Learn Japanese Online - JOI Teachers blog

Learn Japanese vocabulary, Kanji and phrases with this free blog with a YouTube video for audio learning, vocabulary lists and English Translation !
Every week, a professional Japanese teacher posts a new blog .

Previous blog archives from 2006 - mid-February 2014.

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Seasonal stories

Japanese seasons are part of the country's culture, folklore and traditions. The four seasons are observed diligently and many linguistic and social terms are based on this aspect of Japan.


Japanese fruit trees Japan is country with a great tradition of farming. The quality of their fruits is really astounding and one really has to come to Japan to taste their flavours. Although it has limited arable land (only 12% of its land is used for farming), the intensity of the farming and the focus on the quality rather than the quantity in many farms, is perhaps why the competitive w...
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Japanese summer noodles Noodles are a staple Japanese cuisine and are especially popular in the hot and humid summer months. It is a season when a lot of people lose their appetite due to the heat. But noodles are suitable for this season. They can also be cooled down which is great for those with a lack of appetite. Ueno sensei finds that these Washoku staples are actually more than just a food...
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Japanese summers In the summertime, over most of Japan the humidity is high and the temperatures are soaring. For many people, it is an uncomfortable season. There are high numbers of heat stroke sufferers and there are many methods to keep cool, bit traditional and modern. In this Japanese learner's blog by JOI teacher Takase sensei, she shares some of the ways she uses to stay cool in the swel...
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Rainy season in Japan The rainy season starts from the beginning of June until the middle of July in Japan. It's wet and humid and therefore not one of the seasons that is loved by many people here, but there are a few pleasures to be found including hot springs and mountain walks. However, most people just bear it until it ends, and then the full-blown summer heat takes over. In this blog from...
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Cherry Blossom viewing Japan The event of enjoying the blooming of the cherry blossoms is called 'Hanami' in Japanese. It is a popular event and you can find the parks and sightseeing spots full of people on the days leading up to and including the full blossom days. Weekends which have good weather combined with fully blooming trees lead to extreme number of people going out to enjoy picnics, b...
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