Photo Credit: マサコ アーント @ pixabay

One cheap way to get to the beach in Japan is to fly with Peach Airlines from Kansai International Airport to Ishigaki Island in Okinawa. In March, I flew round trip for ¥15,000, and with a bargain deal on a new hotel with a free breakfast for ¥6,000, the choice to see the ocean before school started was an easy one over a weekend stay in an urban setting in Tokyo.

After exiting the new airport on Ishigaki even with a Starbucks cafe, I took a city bus 15 minutes to my hotel in front of the new Intercontinental ANA Resort Hotel and walked to the beach in 5 minutes. Without a car, I had to take a bus around the island. The main gem of a beach is called Kabira with clear, clean water and star-shaped grains of sand. It was an undeveloped beach in a pure state, very peaceful and beautiful. That is in contrast to the downtown area with many izakayas serving Orion beer and souvenir shops selling ceramic shisa figurines. Almost all of the homes in Okinawa have a pair of shisa dragons on the roof or at the entrance. One of the shisa has an open mouth beckoning for good fortune to enter, while the other one has a closed mouth to expel bad fortune. These figures are seen everywhere as spiritual guardians.

The other lyrical touch that I appreciated was constantly hearing the music of the sanshin, I guess Hawaii’s counterpart being the ukulele.

The vibe down there is mellow, and it is a place that needs more tourists to survive economically. This is a great place for students since the costs are low and the warm weather will make it easy to pack a light carry-on suitcase.

Questions:

1) What musical instrument is heard on Ishigaki Island?  

A - ukulele

B – sanshin

C – guitar

2) What is special about the sand on Kabira Beach?

A – it has gold in it

B – it smells good

C – there are star-shaped grains of sand

3) What Okinawan figure/decoration/guardian is also connected with luck inside and outside the house?

A – Setsubun

B – Maneki Neko

C – Shisa

Scroll down ↓ for the answers

Answers:

1) B

2) C

3) C

Do you know what the longest-running animated television series is? Do you think it’s The Simpsons? South Park? Family Guy? Well, it’s my favourite Japanese show–Sazae-san.

You all know that the Isono and Fuguta families never get old, that there’s no way Katsuo can fit his K T-shirts over his head, and that by the end of the credits we begin to feel down at the prospect of the end of the weekend.

But did you know the power of one TV show you love to help your understanding of a language? How many people in the world today have learned Dutch through Nijntje en haar vriendjes, French through La Famille Barbapapa, and Russian through Cheburashka? I can’t tell you which TV program is best for learning English—that you’ll have to do yourself. It’s really just as long as you love the program and want to watch it again and again like I like watching Sazae-san again and again.

Here are some tips. But first you’ll have to have Amazon Prime or Netflix or use your digital recorder. Next, you’ll need a friend. Nobody speaks a language by themselves.

List of tips:

--Watch for 10 minutes, then predict what you think will happen.
--Watch the entire episode, then summarize what happened.
--Freeze any random frame, then describe what is happening.
--Watch a scene with your eyes closed, describe what happened, then watch what really happened.
--Watch a scene with no sound and write down what you think was said, then check.
--Have your friend write down the English subtitles, then erase a few words.
　Next, you watch without the subtitles and try to fill in the blanks your friend made.
--Turn the sound off and practice reading the English subtitles aloud.
　Afterwards, with the sound on, check your pronunciation and intonation.
--Together write down an English-subtitled dialogue, then practice acting it out.
　You both may be better than some of the actors you find on TV these days.


I hope you will try one or two of these tips on your own beloved TV program. As for me, it’s time that I finally figure out what Ikura-chan is really saying. So, from now on I’m going to try to translate everything he says into perfect English.


Photo Credit: Taryn Elliott@pexels.com



Blog Quiz
Q1. What is the longest-running animated television series?
Q2. Which languages can you learn if you watch Nijntje en haar vriendjes,La Famille Barbapapa, and Cheburashka?
Q3. What is the best TV show to help you learn English?



Scroll down ↓ for the answers to the quiz.

















Quiz Answers

Q1. Sazae-san.
Q2. Dutch, French, and Russian.
Q3. The one that you love.

Unfortunately, the last three that I mentioned aired really late at night, so not too many people were able to watch them. This is why I was so glad to have gotten this most recent chance.

October 7: MBS Yonchan. This news program showed my feature at 6:40 p.m., which means more people had a chance to watch. It was the longest corner yet, at roughly 12.5 minutes, and the TV crew even came and filmed me at Ritsumeikan University! By then, I had been filmed so many times that I was not too nervous, but I did sense that students and other teachers were a little shy. Anyhow, I learned something about TV on this day, and it is unfortunate. They are not always accurate and do not always want to portray the truth. They want to tell the story that they think will get them the biggest audience. They also do not always allow the subject of the feature to check it ahead of time and make corrections. There were no fewer than six errors or fabrications on the program, including my age, which they got wrong by 5 years.

All in all, I am happy to be getting recognition for the work I am doing to promote the Hanshin Tigers in English to people all over the world. If you want to study English by reading (and hearing) about the Tigers, why not check out my website [www.thehanshintigers.com]?

Photo Credit: Martin Péchy@pexels.com

Blog Quiz

Q1. According to the writer, why did more people watch MBS Yonchan than several other programs he appeared on?

Q2. What mistake did the most recent TV program make about the writer?

a) Six

b) His age

c) His family members

Q3. Overall, is the writer satisfied with his experiences appearing on television?

Scroll down ↓ for the answers to the quiz.

Quiz Answers

Q1. Because it was shown at 6:40 p.m.

Q2. B

Q3. Yes

I cannot believe how lucky I am. I would have never imagined that I would be featured on television in Japan FIVE times in a single year! Let me quickly mention the first four, and then focus on what I learned from the fifth one.

January 4: Ikegami Akira no Kansaijin ga Shiranai Kansai. This new year’s special showed me covering the Hanshin Tigers in a special way for English-speaking fans all around the world. Famous panelists that I met in the studio included Black Mayonnaise, High Heel Ringo, Miyu Honda, and Joichiro Fujiwara from Naniwa Danshi.

June 17: News Zero. This late-night nationally broadcast news program, hosted by famous anchor Yumiko Udo, was similar to Mr. Ikegami’s program, but I did not go to a studio to talk to famous people. Instead, TV directors recorded me at a separate studio and at a restaurant. Ms. Udo is a huge Hanshin Tigers fan, and she said she wants to meet and go to a Tigers game at Koshien with me. (I would love that!)

June 28: Sekai wo Chotto Dake Kaeru Summit. For this one, I had to go to the studio for a recording, and sitting right next to me was fellow guest Takeshi Tsuruno. We talked before the recording started, and he was a really nice guy! This program had nothing to do with my areas of expertise (English education and Hanshin Tigers), so I was nervous throughout.

July 7: MBS Ballpark. This was the first time a TV program visited my home, which made me (and my whole family) a little nervous. Still, it was interesting to watch the program and hear Tomonori Jinnai and Reni Takagi (Momoiro Clover Z) say that “Hanshin should acquire Trevor-san.” (I would love that!)

Q1. How many times was the writer featured on Japanese TV in 2022?

Q2. Who said she wanted to go to a Hanshin Tigers game with the writer?

a) Reni Takagi

b) High Heel Ringo

c) Yumiko Udo

Q3. On which two dates did the writer mention feeling nervous during the recording session?

Scroll down ↓ for the answers to the quiz.

Quiz Answers

Q1. 5

Q2. C

Q3. June 28 & July 7

How do you feel when you hear the word "poison"? You will probably feel scared, or you might remember scenes from some detective movies or TV programs. Obviously, the term does not have any positive connotations.

Despite the impression we receive from the word, poison sometimes plays an essential role in our lives. For example, professor Funayama at Nihon Pharmaceutical University explains that there is basically no distinction between "poison" and "medicine". According to him, we distinguish the words only by whether the element is beneficial to the human body. We call it “poison” when it does harm to our bodies. Medicine, on the other hand, does good for our bodies. Both have in common that they have a particular influence on our bodies. We, in a sense, live with poison.

A lot of creatures live with the poison as well. For example, some animals risk their mobility to eat poison, and others intake it to protect themselves from predators. You often see sleeping koalas when you visit a zoo. They often spend their days sleeping most of the time. This is because they cannot survive without eating eucalyptus leaves, a plant which is poisonous to their body. They sleep to digest the harmful substances in the leaves.

Some frogs and snakes intake poison from their food and utilize it to protect themselves. Toads, for example, have a potent poison called bufotoxin in their body. Dogs and cats sometimes, unfortunately, lose their lives when they eat the frog while they are taking a walk. The tiger keelback, yamakagashi in Japanese, are bold enough to eat the poisonous toads, and they use the toad-derived poison as a weapon against their predators. Poison dart frogs, toxic frogs, save poison in their body using the same method. Wild poison dart frogs eat some ants and millipedes (yasude in Japanese) with poison and keep the poison in their skins. Interestingly, captive-bred poison frogs lose their toxicity because they don't have the chance to capture such food.

"Poison" might sound scary, but the substance with the label can be a blessing to animals, including us. It will be interesting to see how other creatures make use of poison.

Photo Credit: Doug Brown@pexels.com

Blog Quiz

Q1. According to professor Funayama, how are poison and medicine different?

Q2. What can happen when dogs eat a toad?

Q3. What do tiger keelbacks and wild poison dart frogs have in common?

Scroll down ↓ for the answers to the quiz.

Quiz Answers

Q1. A substance is called poison when it has a negative influence on the human body. Medicine refers to a substance with a positive effect on the human body.

Q2. It can lead to a deadly accident for the pet.

Q3. They both capture poisonous creatures and save the poison in their body.

During these Covid-19 times it is not easy to travel internationally, but we are all hoping that changes for the better soon. Today, I would like to tell about one of my favorite countries for traveling – Laos. I have made several trips to Laos and never grow tired of this unique country. As a tourist destination in Southeast Asia, Laos is not as popular as some of its neighboring countries like Thailand, Cambodia, or Vietnam. I think this is one reason it is such an interesting place to visit.

Many people start their trip to Laos by flying into Vientiane. Even though it is the capital of Laos, Vientiane is a small, relaxed city. People are very friendly, and it is a great place to just walk around for a day or two and get a feel for the culture. The mighty Mekong River forms the eastern border of the city, and eating local dishes for dinner in an open-air restaurant on the banks of the Mekong while watching the sunset is a highly recommended way to finish your day.

A few hours bus ride north of Vientiane is the small, fun town of Vang Vieng, which is very popular with young, backpacking travelers from around the world. It is surrounded by beautiful karst mountains and jungle and is a great place for outdoor activities. You can go tubing and kayaking in the river or try caving and rock climbing.

Further north is the UNESCO World Heritage city of Luang Prabang. Also set on the banks of the Mekong, it is a fascinating city with many Buddhist temples and historical French colonial architecture. A great thing to do here is to take a boat ride for a couple hours up the Mekong to the Buddha caves of Pak Ou. Luang Prabang also has excellent restaurants and a cool night market for shopping.

For the adventurous traveler with more time, Laos has some other interesting destinations. In the far north around the town of Luang Namtha you can go trekking to remote hill-tribe villages. In the south of Laos there is the coffee producing Bolaven plateau and the incredible Falls of the Mekong, the largest waterfall in Southeast Asia.

Fairly close to Japan and very affordable to visit with fascinating cultures, friendly people, and incredible natural beauty, Laos is a great choice for adventurous university students wishing to explore off the beaten path in Southeast Asia.

Q1 What are 3 countries mentioned that are next to Laos?

Q2 What is the capital city of Laos?

Q3 What are some adventurous outdoor activities you can do in Laos?

Scroll down for answers

A1 Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam.

A2 Vientiane.

A3 Tubing, kayaking, caving, rock climbing, and trekking.

Today, I would like to introduce the idea of using a fountain pen for daily use. I know that electronic media such as smartphones and tablets have become a part of our daily lives, but it would be nice to enjoy a traditional writing method instead. Recently, I went to Kinokuniya near Osaka station and found a section of fountain pens. There were a lot of them lined up in a row for us to try them out casually. Many people just enjoy such pens as a collection, but fountain pens have many purposes: to enjoy the pleasure of writing, to use as a tool, and to appreciate having time for yourself. 

The first idea is to enjoy the feeling of writing. It is a feeling that only those who have tasted it can understand, but even just by drawing a line, you can feel it in your hand. When I wrote with a fountain pen for the first time, I was amazed at the sound it made when I wrote. Later, after using it several times, I began to feel the steady sound was comfortable. In particular, it is a beneficial tool for people with weak writing pressure compared with regular pens or pencils.

Second, a fountain pen is an excellent tool for organizing your thoughts. Nowadays, it is easy to make voice recordings and convert your ideas into text. However, there is a limit to how much you can write by hand compared with electronic media. In this sense, you can unconsciously replace writing time with organizing time in your mind.

The third is to set aside time for yourself. This idea is similar to the second benefit but different. As long as you have a pen and paper in front of you, you can think only of yourself. No person or sounds will disturb you. In this age of IT advancement, it is precious to be in a space where you are not connected to the Internet, where information is flowing. Especially for writers, such a tool can be a treasure trove of great ideas.

In conclusion, many people love fountain pens, such as writers and cartoonists. However, fountain pens are not only for specialists but also for people in general to enjoy the benefits and pleasure we have discussed. There are several series of pens for beginners with an economical price. So, why not give it a try?

Q1. What is the first benefit of fountain pens?

Q2. What is the second benefit of fountain pens? 

Q3. What is the third benefit of fountain pens?

--- Scroll down for answers ---

A1. They help you to enjoy the feeling of writing.

A2. They help you to organize your thoughts.

A3. They give you space to think of and for yourself.

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