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April 30, 2024
 

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Akemi Tanahashi
For Akemi Tanahashi's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
May 4, 2014
Rifōmu-suru rashii-no-yo. It seems they are having their house remodeled
Rifōmu-suru rashii-no-yo. (It seems they are having their house remodeled.)
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Apr 27, 2014
Seikatsu-shūkan-byō-ni naru-nowa, chūkōnen-towakagiranai- sō-yo
Today, we introduce Xu3068u306fu9650uff08u304bu304euff09u3089u306au3044, which shows partial negation. Xu3068u306fu9650uff08u304bu304euff09u3089u306au3044 means that X is not necessarily the case, and is used when the speaker shows that X is not always true even though it is generally thought that X is true.
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Apr 20, 2014
Shimekiri-ni maniau yō-ni, minna-de ganbarimashō
Today we introduce some uses of the verb u304cu3093u3070u308b that can be used in various situations.
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Apr 6, 2014
Futari-wa dō-yatte shiri-atta-no?
Today, we will introduce the proper use of u5408uff08u3042uff09u3046, which attaches to a main verb. X [verb in masu form without masu] u5408uff08u3042uff09u3046 adds the meaning that two or more people/things do the same action [X], creating a reciprocal effect.
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Mar 30, 2014
A, kawaii neko!
Today, we will introduce the various meanings and usages of two adjectives u304bu308fu3044u3044 (cute/lovable) and u3053u308fu3044 (scary/scared) and their related expressions.
LIFE / Language
Mar 23, 2014
Natsukashikute, chotto yotte-mita-n-desu.
Natsukashikute, chotto yotte-mita-n-desu. (I was feeling nostalgic, so thought I'd drop by for a bit.)
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Mar 16, 2014
Chotto, kōen-wo sanpo-shite-kimasu
Chotto, kōen-wo sanpo-shite-kimasu. (I'm just taking a walk in the park.)
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Mar 9, 2014
Iyoiyo raigetsu-kara shōhizei-ga agarimasu-ne
Today we introduce various meanings and usages of the verb u4e0auff08u3042uff09u304cu308b (to go up) and its related expressions.
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Mar 2, 2014
Asoko-no kado-wo migi-ni magaru-to arimasu-yo
Today we will introduce the difference in the meaning and usage of two nouns u89d2uff08u304bu3069uff09and u9685uff08u3059u307fuff09, which are both generally translated as 'corner.' Please imagine the shape of a square; it has four edges.
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Feb 23, 2014
Sakki-kara damarikonde-shimatte
Today we introduce some usages of the verb u8fbcuff08u3053uff09u3080 (to be crowded) and related vocabulary. u8fbcu3080 describes that a place is crowded, as in: u96fbu8ecauff08u3067u3093u3057u3083uff09u304cu8fbcu3093u3067u3044u3066u3001u3059u308fu308cu306au304bu3063u305f (The train was too crowded to get a seat).
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Feb 16, 2014
Nante kanshin-na ojōsan-nano!
Today we will introduce the usage of the two nouns that are homonyms but are written with different kanji, u304bu3093u3057u3093uff08u611fu5fc3uff09and u304bu3093u3057u3093uff08u95a2u5fc3uff09, and their related expressions.
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Feb 9, 2014
Honto-ni yoku nite-iru
Today we will introduce various meanings and usages of adverb u3088u304f(well). u3088u304fis the adverbial form of adjective u3088u3044/u3044u3044 (good) and is used as an adverb in various meanings.
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Feb 2, 2014
Kū ki-ga warui!
Today we will introduce various meanings and usages of the adjective u60aauff08u308fu308buff09u3044(bad/harmful/wrong), which is the antonym of u3044u3044 (good).
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Jan 26, 2014
Tenkin-de kite, sonomama sumitsuite-shimau hito-mo ooi-sō-desu
Tenkin-de kite, sonomama sumitsuite-shimau hito-mo ooi-sō-desu. (There are many people who settled there after getting transferred, I heard.)
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Jan 19, 2014
Suteru-no-wa mottainai-kara, bazaa-ni dasō-kana
Today we introduce various meanings and usages of the adjective u3082u3063u305fu3044u306au3044 (wasteful), which was made world-famous by the Mottainai Campaign created by N obel Peace Prize-laureate Wangari Maathai of Kenya.
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Jan 12, 2014
U, mazui!
Last week we introduced the colloquial adjective u3046u307eu3044 (good). Today we introduce various meanings and usages of its antonym u307eu305au3044 (bad).
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Jan 5, 2014
Kono ryokan-no shokuji-wa umai-na
Today we will introduce various meanings and usages of the adjective u3046u307eu3044 (good). In Situation 1, the husband says u3046u307eu3044 to mean delicious, which sounds somewhat blunt and is used mainly by men.
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Dec 29, 2013
Shinagawa-san-wa dokoka-ni iku-n-desu-ka?
Today, we will introduce the proper use of the particle u306f. Precisely speaking, Xu306f can be translated as 'talking about X' or 'as for X.' The speaker marks the topic of the sentence (= X), and says something about the topic.
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Dec 22, 2013
Ima, denwa-wo shite-iru hito-ga Tian-san-desu
Today we will introduce the proper use of the particle u304c. X u304c is used to mark the subject of the sentence (= X) when it is newly introduced.
LIFE / Language / WELL SAID
Dec 15, 2013
Ja, haite-mimasu
X (= verb in te-form) + u307fu308b is usually used in various patterns, such as in X (= verb in te-form) + u307fu3066(u304fu3060u3055u3044) (please do X and see how it is); X (= verb in te-form) +u307fu305fu3044uff08I want to do X and see how it is); X (= verb in te-form) + u307fu3066u3082u3044u3044u3067u3059u304b (may I do X and see how it is?); X (= verb in te-form) + u307fu305fu307bu3046u304cu3044u3044 (it will be better for you to do X to see how it is); and X (= verb in te-form) +u307fu3088u3046 (let's do X and see how it is). Example: u958buff08u3042uff09u3044u3066u3044u308bu304bu3069u3046u304bu3001u5e97uff08u307fu305buff09u306bu96fbu8a71uff08u3067u3093u308fuff09u3057u3066u307fu3088u3046 (let's call the restaurant and see if it's open). X (= verb in te-form) +u307fu305fu3044 or X (= verb in te-form) + u307fu3066uff08u304fu3060u3055u3044uff09 shows the speaker's reserved feeling more than X (= verb in pre-masu-form) + u305fu3044 and X (= verb in te-form) + u304fu3060u3055u3044 (please) respectively.
When will Japan intervene to support the yen?
Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki has reiterated the government's readiness to take an appropriate action as the yen continues to slide against the U.S. dollar.
'So hot you can't breathe': Extreme heat hits the Philippines
A pedestrian cools himself with a folding hand fan as he waits for a ride along a road in Manila on Wednesday, as extreme heat hit the Philippines.
Raising kids in Japan as a single parent? It takes a village.
Making things work as a foreign, single mother in Japan isn't easy, but these tips and tricks can help you through the hardest parts.
Yen rebounds strongly after first slide past ¥160 since 1990
The yen dropped to ¥160.245 per dollar on Monday before heading into the other direction to ¥155.01 amid speculation of an intervention by Japanese currency authorities.
Man, 28, arrested in Okinawa over burned bodies found in Tochigi
Hikaru Sasaki enters the Metropolitan Police Department's Osaki police station in Tokyo's Shinagawa Ward on Monday after being arrested on suspicion of disposing of two bodies found in Nasu, Tochigi Prefecture, earlier this month.
Climate change, chalky grains and the risks for Japan’s rice farmers
A farmer plants seedlings in Satsumasendai, Kagoshima Prefecture. Japan’s self sufficiency rate for rice is nearly 100%, compared with 38% for food overall, on a calorie basis.
Japan wants you to spend more with ‘luxury tourism’
Performers play a traditional drum unique to Wajima, Ishikawa Prefecture, in the prefectural capital of Kanazawa on March 16 to mark the extension of the Hokuriku Shinkansen line to Tsuruga Station in Fukui Prefecture.
Theaster Gates’ ambitious ‘Afro-Mingei’ brings Black Chicago to Tokyo
Theaster Gates' “A Heavenly Chord” lines up church pews before seven speakers and a Hammond B3 organ, a type of electric organ prevalent in Black American churches.
Casa del Cibo: A thriving jewel born from Tohoku’s harsh past
When chef Ryohei Ikemi moved to Hachinohe, Aomori Prefecture, and opened Casa del Cibo in 2011, it was the first proper Italian restaurant in the city.
Town to block view of Mount Fuji in response to overtourism
The town government of Fujikawaguchiko, Yamanashi Prefecture, decided to set up a 2.5-meter-high screen to prevent tourists from taking pictures of Mount Fuji looming behind a convenience store.

Podcast

From easily navigable train stations to the helpfulness of its municipal staff, Tokyo has earned high praise for its commitment to accessibility for disabled travelers.
[Rebroadcast] Japan is doing better on accessibility than you may think

Longform

When trying to trace your lineage in Japan, the "koseki" is the most important form of document you'll encounter.
Climbing the branches of a Japanese family tree
By Alex K.T. Martin

SUSTAINABLE JAPAN

Students ‘study abroad’ on island of Suo Oshima
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