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Welcome to Japan

Posted by on in Japanese travel
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Japan tourism

Japan has been getting more and more popular as a tourist destination as people from all over the world visit the country to experience and enjoy the diverse selection of historical sites, winter sports and adventure trips as well as the modern buildings and attractions that the country has to offer.

At JOI, we have a great course for students who want to come to Japan and enjoy the sight-seeing, but cannot speak any Japanese. It is called Survival Japanese and is a short course designed especially for this purpose.

In this blog by Inada sensei, a Japanese language teacher at JOI, who lives in Tokyo, she gives a personal view of sight-seeing in Japan.

Read the blog and listen to Inada sensei read it in natural Japanese by watching the video.

ようこそ、日本へ
Welcome to Japan

inada

By INADA Junko

foreign-tourist

最近外国人観光客の姿をよく見かけます。有名な観光地だけではなく、 我が家の近所にも大きなスーツケースを引いた人がちらほら。 でもみんなスマホを持っているので、道を聞かれることもなく 交流する機会もなかなかありません。

ところが先日、所用で都庁に行ったときのこと。東京に住んでいながら、 都庁に入るのは初めてだったので、おのぼりさん気分で展望台の レストランで食事をしていたところ、隣のテーブルに見るからに観光客と おぼしき家族連れの姿が。ひょんなことから話をすることになり、 「どちらからいらしたんですか?」(一応英語)「オーストラリアからです。」 などなどしばし民間国際交流を楽しみました。

後で、家族から「片言でも通じるんだね。大事なのは度胸とジェスチャー?」というあまりうれしくない誉め言葉をもらい、複雑な心境に。。。

桜の開花(かいか)する3月4月は、とてもおすすめの季節です もっともっと多くの人が日本に来て、日本を好きになってくれますように。 これからも私なりのおもてなしでお迎えしたいと思います。

To listen to this blog, please watch our Youtube video. 

ようこそ、日本(にほん)へ

最近(さいきん)外国人観光客(がいこくじんかんこうきゃく)の 姿(すがた)をよく見かけます。有名(ゆうめい)な観光地(かんこうち) だけではなく、我が家の近所(きんじょ)にも大きなスーツケースを引いた 人がちらほら。でもみんなスマホを持っているので道を聞かれることもなく 交流(こうりゅう)する機会(きかい)もなかなかありません。

ところが先日(せんじつ)、所用(しょよう)で都庁(とちょう)に行った ときのこと。東京に住んでいながら、都庁に入るのは初めてだったので、 おのぼりさん気分(きぶん)で展望台(てんぼうだい)のレストランで食事 をしていたところ、隣(となり)のテーブルに見るからに観光客と おぼしき家族連(かぞくづ)れの姿が。ひょんなことから、話をすることに なり、「どちらからいらしたんですか?」(一応(いちおう)英語) 「オーストラリアからです。」 などなどしばし民間国際交流(みんかんこくさいこうりゅう)を 楽しみました。

後で、家族から「片言(かたこと)でも通(つう)じるんだね。大事 (だいじ)なのは度胸(どきょう)とジェスチャー?」というあまり うれしくない誉(ほ)め言葉をもらい、複雑(ふくざつ)な 心境(しんきょう)に。。。

桜(さくら)の開花(かいか)する3月4月は、とてもおすすめの季節 (きせつ)です。もっともっと多くの人が日本に来て、日本を好(す)き になってくれますように。 これからも私なりのおもてなしでお迎(むか)えしたいと思います。

Welcome to Japan

Recently, we can see foreign tourists often in Japan. And not only at famous sight-seeing spots, but in our neighborhood you can see people pulling large suitcases here and there. But since everyone has a smartphone, they don't need to ask for directions and there are few chances for interaction.

This happened the other day when I went to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Office building on some business. Although I live in Tokyo, it was my first time to go into the Metropolitan Government building, so just like a visitor from abroad, we went up to the restaurant in the observation deck to have a meal. While there, some people who obviously looked like tourists and with their family sat on the next table. By accident, we got to talking and I asked, “Where are you from?” (in English by the way), “We're from Australia” they answered and in this way we had enjoyed some international citizen's interaction.

Afterwards, I had a complicated feeling when my family gave me a compliment that I didn't find all that pleasing, by saying “You can communicate even with broken English can't you.I guess, guts and gestures are the most important things, right?!”

Well, the Cherry Blossom flowering season takes place in March and April and it is a season I really recommend . I hope that more and more people come to Japan, and come to like Japan. And from now on, I think I'd like to welcome you with my own version of hospitality.

ちらほら:here and there

おのぼりさん: a visitor from country

ひょんなことから : by accident

inada

Konnichiwa ! My name is Junko Inada. I am currently living in Tokyo but I grew up in the next prefecture, Kanagawa overlooking the ocean and Mt. Fuji.

My hobbies are salsa ( Latin dance and music). I have made a lot friends of different ages and nationalities through salsa. But if you are able to understand your partner's language, you can get along even better.

What inspired you to learn Japanese ? What are you interested in ? What are you into recently ? Let's talk about everything in the classes. Lets study and talk a lot together. I'll be waiting in the classroom.

Start 3 Trial FlexLessons for only $9 !

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