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).
Continue reading “Reading Practice on Youtube: 助産師HISAKOの子育て学校”
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 today is デフサポちゃんねる.
Subtitles can be a great way to practice reading while reinforcing pronunciation and listening practice at the same time! I often look for good quality Japanese subtitles when I am searching for Japanese media to watch online.
I had a hard time deciding whether to review this novel or not. Yoshimoto’s Kitchen is famous in both Japanese and English. It is often recommended for beginners and is the go to recommendation for those who are looking to get into the world of Japanese novels. I reread the book, took some notes, and really thought about whether or not I would be able to add anything of value to the discussion on this book. Then it hit me, while I love this novel, I do not think that this is a good book for beginners. I will get more into why I think so in my review below as well as offer some alternative suggestions for those looking for a good first book.
Continue reading “Japanese Novel Review: キッチン Kitchen by Yoshimoto Banana(吉本ばなな）”
Since I have gotten my electronic dictionary, I have not been using free online resources as much as I used to. While I love my denshi jisho, I know that they can be an investment and that many beginning to intermediate to even advanced students can thrive using free material online. I have spent a lot of time researching the meanings of words online and have decided to introduce the 3 sources that I have used most often.
Continue reading “My favorite free online Japanese dictionaries”
This is a review of the novel The Witch of the West is Dead(西の魔女が死んだ) by Kaho Nashiki(梨木香歩). This is a young adult novel that really high lights that fact that juvenile fiction isn’t always easier then regular novels from the language learners perceptive. I do not recommend that this be any language learners first book.
I bought this book while I was visiting my partner’s parents in Osaka at Book-Off. I have seen the book a few times and the very easy to read title and cute cover stuck out to me. It was only 100yen so I decided just to pick it up and opened it up for the first time this year. I was inspired to read this story due to the fact that a Japanese blogger I watch often mentioned it as being one of her favorite books.
This review is for the Japanese novel The Girl Who Leapt Through Time(時をかける少女) by Yasutaka Tsutsui(筒井 康隆). I have had this book for so long that I have forgotten when and where I even got it! I used to carry it around with me often so the book itself is very well loved and the book cover is long gone. If I had to guess, I am sure that I bought it at a used book store in Japan for 100 yen.
Why did I pick this book?
When I was first learning Japanese, I thought that if I picked one actress to learn from and copy, that maybe my Japanese accent would be overall more consistent and easy to listen to. I am not sure if it actually worked or not, but the actress I ended up picking was Naka Risa(仲里依紗) as I really enjoyed her speaking style and the types of roles that she tended to play in films.
Today I will be sharing my thoughts on the infamous Shin-Kanzen Master(新完全マスター) JLPT series! I love textbooks and have borrowed and bought a few different ones for the JLPT and the Shin-Kanzen Master is by far my favorite one!
I just want to note that I am writing this review without having taken the JLPT due to the fact that it was cancelled in 2020. Next time I take the JLPT I plan on taking N1. I am writing this review while comparing it to other sources and reflecting on what type of knowledge that I have gained from it.
Like most JLPT textbooks, its not a true textbook in the sense that it doesn’t exactly teach you the content. It lists out the content with a short explanation, examples, and practice questions. If anything it is more of a drill book.
This review is for the novel Convenience Store Woman(コンビニ人間) by Sayaka Murata(村田沙耶香). This novel has won the Akutagawa Prize, which is one of the most famous literary prizes in Japan. It was such a hit in Japan, that is was translated into English as well. This is a review for the Japanese version of the novel.
I bought this book at Kinokuniya at Chicago for 9.99. It took me a few tries before I was able to purchase this book. I had a hard time paying so much for such a short book! I was finally able to do and am glad that I did. I am happily awaiting the day I am able to move back to Japan and spend all of my time in used book stores and libraries. I hope that day is coming sooner then later! But who knows with COVID.
Continue reading “Japanese Novel Review: コンビニ人間 Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata(村田沙耶香)”
This is one of my favorite Japanese novels!
The book I will be reviewing and accessing today is 神去なあなあ日常. In this review, I will be referring to it in English as Wood Job, which is the name of the Japanese movie created based on this novel. It was written by the fairly popular Japanese author Shion Miura(三浦しをん). I am a huge fan of this author and love how she is able to showcase so many different worlds in her novels. Her writing style does different between novels and some are harder then others.
I bought this book at Chicago’s Kinokuniya for 10.99.
Why did I pick this book?
I decided to get this book because I loved the movie Wood Job. Back when I lived in Japan, my partner and I would often go to a DVD rental store and pick out random movies to watch. I fell in love with Wood Job right from the start.
Recently, I’ve been interested in story lines about people living in Japanese cities, and their journey moving to the country side and getting used to a new life style. This is most likely because that is what I am planning to do in the near future! I am not sure why it took me so long to decide, but hopefully by next summer that is where I will be living.
Continue reading “Japanese Novel Review: 神去なあなあ日常 Wood Job by Miura Shion(三浦しをん）”
Just wanted to share with you guys where I buy my novels and what kind of selection that I have.
I currently live in the Midwest and to be honest there are not very many choices for buying books in person. Kinokuniya in Arlington Heights, IL seems to be the only option available to me at this time. Its somewhat far away and the round trip ends up being a few hours. But I feel fairly strongly about being able to read the first few pages of a book before committing to it. Writing style is really important to my enjoyment of reading a book. Reading a description of the plot or reading a book review isn’t enough for me to make a decision.
Continue reading “Buying Japanese Books in America: Chicago Kinokuniya”
Japanese Book Club Cafe 