Nihongo Storytime for Beginners｜Japanese Together

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This year, I did a Japanese reading challenge. Among the participants, I sent cards as a reward to those who were able to finish reading a Japanese novel. There were a total of 5 cards. One went to Georgia, three to the U.S., and the last one to Canada.

To be honest, it had been a while since I last sent a letter. It had also been a long time since I wrote a postcard in Japanese. And it had been a while since I last went to the post office too. The shipping cost was a bit high, but I was excited and nervous as I sent the cards, wondering if they would reach my students safely.

It took some time for the cards to arrive. The first one reached my student in Canada. Two weeks later, that student contacted me right away, saying, "The card has arrived!" However, even though it has been a month, there are still places where the cards haven't arrived. I'm a bit worried. Will they arrive safely?

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I went to a town called Chester, which is about an hour's drive from Liverpool. Chester is a very beautiful town. There are old buildings and a castle. Chester Cathedral is especially famous. It’s a large church, and the courtyard inside is very beautiful, quiet, and a peaceful place. There’s also a fountain, and it’s very relaxing.

Chester also has ruins from ancient Roman times. There are remains of a bathhouse built by the ancient Romans. As I walked through the town, I felt a sense of its long history. There are also city walls, and you can take a walk around them. Many tourists visit and enjoy the town.

Chester is a very charming town, with a medieval atmosphere still present. It’s perfect for a day trip. You can take a walk along the riverside and enjoy a mini cruise. I really liked Chester. If you come to England, I highly recommend visiting Chester!

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https://nihongostorytime.substack.com/p/welcome-to-nihongo-storytime-lets?r=celgs

Dear Noriko-sensei,

Hello! How are you? Thanks to you, I have safely arrived in Japan, and since my new life has begun, I decided to write you an email. Is it already autumn in England? It's still hot in Okayama in September, and it's tough.

Well, I’ve started living on my own in Okayama. My apartment is small, but it’s very clean and comfortable. It’s near Okayama Castle, and I can get to Kōraku-en Garden in about 10 minutes by bike.

School has also started, and the other day, I had my first class. I was really nervous, but Tanaka-sensei, my colleague, has been helping me. I’ll be teaching a lesson about British culture soon. I’m thinking of talking about fish and chips...

There’s still almost nothing in my apartment, but after I get my first paycheck next month, I plan to buy a table and chairs. I’m excited because I feel like I’m gradually creating my own space.

Thanks to you, I think I’m doing okay with Japanese conversation so far. But my colleagues speak fast, so sometimes I can’t catch what they’re saying. Please don’t worry, though. I’m managing somehow. I’ll keep doing my best, and I’d be happy if you could give me more advice in the future.

I’ll contact you again. Take care.

Sincerely,

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Finally, the first day as an ALT arrived. Tim was a bit nervous, but as soon as he entered the classroom, the students energetically greeted him with, "Hello!" Hearing that, Tim smiled and felt a little more relaxed.

In class, he taught some simple English phrases and tried doing role-plays. There were some enthusiastic students, but there were also a few who seemed bored. Tanaka-sensei, the English teacher and his colleague, said, "For your first time, you did really well. Next, could you prepare a class where you read about and talk about British culture?" Tim thought he would do his best to prepare for the next class.

As he walked down the hallway, many students spoke to Tim in Japanese. Thanks to his lessons with Noriko, he could understand most of the Japanese. He felt confident about having conversations too. However, since Tim is an English teacher, he decided to speak to the students in English as much as possible.

And so, Tim's new life in Japan began. He hopes to continue enjoying his experiences in Japan. He also wants to travel around the country a lot and learn even more about Japan.

💜 Join our vibrant community, "Japanese Together". Access exclusive content 📚, transcripts with furigana 📝, and meet-ups 🤝 to practice with fellow learners. Let's embark on this adventure together! 🚀

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In Okayama, Tim started living alone for the first time. His new apartment was small, but it was very clean and comfortable. The apartment was near Okayama Castle, and he could reach the famous Korakuen Garden in about 10 minutes by bike. It was also close to the Asahi River. He heard that in spring, many cherry blossoms bloom beautifully, and he was looking forward to seeing them.

School hadn’t started yet. While going to the nearby supermarket and taking walks in the park, Tim gradually got used to the city. Since he wanted to cook for himself, he also bought a pot, a frying pan, and other kitchen essentials. Japanese supermarkets are completely different from those in the UK. He enjoyed looking at the various foods and products.

There was still almost nothing in his apartment. Next month, after he gets his first paycheck, he plans to buy a table and chairs.

💜 Join our vibrant community, "Japanese Together". Access exclusive content 📚, transcripts with furigana 📝, and meet-ups 🤝 to practice with fellow learners. Let's embark on this adventure together! 🚀

https://japanese-together.mn.co

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https://www.japanesewithnoriko.com/

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Tim arrived in Japan. When he stepped off the plane, he felt a little nervous, but breathing in the Japanese air gave him energy. Everything was new, and he couldn’t stop feeling excited. With his suitcase in hand, he took a train to Shinagawa Station in Tokyo. From there, he transferred to the Shinkansen and headed toward Okayama, enjoying the Japanese scenery along the way.

When he arrived in Okayama, a new life was waiting for him. Tim was about to start teaching English as an ALT in Okayama City. He first went straight to the Okayama Prefectural Office to meet with the person who would be helping him. The city was quiet, and many people were riding bicycles. "Ah, I've really come to Japan," Tim thought to himself, feeling it deeply. He really felt excited.

💜 Join our vibrant community, "Japanese Together". Access exclusive content 📚, transcripts with furigana 📝, and meet-ups 🤝 to practice with fellow learners. Let's embark on this adventure together! 🚀

https://japanese-together.mn.co

🌐 Visit my website for Neurolanguage Coach® sessions. Let's discuss your goals 🎯 and vision 👀 for your learning journey.

https://www.japanesewithnoriko.com/

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Tim lives in Manchester and works as a math teacher. He loves Japan and has been studying Japanese on his own for the past five years. Over the last two years, he discovered Noriko’s podcast and listened to it frequently to continue improving his Japanese. Noriko’s way of speaking was easy to understand and very helpful. This past year, he also took private lessons with Noriko to practice conversation.

Tim’s dream is to teach English in Japan as an ALT. Recently, he had an interview for the position and successfully passed. He was thrilled and excited for his new adventure to begin. Finally, the day to depart for Japan in August arrived. During his last lesson with Noriko, Tim said, "This is the end, isn't it?" But Noriko smiled and said, "It's a new beginning. Good luck!

💜 Join our vibrant community, "Japanese Together". Access exclusive content 📚, transcripts with furigana 📝, and meet-ups 🤝 to practice with fellow learners. Let's embark on this adventure together! 🚀

https://japanese-together.mn.co

🌐 Visit my website for Neurolanguage Coach® sessions. Let's discuss your goals 🎯 and vision 👀 for your learning journey.

https://www.japanesewithnoriko.com/

📰 Subscribe to our Substack newsletter.

https://nihongostorytime.substack.com/p/welcome-to-nihongo-storytime-lets?r=celgs

Music from YouTube Music Library　Fine Dining by TrackTribe

🎙️Welcome to Japanese Simple Storytime with Noriko! 

🌟Join Japanese Together for story scripts and translations. Engage in monthly meet-ups to connect with fellow learners and explore Japanese deeper.

💜Japanese Together

https://japanese-together.mn.co

Music from YouTube Music Library　Fine Dining by TrackTribe

🎙️Welcome to Japanese Simple Storytime with Noriko! 

🌟Join Japanese Together for story scripts and translations. Engage in monthly meet-ups to connect with fellow learners and explore Japanese deeper.

💜Japanese Together

https://japanese-together.mn.co

Music from YouTube Music Library　Fine Dining by TrackTribe

This is Noriko from Nihongo Storytime. In this podcast, I speak slowly. I have a website called "Japanese with Noriko." Please check it out if you have the chance. Now, let me share my story with you today. In July, I went to Sweden and Denmark. Please listen.

At the end of July, I went to Lund in Sweden. Lund is located in the southern part of Sweden. I have relatives who live in Lund. First, I flew to Copenhagen Airport in Denmark, and from there, I took a train. It takes about an hour by train from Copenhagen to Lund.

The purpose of this trip was to visit family. My in-laws live in Lund, Sweden, and Copenhagen, Denmark. This time, I went to visit them.

Lund, Sweden is famous for its university. It’s a student town. However, since I went in the summer, there were no students around. It was very quiet.

Sweden is known for its delicious sweet pastries. The cinnamon rolls are particularly tasty. I went to a famous bakery in Lund and bought freshly baked cinnamon rolls. I also took a walk in a park in Lund with my niece. There were many apple trees.

Next time, I plan to visit Lund during Christmas.