Coffee is popular and prevalent in New Zealand as well as Japan. But Japanese coffee culture seems to be slightly different from that of New Zealand. 日本でもニュージーランドでもコーヒーは人気[にんき]があります。でも、日本のコーヒー文化[ぶんか](= culture)とニュージーランドのそれは少[すこ]し(= slightly)違[ちが]う(= different)ようです。 To me, it seems that flatwhite is particularly popular in New Zealand. In Japan, on the other hands, tasty filter coffee served at some sort […]

It is autumn in New Zealand and it is spring in Japan – yes, it is the cherry blossom season there! People in Japan do ‘hanami’, blossom viewing picnic; they enjoy obento (= box lunch), beer and so on under/near the beautiful trees. You can see beautiful cherry blossom in September in New Zealand but […]

So have you managed to find answer to the question I threw yesterday ‘what are they’? 昨日の質問「これは何ですか」の答えがわかりましたか。 The answer is – sakadaru. This is a barrel for sake, Japanese rice wine (you can see sake in the barrel in the above photo)! 答えは酒樽[さかだる](= sake barrel)です。酒[さけ]を入れる入れ物です。上の写真[しゃしん]の樽[たる](= barrel)の中にお酒が見えますよね?

The above photo is from yesterday’s (26 March 2019) New Zealand Herald. Do you know what they are? 昨日、3月26日のニュージーランド・ヘラルド紙ですが、上のような写真ものっていました。これ、なんだかわかりますか。

Have you looked at today’s (26 March 2019) New Zealand Herald? The Travel sections show all sorts of info on Japan! They are about Tokyo, Kobe and what to do in Japan etc. There is a big ad on a trip to Japan there! It must be because of #RWC2019 ! 今日、3月26日ののニュージーランド・ヘラルド紙[し]を見ましたか。日本への旅行の記事[きじ](= article)がいっぱいです！　東京[とうきょう]について、神戸[こうべ]について、日本でするべきことなどなど。旅行[りょこう]代理店[だいりてん](= travel agency)による大きな日本旅行の広告[こうこく](= […]

As you might have heard, Japanese people love cherry blossom.　みなさんも知[し]っているように、日本人は桜[さくら]が大好きです。 Around this time of year, people are itching to know when would be the best time to visit a nearby park etc. to see beautiful cherry blossom. For this purpose, all sorts of organizations put ‘cherry blossom forecast’ out each year. You can have a […]

If you missed Kenji’s performance on Wednesday, don’t be sad! Kenji and his associates will throw a proper concert in Hamilton tomorrow (= Saturday 23 March 2019). Please come along. Apparently, a biwa performer will be there too (see the picture below re: biwa). 水曜日[すいようび] に大学にいなかったみなさん！　大丈夫[だいじょうぶ]です、ケンジさんは今週の土曜日のコンサートをハミルトンでします。びわ奏者[そうしゃ](= performer)の方も出られるそうですよ。楽[たの] しみですね！ びわ/biwa

Mr Kenji Furutate, the professional taiko drummer, came to the University of Waikato yesterday (20 March 2019) and gave a wonderful performance during its culture hour (which is 1-2pm every Wednesday). 昨日（3月20日）、ワイカト大学のカルチャー・アワーに太鼓[たいこ]奏者[そうしゃ](= taiko drummer)の古立[ふるたて]ケンジさんが来てくださいました。 It was not so long, but we all enjoyed his energetic performance; thanks, Kenji! 短[みじか]い間[あいだ](= short time)でしたが、とてもすばらしい太鼓の演奏[えんそう](= performance)でした。ケンジさん、ありがとうございました！