When I was young, I used to love watching American TV shows and dreamed of America. I wanted to go there someday but traveling abroad was not something anybody could do at that time. Flights were very expensive and there were hardly any opportunities for young people in Japan to learn practical and conversational English in the late 1970’s.

My interest in America and its language grew as I became a junior high school student. I was motivated to study English and was determined to enroll in the YMCA High School Conversation Course after graduation. YMCA was probably one of the very few institutions that offered practical English learning to high school students at that time in Osaka. In my senior year, I participated in the English speech contest hosted by the Osaka-San Francisco Sister-City Association as the representative of the YMCA. Winning the contest gave me a free ticket to California to do homestay for 6 weeks in the coming summer of 1981. There are no words to express the joy and excitement that I felt then.

The experience I had in the U.S. that summer instilled in me a strong desire to study at an American university. As I look back on my life, the funny thing is that I learned more about Japan and myself as a Japanese when I was living in the U.S. I grew to love my country and appreciate being a citizen. The experience made me want to teach English and help young Japanese people have positive experiences in their lives just like I did.

Being able to speak English has blessed me and brought much happiness into my life over the years, and I would like to share one experience I had this summer. The year 2021 was a special year for Japan to hold the Olympics in Tokyo after 57 years even though it was in the middle of the Covid pandemic. I decided to volunteer for the Olympics, and they put me in the Athlete Village where all the athletes from 220 countries stayed. My responsibility was to help the athletes install the smartphone game that IOC created for them. The booth I worked at was inside the cafeteria building, so I must have seen and met most of the athletes and coaches. I had never seen so many different nationalities of people before. Being able to meet and talk with them is one experience that I will always cherish and remember. I learned that it surely is possible that all the people from different nations can be one regardless of politics and religion. How wonderful it would be if all the people in the world could love and respect each other! It is my hope that you strive to improve your English skills and let your light shine in the world by sharing your talents and kindness. I believe that this is something we can do for world peace.

Q1. How did the writer make his dream to go to America come true?

Q2. What was the writer’s responsibility as a volunteer at the Tokyo Olympics?

Q3. What does the writer think we can do to contribute to world peace? 

Scroll down for answers

A1. He won a speech competition that had a homestay in the US as a prize

A2. To help athletes install a smartphone game

A3. You can learn English and share your talents with the world

I have a question for the students of Ritsumeikan University - are you bi-cultural? Have you ever had the opportunity to live (or study) in a foreign country for long enough to become familiar with its culture? As for me, I have had the good fortune to live in England (my home country) and Japan for long periods of time. Therefore, I have become familiar with the cultures of both countries. One of the main advantages of being bi-cultural is that you are able to compare and contrast nations and cultures. Like all countries, England and Japan have attractive points as well as some less-appealing ones. I would like to discuss some of the more attractive points about living in Japan, when compared with England, as well as some of its less-appealing ones. 

First, I love travelling by train and Japan has perhaps the best railway network in the world – far better than England’s. Unlike my home country, you can usually rely on Japanese trains to arrive on time. The passengers tend to be considerate to others such as not using their mobile phones or speaking loudly while on board. Furthermore, Japanese trains are usually clean because passengers almost always dispose of their rubbish at the end of their journey. Unfortunately, the English tend to leave their rubbish on the seats and tables in the train. 

Next, there is little vandalism in Japan. Japanese people tend to respect other people’s belongings which I am afraid is not always the case in England. Did you know that a recent public cycle-sharing scheme in the northern city of Manchester was stopped because more than half of the bikes were either vandalised, stolen or thrown into the city’s canal? As an Englishman, I am not only deeply saddened by this thoughtless vandalism, but also perplexed by this behaviour. Why are the English and Japanese so different in this regard? It is a complex question, which I cannot answer with any great depth here. However, I suspect the answer is deeply rooted in the differing education systems, cultural and social norms. 

Now, I would like to discuss a few things that I dislike about Japan when compared to England. Firstly, I hate the habits of slurping and sniffing. Although I can barely tolerate the culture of slurping noodles, I loathe it when the Japanese slurp their tea and coffee. However, what is even more annoying than slurping is sniffing. I dislike it when people sniff constantly, especially in enclosed spaces such as restaurants or on public transport. When I was a child at school, if I sniffed a teacher would usually offer me a tissue. I am sorely tempted to do the same with Japanese ‘sniffers.’ Just seeing the reaction would be worth the effort!

Another thing that I dislike about Japan is the regular absence of polite ‘small talk’ in everyday situations. In England, neighbours, shop assistants, café workers and so on, often initiate friendly conversation by asking “how are you today?”, “terrible weather, isn't it?”, “are you busy at the moment?” or something similar. However, in the block of flats where I live in Kyoto, some of my Japanese neighbours do not even acknowledge me, not in the lift or in the foyer of the building. It appears that I do not exist to them. I wonder why this happens? Have I upset my neighbours in some way? I do not think so, as I pride myself on being a polite and considerate one. Nor is language a hurdle as I can speak Japanese – not perfectly, but I can communicate pretty well. In addition, although I often go to the same cafes in Kyoto and am served by the same people, there is little effort on their part to converse with me. I have often initiated ‘small talk’ but it has usually ended in failure. Although Japanese service is efficient, I consider it cold, as if being served by an android. Therefore, Japanese service often lacks the warmth of customer service that can sometimes be found in England. 

In conclusion, being bi-cultural is a blessing in many ways, not least because it enables you to compare and contrast. It allows you to appreciate the finer points of a country, but also be conscious of its less pleasant ones. Therefore, being bi-cultural helps you to manage your own expectations when travelling, so when I arrive back to my home country I am mentally prepared for disruptions and annoyances on the railway. In contrast, upon my return to Japan, I look forward to travelling by train, as it is so often a pleasant way to travel. That is unless someone is sniffing next to me during the journey! I hope that you will be able to become bi-cultural in the future and discover the many pleasures, as well as occasional annoyances, which other countries and cultures may offer.

Q1. What are the two main good points about living in Japan?

Q2. What are three main bad points about living in Japan? 

Q3. What are the reasons for the differences between England and Japan regarding vandalism? 

Scroll down for answers

A1. The train network and the lack of vandalism

A2. Lack of polite small talk, slurping and sniffing

A3. The differing education systems, cultural and social norms

You should enjoy your leisure time while you can because once you start working, you may not have much time for yourself. The average amount of overtime work in Japan is said to be 25 to 26 hours per month. If you work five days a week, you will work one more hour extra each day: a total of nine hours everyday. So why don’t you enjoy your free time while you are a student? You can enjoy sightseeing, eating out, and participating in outdoor activities since the state of emergency has been lifted now.

Do you know how many temples and shrines there are in Osaka, Shiga, and Kyoto? There are 3,395 in Osaka, 3,213 in Shiga, and 3,076 in Kyoto. You would think Kyoto has the largest number of temples and shrines but surprisingly Osaka has the most. The public transportation in Osaka is well developed so it is easy to get around on the subways and buses. A one-day ticket for Osaka is only 800 yen and you can use it for both the Osaka Metro and city buses. In Kyoto, buses are convenient for getting around. You can visit most of the temples by bus. A one-day ticket for both subways and buses is 1,100 yen. You can visit as many temples and shrines as the time allows. Isn’t it a good opportunity to enjoy a tranquil environment?

As you go around, you can also enjoy the food of the area. There are 51,230 restaurants in Osaka, 13, 325 restaurants in Kyoto, and 4,699 restaurants in Shiga. You have so many choices! There are interesting regional dishes in all three places. If you look them up on the internet, you will see enormous variety. I recommend trying the local specialties. However, those places might be crowded, and I’m sure there are people who want to avoid the busy places, so there are other options. For example, a great way to spend leisure time without encountering crowds is to check out some of the natural scenery in the Kansai region. 

If you want to enjoy the outdoors, you could visit the famous Lake Biwa in Shiga. A lap around the lake is about 200 km. You see many cyclists going around, but it will take you about ten hours if you cycle at 20 km/hour. If you are not crazy about cycling, you can take two days to go around. If you like motorcycles, using a 400cc motorcycle will take about four hours. Or you can go around with a car and that will take about four hours too. If you want to enjoy cycling in urban areas, you can rent a bicycle in Kyoto and Osaka, but there is heavy traffic, so please be careful. Now you probably feel like you want to do something in your leisure time, don’t you? You can enjoy these things even after you start working but making time to do them will probably be harder than now. So why don’t you act now?

Photo credit: Elijah O’Donnell@Pexels.com

Q1: Which prefecture has the most temples and shrines?

a. Kyoto

b. Osaka

c. Shiga

Q2: How many restaurants are there in Osaka?

a. Less than 5,000

b. About 13,000

c. About 51,000

Q3 If you cycle around Lake Biwa, how long does it take?

a. 4 hours

b. 6 hours

c. 10 hours

Scroll down for answers 

A1: b

A2: c

A3: c

Do you usually clean up your house at the end of every year? Are you good at arranging your belongings? Simple living is known as dansyari (断捨離) in Japanese, and it is presented in books and TV programs these days.

LAVA International, Inc (1). explains that the goal of simple living is understanding yourself and having more time and energy to do important things, rather than spending time on keeping unnecessary things. Simple living means not only throwing away no-longer-needed objects but also focusing on time, relationships and a way of thinking. It is said that the idea of minimalism originally comes from the three ideas behind yoga, which are discontinuance, abandonment and separation. These ideas are applied to decluttering or dansyari. In other words, you are recommended to cut out unnecessary and unimportant things in your life. According to Mynavi Corporation (2), there are four advantages in simple living:

1. Tidy rooms can make you feel refreshed. There are only necessary things in your room and you can comfortably live there surrounded by essentials.

2. You can reduce wasted time searching for something lost.

3. Having another look at yourself. You can understand your values and hopes by separating things into three groups of Needed, Unneeded or Keep.

4. Being able to put more emphasis on quality rather than quantity.

By living simply, you will naturally be able to think about what you want and how much you need. Mynavi Corporation introduces four steps to start living simply. For starters, you should classify your possessions into three groups of Needed, Unneeded or Keep. Next, you are advised to store the things in Needed in a designated place. Then, the things in Unneeded can be thrown away, sold or transferred to somebody. Lastly, the things in Keep can be considered again if they are needed or not after a certain period of time.

Are you afraid of putting too many things in the group of Keep now? Here is some advice on how to determine if something is Needed, Unneeded or Kept. LAVA International, Inc points out that you can rely on how you feel when you see the target object. Keep it if you feel excited or have a plan to use it in the future. On the other hand, don’t keep it if you have not used it for a long time. For an object you want to keep, think about changing its place or using it in another way if it has not been used for a long time.

(1) https://yogafull.jp/3606

(2) https://news.mynavi.jp/article/20201117-1492848

Photo credit Jonathan Borba @Pexels.com

Q1: Where does the idea of minimalism originally come from?

Q2: What should we do with the things in the group of Keep?

Q3: How can we decide if a thing is needed?

Scroll down for answers

A1: It comes from the three ideas behind yoga.

A2: Rethink about if it is needed or not after a certain period of time.

A3: See if you feel excited or have a plan to use it in the future.

In modern society, people can go on a trip even when they are busy. By means of transportation such as cars, trains, or planes, they can easily reach their destinations in a short time. While most tourists today choose these means of modern transportation, some enjoy bicycling to their destinations. In this blog post, I would like to share with you some advantages of going on a bicycle trip that I realised as a member of the cycling club at my university.

A trip is not just about visiting famous sightseeing spots, but it also consists of the moments on the way. On a bicycle trip, the scenes that you see will pass by slower and thus will be more memorable compared to those in a car or on a train. If you are the type of traveller who finds it fun to take pictures, you can stop at any good photo places on a bicycle trip. (Of course, you cannot take pictures on the ride. It’s too dangerous!) There are many other things on the way that may become memorable during your trip. Stopping by less-known spots that are not in travel guidebooks, you may be able to have special experiences such as meeting local people.

Eating special food on an empty stomach is another big advantage of a bicycle trip. Have you ever felt that something tasted better because you were starving? The hunger you feel after a long ride can be the best sauce for what you eat during the trip. Speaking of my experience, I still clearly remember the taste of the ice cream cone I ate at an ice cream shop on the top of a mountain in Tohoku.

By the way, do you know cycling is one of the most effective workouts? According to 改訂版「身体活動のメッツ(METs)表」the National Institute of Health and Nutrition, biking at a speed of 16.1-19.2 kph comes in at 6.8 METs, which means a 65kg person can burn as many as 464 kilocalories per hour. Even if you enjoy local cuisines to the fullest, you may no longer have to worry about standing on a bath scale when you return from the bicycle trip.

If you can’t afford to take a long bicycle trip, I recommend one day “puttering.” It is Japanese-English derived from the English word “putter” to mean going out on a bicycle without any specific destination. There are many spots around the three campuses of our university that you can visit on your mama-chari. Why don’t you go “puttering” and find new places this weekend?

Last, remember that bicycle insurance is compulsory for cyclers in Osaka, Kyoto, and Shiga. Be safe and have fun riding!

Photo credit Mabel Amber@Pexels.com

Questions

Scroll down for answers

Q1. The author states that visiting famous tourist areas is the most important part of a bicycle trip. True or False?

Q2. What did the author eat on the top of a mountain when travelling in Tohoku.

a) a cookie

b) a rice ball

c) an ice cream cone

d) a sandwich

Q3. The author suggests that people may not have to care about their weight when they return from a bicycle trip. True or False?

A1. False

A2. C

A3. True

Would you like to enjoy a comedy drama in English and become a good person at the same time? The Good Place (2016-2020 on Netflix) might help you with that.

The story of The Good Place begins when Eleanor (Kristen Bell – you might recognise her voice: she played Anna in Disney’s Frozen) finds herself in an unknown, office-like location. She is told by Michael (Ted Danson) that she is dead, and she is now in “the good place”. According to Michael, who designed the good place in which Eleanor is now, everyone is put into the good place or the bad place after their death based on their actions on earth. For example, on the one hand, if you remember your friend’s birthday, you earn a couple of points. On the other hand, when you cut in line, you lose some points. People who have a lot of points can be put into the good place. Eleanor, an environmental lawyer who dedicated her entire life to saving others, seems to be a perfect fit in the good place.

The only problem is, however, that there has been a mistake: Eleanor is, in fact, quite selfish. She was not even an environmental lawyer – she worked at a company that sells fake medicine to the elderly. What should Eleanor do to stay in the good place? Should she stay in the good place? Would it be possible for her to become a good person?

One of the important messages in The Good Place is that we cannot exist on our own; we communicate with and depend on each other every day. As one of the characters says, we “choose to be good because of our bonds with other people”. As a member of a community, we should at least try to help other people and make each other better.

The Good Place helps us think about what makes one a “good person”. Being a good person is not always easy - there are countless reasons which make you think that it is okay to be selfish, that you do not have to care about people around you. However, doing even a tiny bit of good action for someone can give you a sense of belonging to a community, and that feeling will brighten your world a little. After watching The Good Place, you will want to go do something good.

Photo credit: cotton bro@pexels

Quiz

Q1. What example is given in the blog as a way of earning points to get into the good place?

Q2. What is Eleanor’s problem in the good place?

Q3. What is one of the important messages in The Good Place?

Scroll down for answers

A1. Remembering your friend's birthday.

A2. She is selfish and does not deserve to be in the good place.

A3. That we cannot exist on our own.

(Please see main blog page for part 1)

After we started biking on the road, it was indeed very tough. Summer heat as well as long distances on the road made many participants exhausted. Though I could understand very little English, I helped many of them by physically pushing them on uphill sections, sharing my food and drink, and encouraging them by repeating “fight! fight! fight”, and so on. To my big surprise, through this non-verbal interaction, one American girl from California told me she liked me! She was a tall beautiful girl with shiny blonde hair. I absolutely did not know how to respond, but of course there was no reason for me to refuse her. From then on, we fell in love with each other. I struggled to communicate with her with the very limited vocabulary I memorised for my failed entrance examination for Ritsumeikan University. By the end of this 2-week event, we could exchange some easy words or phrases in English. It was such a romantic moment for me with the first foreign person I’ve ever met in my life.

Unfortunately however, a bitter end came to this romance shortly after. Right before she departed for California, she told me that it was not realistic to keep this relationship across the huge Pacific Ocean separating our countries. I was very sad and disappointed, but accepted her suggestion to stay good friends with each other. I went back to Yamagata with a broken heart. Although the romance ended like this, my sweet memory of her had triggered a strong interest and curiosity in America as a country. I started studying English like crazy. By the end of my second year in Yamagata, my English improved well enough to be admitted into some American universities. I then quit Yamagata University and transferred to the University of Minnesota to study international relations. After I graduated from the University of Minnesota, I went on to a graduate school at another university in America.

Here I am now teaching English at Ritsumeikan University where I had once failed to enter some 35 years ago. Looking back on these 35 years, I really feel that life is so mysterious that you never know how things in life would take you to what destinies. So I’d like to suggest to all my fellow Ritsumeikan students not to be afraid of following your inspiration and embarking on a new adventure to the unknown, that is to say, “go beyond borders!”

Photo credit: Buro Millennial @pexels

Quiz

Q1. Why was the bike journey so tough?

a) It was long and hot.

b) None of the participants could speak English.

c) The route was uphill.

Q2. What was one result of the writer’s break-up with his girlfriend?

a) He decided to meet his girlfriend in America.

b) He quit university.

c) He studied English very hard.

Q3. What is the writer’s advice?

a) Study as much as you can.

b) Visit Beyond Borders Plaza.

c) Follow your inspiration.

Scroll down for answers.

A1. a

A2. c

A3. c

In the spring of 1986, I started my college life with deep disappointment. I failed in the entrance examination for Ritsumeikan University and ended up going to Yamagata University so far away from home. Most of my high school friends passed the exams to enter good universities in the Kansai area, and none of them came to Yamagata with me. I deserved this because I did not study as hard as I should have. All I was doing in high school was swimming and biking. I was very active physically, but extremely lazy intellectually.

However, there were two things I really wanted to do at the university: 1. making a long bike trip around the entire country of Japan, and 2. doing something for world peace. Back then, nuclear competition between the U.S. and the Soviet Union was so severe that the world community was seriously worried about the outbreak of a Third World War.  So after I entered university, I started reading a lot of books about world peace and conflicts.

During my first summer vacation in Yamagata, I joined an anti-nuclear movement planned by the YMCA. It was a campaign by a group of cyclists of Japan and the U.S., in which they would bike from Osaka to Hiroshima, appealing for an immediate stop to the insane nuclear competition. After biking more than 100 km a day for 5 days, all participants would attend the Peace Memorial Ceremony in Hiroshima on August 6.

For me it was a lucky combination of biking and the peace movement, both of which I was deeply interested in. Indeed, in the first preparatory meeting at YMCA, I was designated as one of the cyclist leaders in charge of assisting other participants because I was a tough and experienced cyclist. And then came the day of the welcome party of American participants. I was overwhelmed by more than 50 American participants of my age who were very open, friendly, and cheerful. It was my first encounter with so many Americans. Many of them tried to talk to me in English, but I could not understand or speak a word of it.

Photo credit: Roman Pohorecki @pexels

Quiz

Q1. Why did the writer go to Yamagata University?

a) Most of his friends came from that area.

b) He did not study hard enough.

c) He wanted to join the cycling club in that university.

Q2. The writer wanted to do something for world peace. What was his first step towards that goal?

a) He made a long bike trip.

b) He joined the anti-nuclear movement.

c) He began to read a lot about the subject.

Q3. Why was the protest event perfect for the writer?

a) He could assist other participants.

b) He wanted to meet a lot of foreigners.

c) It combined two of his interests.

Scroll down for answers

A1. b

A2. c

A3. c

The Japanese TV variety show, "プレバト" (Prebato) has recently become popular, and the haiku segment is one of the most highly regarded.

Haiku are written not only in Japan but also around the world. Many people use words to sketch scenes and convey emotions in a short 5-7-5 phrase along with a seasonal word (Kigo).

In Japanese, it is easy to count the number of sounds in a word. In English, the 5-7-5 patterns must be counted using syllables. It is important to point out that in English haiku, the use of seasonal words and 17 syllables is not required, although recently, a 3-5-3 syllabic pattern has become widely accepted.

One of my best friends, an American who publishes under his full name, Stephen J. DeGuire, is also fascinated by haiku. He seems to spend his life constantly trying to create haiku, sharpening his senses throughout his everyday life.

Here are three of Steve’s original haiku, one of which was acknowledged in a haiku contest.

1  One flower fallen

    the whole field diminished—

    an unsettling sun

    (Asahi Haikuist Network, 2006)

2   Basho’s road

     throughout Tohoku

     hope remains

     (Asahi Haikuist Network/L.A. Times, 2011)

3  Summer moon

    awakens sleeping

    Moonflowers

    (Itoen Haiku Contest N. America, 2016)

Can you visualise the scene of each haiku?

The following is Steve’s explanation:

“The first haiku holds a special place in my heart. It was the first haiku I ever wrote; it was also my first attempt at publication and it became my first published haiku. It is also my only published haiku that, at 16 syllables, comes close to the traditional 5-7-5 syllabic pattern. Everyday haiku words (flower, field and sun) were used to hide a deeper “unsettling” or disturbing meaning. It was written after a breakup with a girlfriend and after reading numerous articles regarding bullying and child suicide. On one level I am the “fallen flower”. More importantly, every lost child or “fallen flower”, is a loss for all mankind and all adults, who are responsible for nurturing the “whole field”.

The second haiku, also dear to my heart due to the subject, was written days after the 3/11 disaster. It refers to Basho’s “Oku no Hosomichi”, the tale of Basho’s wanderings through Tohoku, and relates it to the areas and people affected by the disaster. I longed to see a light at the end of a dark tunnel. So much was lost, both people and places, but “hope” remains.

The third haiku utilises two common haiku themes, the moon and flowers, to turn a very common experience, waking and sleeping, upside down. People and flowers usually wake up with the sun and sleep at night. The moonflower, asleep during the day, blooms in darkness as the moon rises.”

Could you picture the scenes in your mind?

In Japan, we are fortunate to have a wonderful culture and beautiful art forms like haiku. We should continue to proudly pass on these wonderful cultural and artistic treasures to the world.

Photo credit: Suzie@Pexels

Quiz

Q1. What pattern is often used in English haiku?

Q2. How many syllables did he use in his first haiku?

Q3. When did the poet start writing haiku?

Scroll down for answers.

A1: 3-5-3

A2: 16

A3: 2006

I have two major passions in life. One is English education, and the other is baseball. These two passions cross paths quite often, but never more than in one particular individual: Shigetoshi Hasegawa.

If you do not recognize the name, let me introduce him a little. He was born and raised in Hyogo Prefecture and graduated from Ritsumeikan University several decades ago. After being drafted by the Orix BlueWave (who are now the Buffaloes) and having a successful pitching career in Japan (Rookie of the Year, All-Star), he spent nine years playing Major League Baseball for the Anaheim Angels and Seattle Mariners. Because his name is so difficult for many non-Japanese to pronounce, he was given the nickname “Shiggy” which I will use the rest of this article.

Shiggy actually did not go to the major leagues because of his baseball aspirations. He went there because he had a fascination with America, and wanted to live there and experience the culture. During his time there, he gained proficiency in English, but also deepened his understanding of the national culture. As such, he was able to understand his own culture better, too. In fact, he has written several books about his experiences in America, plus his methods of learning English. I have not read all of Shiggy’s books, but what I have read, I have thoroughly enjoyed.

A book called {素晴らしき！メジャーリーガーの人生}. is a collection of the monthly columns he wrote for a Japanese newspaper while he was playing baseball in America. He also has one called {メジャーリーグで覚えた僕の英語勉強法}, and most recently, he put one out called {好かれる英会話}. In fact, last year during the pandemic (and online classes for many of us), he did an exclusive “webinar” for Ritsumeikan students and staff based on this book, which is about how to really enjoy speaking English. The webinar was truly enlightening and helped me see that Shiggy has transcended nationality and culture in his life. He is able to objectively see America for what it is, and the same is true of Japan.

This nation of ours (Japan) has a lot of TV shows that focus on how foreigners view Japan. While I enjoy programs like “YOUは何しに日本へ？” It feels a little superficial at times. It also comes across (to foreigners) as Japan tooting its own horn. The show seems to be declaring, “Look at how awesome the world thinks we are!” Shiggy kind of does the opposite in his writing: how does Japan view America? What I enjoy about Shiggy and his writing is that he does not put his own country OR his adopted country on a pedestal. He promotes understanding and acceptance while encouraging people to learn and love English. Oh, and of course, he loves baseball, too.

I highly recommend that you check out Shiggy’s books and aim to emulate one of your fellow Ritsumeikan graduates.

Photo credit: Pixabay

Quiz

Q1. Which baseball team did Shiggy not play for?

a) Orix BlueWave

b) Orix Buffaloes

c) Anaheim Angels

d) Seattle Mariners

Q2. Why did Shiggy want to play Major League Baseball?

a) He wanted to live in America

b) He wanted to challenge his baseball abilities

c) He wanted to teach Japanese to his teammates

d) He wanted to write books about learning English

Q3. What does the writer of this blog appreciate about Shiggy?

a) He loves Japan so much

b) He loves America so much

c) He can see Japan and America without bias

d) He watches TV shows like YOUは何しに日本へ?

Scroll down for answers

A1. b

A2. a

A3. c