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

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