Higher-proficiency students were given more positive-sounding words to start recording their pronunciation videos with.
In teaching foreign languages, there are two facets that educators have to take into consideration. One is the subject matter itself, encompassing things such as introducing vocabulary, explaining grammar, and fine-tuning pronunciation. The other is the psychological aspect, helping learners feel comfortable engaging with the language, and it’s in that area that a public high school in Tochigi Prefecture recently ran into a problem.
As part of an English class lesson in September, second-year students at Sano Higashi High School in the town of Sano were tasked with filming themselves pronouncing English words, with the videos to be later shown to a native-English speaking ALT (assistant language teacher). The students were divided into four groups of approximately 20 teens each, based on their level of English proficiency, with each group given a different word to pronounce at the beginning of their video. For the students in the more talented groups, the words included “harmony” and “educate.” However, the group with the lowest proficiency level was given a less auspicious-sounding vocabulary word to say: “poison.”
Some parents were none too pleased when they found out about this and voiced their complaints to the school, saying that they felt like there children were being ridiculed. The teachers who had designed the lesson, who seem to be Japanese, say that they had no intention of insulting the students or insinuating that they were problematic pupils, and had merely picked vocabulary words from units in the class curriculum. “Poison” appeared within a lesson on how to discuss environmental issues in English, introduced in its context of pollution, and the teachers say they selected it for the lowest-proficiency group because they felt it’s an easy-to-pronounce word. Nevertheless, following the complaints from parents they have apologized for “causing awkwardness and discomfort” to the students.
It is true that “poison” is a relatively easy word for native Japanese-speakers to pronounce. It doesn’t require any consonant blends or vowel sounds that don’t also exist in the Japanese language, and it has a terminal N, the only consonant that Japanese words end in. By comparison, “pollute” contains an L sound, which Japanese famously lacks, and a silent E, something that regularly trips up Japanese learners of English. At the same time, with the other groups being assigned words such as “harmony” and “educate,” it doesn’t seem like the pool of potential vocabulary words was limited to any single topic, and so it really shouldn’t have been difficult to find one with a more complimentary meaning that the lowest-proficiency group would still be able to manage.
Of course, when studying a language it’s important to learn words for talking about unpleasant and undesirable things too, and at the high school level it’s perfectly reasonable to expect students to know and be able to pronounce “poison.” Getting back to the psychological aspect of teaching English-as-a-second language, though, having the lowest-proficiency group begin their videos by looking at the camera and saying “poison,” while their more accomplished classmates got to say words with much more positive connotations, probably didn’t do much for their self-esteem. Early discouragement can cause some young learners to avoid mentally engaging with a subject as much as possible as an emotional self-preservation mechanism, so giving the lowest-proficiency group an easy-to-say but still positive-sounding word to start off their video with would probably, in the long-run, be beneficial.
It’s also worth bearing in mind that no one lost their job or appears to have had their pay docked over the incident. As such, this looks like not so much a case of teachers being punished for not coddling overly sensitive teens, and more a realization that a little extra consideration in lesson design would have been the wiser choice.
Source: Sankei Shimbun via Hachima Kiko, Shimano Shimbun, Yomiuri Shimbun, 47 News
Top image: Pakutaso
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Two-tier box shows the forest spirit looks adorable even with motifs much older than the Studio Ghibli anime he made his debut in.
Film critics and commentators have often drawn parallels between My Neighbor Totoro and aspects of Japan’s religious beliefs and folklore, particularly the concept of spirits and deities being present in the natural environment. But while the title character is a forest spirit, and there is a Shinto shrine not far from sisters Mei and Satsuki’s country home, you won’t find mentions of Totoros or creatures with his traits in Japanese mythology. Totoro is entirely the creation of director Hayao Miyazaki, and didn’t exist prior to the 1988 anime film from Studio Ghibli.
However, it would be fair to say that Totoro has become a symbol of modern Japan, and so while the character himself is less than 40 years old, he still makes a great motif for traditional Japanese handicrafts, with this bento lunch box being a perfect example.
The lid features illustrations of both big (gray) and small (white) Totoros among a colorful array of ume/plum blossoms, an auspicious image in Japanese culture, as well as unfurled wagasa, classical Japanese waxed paper umbrellas. The sides of the 15-centimeter (5.9-inch) square box feature more of the imagery in gold, contrasting nicely with the faux-lacquer coloring of the urethane container, and the inside is a striking vermillion.
Bento boxed lunches can consist of various dishes, but they always also contain white rice, and so the box is two-tiered, so that you can keep the rice separate from the other items and prevent any unwanted mixing of flavors.
Of course, there’s no rule that says you have to use this Totoro box for orthodox bento, and it will work just as well for carrying picnic snacks of any type, and would also look perfectly adorable as a stay-at-home storage box, organizer, or even just as a decoration that blends traditional and modern Japanese aesthetics.
The Totoro Wagasa Two-tier Box, as it’s officially called, is available for 4,620 yen (US$31) from Ghibli specialty store Donguri Kyowakoku, which has recently restocked them through the chain’s online shop here.
Source, images: Donguri Kyowakoku
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Kanoke-in invites you to crawl into a kanoke.
Japan is big on places to relax. Whether it’s a cozy cafe, mountainside hot spring, or just a park with benches along tree-lined footpaths, the appeal of somewhere where you can give you mind a rest is something many people can see.
So initially Meiso Kukan Kanoke-in, a new relaxation place that opened this fall in Tokyo’s Takadanobaba neighborhood, doesn’t seem like such a strange idea. Meiso Kukan translates to “meditation space,” and the “in” part of the name is just the English word “in,” giving the place a welcoming atmosphere.
However, sandwiched in the middle is kanoke. the Japanese word for coffin, and yes, customers really do go in one.
Billings its service as “a meditation experience where you can gaze at life through being conscious of death,” Meiso Kukan Kanoke-in, or just Kanoke-in for short, offers the use of its coffins as meditation pods. Each session lasts for 30 minutes, during which you’re encouraged to think as deeply or abstractly as you like about whatever is on your mind, or, if you prefer, to simply give yourself a break from thinking about anything at all as healing music plays and soothing imagery is projected onto the ceiling of the salon.
These are authentic coffins, of the style used in Japanese funerals, meaning that in addition to the primary lid that runs the length of the casket there’s also a secondary opening through which to display the face of the deceased during memorial services. For Kanoke-in’s meditation sessions, the face compartment is open, but customers who so desire can request for the main lid to be left open as well.
Though the coffins are of the style used in Buddhist funerals, Kanoke-in’s meditation sessions are meant as a secular endeavor, so people of all faiths are welcome. There are a few restrictions, however, in that customers must be 18 years old or older (i.e. legal adults under Japanese law), and be no taller than 185 centimeters (72.8 inches) and no heavier than 90 kilograms 198 pounds). Kanoke-in says that participants must be in both good physical and mental health, as the intent is to provide a uniquely reflective atmosphere but not to trigger depressive reactions in those suffering from psychological conditions, and, naturally, those with claustrophobia are advised that this service isn’t for them.
Sessions are priced at 2,000 yen (US$13.35) and are usually held four times a day, at 11 a.m. and 1, 3, and 5 p.m. Exact schedules vary by date, however, and are posted on the Kanoke-in website here.
Location information
Meiso Kukan Kanoke-in / 瞑想空間 かんおけin
Address: Tokyo-to, Shinjuku-ku, Takadanobaba 1-29-7. Sky Palace Building 801
東京都新宿区高田馬場 1-29-7 スカイパレスビル 801
Website
Source: Meiso Kukan Kanoke-in, Takadanobaba Keizai Shimbun
Top image: Pakutaso
Insert images: Meiso Kukan Kanoke-in
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Like a Dragon/Yakuza exhibition offers wedding ceremonies with charavter of your choice, provides paperwork to tie the knot and sever it too.
The storylines of Sega’s Like a Dragon/Yakuza games get into some pretty crazy scenarios. Sure, they start off gritty and grounded, with missions focused on loansharking and personal injury scams, but before you know it you’re raiding a backup version of Osaka Castle that’s made out of gold, or infiltrating a secret battleship that’s been hiding underwater for decades.
And yet, the most loyal fans of the franchise will tell you it’s the characters that really make them love the series. That’s why an upcoming event will give you the chance to marry your favorite member of the Like a Dragon/Yakuza cast, and also the chance to divorce them.
To mark 20 years since the release of the first game in the franchise, the Like a Dragon 20th Anniversary exhibition will be opening in Tokyo in November, followed by dates in Osaka in February. Production materials and retrospectives will be on display, and there’ll be exclusive merch available for purchase as well, and the venue will also have a wedding corner with life-sized wedding-themed standees of 11 characters from the games.
Fans can post for pictures with the character of their choice, with the list of eligible spouses consisting of the series’ original protagonist Kazuma Kiryu, new protagonist Ichiban Kasuga, scene-stealing Goro Majima, and six other men from the criminal underworld: Akira Nishikiyama, Taiga Saijima, Daigo Dojima, Yoshitaka Mine, Joongi Han, and Tianyou Zhao. There will also be two potential brides, Seonhee and, for those who prefer a romantic partner from the side of law and order, detective Kaoru Sayama.
▼ “Be joined with the person you love!” encourages/commands this promotional image for the event.
For those looking for a more extensive coupling, an additional fee grants access to an AR app that allows you to pose at your leisure, with what appears to be a more immersive digital background, and lets you retain the data and print hard copies at convenience store kiosks.
But if you really want to express your devotion, you can opt for a full-on wedding ceremony with your favorite Like a Dragon/Yakuza character! These premium packages include a wedding dress or tuxedo rental and the services of a professional makeup artists and hair stylist. Once you’re all spruced up, you’ll walk down the aisle to where your beloved is waiting for you to say your vows while a professional photographer preserves the occasion, and you can invite up to 10 friends or family members to attend the ceremony.
The package even includes a marriage registration form to fill in with your and your crush’s particulars. Though not legally binding, it’s a way to make the experience feel a little more realistic…but heightening the realism actually causes some difficult questions to spring to mind. While the Like a Dragon/Yakuza cast work well as fodder for fantasized romance with a dashing yet dangerous lover, when you stop and think about it, would you really want to date someone who’s a professional criminal? Even the “honorable” Kiryu and Ichiban live very violent lifestyles, and are generally incapable of walking more than a block or two without getting into viciously violent fights with packs of total strangers, fights in which they routinely do things like stab their opponents with knives, body slam them into the pavement, or microwave their heads, all things that, in the real world, would likely be considered attempted murder.
So while the marriage certificate makes the fantasy feel more realistic, that realism runs the risk of reminding you that a relationship with the Like a Dragon/Yakuza cast member probably wouldn’t work out, and so the wedding ceremony package also includes divorce paperwork for you to fill out if/when you realize getting hitched was a bad idea.
The marriage registration and divorce papers will also be sold on their own at the exhibition, but they’re included in the wedding ceremony package, which is priced at 150,000 yen (US$1,000). With the Like a Dragon 20th Anniversary exhibition scheduled to run from November 28 to December 22 at the Shibuya Beam Gallery in Tokyo and February 6 to 24 at the Osaka Nanko ATC Gallery, there will be a limited number of available ceremony slots, to be awarded by lottery. Application details are yet to be announced, but the organizers have said that a total of 15 ceremonies will be held. With only 11 characters to choose from, that means at least one of them is going to be marrying with more than one fan, though, so those divorce papers really will come in handy if you’re not down for a polygamous relationship.
Related: Like a Dragon 20th Anniversary exhibition official website
Source: Like a Dragon 20th Anniversary exhibition via Famitsu via Hachima Kiko, PR Times
Top image: PR Times
Insert images: YouTube/龍が如くスタジオ 公式
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For years of perpetual joy.
Studio Ghibli delighted fans around the nation last month, when it announced the release of its 2026 anime calendars. However, there was one drawback to the collection, in that we still had to wait several months before we could actually use them.
Here to solve that problem, though, is Ghibli specialty chain Donguri Kyowakoku, with the brand new release of its “Howl’s Moving Castle Perpetual Calendar“. As the name suggests, the perpetual calendar is designed in such a way that it can be used year after year (the Japanese term for this is “mannen” or “10,000 years”) and that’s how long you’ll be able to enjoy all of its unique features.
▼ It’s like owning a miniature anime castle.
The details on this piece of art are nothing short of stunning, with every inch of its 11-centimetre (4.3-inch) high body covered in a patchwork of metal fragments, just as it appears in the movie.
Turn it around and you’ll see glimpses of brick and a cluster of tiny houses hidden amongst the chimney stacks, drawing you into the magical world of the film.
The castle is so captivating you can easily decorate it on its own, without any of the calendar elements.
However, using the calendar cubes adds a fun interactive element to the piece, allowing you to keep track of the days and months in a simple yet effective way.
The four cubes are reminiscent of dice, but instead they come with days, months and numbers printed on them. You can decide where to place them on the figure to create your very own perpetual calendar.
▼ All the days of the year are covered in just four small cubes.
The Howl’s Moving Castle Perpetual Calendar is a beautiful way to add a dash of Ghibli magic to every day of the year. Priced at 16.500 yen (US$107.85), it’ll look right at home with the studio’s other Mannen calendars.
Source, images: Donguri Kyowakoku
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Travelers give their picks for the best places to take a trip to see seasonal leaves and feel yesteryear vibes.
We’re right on the cusp of peak fall color season in Japan. The leaves have already started turning to vivid hues of crimson and gold in northeastern Japan, and are now working their seasonal shade-changes down towards the rest of the country as well.
Compared to the lively parties of cherry blossom season, the fall leaves tend to elicit a more tranquil, relaxed response. As such, they’re a great match for places with an old-school, laidback atmosphere, and Japanese travel portal Jalan has released the results of a recent user poll ranking the 10 best retro-atmosphere fall color viewing spots in Japan, so let’s run through the top 10.
10. Watarase Keikoku Line (Gunma and Tochigi Prefectures)
Website
Keikoku is the Japanese word for “gorge,” and this train line lives up to its name, running through a range of steep mountains on the border of Gunma and Tochigi Prefectures. The line connects the towns of Kiryu and Nikko, and the most photogenic section of all is said to be between Sori and Haramuko Stations. During the fall color season, a train called the Torokko Wasshi, pictured above, has special runs with its side windows open, so that passengers can see and snap photos of the trees without any glass glare getting in the way.
9. Kurobe Gorge Line (Toyama Prefecture)
Website
Another mountain train line, this one runs through Kurobe Gorge, one of the deepest in Japan. The Kurobe Keikoku Line also has special trains that run when the leaves are changing colors, with bench-style seating to offer better views of sights such as the bridges and lakes you’ll pass along the route, which is contained entirely within the expansive city of Kurobe.
8. Tadami Line (Fukushima Prefecture)
Website
The Oku Aizu region of Fukushima Prefecture is known for both its fall colors and its autumn fog. When the two mix together, it makes for a timeless atmosphere that visitors can savor while traveling along this train line that runs from Aizuwakamatsu to Uonuma and passes over the mirror-like waters of the Tadami River.
7. Meijimura (Aichi Prefecture)
Website
Coming down from the mountains, the next spot on the list is Meijimura, an open-air museum of preserved historical buildings from Japan’s Meiji era (1868-1912) that have been relocated to the town of Inuyama. In addition to its 67 structures, the museum’s grounds also has maple and dogwood trees that provide a beautiful scarlet backdrop to the architecture in the fall.
6. Shibu Onsen (Nagano Prefecture)
Website
One clear advantage that fall color season has over sakura season is that the former makes a better combination with a visit to a hot spring town. With Nagano’s mountainous geography, there’s no shortage of forests with fall colors in the prefecture, and Shibu Onsen is one of its most charming hot spring towns, with wooden inns and cobblestone streets providing picturesque paths at the beginning and end of your leaf-viewing day.
5. Mimasaka Takio Station (Okayama Prefecture)
Website
This one is probably of limited interest to international travelers, but this rural station on the Inbi Line in the town of Tsuyama served as a filming location in the Otoko wa Tsurai/”Tora-san” franchise, one of Japan’s longest-running movie series. As such, it gets visited by both rail fans and cinema buffs, and the quaint station building, constructed in 1928, has views of autumn leaves from its waiting room benches.
4. Otaru canal area (Hokkaido Prefecture)
Website
Here’s a surprising pick: a fall color spot on the coast. Instead of maples of gingko trees, the colors here come from the vines that climb up onto the sides of the historic canal district buildings, creating a unique way to enjoy the season. This is Japan’s northernmost, and coldest, prefecture, though, so be sure to bundle up extra-warmly if you’re planning to admire the view after sundown.
3. Former Iwasaki Residence Garden (Tokyo)
Website
The Iwasaki family might not be one that most people are familiar with by name, but the company they founded, Mitsubishi, is world-famous. This estate near Tokyo’s Yushima Station no longer belongs to the family, but is instead a garden and museum with a preserved mansion that’s an early example of classical Western architecture in Japan, and the surrounding grounds include maples and a gingko tree believed to be 400 years old.
2. Sagano Romantic Train (Kyoto)
Website
“Romantic” here is used not in an amorous context, but in the in the sense of grand, sweeping emotional impact. The Sagano Romantic Train travels along the Sagano Scenic Railway, a relatively short line on the west side of Kyoto City that follows the Hozu River. The scenery is beautiful in any season, but it’s at its best, many would say, in the fall.
1. Ginzan Onsen (Yamagata Prefecture)
Website
With its wooden architecture, pedestrian-only central district, and gaslight illumination, Ginzan Onsen has long been considered one of the most beautiful towns in Japan. The hot spring town is most famous for its snow-covered scenery, so much so that it now caps the number of day-trip visitors in winter, and it’s not too shabby on an early summer afternoon either. Sure enough, Jalan’s survey participants say the place is lovely in autumn too, making it their number-one pick for a retro-atmosphere fall color trip, and providing one more reason to visit Yamagata.
Source: PR Times
Top image: PR Times
Insert images: PR Times, Jalan
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With Halloween yet to come, Starbucks is already serving up festive cheer.
There’s a lot of competition out there in the world of sweet dessert drinks, so one way to stay ahead of the curve is by beating everyone to the punch with seasonal releases. Nobody beats Starbucks at this game, because on 27 October, four full days ahead of Halloween, the chain revealed its limited-edition drinks for the holiday season.
The theme for this year is “Joyful Medley – Connected by Joy”, with the notion being that through Starbucks, joy is created, connecting people and feelings while spreading smiles throughout the holidays. As Starbucks’ signature winter tea, the Joyful Medley is a popular blend of strong black tea that many customers look forward to each year, and this time the refreshing oolong and fragrant jasmine and apricot components will be enhanced with mirabelle plum for a gorgeous yet deep and rich flavour.
▼ This year’s box of 12 Joyful Medley tea bags costs 1,680 yen (US$11.03).
To celebrate the season of joy, Starbucks will be featuring the Joyful Medley in a limited-edition Frappuccino and Latte, with the addition of strawberry for a special red-hued treat.
The Strawberry & Joyful Medley Tea Frappuccino is a vibrant drink that contains chunks of strawberry pulp in the base and a creamy milk tea blend on top, with the components served in a diagonally layered style that’s pleasing to the eye. The chunky texture of the sweet and tart strawberry pulp is said to pair perfectly with the gorgeous aroma of the Joyful Medley, filling the palate with a gentle sweetness. The mound of whipped cream is finished with freeze-dried strawberries to complete the festive look.
As an extra special treat, four types of holiday-themed mini cookies, in the shape of a ribbon, snowman, bear, and doll, will be sold separately for customers to add a sweet dash of holiday flair to their Frappuccino, or any other cream-topped iced beverage on the menu. The cookies are selected randomly by the barista to give you the same sense of excitement as receiving a Christmas gift, albeit one you’ve paid for.
While the Frappuccino is only available iced, and in a Tall size only, from 687 yen, the Strawberry Mousse & Joyful Medley Tea Latte is available iced or hot, and in a variety of sizes, from Short through to Venti, with prices ranging from 570-710 yen. The latte version combines smooth, tart strawberry mousse with a rich tea latte that showcases the robust flavours of a milky Joyful Medley.
The holiday cheer isn’t over yet, though, as two other festive favourites are making their return to the menu.
▼ The Joyful Medley Tea Latte (from 520 yen)…
▼ …and the Gingerbread Latte, inspired by the spicy flavour of gingerbread cookies.
The festivities kick off on 1 November, when all the items above will become available, replacing the Halloween Frappuccino and spooky black cat goods and drinkware for yet another year.
Source, images: Press release
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