Today I would like to introduce a source of reading practice outside of novels, youtube channels with subtitles! The channel I would like to introduce in this post is Midwife Hisako’s Child Raising School(助産師HISAKOの子育て学校).
Channel Introduction
Hisako is a midwife who has lots of experience and is currently pregnant with her 12th child. She writes books, teaches classes, mentors, and does public speaking events for a ages ranging from junior high to adulthood. She has recently become a youtuber and is now spreading her knowledge to a wide audience.
Do all of the videos have subtitles?
Yes!
Quality of the subtitles?
They are truly great. Hisako’s job is education based and seems to involve a great deal of public speaking. Her speech is clear and the subtitles reflect was it said pretty well. She teaches mothers or mothers-to-be about difference experience surrounding pregnancy and child raising. She touches on taboo subjects such as miscarriage in a judgement free and understanding way. She shares extremely personal experiences with everyone so they know they are not alone when going through the difficulties of motherhood.. Hisako does a wonderful of explaining complex topics in easy to understand ways while using scientific terminology.
Vocabulary
You will learn medical terminology with full explanations on topic around reproduction and childbirth. This would include words such as the words for male and female reproductive organs and other near by body parts. Also words for different hormones found the the body and different biological processes. These topics can be hard to learn in another language even if you already know it in your native language, but Hisako’s expert explanations make everything stick.
Cultural Education
This channel is a crash course on all of the cultural elements that go into this stage of life. She will talk about the different questions that her students have, their concerns, and their worries about how Japanese society will view some of their individual decisions. She navigates these situation well, giving practical advice while putting the students at ease. Her videos also give insights into what marriage life, sex after children, and divorce is like in Japan. The advice she gives seems firmly rooted in a Japanese world view point which I think adds well to cultural education that language learns can take away from this channel.
One example of culture norms that is discussed on Hisako’s channel is where the mother and her new born baby will live right after giving birth. In Japan there is a concept called 里帰り, which is when the mother and baby will leave the house that they live in with their husband to stay with parents in in-laws. The idea behind this is that the husband will be too busy working to help, and having an experienced set of parents around to give advice can help soothe the mothers fears and adjustment. Recently, more Japanese women have been opting to stay where they are and go at it alone. But going home is more traditional and still a choice that many women decide to make.
Who should watch 助産師HISAKOの子育て学校?
Women who are mothers or are thinking of having a child. Pregnancy can be scary and even more so in a different country. If someone is pregnant or raising a child in Japan or in a Japanese style, her advice is invaluable.
While I do not have children, I work in a related medical field and plan on continuing my career in Japan. I have learned so much from Hisako and really admire her education style. I hope that I am able to take away all of the valuable information that she provides and apply it to my own job. Thank you Hisako!
Japanese Book Club Cafe 