Noisy and seemingly everywhere, the Japanese semi are a big part of Japanese culture. Listen as Yumi explains how semi act as a kind of clock, and how the Japanese love nature.

Listen to the podcast and then take the quiz on the episode's webpage:

https://thejapanesepage.com/podcast-nihongonotane-51

セミ Cicadas

For upper beginners to intermediates. Listen to the short podcast and then answer the comprehension questions on the website: https://thejapanesepage.com/nihongonotane-index/

Take a quiz on this episode here:

https://thejapanesepage.com/podcast-nihongonotane-51

If you are a Makoto+ member, you can find the transcript, English translation, key vocabulary, and a downloadable PDF for printing:

https://MakotoPlus.com/podcast-nihongonotane-51-m

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Listen as Yumi compares her experience in Japan and in Florida regarding hurricanes and typhoons.

Listen to the podcast and then take the quiz on the episode's webpage:

https://thejapanesepage.com/podcast-nihongonotane-50

台風 Typhoons and Disaster Prevention

For upper beginners to intermediates. Listen to the short podcast and then answer the comprehension questions on the website: https://thejapanesepage.com/nihongonotane-index/

Take a quiz on this episode here:

https://thejapanesepage.com/podcast-nihongonotane-50

If you are a Makoto+ member, you can find the transcript, English translation, key vocabulary, and a downloadable PDF for printing:

https://MakotoPlus.com/podcast-nihongonotane-50-m

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www.MakotoPlus.com

質実剛健 shitsu jitsu gouken: 質実 shitsu jitsu (simplicity; plainness) + 剛健 gouken (vigor; sturdiness) – to do things sincerely with fortitude and vigor but not pretention.

Listen to the podcast and then take the quiz on the episode's webpage:

https://thejapanesepage.com/podcast-nihongonotane-49

質実剛健 to do things earnestly without pretention

For upper beginners to intermediates. Listen to the short podcast and then answer the comprehension questions on the website: https://thejapanesepage.com/nihongonotane-index/

Take a quiz on this episode here:

https://thejapanesepage.com/podcast-nihongonotane-49

If you are a Makoto+ member, you can find the transcript, English translation, key vocabulary, and a downloadable PDF for printing:

https://MakotoPlus.com/podcast-nihongonotane-49-m

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www.MakotoPlus.com

Have you ever done karaoke? Listen as Yumi explains the proper way to enjoy karaoke in Japan.

Listen to the podcast and then take the quiz on the episode's webpage:

https://thejapanesepage.com/podcast-nihongonotane-48

カラオケ Karaoke

For upper beginners to intermediates. Listen to the short podcast and then answer the comprehension questions on the website: https://thejapanesepage.com/nihongonotane-index/

Take a quiz on this episode here:

https://thejapanesepage.com/podcast-nihongonotane-48

If you are a Makoto+ member, you can find the transcript, English translation, key vocabulary, and a downloadable PDF for printing:

https://MakotoPlus.com/podcast-nihongonotane-48-m

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www.MakotoPlus.com

Is two hours by car a long trip? Or is it like driving in your neighborhood? Listen as Yumi tells us her thoughts on her sense of far distances compared to others.

Listen to the podcast and then take the quiz on the episode's webpage:

https://thejapanesepage.com/podcast-nihongonotane-47

車で By Car

For upper beginners to intermediates. Listen to the short podcast and then answer the comprehension questions on the website: https://thejapanesepage.com/nihongonotane-index/

Take a quiz on this episode here:

https://thejapanesepage.com/podcast-nihongonotane-47

If you are a Makoto+ member, you can find the transcript, English translation, key vocabulary, and a downloadable PDF for printing:

https://MakotoPlus.com/podcast-nihongonotane-47-m

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www.MakotoPlus.com

After nearly a year and a half, Yumi finally went somewhere more than an hour from her house. Disney Springs. There, she did some shopping and realized our shopping habits have changed over the years.

Listen to the podcast and then take the quiz on the episode's webpage:

https://thejapanesepage.com/podcast-nihongonotane-46

お買い物 Shopping

For upper beginners to intermediates. Listen to the short podcast and then answer the comprehension questions on the website: https://thejapanesepage.com/nihongonotane-index/

Take a quiz on this episode here:

https://thejapanesepage.com/podcast-nihongonotane-46

If you are a Makoto+ member, you can find the transcript, English translation, key vocabulary, and a downloadable PDF for printing:

https://MakotoPlus.com/podcast-nihongonotane-46-m

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Become a Makoto+ member and get show notes with a complete transcript, translation, key vocabulary, and a downloadable PDF.

www.MakotoPlus.com

How do you say the number 1 in Japanese? In English, there is "one" but in Japanese, well, it depends. Do you mean one cup? One person? One book or…? There are too many ones in Japanese. Yumi thinks this attention to details is common among Japanese.

Listen to the podcast and then take the quiz on the episode's webpage:

https://thejapanesepage.com/podcast-nihongonotane-45

細かい Attention to details

For upper beginners to intermediates. Listen to the short podcast and then answer the comprehension questions on the website: https://thejapanesepage.com/nihongonotane-index/

Take a quiz on this episode here:

https://thejapanesepage.com/podcast-nihongonotane-45

If you are a Makoto+ member, you can find the transcript, English translation, key vocabulary, and a downloadable PDF for printing:

https://MakotoPlus.com/podcast-nihongonotane-45-m

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www.MakotoPlus.com

English has plenty of four-letter-words. Dirty words. Words you ought not to say in polite company. But what about Japanese? Today, Yumi looks at how few—if any—dirty words there are in Japanese. Of course, using the wrong politeness level in certain situations can be more rude than any English four-letter-word!

Listen to the podcast and then take the quiz on the episode's webpage:

https://thejapanesepage.com/podcast-nihongonotane-44

汚い言葉 dirty words in Japanese

For upper beginners to intermediates. Listen to the short podcast and then answer the comprehension questions on the website: https://thejapanesepage.com/nihongonotane-index/

Take a quiz on this episode here:

https://thejapanesepage.com/podcast-nihongonotane-44

If you are a Makoto+ member, you can find the transcript, English translation, key vocabulary, and a downloadable PDF for printing:

https://MakotoPlus.com/podcast-nihongonotane-44-m

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www.MakotoPlus.com

What's the hardest part about having a conversation in a foreign language? Yumi believes it is 「雑談」 zatsudan (small talk; chit-chat) and I think she's right. Listen as she talks about this difficult but everyday situation and how to improve your abilities.

Listen to the podcast and then take the quiz on the episode's webpage:

https://thejapanesepage.com/podcast-nihongonotane-43

雑談 small talk; chit chat

For upper beginners to intermediates. Listen to the short podcast and then answer the comprehension questions on the website: https://thejapanesepage.com/nihongonotane-index/

Take a quiz on this episode here:

https://thejapanesepage.com/podcast-nihongonotane-43

If you are a Makoto+ member, you can find the transcript, English translation, key vocabulary, and a downloadable PDF for printing:

https://MakotoPlus.com/podcast-nihongonotane-43-m

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Middle C is the first thing piano students in the US learn. But in Japan, it is different—at least it was when Yumi was a little girl.

Listen to the podcast and then take the quiz on the episode's webpage:

https://thejapanesepage.com/podcast-nihongonotane-42

ピアノのABC  The ABCs of the Piano

For upper beginners to intermediates. Listen to the short podcast and then answer the comprehension questions on the website: https://thejapanesepage.com/nihongonotane-index/

Take a quiz on this episode here:

https://thejapanesepage.com/podcast-nihongonotane-42

If you are a Makoto+ member, you can find the transcript, English translation, key vocabulary, and a downloadable PDF for printing:

https://MakotoPlus.com/podcast-nihongonotane-42-m

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Become a Makoto+ member and get show notes with a complete transcript, translation, key vocabulary, and a downloadable PDF.

www.MakotoPlus.com