Blog Archives

William and Kate's story

2/28/2015

Prince William was in Japan this week - without Kate - and he visited Fukushima and Koriyama.

You can read about the William and Kate story in an easy reader book (I have them at Imagine). These are books about famous people, or stories, or about places: with easier English for language students.
If you look on the back of the book you can see the level and choose what is good for you.
Reading is a great way to expand your word-power and to enjoy English.
A friend writes a blog about easy reader books - she posts about a new book almost every day! You can use her blog to find out about different books. Please check the blog!
http://ims-bookclub.cocolog-nifty.com/blog/

0 Comments

In book shops today :-)

2/24/2015

0 Comments

Ellie in real life

2/21/2015

0 Comments

Otaru Civic Center and the TV show set - bagpipes play for Ellie and Massan!

Ellie! Massan! We all screamed in Otaru today at the live broadcast of the TV show DOYO Studio Park, filmed at Otaru Civic Center.
Actors Charlotte Kate Fox and Tetsuji Tamayama were the guests and the talk was all about the popular NHK drama Massan.
I managed to get two tickets through a friend so an interpreter friend and I went to Otaru to enjoy the show.

The two actors chatted about filming the show, and working through two languages. Ms. Fox spoke some Japanese in the interview, but an interpreter sat just behind her and did 90% of the work. She obviously understands much more than she can say - I know how she feels!
They talked about the scene where Massan reassures Ellie that he loves her, even though they can't have children. Ellie kisses her husband and they hug. In the script they were planned to just hug - but Fox naturally kissed Tamayama!
As she said:"it was a natural, loving thing to do for the characters. A hug wasn't enough. They are husband and wife, couples kiss!".
In the NHK morning drama...maybe not! And maybe not in many Japanese marriages either!
I laughed.

There was also a surprise appearance by the young actor Kodai Asaka, who played Eiichiro; and video greetings from other members of the cast.
And bagpipes!!! The Yoichi bagpipe band came and played...and there was plum cake (or xmas pudding), made from one of Rita Taketsuru's recipes.
It was a fun day...and I got to meet the cardboard cutout of my favorite character....

0 Comments

Ellie-chan!

2/19/2015

0 Comments

Guess who I am going to meet tomorrow?
Well, not actually "meet" - see from a distance.
Ellie and Massan!
I am very lucky to have got a ticket for a TV program recording by NHK in Otaru tomorrow afternoon: the guests are the actors from the Massan drama.
At the beginning of this drama many things annoyed me: the image change on the Rita Taketsuru story, the lack of English between the main couple, the stereotypical "gaijin" actions of the Ellie character...
But as the months go by I watch the drama and enjoy it. I marvel at the American actress' Japanese skills and I enjoy the little side stories and characters.
Now the storyline has moved from Kansai to Yoichi and it is wartime.
Funny though....the 1940s in Hokkaido were obviously very light snowfall years. Ellie and Ema never shovel snow outside the house! Very odd.

0 Comments

Pera Pera 2...next week!

2/18/2015

2 Comments

英語でホッカイドー. PERA PERAトーク500 will be published next week, February 25th.

This week I got my personal copy of the CD that we recorded last month. It is always strange to hear my own voice. It doesn't sound like me!
I think this time the book will appeal to many people who have no chance to guide a foreign visitor around Japan, because it includes many conversations about ordinary life. It will be a fun self-study book for many English language students.

2 Comments

Seeing Hokkaido thru visitor's eyes.

2/13/2015

0 Comments

Last week an old friend from the UK came to visit Hokkaido and I and another friend showed her around.
She came to Japan many years ago on business, but this was her first time in Hokkaido.
It was so interesting to see familiar places through her eyes, and hear her comments and questions. I often write tourist information, and this was a refreshing look at how a visitor experiences a trip here.
We went to Shiraoi Ainu tourist village, then Noboribetsu, and skiing at Rusutsu. She also enjoyed the Snow Festival, snow shoe walking in the Sapporo Art Park, cross country skiing in Nakajima Park and other sights such as Hokkaido Shrine.

She was VERY impressed with Japanese food: the presentation, the varied textures and the taste. Even cheap food was well presented.
She was also surprised at how polite everyone was. The smiles and the bowing. As we walked through the Sapporo Station shopping area she commented that everybody seemed so well mannered and quiet! In England in shopping centers there are sometimes groups of young people being noisy.

But mainly she just loved Hokkaido and the beauty of it in winter. I love Hokkaido too - so I was like a proud parent!

0 Comments

William and Kate's story

In book shops today :-)

Ellie in real life

Ellie-chan!

Pera Pera 2...next week!

Seeing Hokkaido thru visitor's eyes.

Archives

Categories