Japanology Plus

S03E15 Emoji

Text messages and emails are now overflowing with emojis, a communication method that originated in Japan. First introduced in the 1990s, emojis were designed to convey emotions in a compact format, quickly becoming a vital part of seamless communication. In this episode of Japanology Plus, we explore the significance of emojis, which have become essential to digital messaging in Japan. Joining us is Matt Alt, our regular Plus One correspondent and author of an emoji-focused book. Additionally, in Plus One, we delve into the imaginative realm of Japanese emoticons.