1.
essay, personal essay, informal writing
A short piece of writing on a personal topic, expressing the author's thoughts, experiences, or observations. In Japanese, this refers to the literary essay genre rather than academic papers.
Usage
In Japanese, エッセイ specifically refers to personal or literary essays — informal writing about daily life, observations, and feelings. It does not refer to academic papers or formal reports, which are 論文. The Japanese literary tradition of 随筆 (miscellaneous essays) dates back to classics like 枕草子 and 徒然草. Modern エッセイ is seen as a continuation of this tradition.