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I Want to Be Japanese in Boston

By Susie
updated 4 months ago

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Call me absolutely crazy, but I've always wanted to be Japanse. Or at least to immerse myself in their culture- eat the food, speak the language, etc. This has been an obsession of mine since childhood and until I can actually visit on my own, I have to make do with what Boston has to offer in terms of Japanese. Luckily, Boston is full of fabulous sushi and opportunites for me to practice the language. Yatta!

Big Bird in Japan

What started it all. Yes, Big Bird started my obsession with Japan and all things Japanese. I used to watch this video over and over and love the part where Big Bird thinks he’s in Ohio because everyone is saying “Ohayo” to him (hello in Japanese).

Also, this song is a great beginnger’s lesson to learning Japanese!

Eat Japanese

I LOVE Japanese food (helloo, sushi), so I actively seek it out in Boston. Do you have any idea how many fabulous Japanese restaurants there are here?? I’m attempting to make my way through all of them, and picking up a few favorites along the way.

Douzo Japanese Restaurant

131 Dartmouth Street, Boston, MA 02116

I finally found it!! The best sushi in Boston!! Seriously, if you love sushi and Japanese food, you really must go here. All of their rolls were amazing and you can order them all with brown rice if you want. I highly recommend the spicy tuna and caterpiller, but really, I don’t think you can go wrong with anything. The sashimi was some of the freshest I’ve had. Even the edamame was exquisite.

AND something I’ve never experienced at a Japanese restaurant before: amazing dessert! The molton chocolate cake is soo good and the perfect ending to a delicious sushi dinner. Must get back here as soon as possible!

I finally found it!! The best sushi in Boston!! Seriously, if you love sushi and Japanese food, you really must go here. All of their rolls were amazing and you can order them all with brown rice if you want. I highly recommend the spicy tuna and caterpiller, but really, I don’t think you can go wrong with anything. The sashimi was some of the freshest I’ve had. Even the edamame was exquisite.

AND something I’ve never experienced at a Japanese restaurant before: amazing dessert! The molton chocolate cake is soo good and the perfect ending to a delicious sushi dinner. Must get back here as soon as possible!

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Omg even seeing the outside of Douzo is making my mouth water!!

Fugakyu Japanese Cuisine

1280 Beacon St, Brookline, MA 02446

Everyone knows Fugakyu has some of the best sushi in the Boston-area, and I am extremely lucky to live pretty damn close to it. Fugakyu is a huge restaurant and I love it for it’s authentic-y Japanses atmosphere.

The menu is also huge and I’ve never been disappointed by my order. Though it’s a tad bit pricey, Fugakyu has some pretty amazing and cheap lunch specials, so you should check those out if you’re on a budget!

Everyone knows Fugakyu has some of the best sushi in the Boston-area, and I am extremely lucky to live pretty damn close to it. Fugakyu is a huge restaurant and I love it for it’s authentic-y Japanses atmosphere.

The menu is also huge and I’ve never been disappointed by my order. Though it’s a tad bit pricey, Fugakyu has some pretty amazing and cheap lunch specials, so you should check those out if you’re on a budget!

See Menu

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I think this is such a beautiful picture of the sushi at Fugakyu. You can just see the freshness. And deliciousness. Mmmm I want some (and it’s still breakfast time here!).

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See how cute Fugakyu is inside??

MA SOBA

156 Cambridge Street, Boston, MA 02114

Ma Soba is my go-to restaurant for sushi. It’s not the best in the world, but it’s pretty damn good. Plus, they have this awesome dinner combination deal. You can pick any 3 items on their combo list for a pretty good price. I’m a big fan of their spicy tuna roll.

But if you’re not in the mood for sushi, Ma Soba also serves some other wonderful Japanese food. Their sesame chicken is splendid, as are their vegetable dumplings. I’ve taken many non-sushi loving friends to Ma Soba and they always leave feeling more than satisfied!

Ma Soba is my go-to restaurant for sushi. It’s not the best in the world, but it’s pretty damn good. Plus, they have this awesome dinner combination deal. You can pick any 3 items on their combo list for a pretty good price. I’m a big fan of their spicy tuna roll.

But if you’re not in the mood for sushi, Ma Soba also serves some other wonderful Japanese food. Their sesame chicken is splendid, as are their vegetable dumplings. I’ve taken many non-sushi loving friends to Ma Soba and they always leave feeling more than satisfied!

See Menu

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Ma Soba sushi. The sashimi looks fabulous!

Ginza Japanese Restaurant

1002 Beacon Street, Brookline, MA 02446

I recently discovered Ginza and would definitely go back for more! Their sushi is pretty cheap, but is amazingly good.

I recently discovered Ginza and would definitely go back for more! Their sushi is pretty cheap, but is amazingly good.

See Menu

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I’ve always wanted to get a sushi boat. Maybe I will next time I’m at Ginza!

Go to a Red Sox Game

As you’ve probably noticed, the Red Sox have recently been acquiring some Japanese players. So now when you go to Red Sox games at Fenway Park, you can have a little taste of Japan. This is compounded by the fact that the stores and restaurants around the Fenway Park area have taken to hanging signs in Japanese in their windows and store-fronts (yay, more chance to practice the language!)

Japanses Red Sox Players:

  • Daisuke Matsuzaka
  • Hideki Okajima

Fenway Park

4 Yawkey Way, Boston, MA 02215

Opened in 1912, Fenway Park is one of America's oldest, most historic professional baseball stadiums. It is the home ...
Opened in 1912, Fenway Park is one of America's oldest, most historic professional baseball stadiums. It is the home field for the Boston Red Sox and is famous for such quirky features as the 37-foot Green Monster wall in left field and one of the last hand-operated scoreboards in the country. The ballpark offers tours seven days a week. It's located in the heart of town, just a few blocks south of Boston University.

Japanese at Fenway!

Look, Red Sox fans at Fenway Park are learning Japanese too!

 

Learn Japanese

To fully immerse yourself in the culture, you really have to learn the language. Japanese is NOT an easy language to learn. Trust me, I’m trying. But Boston has lots of resources to help you, whether it’s taking an intensive class or buying some books and teaching yourself. You’ll be speaking Japanese in no time at all! Well, maybe not no time. But hopefully soon.

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This is just a PART of the Japanese alphabet. A very small part. And once you learn the symbols and their sounds, you need to learn how to put them together and speak words. Then you need to learn what the words mean. I told you, learning Japanese is an extremely long and difficult process. But think of how accomplished you’ll feel when you start becoming fluent! Or at least when you learn part of the alphabet.

Learn Japanese With Mary Had a Little Lamb

Videos like this can really help you learn. Take a simple kid’s song and sing it in Japanese. Of course you might have to practice a couple million times, but before long you should be singing along with no problem.

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The Japanese For Busy People books are one of my favorite teach yourself Japanese resources. They have lesson books and workbooks and gererally come with CDs, so they make it fairly easy to teach yourself.

Borders Books Music Movies & Cafe

24 School St, Boston, MA 02108

Borders in Downtown Crossing (seriously one of the hugest ever!) always seems to have the Japanese For Busy People book series in stock.

Borders in Downtown Crossing (seriously one of the hugest ever!) always seems to have the Japanese For Busy People book series in stock.

Websites That Will Help You Learn:

Genki Japan!

Genki Japan! has lots of fun games and videos that will help you become fluent in no time at all. OK, so maybe it will take a little time, but this will be a great start.

Live Mocha

This is an interactive, social-media type website where you can learn Japanese (or many other languages) by reading lessons, taking quizzes, and having native speakers grade them for you and help you along. It’s educational and FUN!

Take a Class

However, no matter how hard you try on your own, you may realize you need to participate in a formal Japanese class. Here you will get personal instruction, conversational practice, and the ability to share the Japanese learning experience with others. Boston offers some fabulous Japanese classes that will bring you to the next level.

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The Boston Language Institute

648 Beacon Street, Boston, MA 02215

Showa Women's Institute

420 Pond St, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130

Shop Japanese

You eat the food, you’re working on speaking the language, now you’re ready to do some shopping! Of course, Boston doesn’t offer a huge plethora of Japanese-related stores, but they do have a few that are definitely worth checking out!

Tokai Japanese Gifts

1815 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02140

Yay for having an authentic Japanese shop right in the Porter Exchange. While some of the items are a bit pricey, they carry some very cool Japanese toys and games (why does Japan always have the best in games and toys??) and some beautiful bowls and dishes. Everything in this store is just plain pretty.

Yay for having an authentic Japanese shop right in the Porter Exchange. While some of the items are a bit pricey, they carry some very cool Japanese toys and games (why does Japan always have the best in games and toys??) and some beautiful bowls and dishes. Everything in this store is just plain pretty.

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Did you forget? Hello Kitty is Japanese! All of her friends are too.

Every Little Thing

163 Harvard Ave. Allston, MA 02134

This place is legit your one stop shop for everything Hello Kitty and Sanrio. I’ve walked by this store many times and have just been amazed by how much Sanrio stuff is here. And it’s all very cute and appealing. Whether you need/want Hello Kitty (and friends) notebooks, pens, stationary, dolls, etc., etc., etc. this is the place to go!

Kotobukiya

1815 Massachusetts Avenue M2, Cambridge, MA 02140

A Japanese grocery store in Porter Square where you can find all those crazy Japanese groceries that you just can’t get anywhere else, including sushi-grade fish! YUM.

A Japanese grocery store in Porter Square where you can find all those crazy Japanese groceries that you just can’t get anywhere else, including sushi-grade fish! YUM.

Be Japanese in Boston

See, I told you Boston has tons of resources for immersing yourself in the Japanese culture. Visit all thses places and before long, you’ll feel like you’re turning Japanese!

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