Again!!!, I have not posted anything for a while. Spring has sprung in New Zealand and you can see beautiful cherry blossoms here now. Too be honest, quite a few trees seem to pass the full blossom phase and show many fresh green leaves on them????. Soon we will enjoy beautiful full bloom of puff […]

It is 9 August; another atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki 77 years ago today. We thought we learned tons of lessons from the history but we still witness wars on this planet. One day hopefully we will no longer suffer from those. 今日は、8月9日、77年前の今日、長崎[ながさき]に原爆[げんばく]が落[お]とされました。過去[かこ]からいろいろ学[まな]んだと思いたいところですが、まだあちこちで戦争[せんそう](= war)が起[お]きています。いつかきっとすべての戦争が終[お]わりますように。

I have been quite busy and have not managed to post much these days… However! I cannot skip this post… Yes, it’s August 6 again. An atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima 77 years ago today. We all hope peace and happiness for everybody. 最近[さいきん]忙[いそが]しくて、あまり何も書いていません。しかし！　今日は書かないわけにはいきません。 77年前の今日、広島[ひろしま]に原爆[げんばく](= atomic bomb)が落[お]とされました(= to be dropped)。全[すべ]ての人々の平和[へいわ](= peace)と幸[しあわ]せ(= happiness )を祈[いの]ります。

I hope you had a wonderful Christmas this year. 楽[たの]しいクリスマスをすごしましたか。 I had a quick chat with Japanese friends and realised that people did not necessarily eat a special festive meal on the same day. So… on which day (if you did) did you have your special meal last week? 日本の友だちと話して、日本とニュージーランドではクリスマスの特別[とくべつ]の(= special)ご飯[はん]を食べる日が違[ちが]う(= to differ)ことに気[き]がつきました。 In Japan, […]

This is the information for our Waikato students. As you can see in the attached poster, a free 8 week Korean language course will be offered in January and February; this is open to Waikato students. If you are interested, act now! For further enquiries: waikatouni.korean@gmail.com    

I started talking about “West Facing Samurai” a couple of days ago. I will talk about “Samurai” today. If you do not know what I am talking here, please read this first. 一昨日「西[にし]向[む]く侍[さむらい]」の話[はなし]を始[はじ]めました。今日は「侍」について話します。一昨日のブログを読んでいない人は、ここを読んでください。 So far I have explained “West (= nishi)” and “Facing (= muku)”; you now know that “West (=nishi)” refers to February and […]

I started talking about “West Facing Samurai” yesterday (here). 昨日[きのう]、西[にし]向[む]く侍[さむらい](= west facing samurai)、の話を始めました(ここです)。 I have already explained “West (= nishi)” and will talk about “Facing (= muku)” today. After reading yesterday’s post, you would guess “Facing (= muku)” represents June and September; yes, you are right! But this part is a bit more complicated. First, […]

Only today and tomorrow are left this month. November does not have Day 31 and it feels time flies even quicker. 11月は今日と明日で終[お]わります。11月は31日がないので、いつもより時間がはやいように感[かん]じます(= to feel)ね。 November is not the only month without Day 31; February, April, June and September also do not have Day 31. By the way, how do you remember this list? Did you […]