今月のトピックは各国のタブーについてでした。知らずに相手の国のタブーなことをしていることがあるかもしれません。普段から学んでいることだとは思いますが、直接聞く機会もあまりないと思いますので、今回改めて多くの学びがあったなら、大変嬉しく思います。

The monthly topic was taboos in your country. You never know if you break the taboos in other countries. Also it is important to learn it from the native speakers' perspectives rather than books. I hope you have deepened your understanding of different ideas and widen your world through the event.

Lesley Downer, an English journalist specialising in Japan, will be sharing some of her observations and experiences of Japanese culture as a JAPAN FOCUS event this year. I am very glad of this opportunity to hear what she has to say. I feel that a deeper understanding of Japan will enhance language learning for language learners. Understanding different cultures is very important for us, living as we do in a global society. It will also be helpful for Japanese people to enable them to explain the historical background to Japanese society to western friends.
 
Title: The New Samurai: The Extraordinary Story of the Transformation of Japan
Speaker: Lesley Downer - profile below.                         
Date: Wednesday September 11th 2019
Time:  18:20 - Doors open
           18:30-20:00 Presentation in English by Lesley Downer
           20:00-20:30 Group discussion (Two groups, one in Japanese & the other in English)
           *Please feel free to join the event at any time.     
Place: The City of London (Nearest Tube stations-Moorgate, Bank & St Paul’s)
Price: £8 per person  *Advance payment is required in order to secure your booking.
Booking: Please book via 'Contact' on this website. Your friends are welcome!
              

Ms Lesley Downer
Journalist and writer
 
On July 8th 1853 four enormous American warships appeared at the mouth of Edo Bay, threatening Edo. For Japanese of the day it was as shocking as if aliens had landed. The next year Commodore Perry returned to force the government to open the country. After fifteen years of upheaval a new government of radical young samurai took over and set about transforming Japan. Within a year rickshaws were clattering through the streets. Women experimented with bustles and bonnets and men ate beef, cut off their samurai topknots and started wearing boots and Inverness capes. Lesley Downer spent 15 years immersing herself in this period and has written four novels about it. She will tell the dramatic story of the coming of the Black Ships and the transformation of Japan, with lots of glorious pictures.
 
Lesley Downer first went to Japan more than thirty years ago and her life has revolved around Japan ever since. She is the author of many books on Japan, including Geisha: The Secret History of a Vanishing World and a quartet of novels bringing alive the extraordinary years in the mid-19th century when Japan changed overnight from a feudal to a modern nation: The Shogun’s Queen, The Last Concubine, The Courtesan and the Samurai and The Samurai’s Daughter.
 
The Shogun’s Queen:
ttps://www.amazon.co.uk/Shoguns-Queen-Shogun-Quartet-Book/dp/055216349X/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0
 
The Last Concubine:
​https://www.amazon.co.uk/Last-Concubine-Shogun-Quartet-Book/dp/0552155209/ref=pd_sbs_14_2/257-3947980-5404463?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=0552155209&pd_rd_r=05a3d4c1-5944-4b2d-bd3b-b4f4b5c015fc&pd_rd_w=hxYgJ&pd_rd_wg=2jqXC&pf_rd_p=18edf98b-139a-41ee-bb40-d725dd59d1d3&pf_rd_r=W5S0BXQBAKT6J5724A35&psc=1&refRID=W5S0BXQBAKT6J5724A35
 
Official website: https://www.lesleydowner.com/​

Thank you very much for attending the Speaking Sessions last Saturday! It was fantastic to have  deep conversations with the members. Thank you very much for your generous donation for Japan too. Luckily, no serious natural disaster has attacked in Japan this year. And I hope I can donate the sum for the organisation supporting social disorder people in the end of the year.

The topic of the month was 'The Feature of the Cities in Your Country'. In Europe, there are many churches in each town and a cathedral in a bigger town. Some are on sale and converted into student house or bar/night club in the UK! There are some castle towns as well such as York in Yorkshire. I also found that many of the shops and restaurants are chains in this country. I heard that this is because the British people like to enjoy the same food wherever they go!

In Japan, most cities have a Shinto shrine, many Buddhist temples, and often a castle. My hometown is also a castle town as the castle was used as the second/holiday home of shogun Ieyasu Tokugawa who mainly lived in Tokyo and reigned over Japan in Edo period. There are many local shops which sell the local products or food in Japan and people always enjoy the local specialties. My local speciality is 'wasabi ice cream'!

I have never seen Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples on sale in Japan but it is very interesting to know that the consumer preferences create the  different business of the towns although religious buildings (for mental strength or power) and castles (for reign) exist in both far East and far West.

I am sorry for those who could not join this time. i look forward to seeing you on another occasion. Best wishes.

今回も「日本語を話す会」「英語を話す会」にお越しいただき誠にありがとうございます。皆さんとの有意義な会話からまた学ばせていただきました。日本への支援金もありがとうございます。今のところ大きな災害がなく、このままうまくいけば、年末に引きこもり等の支援団体に寄付できればと考えております。

今月のトピックは「自国の町の特徴」でしたが、ヨーロッパでは教会や大聖堂があり、中世の城があるところもありますね。イギリスでは教会が売りに出され、学生寮やバー、ナイトクラブなどに使われるところもあるそうですね。また、イギリスの町ではどこに行ってもチェーンのレストランやカフェを見かけるんですが、どうやらこれはイギリス人がどこに行っても「いつもの味」を楽しみたいからだということを聞いたことがあります。

日本では大抵の町に神社、お寺、それにお城も点在していますね。私の出身、駿河は天下統一を果たした徳川家康の別邸の城下町として賑わっています。また、各地方では名物料理などがあり、そこでしか食べられないものを楽しむ傾向もあると思います。駿河では緑茶の産地のみならず、「わさびアイスクリーム」も人気があります。

私はまだ日本で神社やお寺が不動産として売られているのを見たことがないんですが、この現象はあるのでしょうか。何はともあれ、使わなくなったところを需要のあるものに変え、使えるようにしていくという発想はとても面白いと思います。また、消費者の動向によって商店街の様相が違うというのも興味深い点です。共通点としては東西に関わらず、古くから、精神面を支え、また権力にも使われる宗教関連の建物、統治のための建物が存在していることですね。人間としての共通点と言えるのではないでしょうか。

最後に、今回やむなく参加できなかった方、またの機会にぜひお会いできることを楽しみにしております。

Thank you very much for attending the first weekday sessions on 6thbof June! Katayama san helped me to organise this additional Speaking Sessions and I really appreciate for her kind support. It was also nice to welcome the new Japanese member. I am sorry for those who could not make it this time. However, I am sure there will be another chance to meet. Take care until then!

６月６日の平日の日本語を話す会＆英語を話す会にご参加いただき誠にありがとうございます。ようやく平日にも実施できることになったのは、熱心な片山さんのお手伝いがあってこそです。本当にこのようなご支援に感謝しております。新しい日本人メンバーも来てくださり、嬉しく思います。今回残念ながらご参加できなかった方々もまたいつか一緒に異文化交流できることを心より楽しみにしております。

Kumiko Ohta and Xavier Chapelou, the founders of Sake Sommelier Association (SSA), organised the outstanding  sake event at Millennium Hotel in London on 19th of May 2019. The 'Sake Challenge' was a sake competition challenged by the sake breweries from all over the world including Japan. Afterwards, 'JAPAN LIFE' was held as a sake tasting and Japanese cultural evening.

It was grateful that Arai Academy of Japanese Studies had a brilliant opportunity to provide Japanese lessons for the guests. I selected the theme of ordering sake with minimum Japanese phrases. I was very pleased that all of them found the lesson absolutely useful and smiled a lot with a great satisfaction. Thank you very much for the wonderful time together, Kumiko-san and Xavier!!!

Please download the handout below if you are interested. I am going to make YouTube lesson on this theme in the near future. Please subscribe my YouTube channel 'Arai Academy of Japanese Studies' if you wish so that you can timely receive the notice of the uploaded video! Thank you very much for your great support as always. 

酒ソムリエ協会の設立者である太田久美子さんとザビエル・シャプルウさんは今年5月19日にロンドンのミレニアムホテルにて酒品評会「ロンドン酒チャレンジ」を実施なさいました。日本をはじめ、外国からの酒蔵による作品のチャレンジが行われた後、日本酒の試飲と日本文化のパーティーとして「JAPAN LIFE」が行われました。

このような素晴らしい場でArai Academy of Japanese Studiesが出展の機会をいただき、日本酒のイベントにちなんで「日本語での日本酒の注文の仕方」をテーマに日本語のレッスンをさせていただきました。大変役立つ内容だったと皆さま満足に笑みを浮かべてお帰りになり、大変嬉しく存じます。太田さん、ザビエルさん、ご一緒に活動する機会をいただき、心よりお礼申し上げます。

ちなみに、当日のレッスン向けにまとめた表現集は以下よりダウンロードできます。今後、このテーマをYouTubeでも取り上げる予定でおりますので、'Arai Academy of Japanese Studies'　のチャンネルを登録していただけると、レッスンが出来上がり次第ご覧になれます。いつもご支援誠にありがとうございます。

The topic of the month was 'Vegetarianism and Japan'. Currently, there are 7% of vegetarians in the UK and 4.7% of them in Japan, according to Wikipedia. Japanese vegan food called 'Shojin ryori'' was spread when Buddhism was introduced to Japan in 6th century with the teaching of no killing and purifying and improving mind and body.  But I am happy that it has been more popular among foreigners in Japan.  This a great movement because I used to be a vegetarian for three years. I had 'Shojin ryori'' in Kyoto last winter and I felt my body and mind were purified! 
​
今月のトピックは「菜食主義と日本」でした。ウィキペディアによると菜食主義者は現在イギリスで７パーセント、日本で４．７パーセントだそうです。日本では6世紀ごろに仏教が伝来し、その不殺生や純粋な心身を磨くという教えともに「精進料理」が発達したそうですが、現在では外国人のベジタリアンやビーガン向けに精進料理が人気が出てきているというのは面白いと思います。去年の冬、京都で精進料理をいただきましたが、とてもおいしく、心と体も健やかになったような気がしました。以前3年間ベジタリアンだったこともあり、日本でのこの傾向が大変嬉しく思います。

Thank you very much for attending the Speaking Sessions last Saturday. It was the perfect day for the outdoor sessions! It was great to have the old member who has come back to London from Japan and a new member introduced by the regular member. Lauren-san, thank you for the French doughnuts and Duncan-san, thank you for your handmade biscuits!

I am sorry for those who had to miss this time but I hope to see you all another time. And thank you very much for your kind donation for running cost of the sessions and for Japan.

I am glad you enjoyed the topic this month. My student and I discussed it and I found it very interesting that the concept of the 'job' in service industry is different. For example, waiter job in Japan includes both basic work such as serving food and service in order to make customers happier. However, some countries separate these two and the wage is only paid for the work of serving food and service is not included as the job. It is considered as an extra work. It is very interesting to understand different ways of thinking and as a result, different systems of service jobs.

　今回はイースター休みの中、ご参加いただき誠にありがとうございました。快晴で温かく、屋外での話す会としては最高の天候に恵まれ、会話も楽しく弾んだことと思います。また、帰国されていたメンバーが来てくださったり、新しいメンバーのご紹介があったりと交流もさらに深まりました。それから、ローレンさん、フランスのドーナツ、ダンカンさん、手作りのクッキーをご馳走様でした！また、運営資金と日本への寄付金もありがとうございました。今回ご参加できなかった方々、またの機会を楽しみにしております。

　さて、今月のトピック「チップをあげる文化VSあげない文化」ですが、イギリス人の生徒によるとチップをあげる国では、サービス業の「仕事」の概念が違うようです。日本では例えばウェイターの仕事はお客様に満足してもらうことをするためのサービスが含まれますが、イギリスでは仕事は料理を運ぶことであり、その給料は雇用主からもらえますが、気持ちよく過ごしてもらうためのサービスは別扱いで客からのチップが必要なんだそうです。サービス業の「仕事」の範囲やそれに対する給料の違い、とても面白いですね。

 Thank you very much for participating the Speaking Sessions last Saturday. It was so lovely to meet you all! Some Japanese people attended for the last chance before leaving the UK, some new members have joined the group and my old student turned up after a long time. And thank you very much for your donation for the event. This is my volunteering work and I appreciate for your kind support.

About the topic this month, I had to change myself a lot when I wanted to master English. I was a very shy person before, but now, everyone knows I am not! Also, I have gained a strong will to achieve my goals, as language learning is not an easy path. I hope more and more people learn a foreign language and get benefits from the journey.

It was a pity we missed some people who could not come this time, but I look forward to seeing you all next month!

今回も話す会にご参加くださり、ありがとうございます。今回が帰国前最後の会だった日本人メンバーの方々とも会え、また新しいメンバーもご紹介いただき、久しぶりに私の生徒も参加してくれました。当会へのあたたかい寄付もどうもありがとうございました。ボランティアで運営している上、大変助かります。

今月のトピックの一つ、「言語学習を通しての自己成長」に関して言えば、私の場合はシャイだった性格を一変せざるを得なかったこと、また目標達成のための根気が備わったような気がします。今後もより多くの人々が言語学習を楽しみ、人生に新たな変化があったら幸いに思います。

今回残念ながら来られなかった方々も含め、次回また皆様と深く楽しいディスカッションができるのを楽しみにしております。

今回も大勢の方々のご参加、誠にありがとうございます。お忙しい中、わざわざ駆けつけてくださった方々もいらっしゃって、本当に感激しました。また、日本語学習者、英語学習者が互いにサポートし合い、刺激し合える場となったことは本当に嬉しい限りです。今回のトピックでもいろいろと学びが多かったようで良かったです。また、日本への支援金もどうもありがとうございます。
Thank you very much for attending the session this month! It was very nice to meet you all and we had a great energy of support and encouragement. I am very happy to hear that everyone learnt a lot from the members and the session was fulfilling. I am glad to hear that you enjoyed the monthly topic as well. Thank you very much for your kind donation for Japan!

Thank you for coming to the first session this year! It was a great start with your great energy! Thank you very much for introducing your freinds. I am very happy to meet them and we enjoyed our cutural talk as well as the language practice.

I hope the session gave you higher motivation and confidence at the beginning of the year. It would be wonderful to learn and encourage from each other!

Thank you very much for your donation for Japan too!

今年の初話す会にご参加くださりありがとうございます。新しいメンバーもご紹介いただき、とてもいいスタートが切れました。お陰様で楽しく有意義な会話と意見交換できたことと思います。

今年もお互いに刺激し合え、交流を通じて多くを学んでもらえたらたら幸いでございます。

日本への支援金もどうもありがとうございました。