Advanced Audio Blog 2
The Advanced Audio Blog series provides you with an in-depth look into Japan, Japanese culture, and the life of a typical Japanese person. These lessons are entirely in Japanese and you can find transcripts in the first comment of each lesson. Season 2 consists of 25 audio blogs presented by Yuri. She'll cover topics such as Japanese fashion, the Kansai dialect, Japanese comedy, and more!
Lesson | Title | Topic | Summary | Cultural Fact | Vocab |
1 | From Fashion to the Kansai Dialect | writer's self-introductions | The writer introduces herself. | Japanese comedy, fashion, travel and the Kansai dialect | 公開 感度 様々 数えきれないほど 惹かれる 標準語 発音 表現 仕方 まるで~ない 不思議 伝統的 港町 芸人 ネタ ゴスロリ 特殊 仏閣 増す 神聖 微妙 |
2 | Take a Trip Down Memory Lane: Omoide Yokocho | Japanese tiny bars | It it an in-depth introduction to Omoide Yokocho and all its nuances. You'll learn where it is, what it looks like and what you'll find there. | Omoide Yokocho is a district in Japan that is full of tiny bars that have managed to retain an old-world atmosphere. | 横町 肉体労働者 定年 フラリと 根強い 片隅 接客する 気さく 魅了する 下げる 丸見え 飲屋街 終戦 店舗 密集する 間もない 火事 焼失する 開け放つ 盛り合わせ |
3 | Cheers! Where to Go for a Drink in Japan | japanese style bars | The writer tells about the Izakayas, or Japanese style bars, where you can find good food and drinks for only a few hundred yen. | In the izakaya, you can find traditional food, drinks, and atmosphere of Japan. | 日本酒 朝方 小鉢 揚げ物 煮物 冷や奴 枝豆 乾き物 塩辛 飲み放題 幅広い 営業時間 チェーン展開する 揃う 銘柄 定番 唐揚げ 漬け物 食べ放題 店内装飾 提供する 豊富 至るところ 気軽に |
4 | What's RED BAR? | bar | The writer tells all about one of Japan's hottest spots: REDBAR. | The Red bar has a baroque-inspired décor and lack of windows | 路地 魅力 感覚 空間 気さく 国籍 溢れ出す 隠れ家 関係者 開店する 看板 常連 豪華 ロココ調 吊るす 真っ赤 その名の通り 思う存分 |
5 | Japanese Portable Bars | japanese portable stall taverns | The writer takes you into the exciting and mysterious world of yatai, which are portable stall taverns found along Tokyo's train lines. | Yatai is one of the traditional Japanese gathering spots. | 屋台 開放的 心身共に かざす 予想外 屋内 調理台 台車 木造 OL 立ち寄る 高架下 郊外 沿線 ~めぐり |
6 | The Nocturnal World of Cabaret Clubs | japanese nightclubs | This audio blog shows the secrets of Japanese kyabakura, nightclubs that tailor to men with their attractive, well dressed female staff members known as kyaba-jo. | At the kyabakura, men can pay extra yen to have drinks and conversation with his favorite kyaba-jo. | 集う 打ち解ける 同性 戸惑う 合理的 疑似恋愛 指名する 追加料金 行きつけ 灯す 和製英語 合成する 看板 地域 おかわり |
7 | Tokyo Fashon Files #1: Fashion in Harajuku | Fashion | The writer tells us all about Harajuku fashion and the types of people who enjoy wearing it. | Harajuku is one of the cutting edge fashion that's changing the way the world dressed. | 象徴する 政治 行き交う 志向 うわべ 斬新 強烈 支持 圧倒的 満載 ズラリと 直営店 焦点 派手 装い |
8 | Tokyo Fashon Files #2: Are You a Goth-Loli? | Fashion | The writer tells us all about Goth-Loli's or Gothic Lolitas, Japanese women who dress in a very interesting way. | This fashion is also popular with some pop musicians. | ふんだんに 担う 役目 煽る かつら 縁取る あしらう 格好 装い 包む 発信 |
9 | Tokyo Fashon Files #3: Everchanging Mens' Fashion | Fashion | The writer tells about the changing men's fashions in Japan, from plucked eyebrows to jumpers, you might be shocked at what's considered stylish in Japan these days. | Young men have begun sporting a look that accentuates their body lines more, a large influence from the men's line of the French brand Christian Dior. | 変化 ごく 整える 薄化粧 強調する 主に 急速 特徴 影響 格好 溶け込む |
10 | Tokyo Fashon Files #4: Crazy About Brands | Fashion | The writer presents the costly world of "brand maniacs," Japanese women who insist on wearing and carrying the most expensive Western fashions. | Louis Vuitton products command a rock-solid position of popularity among brand products in Japan. | ~に目がない 老舗 築く ~といっても過言ではない 不景気 久しい 自己表現 覗く 眺める |
11 | Tokyo Fashon Files #5: COMME des GARCONS | Fashion | The writer tells all about COMME des GARCONS, a popular clothing line that is available in Japan, Europe, and beyond. | Comme de Garcons is a Japanese brand was founded in 1969 by designer Rei Kawakubo. | 斬新 発想 敏感 誇る 設立する 度肝を抜く 上質 肌触り 施す |
12 | Japanese Comedians: The World of Japanese Comedy | japanese comedians | The writer tells us all about the world of Japanese comedy. | Just like in the United States, Japanese comedians are often good looking, and they like to branch out into the world of television and movies. | 斬新 芸能分野 追求する 評価 主旨 容姿 ひととき 巻き込む 発達する 独自に 滑稽 傾向 多様化 |
13 | Japanese Comedians: Beat Takeshi | japanese comedians | Beat Takeshi is a comedian turned film director who is incredibly popular in Japan. | If you're taking an interest in Japanese comedy, his name is one you've got to become familiar with. | 独特 世論 お茶の間 看板番組 活動する 受賞する 知名度 映画監督 活躍 前代未聞 多才 |
14 | Japanese Comedians: Downtown | japanese comedians | The writer tells us what she finds so funny about the duo Downtown. | - Downtown comedy is popular among teenagers and twenty-somethings. |
登場 絶妙 ひょうひょうとした 無表情 隙 前提 非難する 役割分担 稀 支持する 熱狂的 司会者 君臨する |
15 | Japanese Comedians: Sayaka Aoki | japanese comedians | The writer discusses the comedic talent of a rare person, a Japanese woman making her living as a comedian in Japan. | Many Japanese still think women can't be as funny as man comedian. | 皮肉 共感する 発揮する 屈辱 採用試験 睨みつける 一躍 連発する 保母 偽る |
16 | The Kansai Dialect: What IS the Kansai Dialect? | kaisai dialect, japanese dialect | The writer discusses some of the different dialects in Japanese. | The television and radio personalities and comedians featured in much of Japan's mass media speak the Kansai dialect. | 標準語 相当する 平たん なだらか 速度 タレント 来日する 避ける 耳にする 方言 頻繁に |
17 | The Kansai Dialect: The Difference Between the Kansai and Standard Dialects | Kansai dialect | This audio blog let you listen to differences in the way Japanese people speak in different parts of Japan. | The standard dialect in Japanese uses different emphases and different words than the Kansai-ben, Kansai dialect. | 冗談めいた 印象 共通語 歯切れがいい 抑揚 抱く 例を挙げる 敬遠する |
18 | The Kansai Dialect: Words from Kansai Spread Throughout Japan | Japanese dialect | This audio blog discusses the two most famous dialects of Japan, the Tokyo dialect and the Kansai dialect. | In politics, many Diet members making statements on the live broadcasts from the Diet floor using the Kansai dialect. | 活躍 含む 炊く 物事 判断する 勘定 特有 発言する 中継 国会 著しい めでたい 政治 蒸す |
19 | The Kansai Dialect: Words with Severed Endings | Japanese dialect | The lesson explains some of the differences between the Kansai dialect and other dialects of Japanese. | The Kansai dialect is very popular in Japan. | 語尾 省略する 気質 せっかち 意識する 辛抱 無意識に |
20 | The Kansai Dialect: Abbreviated Words | Japanese dialect | The writer tells you how to shorten some words and phrases so that you can understand people from the Kansai district of Japan. | The Kansai dialect abbreviates a lot of words just as in the sentence that starts this paragraph. | 経つ 四六時中 新鮮 実家 しみじみ 耳にする 省略する |
21 | The Real Japan: Toshogu in Nikko | shrines in japan | The lesson recounts the wonders of a very special shrine in Japan where is located the original carvings of one of the most famous iconographic images in the world. | The carvings of monkeys has the meaning of not seeing, hearing, nor speaking evil when you are young. | 本殿 そびえ立つ ひっそり 澄む 神聖な 拝む 色とりどり 壮大な 祀る 彫刻 象徴する あいにく 世界遺産 存在感 |
22 | The Real Japan: Kiyomizu Temple | temple in kyoto, Japan | The lesson describes some of the sites at the very famous Kiyomizu temple in the Kyoto district of Japan. | Otowa Waterfall water is known as "Golden Water" and "Longevity Water," and is treasured as "pure water." | 朱色 汲む 溢れ出す 湧き水 涼む 吹き出る 絶景 てっぺん あちこち 敷地 見渡す 清め |
23 | The Real Japan: Meiji Shrine | shrines in japan | The writer takes you on a trip to a forest and the Meiji Shrine in the middle of Tokyo. | Meiji Shrine is where the Meiji Emperor and Empress Shoken are enshrined. | 天皇 フラッと 都会 散策する 静寂な 賑わう 最寄り 参拝客 恒例 皇太后 足を運ぶ |
24 | The Real Japan: Izumo Oyashiro Shrine | shrines in japan | The lesson covers the Izumo Taisha shrine, a special shrine in Japan, its rituals, festivals, celebrations, ceremonies, and sense of serenity. | It is said that every year in October, eight million deities congregate from all over the country at Izumo Taisha Shrine and hold a meeting. | 八百万 重要文化財 妊娠 心を込めて 備え付け 会釈する 国宝 空間 神聖な 縁結び |
25 | The Real Japan: Tsurugaoka Hachimangu | shrines in japan | The writer discusses a famous Japanese shrine located near Tokyo, Japan, telling the sight seeings places and the ancient Japanese wishing ritual associated with the shrine. | The city of Kamakura is a famous sightseeing spot with a relaxed atmosphere where the people seem to walk at a slower pace. | くぐる 振り返る 保護者 守護神 ~足らず ゆったりと 何度となく 急角度 一連 |