I took one year of elementary Japanese in high school, but have since forgotten almost all of what I learned due to lack of practice. I wanted to study Japanese again, this time more seriously, for various reasons. Firstly, I want to learn Japanese to keep in touch with my Japanese friends and to be able to communicate with them better. Secondly, I want to learn Japanese for travel. During previous trips to Japan, I found it difficult to get by with little to no knowledge of Japanese. Although, I was fortunate to have Japanese-speaking friends accompany me, I would like to have better command of the language so that for future trips, I will be able to get by on my own. Thirdly, I am hoping that better understanding of the language will deepen my understanding and appreciation for Japanese culture. I would also like to eventually reach JLPT N1 proficiency and possibly work in Japan in the near future.
Here are some pictures from my recent trip to Japan in March:
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| View from hotel in Nagatacho, Tokyo. |
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| Kabuki performance at the National Theatre of Japan. |
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| Kinkaku-ji. |
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| Arashimaya. |
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| One of many rock gardens. |
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Washoku at ryokan in Arashiyama.
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Street in Kyoto.
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Breakfast at ryokan in Hakone.
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おしゃれですね。
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Another kabuki performance at Kabukiza Theater in Ginza.
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わたしは にほんじんの だいがくせいです。
ReplyDeleteあなたのとったしゃしんは とてもうつくしいです。
あらしやまは わたしもすきなばしょです。
日本語のべんきょうがんばってください！
はじめまして。わたしはダイアナです。アメリカの大学生です。日本語の勉強を頑張ります！どうぞよろしくお願いします。
DeleteHi, it's really nice to meet you M-san! Thank you for the compliment on my photos. Arashiyama was definitely one of the best places I visited on this trip. I hope to visit Japan again in the near future. I would like to see 富士山 and 沖縄 next time.
Also, thank you for your words of encouragement in studying Japanese. 英語の勉強頑張ってください！Hopefully, we'll both become better Japanese/English speakers by the end of this semester!
ありがとうございます。I'm looking forward to reading your new blog.
DeleteAlthough I have been studying English for many years, I'm not a good commander of English. I want to study English to speak it fluently. Let's do our best to study language we need. Sorry for terrible English.
ReplyDeleteHi Diana! Very pretty photos! and yeah I totally understand what you are saying. Japan is such a cool place to travel to. Such good foods and unique cultural experiences. Maybe we can visit together sometimes in the future haha :)
ReplyDeleteThank you and yes, I would love to! :)
DeleteI love these photos, they're beautiful! I can't wait to visit Japan -- it seems like you had an amazing time. It'll be awesome to see what new experiences you have after studying Japanese more :-) always something new to discover in the world.
ReplyDeleteありがとうございます！がんばってにほんごをべんきょうしましょう〜！
DeleteAhhh, to travel alone in Japan, それわくうるなGoalです！
ReplyDeleteOne day...! がんばってにほんごをべんきょうしましょう〜
DeleteHi Diana! Your photos of Japan are incredible! I am similar to you in that I do not want to go to Japan without being able to communicate in Japanese. That is so cool that you have friends in Japan, especially because they have helped you get around! Hopefully you and I will both make our way to Japan in the near future!
ReplyDeleteBest,
-アイザック・ルーミス
せいいっぱいにほんとをべんきょうしましょう〜！
DeleteHi Diana. Your pictures so pretty!! It's really enjoyable to see your blog. 日本語のべんきょう一緒に頑張りましょう。
ReplyDeleteありがとうございます。がんばってにほんごをべんきょうしましょう〜！
DeleteYou stayed in Nagatacho? I lived on the Hanzomon/Den-en-toshi line before moving to NYC. Small world!
ReplyDeleteN1 is a very high bar to set. I know translators who haven't bothered passing it, but that's because the test lacks significance outside of the realm of job- and visa-seeking foreigners. Also, a lot of the grammar, vocabulary, and kanji aren't used outside of high-level written material. If you're looking to pass the JLPT for speaking purposes, N2 is perfect!
Yes, I stayed at ザ・キャピトルホテル東急, which is between 国会議事堂前駅 and 溜池山王駅。Nagatacho was super quiet though and everything closed pretty early, so I probably wouldn't stay there again if I go back to Tokyo.
DeleteThanks for the tip on JLPT! Have you taken the test(s)?
Hi Diana! These photos are stunning. Knowing the language will certainly make travel in Japan not only much easier, but much more enriching to your appreciation of the culture. ESPECIALLY in Japan. I'm excited to keep learning with you!
ReplyDeleteJustin^
DeleteHi Diana! The photos make me want to visit Japan again, these should definitely be in a Japanese booklet lol. One of my goals is to pass JLPT N1 as well; however, N1 is known to be a very hard test, even for some natives. Hope you learn the most out of this class and pass N1! 頑張って！
ReplyDelete