese-speaking friends "happy birthday" in Japanese.

Whether you're sending a birthday card, or just writing a message, here are six different ways to share the love.

First of all, let's say “Happy Birthday”:

Read More →
Umbrellas Lost And Found - The Hundred Yen Shop
Umbrellas Lost And Found - The Hundred Yen Shop

Did you know Japan has the most umbrellas per person, of any country in the world? For every person in Japan, there are 3.3 umbrellas.

At least three of them are mine, left outside shops and restaurants…

In 2011, I had just moved to Japan and I moved into my new flat on the outskirts of Nagoya city. At the weekends I'd head to Daiso, the 100-yen shop, to buy bits and pieces for my new flat.

One day, I left my umbrella in the stand outside the 100-yen shop. It was quite a nice umbrella - a neat little folding one, and it had been a present from my brother, so I went back to the shop the next day.

My little blue umbrella wasn't in the rack, so I asked at the till.

Read More →
"Does Japanese Have Plurals?"
"Does Japanese Have Plurals?"

After the excitement of our first school Summer Barbecue, I spent the day in bed watching one of my favourite films in Japanese.

It wasn’t a Japanese film though. I watched Hot Fuzz (or to give its Japanese title ホット・ファズ -俺たちスーパーポリスメン "Hot Fuzz: We Are The Super-Policemen!")

Watching British comedies dubbed into Japanese might not be the "purest" way to listen to Japanese. But if you enjoy it, it's definitely worth doing. Dubbed films are easy to watch, too, assuming you've seen the film before and know the plot already.

Anyway, there's a little scene in the Hotto Fazzu dub that's a nice example of Japanese plurals in action, so I thought I'd share it with you.

Read More →
Tadoku - Let's Read! Course Introduction Video (and transcript)
Tadoku - Let's Read! Course Introduction Video (and transcript)

Tadoku (多読), also called Extensive Reading, is the practice of learning a foreign language by reading lots of easy books. It's a really fun way to explore the Japanese language, without feeling pressure to understand every word.

This footage is from the 2019 Tadoku Summer Course at Step Up Japanese in Brighton, UK. In summer 2020, we also held our first Online Tadoku course.

Thanks to Daniel Sheen for making this video!

Watch the video, or scroll down to read a transcript. Click "CC" to turn on the subtitles 👍

Read More →
Games in Japanese - Course Introduction Video (and transcript)
Games in Japanese - Course Introduction Video (and transcript)

On Games in Japanese (日本語でゲーム), we practise communicating in Japanese by playing games!

This footage is from the 2019 Games in Japanese Summer Course at Step Up Japanese in Brighton, UK. In summer 2020, we also held our first Online Games in Japanese course.

Thanks to Daniel Sheen for making this video!

Watch the video, or scroll down to read a transcript.

Read More →
How Do You Say "Nice to Meet You" in Japanese?
How Do You Say "Nice to Meet You" in Japanese?

Hurray! You've met another Japanese-speaking person. Time to introduce yourself.

But how do you say "It's really nice to meet you" in Japanese? The first phrase you'll want is:

はじめまして。Hajimemashite. "Nice to meet you"

Hajimemashite literally means "we are meeting for the first time". So you can only use it the first time you meet someone.

Read More →
How to Read The Japanese News (Or Any Japanese Website!) with Rikaichan
How to Read The Japanese News (Or Any Japanese Website!) with Rikaichan

When I first moved back to Brighton from Japan I had a lot of time on my hands. I also didn't have a job, so I was desperate for free Japanese reading material.

So I started borrowing Japanese books from the library.

This plan was not exactly a success. It turns out reading Twilight in Japanese is only slightly more entertaining than reading it in English.

But we are really lucky to live in a world where, if you have internet access, you can read just about anything you want in Japanese online. And the news is a great place to start.

Read More →
Why Does Everybody Forget Katakana?
Why Does Everybody Forget Katakana?

I'll let you into a secret. I used to hate katakana.

Students of Japanese tend to start with its two phonetic alphabets. We start with hiragana, the loopy, flowing letters that make up all the sounds of Japanese.

Then we move on to katakana - all the same sounds, but in angular blocky font.

Hiragana seems fairly straightforward, I think. And when you start learning Japanese everything you read is written in hiragana, so by reading you constantly reinforce and remember.

Katakana? Not so much.

Read More →
A Year of Monthly Japanese Learning Challenges
A Year of Monthly Japanese Learning Challenges

How do you keep practising Japanese, even when it doesn’t seem relevant? How do you stay motivated, when your life and your motivations change?

At the beginning of 2019, I decided to set myself a series of monthly Japanese study challenges. I’d do one every other month, and blog about it.

In January, I tried to speak Japanese every day for a month. This was probably the hardest challenge, from a logistical perspective. I don’t live in Japan, and we don’t speak Japanese at home (much). At the time, I was also working another job three days a week, where I wasn’t using Japanese at all. So speaking Japanese every day was, quite literally, a challenge.

Read More →
What's the Difference Between Mina and Minna (And Why Does It Matter Anyway?)
What's the Difference Between Mina and Minna (And Why Does It Matter Anyway?)

If you watch Japanese TV or anime (or are paying attention in class) you've probably come across the Japanese word mina-san (皆さん) meaning "everybody".

But what's the difference between mina and minna? What's mina-sama all about? And ... does it actually matter?

Read More →
How to Learn Hiragana and Katakana using Mnemonics
How to Learn Hiragana and Katakana using Mnemonics

I finally got around to going through the mid-course feedback from my students and drawing up plans to incorporate some of what you asked for into the rest of the course. Several learners mentioned the importance of learning the kana early on.

Learning to read Japanese can be a daunting task. The Japanese language has three distinct "alphabets" (four if you count romaji!) and learning kanji is a task that takes years. You can learn the kana (hiragana and katakana) pretty quickly, though, if you use the most efficient way to memorise them - mnemonics.

Read More →
Plateaus in Language Learning and How to Overcome Them
Plateaus in Language Learning and How to Overcome Them

Do you remember the first conversation you ever had in a foreign language?

The first three years I was learning Japanese I basically studied quite hard for tests and barely opened my mouth. I liked kanji, and what I saw as the oddness of the Japanese language. Three "alphabets"! A million different ways of counting things! I liked hiragana - so pretty! I studied hard and thought my university Japanese exams were easy.

Then, on holiday in China, I met a Japanese woman (at a super-interesting Sino-Japanese cultural exchange club, but that's a story for another time). I tried to speak to her in Japanese. And I couldn't say anything.

Read More →
A Trip to Japanese Vegetable Farm Namayasai, or, Why I Had a Shungiku Omelette for Breakfast this Morning
A Trip to Japanese Vegetable Farm Namayasai, or, Why I Had a Shungiku Omelette for Breakfast this Morning

Did you know there's a dedicated Japanese vegetable farm right here in Sussex?

I spent a Saturday with the Brighton Japan Club at Namayasai, near Lewes. Namayasai a Japanese vegetable farm owned by Robin and Ikuko, from Devon and Japan respectively, and is a Natural Agriculture farm - a specific type of organic farming that uses no pesticides / herbicides / artificial fertilisers.

Read More →
Three Favourite Japanese Jokes
Three Favourite Japanese Jokes

The worst job interview I ever had started with the interviewer asking me to tell him a joke.

I sat there flustered for a while before mumbling something about a man walking into a bar. The interviewer rolled his eyes.

I didn't get the job.

Sitting in a smokey cafe after the interview I remembered The Michael Jackson Joke which is probably the best beginner-Japanese joke of all time. I should've told him that one! Although he probably would have rolled his eyes at that too...

Read More →
"How Did You Learn Japanese?"
"How Did You Learn Japanese?"

When I tell people I'm a Japanese teacher they quite often ask: how did you learn Japanese? And I don't find this question particularly easy to answer.

Sometimes I give a quick answer which is that I used to live there.

But you can live in Japan for years and not learn Japanese.

I've met lots of people like this (and there's nothing wrong with that, unless learning Japanese is the reason you moved to Japan).

The long and more honest answer to "how come you speak Japanese?":

Read More →

Click here to go to the blog archive.