LEARN JAPANESE POD MAGAZINE
September 2011
NARA 奈良 Lear nJapanesePod.com
TRAVEL
JAPANESE
EVENTS
This month’s travel feature focuses on visiting Nara on foot with recommendations on some of the best places to visit.
In this month’s edition we look at some really useful verbs to make you sound more natural in Japanese.
Find out what is happening across Japan this September with our full events listings.
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Welcome
Fun Friday
Useful Links
Welcome to the Learn Japanese Pod Magazine for September 2011. This month has even more great information on Japan and learning Japanese. In this month’s edition, we have a Japanese lesson, interview with a Shamisen teacher, a travel guide to Nara, full events listings for Japan for September and more. We hope you enjoy this magazine and would love to hear your thoughts, ideas, comments and suggestions so please feel free to drop us an email at: info@learnjapanesepod.com
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Contents
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Japanese Lesson Interview Visiting Nara Japanese Recipe September Events
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3 4 5~7 8 9
JAPANESE LESSON
日本語
TE+Miru Compound Verbs
Ex 3)
In this month’s lesson we are going to A: できる？ look at adding the verb MIRU (to see) B: とりあえずやってみる to the end of TE form verbs. The resulting meaning denotes trying the A: dekiru? action of the first verb and seeing what the results might be. For example:
B: Toriaezu yatte miru A: Can you do it?
B: Well, I’ll try it and see for now
食べてみる - tabete miru
Other Examples
To try some food
It is also possible to modify the verb MIRU as in these following examples.
飲んでみる - nonde miru To try a drink
1. この本を読んでみたい
行ってみる - itte miru
kono hon o yonde mitai
To go and try/see something やってみる - yatte miru To try to do something
Example Dialogs Ex 1) A: この飲み物は何？
socchoku ni itte miro Try telling the truth (very strong) 3. 行ってみようかなと思った itte miyou kana to omotta
A: kono nomimono wa nani
I was thinking of going/checking it out
B: Apple juice. Try (drink ) it.
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2. 正直に言ってみろ
B: リンゴジュース。飲んでみて！
B: ringo jyuusu. nonde mite. A: What’s this drink?
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I want to try/read this book
Ex 2) A: 昨日初めてケーキを作ったけど食
4. やってみよう yatte miyou Let’s try it
べてみる？
5.
B: うん、食べる！
靴をはいてみてもいいですか
A: kinou hajimete keeki wo tsukutta kedo, tabete miru
kutsu o haite mite mo ii desu ka Can I try on these shoes?
B: Un, taberu A: Yesterday I made a cake for the first time, do you want to try it?
So, try adding these phrases to your
B: Yes, I’ll eat/try it
what happens. 是非やってみてくださ
daily Japanese conversation and see い。Try it out!
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INTERVIEW Kumiya Fujimoto Fujimoto sensei, a Shamisen teacher in Tokyo.
in love with her teachers voice and presence. So I decided to take it up.
If you are looking for some easily accessible traditional Japanese
Who are your favorite Shamisen performers?
music and other arts, then Kumiya
My favorite Shamisen performer in
Fujimoto is your person. You can usually find her hosting and
the whole word is my own teacher.
performing in “Japanese Lounge Night�, a free monthly event, held at
Traditional Japanese Performing Arts in Tokyo
How did Japanese Lounge Night start? One of my students from Jamaica
the Pink Cow in Tokyo. Performances took me along to an event at the Pink include Shamisen, Koto, Taiko, Cow. I became friends with the Japanese flutes and even live manager there and we came up with painting to name just a few of the the idea of putting on an event that acts. The standard is high as many of showcases the best of traditional the performers are professional Japanese arts and talent. teachers and performers as is Fujimoto. I caught up with her and we For more information about Shamisen talked about about music, the lessons with Fujimoto sensei please shamisen and performing. visit her website at:
How did you get into playing the Shamisen?
Shamisen-Sensei.com You can also find out more about the
When my grandmother took me to
Japanese Lounge Night here:
her Shamisen lesson, I completely fell Japanese Lounge Night on Facebook
Japanese Lounge Night If you want to experience some traditional performing arts from Japan for free, then head down to the Pink Cow in Shibuya Tokyo for the Japanese Lounge Night which is held every month. The event is hosted by Kumiya Fujimoto, a Shamisen performer and teacher based in Tokyo. Check the links below for more information: The Pink Cow Kumiya Fujimoto
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NARA 奈
良
VISITING NARA Trip to Nara
careful because when food is added to the equation, the deer become heavenly animals with attitude. There are
In our last issue, we looked at sightseeing in Kyoto and this month, we stay in the Kansai region with a trip to
signs warning unsuspecting tourists of the occasional
Nara. Compared to Kyoto, Nara is smaller but still has a
bad behavior of the deer. For example:
lot of historical sites of interest and beautiful scenic walks well worth a visit. Nara has also escaped more from some
かむ - kamu - biting たたく - tataku - kicking
of the ugly modern development that Kyoto has been criticized for. Another great feature is that it is easy to get
突く- tsuku - butting
around on foot or if you are feeling more adventurous, you can take a rickshaw tour. You can easily see the main temples, check out the old town in Naramachi and play
突進 - tosshin - charging
with the mischievous deer in Nara Park all in one day.
I don't want to give the deer a bad reputation as they are definitely very cute and have even learned to bow to
On my last trip, fatigued from a busy one day photo
receive food with out charging…usually.
shoot in Kyoto, I decided to walk around Nara at a more leisurely pace. Here is the main route I took with some of
Todaiji
the highlights of the trip.
On the lead up to Todaiji temple before the Dainanmon
Mischievous deer
gate, there are some souvenir shops which are, in my humble opinion, not too high on the tacky scale. They are
When getting off at Kintestu Nara station and walking
always great places to buy little fun gifts for friends and
north into Nara park, the first things you will see are the deer. According to the legends of Kasuga shrine, the deer
family back home.
are regarded as heavenly animals who are guardians of the city and Japan. Although mostly docile, these are
As you keep walking you'll pass under the impressive Dainanmon gate with a few nonchalant deer chilling out
heavenly animals not to be messed with when you get a
in the shade. Keep walking and you'll get to the hall
Shika Sembei in your hand. Those are special rice crackers sold to tourists to feed the deer. You should be
where the statue of the 1000 year old Daibutsu is housed.
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NARA ĺĽˆč‰Ż
The size of the hall and the statue is simply staggering. In fact, the current
After that is Mizutani Jinja, a beautiful little shrine nestled in the forests of
structure, rebuilt during the Edo
Nara park.
period, is roughly one third smaller than the original temple built in the
One of my favorite things about
8th century. There is a model of the original temple inside Todaiji behind
Japanese shrines is the way many of them are built to feel interwoven with
the Daibutsu which gives you an idea
their surrounding natural habitat. I
of how massive the original structure was.
always feel that Shrines are a way for busy Japanese people to reconnect
Scenic walks
with nature and their spiritual side. On less crowded days, places such
After Todaiji, walking due east up the hill, I passed the belfry and then got to Tamukeyama Hachiman-gu Shrine with stone lanterns lining the entrance. I continued walking along the path towards Mizutani Jinja along the foot of Mt. Wakakusa which has some great views of Nara. Along the way are some craft shops and tea houses where you can stop for a break.
Around Nara From top to bottom: A tea house, the Daibutsu in Todaiji temple, a rickshaw outside the entrance to Todaiji and some deer in Nara Park.
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as Toshogu in Nikko are good examples of this. There are some paths that connect Mizutani shrine to some other really beautiful woodland shrines, including Kasuga Taisha which was next on my itinerary. It is famous for its numerous lanterns made from stone and bronze. During festivals in February and August all the lanterns are lit which look almost otherworldly.
Ryokans and Tea Houses
When to go to Nara
Walking down the hill due west from Kasuga, I came out into the main park again in the direction of Kofukuji and
You won't be disappointed going to Nara at any time of year, however Spring and Autumn are the most beautiful
the Five story pagoda. On the way, I found some really
seasons to visit Nara park.
beautiful tea houses and Ryokans which I had missed on previous visits to Nara.
Also, it tends to get a little crowded with tour groups and school children during school and national holidays.
How To Get There From Kansai International and Osaka Itami airports there are Limousine buses that leave every hour to stations in Nara. From Osaka, the quickest way is to take the train on the Kintetsu Nara line from Namba station. From Kyoto you can take the JR Nara line or Kintetsu Kyoto line. From Tokyo, a cheap alternative to flying or taking the Shinkansen is taking an overnight bus.
Kofukuji and the Pagoda Before getting back to Kintestu Nara station, the penultimate part of my tour was Kofukuji temple and the Five Story Pagoda. As with Todaiji these are some of the most famous spots to visit in Nara. Again, as with the Daibutsu, this area can get very crowded during the school trip season and in the Spring and Autumn.
Naramachi The last leg of my journey took me to the shopping arcade just south of Nara Kintestu Station. Walking south from there, I got to Naramachi which is an old district of Nara famous for its beautifully preserved traditional architecture. You can also find cafes, restaurants, shops as well as Gangoji temple. This is a great area to take in the traditional feel of Nara, sample some of the local tea, sweets, and go shopping for souvenirs for friends and family.
Virtual iPad Tour of Nara If you can’t get to Nara just yet but want a virtual tour, then you should check out the Nara Travel App for iPad. I worked with my good friends at Glob Design to put this together for people interested in photography, travel and Japan. The app includes over 100 high resolution photos of all the places I mentioned in this article. It also includes full explanations of names and places around Nara. Each place is located on an interactive map with GPS coordinates so you can find them if you decide to visit Nara. We have also made other travel apps for the iPad which focus on Kansai including Osaka, Kobe and Kyoto. You can check out all of the travel apps here.
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和食 RECIPES In our recipe section we look at how to make some delicious and healthy Japanese food but without the hassle.
Wow your friends with these easy and delicious Japanese recipes Are you the type of person who loves Japanese food but feels daunted at the prospect of preparing it yourself? It
the summer, it is common to chill them by soaking them in ice water for 5 or 10 minutes. You can then take them
does seem as if Japanese food requires the skilled hands
out, dry them and slice them as you want. Serve with the
of a stony-faced sushi master who has made multiple TV appearances on Iron Chef. However, don't worry
Moromi miso and try your chopsticks skills out on them. If you can't get your hands on Moromi miso, you could
because there are also a lot of delicious recipes that are quick and easy to prepare as well as being very healthy.
get away with using 白みそ which is usually a little lighter
In this month's cooking section we will be looking at the mother of all simple healthy Japanese cooking which is
Nasu miso
and sweeter than other heavier misos.
miso.
This is another delicious dish that is quite easy to prepare. First of all, cut up some eggplants into flat
Morokyu
slices, brush them in oil and bake or grill them for 4 or 5 minutes until they start to turn golden brown. Now, brush
Morokyu is a really delicious and simple dish to prepare.
on plenty of miso paste and bake or grill for a few more
It is slices of cucumber (kyuri きゅうり) served with a
minutes until the eggplant is tender and the miso is special kind of miso called Moromi Miso もろみ味 . This golden brown. is a teiban 定番 which means it is commonly served in
Before adding the miso to the eggplant you can also mix
Izakayas throughout Japan.
in some rice vinegar, sugar and ginger to taste. You might
First of all, you'll need some Japanese cucumbers. If you can't get your hands on them, mini cucumbers will do. In
need to experiment with the mix and the grilling but it is an easy dish to make and tastes fantastic.
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SEPTEMBER 2011EVENTS LIST Music events, festivals, fireworks happening across Japan this Autumn. Festivals Hassaku-Sai September 1st
Autumn Equinox September 23
Music Events
Osaka Tokyo Jazz Festival
“Owara Kaze No Bon” Festival in Toyama
Owara Kazeno Bon September 1~3
September 2~4 Tokyo International
Toyama City
Forum
Karazumo
Linkin Park
September 9 Kamowake Ikazuchi Jinja
September 10, 11 Makuhari Messe
Tokyo Game Show
September 13
Makuhari Messe, Chiba
September 17 ~ 18
Hanamaki Festival September 9~11
Yokohama Arena September 14
Hanamaki City
Nagoya September 16
We need your Help
Morioka Festival
Osaka
We are planning to extend our events
September 14~16 Morioka Iwate
Maxi Priest
listings to Japan-related events outside Japan and that is where we need your help.
Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Festival
September 12 Billboard Live Osaka
September 14~16
September 13
If you are holding an event in your
Kamakura
Billboard Live Tokyo
area that is related to Japan, please let us know and we will include it here
Kishiwada Danjiri Festival September 17~18
Kansai Music Conference September 16~19
in our listings.
Osaka
Osaka
Whether it is a Japanese festival,
Aizu Byakko Festival
musical performance, book reading A series of music events held in Osaka to promote independent music or special ninja training, we would love to hear about it. It will also give in Japan. This is a networking
September 22~24 Aizuwakamatsu City
opportunity for musicians, promoters, people a chance to experience a little Japanese culture in their area. distributors and music fans to get
Ohara Hadaka Matsuri September 23~24
together and network.
Isumi City Chiba
Other Events
National Holidays
Sumo Tournament September 11 ~ 25
Respect for the Aged Day
Ryogoku Kokugikan Tokyo
Please write to us at info@learnjapanesepod.com and let us know about your events.
September 19
© 2011 Learn Japanese Pod / Alex Brooke. All rights reserved [9]