Field trip to Yanagawa
03/30/2012
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Hello, I am Yoshi Tanaka of NILS Japanese language school.
The students learning Japanese language in the short term program went to Yanagawa and enjoyed traditional dolls' festival called "Sagemon meguri." You can read March 2 school news about the fesitval.
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おかず
03/29/2012
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Hello, I am Yoshi from NILS Japanese language school. Today's word is okazu おかず.
If you look up okazu おかず in a Japanese-English dictionary, you find strange explanations such as "subsidiary articles of diet" and "an accompanying dish." The reason is because there is no equivalent idea in English-speaking cultures and therefore no exact English translation. A typical Japanese dinner always inc…
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Hanami Season
03/29/2012
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Hello, I am Yoshi from NILS Japanese language school. It's been getting warmer and warmer these days, and cherry blossoms started blooming. Speaking of cherry blossoms, yes, hanami season!
In Japan, cherry trees are in full bloom from late March to early April. Cherry blossom viewing or hanami 花見 is like an outdoor party under the cherry blossoms. People spread out a mat under the trees and …
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No Signature
03/28/2012
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Hello, I am Yoshi from NILS Japanese language school. Today's topic is hanko 判子.
In Japan, hanko seals are used in place of a signature. A hanko is a small, cylindrical object with one's name engraved on the surface of one end. It is usually made of wood, but ivory and stone are also used. There are two types of hanko, jitsuin 実印, which is registered with the local government, and minomein 認め…
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Shamisen 三味線
03/28/2012
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Hello, I am Yoshi from NILS Japanese language school. One of our students who finished his 1 year program this spring is now learning a Japanese traditional music instrument, shamisen 三味線.
The shamisen is a Japanese lute with three strings. It is played with a plectrum. It has a long neck and a small square body leathered with animal skin on the front and back. It is believed that the origin …
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No shoes
03/26/2012
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Hello, I am Yoshi from NILS Japnaese language school.
We have four enrollments in a year: Januray, April, July, and October. We pick up new students at the Fukuoka Airprot and take them to NILS dormitories, Gakusei-kaikan, and Leo-Palace apartments. In their countries, they usually don't take off their shoes even at home, so they customarily try to get into rooms without taking off their shoes …
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Join us in October!
03/23/2012
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Hello, I am Yoshi from NILS Japanese language school.
We started accepting applications for the October 2012 Session: 1.5 year and 1 year intensive programs. The application due date is May 31. Kindly request you send us all the required documents before the due date. You can find out what documents are necessary on the followings.
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どうぞ, Please
03/23/2012
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Hello, I am Yoshi from NILS Japanese language school. Today's phrase in Japanese is Dozo どうぞ.
Dozo どうぞ by itself is most often used when one invites someone to do something, e.g., when a host or hostess invites a guest to come in, or when one offers someone something such as food, a beverage, or a cigarrette. Offering something to someone is really like inviting that person to have and enjoy th…
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Religions in Japan
03/22/2012
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Hello, I am Yoshi from NILS Japanese language school. Today's topic is religions in Japan.
After the World War II, religious freedom was guaranteed by the Japanese Constitution. Since Japan has no official religion, there is therefore no official relationship between the nation's politics and its religions. The two major religions in Japan are Shinto and Buddhism. Shinto is a folk religioin o…
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