Valentine’s Day is coming! What do you usually do in your country? Do you know what people do in Japan on this day? Listen to this episode to learn more about Japanese Valentine’s Day traditions. Happy Valentine’s Day!

This episode's vocab list:

バレンタインデー Valentine’s Day

日本人らしいイベント an event that matches Japanese characteristics

一番最初にバレンタインデーが日本に紹介されたのは、The first time the Valentine’s Day was introduced to Japan was

神戸 Kobe city

チョコレートメーカー a chocolate manufacturer

宣伝 advertisement; promotion; campaign

最初に興味を示したのは、 The first group to show interest was

それが1970年代。That was in the 1970s.

女の子が男の子に愛を告白する girls confess their love to boys

常識が生まれました。This common knowledge was born.

大人たちに浸透していくTo spread among adults

日本風にin the Japanese style

Shopping and enjoying Japanese food are probably some of your top reasons for visiting Japan, right? Make sure you are well prepared to fully enjoy them. I hope this episode helps with both your travels and your Japanese learning.

This episode's vocab list:

払う to pay

PINと呼ばれる暗証番号 a passcode called PIN

サインをする to sign; to put your signature

3月末まで until the end of March

暗証番号がないと without the passcode

支払い payment

原則 in principle

普段から regularly

国によって depending on the country

登録されていない to not be registered

これまで通り as before; as usual; the way it has been so far

本人確認 identity verification

1万円未満 less than 10,000 yen

4月以降 from April onwards

My new hobby: Zero waste! Am I stingy? I don’t mind. I’m enjoying zero waste now.

This episode's vocab list:

 テレビ局 TV station

リサイクル recycle

いわゆる what is called

リメイク remake

材料 material

布 fabric

帯 belt worn with kimono

ボロボロになる to become worn out or ragged

そのまま as it is

ボタン button

紐 string; cord

取って置く to set it aside; keep it for later

これこそ This is

けち stingy; not generous with money

みみっちい stingy; mean

逆に on the contrary

もったいない wasteful; what a waste

ミニマリスト minimalist

流行っている to be trending

物を減らすために in order to lessen things or reduce clutter

使い切る to completely use it

まさに一石二鳥です！It is truly a case of killing two birds with one stone.

Sad news, but I believe Japan can find a way to solve this problem!

This episode's vocab list:

猛暑日extreme heatwave days

雨が降ってほしいと願っています。I’m wishing for rain soon.

スキー場がにぎわっています。 Ski resorts are crowded and lively.

その反面 on the other hand

スキー場を含め including ski resorts

観光地 tourist areas

問題 issue; problem

ゴミ rubbish; garbage; trash

ゴミ箱が少ないです。 There are few rubbish bins

その結果かどうかは分かりません。 I’m not sure if it happens as a result

道にゴミを捨てる人は、ゴミ箱がないから道に捨てるんでしょうか。Do you think people throw rubbish on the street because there are no bins?

私の持論 my fixed opinion; my firm belief

ゴミ箱がなければ持って帰る to take it home if there’s no bin

ゴミ箱があってもなくても it doesn’t matter whether there is a bin or not

捨てる人は捨てます。 People who throw rubbish would throw it anyway

ゴミが出る所 the places where rubbish ends up

必ずゴミ箱はあります。 There should always be a rubbish bin

食べ歩き eating as you stroll

立って食べる to eat while standing

紙に包む to wrap it up in paper

入れておくTo put it in and leave it there.

次にゴミ箱を見つけた時に、捨てればいいんです。You can throw it away when you find a bin next time: it’s not a big deal. Just do it!

少し協力するだけ only a small amount of cooperation

どうしたらいいと思いますか。What do you recommend they do to solve the problem?

日本のよさをそのままに by preserving the best aspects of Japan

This episode is far from scary! It’s all about quite positive thinking and mindset. Check it out and let the good vibe flow!

This episode's vocab list:

病院の救急外来 emergency outpatient department at the hospital

辛い数日 a few painful days

湿疹 skin rash

両腕 both arms

両脚 both legs

痒い itchy

耐えられませんでした。I couldn’t stand it

氷で痒い所を冷やす to cool the itchy parts with ice

すぐ痒みが止まります。The itching stops quickly.

また痒みが出ます。The itch will come back again

年始早々 Right at the beginning of the New Year

縁起が悪い inauspicious; unlucky; bad omen

これで厄払いできました。I was able to drive out Evil Spirits with this; This helped me drive away bad luck.

苦しい事struggles, difficulties, challenges

辛い事 tough time, painful experiences, hardships

大変な事 difficult situations, tough matters, challenging things

追い出す to force out; drive out; expel; kick out

実際に見えるものではない invisible

宗教的に聞こえます。it sounds like religious

同じ状況でも even in the same situation or circumstances

どんな気持ちでいるかによって depending on how you feel; depending on the emotions you’re experiencing

New Year’s Greetings: I hope we can share more time together this year through this podcast.

This episode's vocab list:

お正月 New Year’s Day and the days that follow

どのように過ごしましたか。How did you spend your time?

体中 all over my body

虫に刺されました。 I got bitten by bugs

いろいろな面で in various aspects

準備をしっかりする to make thorough preparation

そうは言っても、Even so; That being said

挑戦したいです。I want to take on a challenge

言葉にすると、目標に近づけます。By putting it into words, you will get closer to your goal.

見返す to look back at it; to review it

メイトさんと繋がっている to stay connected with you

How was your 2024? Check it out! This is the last episode of this year. Thank you for listening to my podcast again this year. Wishing you a wonderful festive season and a very happy New Year!

This episode's vocab list:

4週間ぶり first time in 4 weeks

言い訳 excuse

振り返ると When I look back on the past

今年は人生で一番忙しい年だったかもしれません。This year might have been the busiest year of my life.

大袈裟だったかな。Was it exaggerating?

改めてonce again or anew; afresh

実行する to carry out; put into action

ことわざ proverb

終わり the end

途中 on the way; in the middle of it; during the time

総合的な評価 overall assessment

些細な事 small things

祝日 public holiday

来年も引き続き continuing into next year

よいお年をお迎えください。Wishing you a Happy New Year!

What katakana words confuse you? Is “Mansion” one of them? Check it out!

This episode's vocab list:

どんな建物 building

モデルルーム show apartment/ show flat

普通のアパート standard apartment/flat

紛らわしい misleading; confusing; ambiguous

その違いは、はっきりと決められている訳ではないそうです。I found that the distinction isn’t clearly or officially defined.

それでも一般的には、Even so, generally speaking,

木造 wooden building

軽量鉄骨造 light steel-frame building

3階建て 3-story

鉄筋コンクリート造 reinforced concrete building

鉄骨鉄筋コンクリート造 steel-frame reinforced concrete building

これは正しいとか正しくないとか、そういうものではない This is not about whether something is correct or incorrect

エレベーターがあるかないかを目安にする to use the presence or absence of an elevator as a standard

義務 obligation

自信を持つ to have confidence

How is your Japanese learning journey going? Do you struggle with Katakana words? I recently came across a Katakana word that I hadn’t noticed was strange before. Now, it’s part of my ‘strange word’ group. Check it out!

This episode's vocab list:

カタカナ語に苦労する to struggle/challenge with Katakana words

英語のような発音 pronunciation that sounds like English

通じません。It’s not understood /It isn’t coming through.

英語以外の言葉 languages other than English

フランス語 French

ポルトガル語 Portuguese

ドイツ語 German

オランダ語 Dutch

その中でも特に変なのは The especially strange ones among them are

ブランド名 Brand name

３つとも all three

使い始めました。They began using

カタカナ語の由来 the origin of that katakana word

ただの偶然かもしれません。It might be just a coincidence.

部品 parts of the product

What autumn foods make your appetite grow? Do you know any autumn foods from Japan? Guess what I will be introducing in this episode. Check it out!

This episode's vocab list:

毎年話している気がします I feel like I talk about this every year

食欲の秋 Autumn: the season of good appetite

私たちの食欲が増すOur appetite increases.

個人的な意見ですが、This is just my personal opinion, but

栗 chestnut

柿 persimmon

さんま pacific saury

上げればきりがないほどあります。There are too many to list because the possibilities are endless.

お米 rice

新米 new rice

並べる to set side by side

新米は収穫した年の12月31日までに袋詰めされたお米です。Shinmai refers to rice that has been polished and packed by the 31st of December of the harvest year.

この時期だけ only during this period

いつものご飯と全然違いますよ。It’s completely different from rice we usually eat.

もちもちした食感を体験してほしいです。I want you to experience its pleasantly chewy, slightly sticky texture.