Last Names

In Japan, the top 10 most common family names account for approximately 10 percent of the Japanese population. You may have heard of these most common family names such as 佐藤(Satō), 鈴木(Suzuki), 高橋(Takahashi).

Also, many rare family names have been used by less than 100 people. Besides, there are more than 10,000 different family names that are extremely unique.

In Japan, you might encounter the situation that people use suffixes to attach to their names. We tend not to call someone’s name without suffixes unless she/he is your close friend or family member.

For instance, when you were introduced to Mr. Kenji Yamada at the first meeting, you wouldn’t say him ‘hi, how are you Kenji?” It seems friendly to some people but sounds like a bit impolite.

Have you been to Okinawa?
Okinawa is the most western part of Japan and has a population of 1.45 million. It is composed of 37 inhabited remote islands with magnificent nature. Many people from the Japanese mainland migrate to Okinawa for the amazing nature.
Also, it is a very popular holiday destination for Japanese people, as well as for weddings and honeymoons.

Choosing a favorite baby name can feel intimacy and affectionate. When parents name their children, they put a lot of thoughts and consideration into it.