The last day on Nakasendō Trail brought some unexpected moments including a sudden change of plans, but that didn’t stop us from enjoying every moment. Turn in to hear how the journey wrapped up!

This episode's vocab list:

実は actually

歩くのをやめました。I decided not to walk

山を越える to cross a mountain

きっと surely; certainly

実際 actual condition; in reality; in practice

オフシーズンだったため because it was off-season

お店があんまり開いていませんでした。Many shops were not open.

有名な橋を渡りたかったです。 I wanted to cross the famous bridge

予定より時間が余りました。 We had more spare time than planned

松本のホテルまで移動する to head up to the hotel in Matsumoto

松本の観光 sightseeing in Matsumoto

旅行の予定を立てる to make a travel plan

臨機応変に depending on the circumstances; flexibly

変更できるようにしておく to make it possible to change

用意しておきましょう。It’s better to be prepared

何より more than anything

達成感 a sense of achievement

熊野古道 Kumano Kodo in Wakayama prefecture

四国のお遍路 the pilgrimage in Shikoku island

On Day 3, we took a one-day break from walking the Nakasendō Trail, but we unexpectedly caught a breathtaking view. Even without the trail, we discovered something truly special and worth sharing. Check it out!

This episode's vocab list:

中山道トレイルを中休みしました。We had a one-day break from walking the Nakasendo Trail.

2日目の夜から2泊しました。We stayed 2 nights from the 2nd night of the trip

最寄り駅 the nearest station

移動するto move (from one place to another); travel; head to

とはいえ though we had a break; that said; even so

阿寺渓谷 Atera Valley; Atera Gorge

エメラルドグリーン emerald green

素晴らしかったです。It was stunning; amazing; marvellous;breathtaking

川沿いalong the river

途中から from halfway

雪がたくさん積もっていました。A lot of snow had accumulated/piled up

ひんやりしたchilly

冷たい空気 cold air

夏なら if it’s summer

次回 the next time

中山道トレイルの最終回 the final episode about our Nakasendo Trail journey

On Day 2, we walked to Tsumago-juku along the Nakasendō trail. It was a great experience. Check it out and enjoy my story!

This episode's vocab list:

大型連休 the long consecutive holidays

真っ最中 right in the middle

最初は in the beginning

上り坂 uphill slope

朝早くから出発しました。 we departed early in the morning

天候にも恵まれました。 we were blessing with good weather

新鮮な空気 fresh air

澄んだ青空 clear blue sky

印象的でした。It was impressive.

展望台 lookout point; observation deck

早くも already

随分前に a very long time ago

残り remaining

案の定 as expected

大きく転んでしまいました。I slipped and fell down badly.

バックパックが守ってくれました。 my backpack protected me

怪我 injury

前日 the previous day

半分以上 more than half

昔の町並み historical streets of a town

残念でした That’s unfortunate.

充実感 a sense of fulfillment

達成感 a sense of achievement

引き続き continually

この続きは次回をお楽しみに！Look forward to the continuation in the next episode.

We stayed one night at Magome Ryokan - a beautiful traditional inn that made us feel like we’d stepped back in time. It was a wonderful, invaluable experience full of charm and nostalgia. Tune in to hear all about it!

This episode's vocab list:

4連休 a 4-day long weekend

予定 plan

先週お話したように as I mentioned last week

初めての体験 first experience; new experience

そのうちの1つ one of them

旧中山道 Old Nakasendo

あぜ道 pathway between rice fields

住宅が並んでいました。 residential buildings lined along the streets

一日目 the first day

中津川駅 Nakatsugawa station

歩き始めるTo start walking

中津川宿 Nakatsugawa, a former post town on the Nakasendō

宿場町a post town

普通の田舎町 a typical regional town

近づいていく to get closer and closer

実感できます。You can really feel it

おさむらいさんたち Samurai warriors

不思議な気持ちになるto have a miraculous sense of connection.

着こむ to wear a lot

目的地 the destination; the goal

馬籠宿 Magome, a former post town on the Nakasendō

お店も並んでいます。 Shops are also lined up.

気に入りました。I like it now.

観光バス tour bus

またこの続きは来週をお楽しみに！Look forward to the continuation next week.

Nakasendō is one of Japan’s historic trails, and is still populartoday. I walked just a small part of it. Even though it was off- season, I still enjoyed the experience. On the first day, I walked from Nakatsugawa JR station up to Magome-juku, a post town along the Nakasendō. Check it out!

This episode's vocab list:

4連休 a 4-day long weekend

予定 plan

先週お話したように as I mentioned last week

初めての体験 first experience; new experience

そのうちの1つ one of them

旧中山道 Old Nakasendo

あぜ道 pathway between rice fields

住宅が並んでいました。 residential buildings lined along the streets

一日目 the first day

中津川駅 Nakatsugawa station

歩き始めるTo start walking

中津川宿 Nakatsugawa, a former post town on the Nakasendō

宿場町a post town

普通の田舎町 a typical regional town

近づいていく to get closer and closer

実感できます。You can really feel it

お侍さんたち Samurai warriors

不思議な気持ちになるto have a miraculous sense of connection.

着こむ to wear a lot

目的地 the destination; the goal

馬籠宿 Magome, a former post town on the Nakasendō

お店も並んでいます。 Shops are also lined up.

気に入りました。I like it now.

観光バス tour bus

またこの続きは来週をお楽しみに！Look forward to the continuation next week.

I’m back! Thank you so much for your patience. In this episode, I’ll share what I’ve been up to during the past month. Please check it out!

This episode's vocab list:

一か月以上 more than one month

くことをお知らせしようと思っていました。 I was planning to let you know

出発前 before departing; before leaving

想像以上に more than I imagined

初めての体験 first experience

昔々 long time ago

道 pathway

一部 one part

スノーシュー snowshoe

雪の森 snowy forest

着いた所 place where we got to

雪の池 snow-covered pond

雪と言うより氷の滝 waterfalls with ice rather than snow

言葉では表せないくらい素敵でした。It was so wonderful that words can’t describe it.

お寺 temple

ホテルゲストのように泊まる to stay like a hotel guest

瞑想meditation

朝のお経 morning prayer service with chants

参加するTo participate

精進料理 vegetarian cuisine

ひとつずつ one by one

詳しくお話したいです。 I want to talk about it in detail

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