Countdown to the Tenjin Matsuri #1...

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Today, the Tenjin Matsuri, one of the biggest and most popular summer festivals in Osaka, is being held. We’ve been counting down to the festival by teaching you how to say a different festival-related word in English every day. The final word is…

1) Hanabi = Fireworks

The Tenjin Festival fireworks viewed from a friend’s balcony

The literal translation of “hanabi” is “flower fire,” which is a great name! Unfortunately, it means nothing in English.

Fireworks are an important part of celebrations all over the world. Enjoy the fireworks tonight! And enjoy the festival!

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Countdown to the Tenjin Matsuri #2...

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Tomorrow, July 25th, is the Tenjin Matsuri, one of the biggest and most popular summer festivals in Osaka. We’ve decided to help you countdown to the festival by teaching you how to say a different festival-related word in English every day. Today’s word is…

2) Takoyaki = Fried Octopus Dumplings

A “plate” of fried octopus dumplings

Generally speaking, a dumpling is any small lump or ball of dough, pastry or batter. Often dumplings contain small pieces of other food, either sweet or savory. Takoyaki are pan-fried balls of batter filled with pieces of cooked octopus, ginger, and shrimp. If you tell your English-speaking friends that they are “fried octopus dumplings,” they will quickly be able to imagine what you mean.

Many people call takoyaki “octopus balls.” This is a big mistake! In English, “balls” is a common nick name for testicles [kintama]. About a year after I came to Japan, my good friend Peter visited me. While showing him around Osaka, I asked if he’d like to try some “octopus balls.” He looked very surprised and disgusted. “I didn’t know they had any!” was his reply.

このブログの日本語訳はこちらをクリックしてください！

Countdown to the Tenjin Matsuri #3...

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Next Saturday, July 25th, is the Tenjin Matsuri, one of the biggest and most popular summer festivals in Osaka. We’ve decided to help you countdown to the festival by teaching you how to say a different festival-related word in English every day. Today’s word is…

3) Kakigori = Snow Cone

A snow cone versus a kakigori

Most dictionaries translate kakigori as “shaved ice.” While this is basically correct, it isn’t a term often used by native speakers of English. However, if a native speaker of English hears “snow cone,” they imagine something very similar to Japanese kakigori.

In North America, there is a famous product called Slurpee. Slurpees are more like drinks, and are usually based on soda flavors. If you’re talking to North Americans, and they don’t understand snow cone, try saying, “It’s like a Slurpee.” I’m sure they’ll understand exactly what you mean!

このブログの日本語訳はこちらをクリックしてください！

Countdown to the Tenjin Matsuri #4...

このブログの日本語訳はこちら をクリックしてください！

Next Saturday, July 25th, is the Tenjin Matsuri, one of the biggest and most popular summer festivals in Osaka. We’ve decided to help you countdown to the festival by teaching you how to say a different festival-related word in English every day. Today’s word is…

4) Yatai = (Food) Stall

Customers wait to buy fried noodles at a stall

Just like yukata, summer festivals in Japan wouldn’t be the same without yatai. In English, any small portable shop is called a “stall.” We usually put the name of the product being sold in front of the word “stall” to explain what type. However, we usually don’t put “s” at the end of the product word. For example, the customers in the picture above are at a fried-noodle stall.

このブログの日本語訳はこちらをクリックしてください！

Countdown to the Tenjin Matsuri #5...

このブログの日本語訳はこちら をクリックしてください！

Next Saturday, July 25th, is the Tenjin Matsuri, one of the biggest and most popular summer festivals in Osaka. We’ve decided to help you countdown to the festival by teaching you how to say a different festival-related word in English every day. Let’s start with…

5) Yukata = Summer Kimono

A couple of girls in summer kimonos row a boat past a river-side summer festival

Summer festivals in Japan wouldn’t be the same without yukata. In English, we don’t have a special word for yukata. However, everybody knows kimono. If you call a yukata a “summer kimono,” all English speakers will know exactly what you’re talking about.

このブログの日本語訳はこちらをクリックしてください！

That's One Small Step for (a) Man, One Giant Leap for Mankind

40 year’s ago today, mankind landed on the moon.

Click here to find out all about the Apollo 11 mission in Japanese.

Click hereto see video of the first moon walk.

You are "Go" for the Moon

40 years ago today, mankind started an amazing journey. Watch the Apollo 11 launch here.

In English, if we say we are “over the moon," it means we are very, very happy and/or excited. For example, “I was over the moon when I passed the EIKEN Test!”

Eiken Interview Test this Sunday, July 12th

The interviews for the Eiken Test in Practical English Proficiency are being held this Sunday, July 12th. One of our students has been working hard to pass the first grade test. She’s already passed the written test and will be doing the interview on Sunday. She recommended a great site where you can watch virtual interviews. If you are doing the interview this weekend, you should check out http://www.eiken.or.jp/eikentimes/virtual/index.html as part of your final preparation.

Good luck, Mieko! And good luck to everyone who’s taking the test!

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よろしくお願いします！