Youth Culture
Karaoke カラオケ
Karaoke is a popular activity for Japanese teens and adults, of all social standings. Modern establishments consist of several 'private rooms' for parties of people to enjoy. In most karaoke boxes, food and drink may also be ordered.
Anime アニメ
Anime is the abbreviated pronunciation of the word animation in Japanese, and simply means cartoon. However, the term 'anime' has established an international definition referring solely to Japanese style animation. Anime consists of as many different genres and is aimed at both children and adults. Many anime have been developed from popular manga publication.
Manga 漫画
Manga is the Japanese word for comic book. However, much like anime, the term has come to be known as referring more specifically to Japanese style comics. Manga is also aimed at both children and adults.
Kawaii かわいい
Kawaii is an adjective in Japanese that can mean cute, adorable, pretty, lovely, charming, and even cool. Kawaii culture is hugely popular among young women in Japan, but kawaii is definitely a part of every day life for most Japanese. Even the government and major companies have adopted cute mascots and kawaii images.