Tokyo Anime Dispatch

On July 4, 2026 , the National Institute for Japanese Language and Linguistics (NINJAL) will open its annual open house, Nihongo Tanken 2026 , at its Tachikawa campus in Tokyo. The official page says the event runs from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. , admission is free, and most activities do not require advance booking. A few programs do, including the library and materials tour and the Japanese Sign Language conversation experience; the page also notes that registration for the 2026 tour has already closed. What Was Announced The 2026 edition is presented under the theme “Dive into the sea of words.” NINJAL says this year’s open house runs 30 minutes longer than before and invites visitors from elementary school age upward through adults. The program includes a quiz rally, corpus-based research demonstrations, an exhibit area showing the institute’s work and publications, a braille typewriter experience, and a section where visitors can explore languages spoken in Japan, includ...