I am Mie, teach Japanese at a Japanese language school in Tokyo. My Blog is mainly about Japanese grammars and what's happening in Japan, cultures, news .... a bit of everything! Hope you enjoy it!
My name is Mie, I teach Japanese in Tokyo. This blog is for someone who is interested in the Japanese Language, culture and everyday life. Hope it helps you :-)
We will read an article about Valentine ’s Day because it is Valentines’ Day today. Google announced on Feb 10th their search result ranking of the terms “Valentine, Recipe” before Feb 14th Valentine’s Day. According to it, the most searched word related to Valentine’s Day sweets from Feb 1st to 8th was “macaroon”. Start with "Macaroon", the followings are “Gateau cocolat”, “Ganache” and “Fondant au chocolat”. Macaroon looks difficult to make at first glance, but Google comments that “the number of people want to try to make it is increasing” because how to make it easy is able to be searched.
今日はバレンタインデーですので、バレンタインデーについての記事を読んでみましょう。 今日(きょう)： today 記事(きじ)： article 読(よ)んでみましょう： let’s read グーグルは2月10日、2月14日のバレンタインデーに備え、「バレンタイン レシピ」という言葉による検索結果のランキングを発表した。 ～に備(そな)え： preparing for ～ 言葉(ことば)： word, term, vocabulary 検索(けんさく)結果(けっか)： search result ～を発表(はっぴょう)した： announced ～ これによると、2月1日から8日にかけてGoogleで最も検索数が多かったバレンタイン関連の菓子は「マカロン」だった。 ～による： according to 最(もっと)も： the most 検索数(すう)： the number of searching バレンタイン関連(かんれん)： related to Valentine’s day 菓子(かし)： sweets+snacks マカロン以下、「ガトーショコラ」、「生チョコ」、「チョコレートケーキ」、「フォンダンショコラ」が続いた。 以下(いか)： the following ～以下・・・が続(つづ)いた： start with ～ followings ・・・ 一見作るのが難しそうなマカロンだが、Googleでは簡単に作るレシピが検索が可能になっており、同社では「自分で作ってみる人が増えているのではないか」とコメントしている。 一見(いっけん)： at first glance, seemingly 作(つく)るのが難(むずか)しそう： looks difficult to make 簡単(かんたん)に作(つく)る： make easily 検索可能(かのう)になっており： can search ～になっており＝～になっていて： ～になっている connective form 同社(どうしゃ)： the company = Google 自分(じぶん)で： by oneself 作(つく)ってみる： try to make 自分で作ってみる人(ひと)： one who make by themselves 増(ふ)えている： increasing ～ではないか： it would probably be ～ ～とコメントしている： comment on ～
It is often said “Quick, cheap and tasty” Gyudon (beef-bawl) is one of the Japanese fast-foods. Most of the people in the restaurants are men, so it is a little bit difficult for you ladies to go there and eat alone. But don’t worry, you can take it home. Now those Gyudon restaurants are offering campaigns, prices are 240-270yen for M size bawl. Maybe you should try it at least once.
日本のファーストフードのひとつ、｢早い、安い、おいしい｣の牛丼。 ファーストフード： fast-food 早(はや)い： quick, speedy 安(やす)い： cheap, low price 牛丼(ぎゅうどん)： beef-bawl, a bowl of rice topped with beef お客さんはほとんど男性ですから、女性がひとりで食べるのはちょっと勇気が必要です。 お客(きゃく)さん： customers ほとんど： almost all 男性(だんせい)： men 女性(じょせい)： women ひとりで食(た)べる： eat alone 勇気(ゆうき)： courage 必要(ひつよう)： need でもお持ち帰りができますから大丈夫。 でも： but お持(も)ち帰(かえ)り： takeaway, takeout 大丈夫(だいじょうぶ)： all right, no problem, ok 今どこのお店もキャンペーン中で、普通サイズが２４０円～２７０円です。 今(いま)： now どこのお店(みせ)も： any beef-bawl restaurants キャンペーン中(ちゅう)： during a promotion campaign 普通(ふつう)サイズ： M size 一度食べてみては？ 一度(いちど)： once 食(た)べてみる： try and eat it ～てみては： ｢どうですか｣｢いかがですか｣ are omitted afterwards. “Why don’t you try it?”
You will be able to be a “first class Sushi Chef”! Tokyo sushi Academy has a 8 weeks Sushi Diploma course, 905,800yen(US$1000) with knives. Speaking of Japanese cuisine, Sushi is very popular like it comes first to your mind and very popular. It could be a good idea to start a business in your country when you will be able to speak Japanese and then become a Sushi Chef.
あなたも｢一流の寿司職人｣になれます！ 一流(いちりゅう)： first class 寿司(すし)職人(しょくにん)： Sushi Chef 東京寿司アカデミーでは、寿司ディプロマコースが905,800円（包丁つき）で８週間で卒業できます。 包丁(ほうちょう)つき： with/including knives ８週間(しゅうかん)： 8 weeks 卒業(そつぎょう)： graduate 日本料理といえば寿司をイメージするぐらい人気がありますね。 日本料理(にほんりょうり)： Japanese cuisine ～といえば： something that comes to mind when speaking on ～ 人気(にんき)がある： popular 日本語が話せるようになって寿司職人になって、みなさんの国でビジネスを始めるのもいいかもしれませんね。 ～が話(はな)せる： can speak ～(language) ～になる： become ～(occupation) 国(くに)： country ビジネスを始(はじ)める： start a business ～もいいかもしれません： it could be also good (suggesting softly)
DIPLOMA COURSE CURRICULUM Almost of programs are hands on program with Japanese students. Instructor who can speak English help your understanding.
1st Week • Orientation • How to sharp and maintenance knives • Small fish preparation practice • How to make sushi rice • How to make nigirisushi • Slice from fillet • Thin roll
2nd Week • Thin roll practice • Shrimp preparation • Frozen tuna preparation • Squid preparation • Nigiri practice
3rd Week • Sea bream preparation • Yellow tail preparation • Tsukiji fish market tour • Nigiri practice • Vegetable cutting practice( cucumber )
4th Week • Salmon preparation • Octopus preparation • West side of Japanese sushi • Rolls • Another traditional Japanese ingredient • Omelet(Tamagoyaki) • Exam
5th Week • Kohada preparation • Flounder preparation • Vegitable cutting for advance • Thin roll • Traditional Japanese design roll • Sushi chef hospitality and serve practice
6th Week • Sea eel preparation • Salmon preparation • Frozen salmon preparation • Sashimi practice and variety • Sashimi exam
7th Week • Japanese cuisine 1 tonkatsu, fried shrimp • Japanese cuisine 2 soup, sauce, dressing etc • Japanese cuisine 3 tempura,chawanmushi • Sashimi review
8th Week • Shells preparation • Tuna preparation • Nigiri exam • Seasonal seafood preparation • Review • Sushi chef hospitality and serve practice • Graduate
Mr. Donut offers 2.4M free giveaway doughnuts to celebrate their 40th anniversary for 6 days. Mr. Donut, run by DUSKIN, announced on 21st September to offer free 2.4M reproduced its original first doughnuts to celebrate its 40th anniversary at all of the 1330 stores for 6 days from September 28th to 30th and November 1st to 3rd. First 3 days in September, “Honey Dough” which is sold at the company started used eggs and milk, the second 3 days in November is “Doughnut Kinako(soybean powder)” which was sold last year, year Heisei 21, 2009. Each store starts at 2pm to give for the first 300 people.
ミスド： ミスタードーナツ 全店(ぜんてん)： all stores, storewide 無料(むりょう)： fee, free of charge 提供(ていきょう)： offer 創業(そうぎょう)： starting up business ４０周年(しゅうねん)記念(きねん)： 40th anniversary ６日間(むいかかん)： 6 days ２４０万個(まんこ)： 2,400,000 ダスキン： company’s name, DUSKIN 展開(てんかい)する： run (in this context), DUSKIN runs Mr. Doughnut 今年(ことし)： this year 創業４０周年を迎(むか)える： marks its 40th anniversary 記念する： to celebrate 全国(ぜんこく)： all parts of the country, whole of country 約(やく)１３３０店(てん)： about 1330 stores 復刻(ふっこく)： reproduce, facsimile edition 新商品(しんしょうひん)：new product 実施(じっし)： put into effect, be carried, implement 卵(たまご)： eggs 創業当時(とうじ)： at the company started the business 販売(はんばい)： to sell 米粉(こめこ)： rice flour, rice powder 平成(へいせい)２１年(ねん)： Year Heisei 21 = year 2009 発売(はつばい)： release 国産(こくさん)： domestic product きなこ： soybean flour 各店(かくてん)： each store 午後(ごご)２時(じ)： 2pm 先着(せんちゃく)３００人(にん)： first 300 people １個(こ)ずつ： 1 each 配布(はいふ)する： give out, give away
The first banana vending machine has been installed in Shibuya station, Tokyo, by Dole. 130yen for each, 390yen for a bunch. It targets students or working people live alone who cannot take fruit because they are too busy even they want to. They can buy bananas when they do not have to eat breakfast or feel a little bit hungry. It becomes popular that it is sold out from time to time.
読んでみましょう： let’s (try to) read 東京(とうきょう)： Tokyo 渋谷駅(しぶやえき)： Shibuya station 日本初(にほんはつ)： the first thing in Japan 自動販売機(じどうはんばいき)： vending machine ～によって： by ～ Dole社(しゃ)によって： by Dole 設置(せっち)された： (passive form) installed １房(ひとふさ)： bunch, hand 普段(ふだん)： usually 忙(いそが)しくて： because busy ～ても： even if １人(ひとり)暮(ぐ)らし： live alone 学生(がくせい)： student 社会人(しゃかいじん)： working people ターゲット： target 朝食(ちょうしょく)： breakfast 小腹(こばら)がすく： feel a little bit hungry 小腹を満(み)たす： to fill stomach, eat a little bit 気軽(きがる)に： casually, easy, 特徴(とくちょう)： feature かなり： very 人気(にんき)： popular 売(う)り切(き)れてしまう： sold out こともある： sometimes
JAMIROQUAINisshin Cup Noodles TV commercial is now hot in Japan. This is his 1994 smash hit “Virtual Insanity” filksong. Does he really sing this song in Japanese? (Nissin says it is a top seacret.)
The number of men who brings homemade lunchbox to the office called “Lunchbox boys” is increasing these days. It cost about 700 – 1200yen in Tokyo when you eat at a restaurant. But it cost only 300yen if you cook it so you can save money and you can eat your favorite foods. It is not good for your health if you eat hamburgers at a fast food restaurant even it is cheap. There is a site “Lunchbox boys Park” which you can upload your own lunchbox photos taken by a cell phone and chat is also available.
最近(さいきん)： recently, these days 会社(かいしゃ)： office (literally meaning is a company) お弁当(べんとう)： lunchbox 自分(じぶん)で： by one’s self 作(つく)って持(も)って行(い)く： make and the take it to go ～と呼(よ)ばれる： it is called ～ 増(ふ)えている： is increasing ～そうです： I heard/read that ～ お昼(ひる)に： at lunch time お店(みせ)で食(た)べたら： if you eat at a restaurant 1200円(えん)かかる： it costs 1200 yen 節約(せつやく)できる： save money ～し～し： reason connective 安(やす)くても： even if it is cheap 体(からだ)によくない： not good for your health
It has been a cold week last week, we got some snows also. But Sakura (Cherry Blossoms) season is just around the corner! It seems like some drinks which reflect image of Sakura are sold at Starbucks. Wish spring is coming soon!
14th was St. Valentine ’s Day. Did you have a romantic day? People often give Chocolates as a Valentine’s Day present. However, these chocolates are probably not so happy to receive. Looks creepy!
I wrote about McDonald’s Texas Burger yesterday, I will write about how to call McDonald’s today. Australian people called Maccas when I was traveling there. My old American boss called it Mickey D’s when I was working for a company before I became a Japanese teacher. In Japan, it is called either “マクド(makudo)” or “マック(makku)”.
呼(よ)び方(かた)： how to call 書(か)こうと思(おも)います： I am going to write 年末(ねんまつ)： the end of the year ～に行(い)ったとき： when I went to ～ ～と言(い)っていました： they said that ～ (used for third person) 日本語(にほんご)教師(きょうし)： Japanese－language teacher Nounの前(まえ)： before Noun 会社(かいしゃ)に勤(つと)めていたころ： while I was working for a company 上司(じょうし)： boss, superior 呼(よ)ぶ： to call
I had eaten too much during Christmas and New Year’s holidays, I really need to go on a diet, however, I confess to eat “Texas Burger” which is one of the new McDonald’s “Big America” series hamburgers. I rarely eat at McDonald’s but the photo of its advertisement in the train looked really good so I couldn’t resist…. The cheapest hamburger at McDonald’s is 100yen and this Texas Burger costs 400yen which is very expensive in this recession. I think its taste was better than other regular McDonald’s burgers.
お正月(しょうがつ)： New Year’s Day 食(た)べすぎ： eat too much ～すぎ= too much ～ ほんとうは： actually, truthfully ダイエットをする： go on a diet ～なければならない： have to ～, must ～ ～のに： even ～てしまいました： express speaker’s regret 普段(ふだん)： usually 広告(こうこく)： advertisement おいしそう： looks delicious, ～そう= looks 食べたくなる： become want to eat 不景気(ふけいき)の中(なか)： in this recession 価格(かかく)設定(せってい)： price setting
Japan is an agricultural country which grows rice from ancient of time. Sowing seeds in the Spring, transport them into rice fields in the Summer and harvest in the Autumn. The life in Japan, all of the events in the year take place accordance with rice growing schedule. This is why the sense of season is still close to Japanese people and culture. We are expecting see something in its season, for example, we would like to see something related strawberries in spring but not in June.
Having said that, this いちご大福 looks nice and tasty. Maybe you should try it if you had a chance to come to Japan in spring! but not in June :)
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