Real Japanese Talk with Haruka & Saki: Tokyo vs Kansai Podcast

Welcome to Episode 80 of Real Japanese Talk with Haruka & Saki! 🗼🐙

🗾 Saki's foreign friend is moving from Tokyo to Osaka and asked what to watch out for. Same country, same language - and a surprising number of things to get wrong. Our 80th episode goes back to where this show started. 🎯

You'll learn three words:

• 使い分ける (tsukaiwakeru) - to change what you use depending on the person or situation

• 地域差 (chiikisa) - a regional difference

• 慣れる (nareru) - to get used to something through repetition

💡 Inside: why "aho" and "baka" carry the opposite weight in each city and which one will actually hurt someone; the escalator side, the colour of udon broth and why pale doesn't mean bland; rice eaten alongside okonomiyaki; the unresolved Makudo-versus-Makku war; and the reassuring part - that "I'll come if I can" and "shiran kedo" stop being confusing within about six months, and you never have to speak the dialect yourself to belong.

Perfect for N3-N2 learners heading to Japan, or anyone moving between its two great cities. Tokyo & Kansai dialogue, fully shadowable. Full transcript & study notes on Patreon. 🎧

【Today's Vocabulary / 今日の言葉】

・使い分ける (つかいわける) - To use different things for different purposes - to switch appropriately depending on the person, situation or goal. Built from 「使う」 + 「分ける」 (to divide), it implies conscious, skilful selection rather than random variation. Very common for language itself: 「敬語とタメ口を使い分ける」 (switching between formal and casual speech), and equally natural for tools: 「二つのアプリを使い分ける」. The noun is 「使い分け」. Related words: 「区別する」 (to distinguish), 「場合による」 (it depends on the case), 「切り替える」 (to switch over).

・地域差 (ちいきさ) - Regional difference - variation that arises depending on the area. Formed from 「地域」 (region) + 「差」 (difference, gap), and used for anything that varies by place: dialect, seasoning, prices, customs, even attitudes. 「地域差がある」 (there's regional variation) is the standard phrase. Note the useful 「差」 family: 「温度差」 (temperature gap), 「時差」 (time difference), 「世代差」 (generation gap). Related words: 「方言」 (hougen, dialect), 「東西」 (touzai, east and west), 「土地柄」 (tochigara, the character of a place).

・慣れる (なれる) - To get used to, grow accustomed to, or become comfortable with something through repeated exposure. Takes 「に」: 「新しい生活に慣れる」 (get used to a new life), 「関西弁に慣れる」. The te-form 「慣れてきた」 (I'm starting to get used to it) is extremely common, and 「慣れ」 as a noun means familiarity or habit - 「慣れの問題です」 (it's just a matter of getting used to it). Distinguish it from 「馴れ馴れしい」 (narenareshii), which means overly familiar in a rude way. Related words: 「身につく」 (to become second nature), 「経験」 (experience).

📄 Get the Full Transcript with Furigana & Study Guide on our Patreon!シャドーイングに便利な「ふりがな付き台本」はこちら：👉 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/posts/155837588⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Transparency Disclosure: To maximize your learning experience, this podcast is produced using Google's generative AI technology for precise scriptwriting and clear, high-quality audio generation

Welcome to Episode 79 of Real Japanese Talk with Haruka & Saki! 🗼🐙

🍻 "Why do you drink on a department store roof?" It's a fair question - and the answer runs through a whole layer of Japanese city life most visitors never notice: the rooftop. 🎯

You'll learn three words:

• 屋上 (okujou) - the flat space at the very top of a building

• 飲み放題 (nomihoudai) - all-you-can-drink for a set price, and the 「〜放題」 pattern behind it

• 時間制 (jikansei) - a time-limited system, the rule that governs beer gardens and karaoke alike

💡 Inside: how department store roofs were children's playgrounds with tiny Ferris wheels before they became adult territory at night; the June-to-September season and the fact that rain can cancel it outright; why the food is always fried and always beer-friendly; the two-hour limit, the last-order announcement thirty minutes before closing, and the panic ordering it triggers; and why a fixed end time is secretly relaxing.

Perfect for N3-N2 learners who want words they'll use the next time they go out. Tokyo & Kansai dialogue, fully shadowable. Full transcript & study notes on Patreon. 🎧

【Today's Vocabulary / 今日の言葉】

・屋上 (おくじょう) - The rooftop - the flat area on top of a building, especially one people can actually go out onto. Note the reading: 屋 is おく here, not や. In Japan a 屋上 is often a real destination rather than just structural space: department stores put playgrounds, small shrines, garden centres and summer beer gardens up there, and schools and hospitals have them too. 「屋上に上がる」 means to go up to the roof. Related words: 「屋根」 (yane, the roof itself, sloping and not walkable), 「ベランダ」 (a balcony), 「テラス席」 (terrace seating).

・飲み放題 (のみほうだい) - All-you-can-drink for a fixed price - a standard option at izakaya, banquets and beer gardens, usually bundled with a time limit. The key is the suffix 「〜放題」 (houdai), meaning "as much as you like, without restraint": 「食べ放題」 (all-you-can-eat), 「使い放題」 (unlimited use, e.g. mobile data), 「乗り放題」 (unlimited rides). Note that it can carry a negative edge when the freedom is unwelcome: 「言いたい放題」 (saying whatever one pleases), 「荒れ放題」 (left to go to ruin). Related words: 「飲み会」 (a drinking party), 「元を取る」 (to get your money's worth).

・時間制 (じかんせい) - A time-limited system - one where your allotted time is fixed in advance, after which you leave or pay to extend. It governs a surprising amount of Japanese leisure: beer gardens and izakaya courses (typically 「二時間制」), karaoke rooms, batting centres, and some cafés. The related 「延長」 (enchou) is the extension you buy when time runs out, and 「ラストオーダー」 is the final-orders call, normally thirty minutes before closing. Related words: 「制限時間」 (a time limit), 「時間無制限」 (no time limit), 「延長料金」 (extension fee).

📄 Get the Full Transcript with Furigana & Study Guide on our Patreon!シャドーイングに便利な「ふりがな付き台本」はこちら：👉 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/RealJapaneseTalkwithHarukaSakiTokyovsKansaiPodcast/posts/free-sample-wu-155837588?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link

Transparency Disclosure: To maximize your learning experience, this podcast is produced using Google's generative AI technology for precise scriptwriting and clear, high-quality audio generation

Welcome to Episode 78 of Real Japanese Talk with Haruka & Saki! 🗼🐙

🏮 "I can't dance, so no thanks." Saki's foreign friend turned down a Bon dance invitation - and missed the whole point. This is the one dance in Japan where skill is irrelevant, nobody is watching you, and you can join and leave whenever you like. 🎯

You'll learn three words:

• 輪になる (wa ni naru) - to form a circle; the shape the whole event is built around

• 見よう見まね (miyou-mimane) - copying something just by watching, with no lessons

• 飛び入り (tobiiri) - joining in on the spot, unscheduled

💡 Inside: why everyone facing the same direction around the yagura tower means you never meet anyone's eyes; how the choreography is only four or five moves on repeat, so one lap around is enough to learn it; why being in sync matters more than being good; and the fact that there's no sign-up, no dress code, no requirement to be a local - the moment you step into the circle, you're a participant.

Perfect for N3-N2 learners who want to actually join in this summer. Tokyo & Kansai dialogue, fully shadowable. Full transcript & study notes on Patreon. 🎧

【Today's Vocabulary / 今日の言葉】

・輪になる (わになる) - To form a circle or ring. 「輪」 (wa) is a ring or loop - it appears in 「指輪」 (yubiwa, a finger ring), 「輪ゴム」 (a rubber band) and 「車輪」 (a wheel). 「輪になる」 describes people arranging themselves into a circle, which is the basic shape of a Bon dance, a campfire, or a children's game. The related 「輪に入る」 means to step into that circle - and figuratively, to join a group socially: 「なかなか輪に入れない」 (I can't quite break into the group). Related words: 「囲む」 (to surround), 「円」 (en, a circle), 「一周する」 (to go around once).

・見よう見まね (みようみまね) - Learning by watching and imitating, without formal instruction - "picking it up by eye." Built from 「見る」 (to see) and 「真似」 (mane, imitation), it usually appears adverbially as 「見よう見まねで」: 「見よう見まねで作った」 (I made it just by copying what I saw). The nuance is modest and often self-deprecating - it implies you were never properly taught, so the result may be rough. It fits Bon dancing exactly: there is no lesson, you simply follow the person in front. Related words: 「真似する」 (to imitate), 「習う」 (to be taught), 「独学」 (dokugaku, self-study).

・飛び入り (とびいり) - Joining in on the spot, unannounced and unscheduled - a drop-in participant. From 「飛ぶ」 (to leap) + 「入る」 (to enter), the image is of jumping straight in. Common in 「飛び入り参加」 (drop-in participation) and 「飛び入りで歌う」 (to sing an unplanned number), and a 「飛び入りゲスト」 is a surprise guest. The tone is casual and welcoming, implying that the event is open enough not to need registration. Related words: 「参加する」 (to participate), 「当日参加」 (same-day entry), 「予約なし」 (no reservation).

📄 Get the Full Transcript with Furigana & Study Guide on our Patreon!シャドーイングに便利な「ふりがな付き台本」はこちら：👉 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/posts/155837588⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Transparency Disclosure: To maximize your learning experience, this podcast is produced using Google's generative AI technology for precise scriptwriting and clear, high-quality audio generation

Welcome to Episode 77 of Real Japanese Talk with Haruka & Saki! 🗼🐙

🏖️ "The shop's gone - did it go out of business?" Saki's foreign friend went back to the beach hut they loved last summer and found nothing but sand. Nothing went wrong. In Japan, these buildings are put up and torn down every single year. 🎯

You'll learn three words:

• 仮設 (kasetsu) - temporary construction; also used for portable toilets and post-earthquake housing

• 取り壊す (torikowasu) - to demolish a building and clear the site

• 限定 (gentei) - limited by number or by period; the word behind Japan's whole retail psychology

💡 Inside: wooden posts and vinyl sheeting assembled in early July for the beach opening; why the same shop is a physically different building each year; the rule that a natural beach cannot be built on permanently, so everything returns to bare ground by September; and why a thing that is guaranteed to vanish is exactly the thing Japanese people line up for - the same instinct behind every limited-time convenience store product.

Perfect for N3-N2 learners who want vocabulary that shows up in news and shopping alike. Tokyo & Kansai dialogue, fully shadowable. Full transcript & study notes on Patreon. 🎧

【Today's Vocabulary / 今日の言葉】

・仮設 (かせつ) - Temporary construction - putting something up on the understanding that it will be removed later, and the structure itself. Written with the characters for "provisional" and "establish." You meet it constantly in daily Japanese: 「仮設トイレ」 (portable toilets at events and construction sites), 「仮設住宅」 (temporary housing after a disaster), 「仮設ステージ」. The nuance is neutral and practical, not shabby - it simply means "not permanent." The opposite is 「常設」 (jousetsu, permanent). Related words: 「一時的」 (temporary), 「臨時」 (rinji, extraordinary or provisional), 「設置する」 (to install).

・取り壊す (とりこわす) - To demolish, pull down, or tear down a building and clear the site. Formed from 「取る」 + 「壊す」 (to break), and unlike plain 「壊す」 it implies a deliberate, planned removal rather than accidental damage - so it is the standard word in news reports and municipal notices: 「古いビルを取り壊す」. The noun form is 「取り壊し」 (torikowashi, demolition). Note the contrast with 「壊れる」 (kowareru, to break by itself). Related words: 「解体する」 (kaitai suru, to dismantle, more technical), 「更地にする」 (to return land to bare ground), 「撤去する」 (to remove).

・限定 (げんてい) - Limitation - restricting something by quantity, time, place or scope. In Japan this word is everywhere in marketing, and learning its compounds pays off immediately: 「期間限定」 (limited time), 「数量限定」 (limited quantity), 「地域限定」 (region-only), 「一日限定十食」 (only ten servings a day). As a verb, 「対象を限定する」 means to narrow the target. Culturally it drives real behaviour - a limited-time flavour will sell out precisely because it will disappear. Related words: 「制限」 (seigen, a restriction or cap), 「限る」 (kagiru, to limit), 「今だけ」 (only now).

📄 Get the Full Transcript with Furigana & Study Guide on our Patreon!シャドーイングに便利な「ふりがな付き台本」はこちら：👉 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/posts/155837588⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Transparency Disclosure: To maximize your learning experience, this podcast is produced using Google's generative AI technology for precise scriptwriting and clear, high-quality audio generation

Welcome to Episode 76 of Real Japanese Talk with Haruka & Saki! 🗼🐙

🟦 "There's glass inside the bottle!" Saki's foreign friend bought a Ramune at a festival stall and refused to drink it. But that marble isn't a toy, and it isn't a mistake - it's the stopper. 🎯

You'll learn three words:

• 栓を抜く (sen o nuku) - to pull out a stopper; the thing you never do with Ramune

• 仕組み (shikumi) - a mechanism, how something is built to work

• 取り出す (toridasu) - to bring something out from inside

💡 Inside: how carbonation pushes the marble up to seal the bottle from the inside, so no metal cap is needed; why you open it by pushing down instead of pulling out, and the pon! that every Japanese person hears as summer; the small indentations in the bottle's neck that catch the marble so it doesn't block your drink; why the marble is bigger than the mouth and can never be freed; and the British origin of a bottle Japan made its own.

Perfect for N3-N2 learners who like the how-things-work side of Japan. Tokyo & Kansai dialogue, fully shadowable. Full transcript & study notes on Patreon. 🎧

【Today's Vocabulary / 今日の言葉】

・栓を抜く (せんをぬく) - To pull out a stopper, cork or plug - to remove whatever seals the mouth of a bottle. 「栓」 (sen) is the stopper itself, so the phrase pairs naturally with wine (「ワインの栓を抜く」) or a thermos. Note that Ramune is the famous exception: its marble stopper is pushed IN, never pulled out, so 「栓を抜く」 does not apply. The related noun 「栓抜き」 (sennuki) is a bottle opener, and 「耳栓」 (mimisen) is an earplug. For a bath or sink, the same verb appears as 「栓を抜く」 meaning to pull the plug.

・仕組み (しくみ) - A mechanism, structure, or the way something is put together so that it works. Used for physical things (「時計の仕組み」, the workings of a clock) and just as often for abstract systems (「税金の仕組み」, how taxes work; 「会社の仕組み」). 「〜の仕組みがわかる」 means to understand how something functions. It carries a neutral, explanatory tone - close to English "how it works." Related words: 「構造」 (kouzou, structure, more technical), 「制度」 (seido, an institutional system), 「からくり」 (karakuri, a hidden trick or contrivance).

・取り出す (とりだす) - To take out, pull out, or extract something from inside a container, bag or space. Formed from 「取る」 (to take) + 「出す」 (to put out), and the compound keeps a sense of reaching in to retrieve. Used for everyday actions (「かばんから財布を取り出す」) and for extraction in a technical sense (「データを取り出す」). In this episode it names the impossible task every Japanese child attempts: the Ramune marble is larger than the bottle's mouth, so it cannot be 取り出す at all. Related words: 「出す」 (to put out), 「抜く」 (to pull out), 「引っぱり出す」 (to drag out).

📄 Get the Full Transcript with Furigana & Study Guide on our Patreon!シャドーイングに便利な「ふりがな付き台本」はこちら：👉 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/posts/155837588⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Transparency Disclosure: To maximize your learning experience, this podcast is produced using Google's generative AI technology for precise scriptwriting and clear, high-quality audio generation

Welcome to Episode 75 of Real Japanese Talk with Haruka & Saki! 🗼🐙

🥵 "Japan's summer is so hot my body won't move - is this an illness?" Saki's foreign friend asked, and the answer is a word English simply doesn't have: natsubate, the summer fatigue that flattens a whole country every August. 🎯

You'll learn three words:

• 夏バテ (natsubate) - the body weakening under summer heat

• だるい (darui) - heavy-bodied, no strength; also Gen-Z slang for "what a hassle"

• 食欲 (shokuyoku) - appetite, the feeling of wanting to eat

💡 Inside: why the temperature gap between the street and an over-cooled room breaks your body down; the cold-noodle trap where somen and hiyashi chuka quietly unbalance your nutrition; eating eel on the Day of the Ox as an old fix for it; and 残暑 (zansho), the lingering heat that changes even how you word a letter - from shochu-mimai to zansho-mimai partway through August.

Perfect for N3-N2 learners who want vocabulary they can use the same day. Tokyo & Kansai dialogue, fully shadowable. Full transcript & study notes on Patreon. 🎧

【Today's Vocabulary / 今日の言葉】

・夏バテ (なつばて) - Natsubate - summer fatigue; the run-down state where heat, humidity and the temperature gap between outdoors and air-conditioned rooms leave you sluggish and off your food. It is not a medical diagnosis but an everyday word almost every Japanese person uses in August. It comes from 「夏」 (summer) + 「バテる」 (bateru, to be worn out, to run out of steam), so 「夏バテする」 works as a verb too. Related words: 「バテる」 (to be worn out), 「体調をくずす」 (to fall out of condition), 「冷房病」 (air-conditioning sickness).

・だるい (だるい) - Darui - listless, sluggish, heavy-limbed; the feeling that your body has no strength in it, typical of a fever, a hangover or summer fatigue. In casual speech it is often clipped to 「だるっ」. Among younger speakers it has a second sense - "what a drag / can't be bothered" - as in 「宿題だるい」 (homework is such a drag), so context decides whether the speaker means their body or their mood. Related words: 「しんどい」 (tough, exhausting), 「めんどくさい」 (troublesome), 「けだるい」 (feeling heavy and tired).

・食欲 (しょくよく) - Shokuyoku - appetite; the desire to eat. Most often heard in 「食欲がない」 (I have no appetite) and 「食欲がある」, and it is the standard way to describe how summer fatigue shows up. 「食欲不振」 (shokuyoku fushin) is the fuller, slightly more clinical phrase. The autumn counterpart 「食欲の秋」 (the autumn of appetite) is a set seasonal expression for the season when food tastes best. Related words: 「食べる気がしない」 (don't feel like eating), 「あっさり」 (light, plain in flavour), 「栄養」 (nutrition).

📄 Get the Full Transcript with Furigana & Study Guide on our Patreon!シャドーイングに便利な「ふりがな付き台本」はこちら：👉 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/posts/155837588⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Transparency Disclosure: To maximize your learning experience, this podcast is produced using Google's generative AI technology for precise scriptwriting and clear, high-quality audio generation

Welcome to Episode 74 of Real Japanese Talk with Haruka & Saki! 🗼🐙

🔥 "I heard Japanese people burn fires to send off their ancestors - is that true?" Saki's foreign friend was intrigued, and it's one of the most quietly beautiful ideas in Japanese culture: fire as a guidepost for spirits. A gentle companion to our fireworks and sparkler episodes. 🎯

You'll learn three words:

• 送り火 (okuribi) - the send-off fire that returns ancestors to the other world

• 迎える (mukaeru) - to await and receive someone; the paired 迎え火 (welcoming fire) opens Obon

• 見送る (miokuru) - to watch someone leaving until the very end

💡 Inside: how the welcoming fire and send-off fire form a pair, with candlelight as a guidepost; the cucumber horse displayed so ancestors can ride back quickly; Kyoto's famous Gozan no Okuribi, where the character 「大」 is drawn in fire on the mountainside - not a tourist show but a farewell; and lantern floating, where lights drift slowly down the river.

Perfect for N3-N2 learners drawn to Japanese sentiment and seasonal culture. Tokyo & Kansai dialogue, fully shadowable. Full transcript & study notes on Patreon. 🎧

【Today's Vocabulary / 今日の言葉】

・送り火 (おくりび) - Okuribi - the fire lit at the end of Obon to send ancestral spirits back to the other world. It pairs with 「迎え火」 (mukaebi), the welcoming fire lit at Obon's start; together they mark the spirits' arrival and departure, with the flame serving as a guidepost. Traditionally a small fire at the entrance of the home, but famously scaled up in Kyoto's 「五山の送り火」 (Gozan no Okuribi), where huge characters like 「大」 blaze on the mountainsides. Related words: 「迎え火」 (welcoming fire), 「灯籠流し」 (toro nagashi, lantern floating), and 「お盆」 (Obon).

・迎える (むかえる) - To welcome, greet, or receive someone who is coming; also to go and meet/pick someone up. Equivalent to English "to welcome" or "to greet." Used like 「客を迎える」 (welcome a guest), 「駅まで迎えに行く」 (go to the station to pick someone up). At Obon, families 迎える the ancestral spirits with a 迎え火. It also means to reach a point in time: 「新年を迎える」 (greet the New Year). The opposite in this episode's sense is 「見送る」 (miokuru, to see off). Related word: 「出迎え」 (demukae, meeting/greeting someone on arrival).

・見送る (みおくる) - To see someone off; to watch a departing person until they're out of sight. Equivalent to English "to see off" or "to send off." Used like 「駅まで見送る」 (see someone off at the station), 「駅のホームで見送った」. At Obon's close, families 見送る the ancestral spirits with the okuribi fire. It has a second common meaning - to postpone or pass on something: 「今回は見送ります」 (we'll pass this time). The opposite is 「迎える」 (mukaeru). Related word: 「見送り」 (miokuri, a send-off).

📄 Get the Full Transcript with Furigana & Study Guide on our Patreon!シャドーイングに便利な「ふりがな付き台本」はこちら：👉 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/posts/155837588⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Transparency Disclosure: To maximize your learning experience, this podcast is produced using Google's generative AI technology for precise scriptwriting and clear, high-quality audio generation

Welcome to Episode 73 of Real Japanese Talk with Haruka & Saki! 🗼🐙

🍜 "'We've started cold chuka' - what is that shop sign even declaring?" Saki's foreign friend was baffled, but to Japanese people that little sign is practically a season word. Hiyashi chuka (cold ramen) is a summer institution, and the sign going up - and later coming down - marks the season itself. Continuing our popular summer food series. 🎯

You'll learn three words:

• 冷やす (hiyasu) - to chill / make cold (cold ramen shocks people who think ramen must be hot!)

• 始める (hajimeru) - to start; the sign 「冷やし中華始めました」 announces summer's arrival

• 彩り (irodori) - colorfulness; the dish is a rainbow of cucumber, ham, egg, and tomato

💡 Inside: why cold ramen surprises foreigners, how the sign works like a seasonal word (and its disappearance quietly marks summer's end), the tangy sauce that's easy to eat even with summer fatigue, the finely-sliced kinshi tamago egg, and the twist - despite the "chuka" (Chinese) name, hiyashi chuka was actually born in Japan.

Perfect for N3-N2 learners who love food culture. Tokyo & Kansai dialogue, fully shadowable. Full transcript & study notes on Patreon. 🎧

【Today's Vocabulary / 今日の言葉】

・冷やす (ひやす) - To chill, cool, or make something cold. Equivalent to English "to chill" or "to cool down." Used like 「ビールを冷やす」 (chill beer), 「麺を冷やす」 (chill noodles). In 冷やし中華 (hiyashi chuka), the noodles are chilled - surprising to people who assume ramen must be hot. The transitive 冷やす takes an object; the intransitive partner is 「冷える」 (hieru, to get cold on its own), and the adjective is 「冷たい」 (tsumetai, cold to the touch). Related word: 「冷蔵庫」 (reizoko, refrigerator).

・始める (はじめる) - To begin or start something. Equivalent to English "to start" or "to begin." A transitive verb (you start something): 「勉強を始める」 (start studying), 「店を始める」 (start/open a shop). The famous seasonal sign 「冷やし中華始めました」 ("we've started cold chuka") literally uses this verb to announce the menu item is now available. The intransitive partner is 「始まる」 (hajimaru, for something to begin), and the noun is 「始め」 (hajime, the beginning). Related word: 「スタート」 (sutaato, start).

・彩り (いろどり) - Colorfulness, a color arrangement, or a colorful accent - the way various colors combine attractively. Equivalent to English "colorfulness" or "a splash of color." Used like 「彩りが豊か」 (rich in color) or 「彩りを添える」 (add a touch of color). In hiyashi chuka, the toppings - cucumber, ham, egg, tomato - give beautiful 彩り, making it a dish enjoyed with the eyes. From the verb 「彩る」 (irodoru, to color/decorate). Related words: 「色」 (iro, color) and 「鮮やか」 (azayaka, vivid).

📄 Get the Full Transcript with Furigana & Study Guide on our Patreon!シャドーイングに便利な「ふりがな付き台本」はこちら：👉 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/posts/155837588⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Transparency Disclosure: To maximize your learning experience, this podcast is produced using Google's generative AI technology for precise scriptwriting and clear, high-quality audio generation

Welcome to Episode 72 of Real Japanese Talk with Haruka & Saki! 🗼🐙

🍉 "You burn a spiral incense in summer - what IS that?" Saki's foreign friend spotted a mosquito coil, and that opened the door to two beloved icons of Japanese summer. Continuing our popular seasonal food-and-experience series. 🎯

You'll learn three words:

• 蚊 (ka) - a mosquito; the tiny blood-sucking enemy of Japanese summer

• 目隠し (mekakushi) - a blindfold; the essential tool of watermelon splitting

• 割る (waru) - to split or break something in two by striking it

💡 Inside: why mosquito coils are spiral-shaped (so they burn for hours), the adorable pig-shaped holders that are a traditional good-luck item, why some people get bitten far more than others, and the wonderfully odd game of スイカ割り - blindfolded, holding a stick, guided by shouting friends (some of whom deliberately mislead you) - which somehow even has official rules covering stick length and number of spins.

Perfect for N3-N2 learners who love seasonal culture. Tokyo & Kansai dialogue, fully shadowable. Full transcript & study notes on Patreon. 🎧

【Today's Vocabulary / 今日の言葉】

・蚊 (か) - A mosquito - the small blood-sucking insect that appears in summer. Written with a single kanji, 蚊, read simply か. Used like 「蚊に刺される」 (to be bitten by a mosquito - note Japanese uses 刺す, "to sting/pierce," not 噛む) and 「蚊がいる」 (there's a mosquito). Japan fights them with 「蚊取り線香」 (katori senko, mosquito coils), sprays, and 「蚊帳」 (kaya, mosquito nets). Related words: 「虫」 (mushi, insect), 「刺される」 (sasareru, to get bitten/stung), and 「かゆい」 (kayui, itchy).

・目隠し (めかくし) - A blindfold, or the act of blindfolding - covering the eyes with cloth so someone can't see. Equivalent to English "blindfold." Used as a する-verb: 「目隠しをする」 (put on a blindfold). Essential for スイカ割り (watermelon splitting), where a blindfolded player is guided by shouted directions. It can also mean a visual screen or partition that blocks a view, as in 「目隠しのフェンス」 (a privacy fence). Built from 目 (me, eye) + 隠す (kakusu, to hide). Related word: 「覆う」 (oou, to cover).

・割る (わる) - To split, break, or crack something hard into pieces - typically by striking it. Equivalent to English "to split" or "to break." Used like 「スイカを割る」 (split a watermelon), 「卵を割る」 (crack an egg), 「お皿を割る」 (break a plate). It also means "to divide" in arithmetic (「十を二で割る」) and "to dilute" a drink (「水で割る」, cut with water). The intransitive partner is 「割れる」 (wareru, to break/split). Related word: 「壊す」 (kowasu, to break something).

📄 Get the Full Transcript with Furigana & Study Guide on our Patreon!シャドーイングに便利な「ふりがな付き台本」はこちら：👉 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/posts/155837588⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Transparency Disclosure: To maximize your learning experience, this podcast is produced using Google's generative AI technology for precise scriptwriting and clear, high-quality audio generation

Welcome to Episode 71 of Real Japanese Talk with Haruka & Saki! 🗼🐙

🎋 "Why float the noodles? Isn't a plate fine?" Saki's foreign friend had a fair question - but nagashi somen (flowing noodles) is about the experience, not just eating. Water rushes down a split-bamboo channel, noodles come sliding past, and you catch them with your chopsticks. Following our hit kakigori and ice cream episodes, here's more Japanese summer fun. 🎯

You'll learn three words:

• 流す (nagasu) - to let flow / send down (water and noodles down a bamboo channel)

• そうめん (somen) - thin, white, cold summer noodles (thinner than the similar hiyamugi)

• すくう (sukuu) - to scoop/catch something flowing by, with your chopsticks

💡 Inside: why floating noodles feels cooling in the heat, the story that it began with cold mountain water, the somen-vs-hiyamugi difference (it's the thickness), the thrill of catching noodles before they escape forever, and the home machines that spin them round and round on your table.

Perfect for N3-N2 learners who love food culture. Tokyo & Kansai dialogue, fully shadowable. Full transcript & study notes on Patreon. 🎧

【Today's Vocabulary / 今日の言葉】

・流す (ながす) - To let flow, pour, or send something (usually water) moving from a higher to a lower place. Equivalent to English "to let flow," "to run (water)," or "to wash away." In nagashi somen (流しそうめん, "flowing somen"), cold water and noodles are sent down a split-bamboo channel. Also used like 「水を流す」 (flush/run water), 「涙を流す」 (shed tears), and 「音楽を流す」 (play music in the background). The intransitive partner is 「流れる」 (nagareru, to flow). Related word: 「流れ」 (nagare, a flow/current).

・そうめん (そうめん) - Somen - very thin, white wheat noodles, usually served chilled with a dipping sauce (めんつゆ) in summer. Written 素麺. Prized for smooth のどごし (throat-feel), it's easy to eat even when heat kills your appetite. There's a very similar noodle, 「ひやむぎ」 (hiyamugi), the main difference being thickness - somen is thinner. Nagashi somen (流しそうめん) is the playful version where noodles flow down a bamboo channel. Related words: 「うどん」 (thick wheat noodles) and 「めんつゆ」 (noodle dipping sauce).

・すくう (すくう) - To scoop up, ladle, or catch something - liquid, or something floating/flowing by. Equivalent to English "to scoop" or "to ladle." Written 掬う. In nagashi somen you すくう the noodles from the flow with your chopsticks before they escape; at festivals, 「金魚すくい」 (goldfish scooping) uses the same verb. Also 「水をすくう」 (scoop up water with your hands). Don't confuse with the homophone 「救う」 (sukuu, to rescue/save). Related word: 「すくい上げる」 (sukui-ageru, to scoop up).

📄 Get the Full Transcript with Furigana & Study Guide on our Patreon!シャドーイングに便利な「ふりがな付き台本」はこちら：👉 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/posts/155837588⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Transparency Disclosure: To maximize your learning experience, this podcast is produced using Google's generative AI technology for precise scriptwriting and clear, high-quality audio generation