Learn Japanese with Noriko

Check my links https://bio.site/japanesewithnoriko
1) 問いかけ・振り返りの質問
子どもの頃に思い描いていた将来の夢は、現在の自分の価値観や生き方にどのような影響を与えていると思いますか。

「何になるかより、何をやるかの方が大事だ」という考え方について、あなたはどのように感じますか。

人の職業観は家庭環境や育った社会からどの程度影響を受けると思いますか。

子どもの頃に憧れていた職業と、実際に選んだ進路が異なる場合、その変化にはどのような意味があると考えますか。

夢を周囲に話すことには、どのようなメリットとデメリットがあるでしょうか。

「大きなことを100個言って一つ叶えばいい」という考え方は、挑戦する姿勢にどのような影響を与えると思いますか。

将来の夢を持つことと、自分に合った生き方を見つけることは、どのような関係があると考えますか。

In this episode, Noriko talks about childhood dreams and future career aspirations. She introduces the results of a Japanese survey that asked elementary school boys and girls what jobs they want when they grow up. Surprisingly, “company employee” ranked very highly for both boys and girls, alongside more traditional dream jobs such as YouTuber, professional baseball player, kindergarten teacher, and pastry chef.
Noriko reflects on how children’s career aspirations may be influenced by their parents, environment, and everyday experiences. She then invites listeners to think about their own childhood dreams and share them in the comments.
Looking back on her own life, Noriko explains that her dream changed many times. At different stages, she wanted to become a piano teacher, an elementary school teacher, a writer, and even a flight attendant after being inspired by a television drama. She also reads an essay she wrote at age fifteen about her future dreams. Many of the hopes she expressed then—traveling abroad, meeting people from different countries, and finding a suitable profession—have become reality through her work as a Japanese teacher.
Finally, she shares inspiring quotes from Naruse, a favorite fictional character, encouraging listeners to focus on actions, embrace challenges, and keep moving forward with confidence.

やすよさんのインスタグラム
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「旅モード」と「日常モード」の違いは、本当に場所によって決まると思いますか。

建築や空間のデザインが、人の感情や考え方に与える影響についてどう思いますか。

「世界があなたの庭」という考え方から、どのような生き方を想像しますか。

旅行中に仕事を続けるスタイルには、どんなメリットやデメリットがあると思いますか。

歴史や芸術を事前に学んでから旅行することは、体験をどのように変えると思いますか。

In this episode, Yasuyo returns as a guest to talk about her busy April and her recent trip through Central Europe. She visited Vienna in Austria, Budapest in Hungary, and also took a day trip to Bratislava in Slovakia. Although the trip lasted only about ten days, it felt unique because she mixed travel with online teaching. Sometimes she would go to an opera or museum and then teach a lesson shortly afterward, creating a strange feeling where travel and daily life blended together.
A major highlight of the trip was architecture. Yasuyo was especially inspired by the work of Austrian architect Otto Wagner in Vienna and by the “House of Music” designed by Japanese architect Sou Fujimoto in Budapest. She describes how certain spaces gave her emotional energy and made her reflect on ideas like freedom, perspective, and how “the world can become your garden.”
The conversation also explores the meaning of travel itself. Yasuyo talks about how continuing her normal routines abroad—such as working, going to concerts, or even using saunas—made her question what really separates “travel mode” from “daily life.” The episode becomes a thoughtful discussion about mindset, borders, culture, history, and the joy of seeing the world with curiosity.
久しぶり（ひさしぶり）- after a long time

落ち着く（おちつく）- to calm down

録音（ろくおん）- recording

日帰り（ひがえり）- day trip

首都（しゅと）- capital city

感覚（かんかく）- sensation, feeling

歴史（れきし）- history

都（みやこ）- capital

実験的（じっけんてき）- experimental

体力的（たいりょくてき）- physically

深夜（しんや）- late at night

寝不足（ねぶそく）- lack of sleep

憧れる（あこがれる）- to admire

建築家（けんちくか）- architect

郵便局（ゆうびんきょく）- post office

豪華（ごうか）- luxurious

地下鉄（ちかてつ）- subway

溶け合う（とけあう）- to blend together

文化施設（ぶんかしせつ）- cultural facility

緩やか（ゆるやか）- gentle, gradual

景色（けしき）- scenery

意識（いしき）- awareness

引き寄せられる（ひきよせられる）- to be attracted

温泉（おんせん）- hot spring

哲学的（てつがくてき）- philosophical

日常（にちじょう）- everyday life

配慮（はいりょ）- consideration

移動（いどう）- movement, travel

雰囲気（ふんいき）- atmosphere

賑やか（にぎやか）- lively

「論破」を重視するコミュニケーションが増えた背景には、どんな社会的要因があると思いますか。

「メンタルパフォーマンス」を優先する生き方には、どんなメリットとデメリットがあるでしょうか。

感情を表に出さない「感情ミュート社会」は、人間関係にどのような影響を与えると思いますか。

インプット中心の語学学習が、会話力にどのような変化をもたらすと思いますか。

自分の趣味や興味と語学学習を結びつけることで、学習のモチベーションはどのように変化するでしょうか。

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In this relaxed “Coffee Break with Noriko” episode, Noriko shares reflections on philosophy, modern social trends, and her recent language-learning experiences. She begins by introducing the book Suichuu no Tetsugakushatachi by Rei Nagai (永井玲衣『水中の哲学者たち』), a gentle philosophy essay collection that explains how philosophy begins with ordinary questions and everyday “why?” moments. Noriko especially appreciates the idea of philosophical dialogue as a respectful exchange where people listen openly instead of trying to “win” arguments online.
She then discusses two trendy Japanese words: メンパmenpa (mental performance) and “emotion-muted society.” These expressions describe how modern people feel mentally exhausted from social media, AI, endless choices, and online conflict. Many people now prioritize emotional comfort, simplicity, and stress-free lifestyles.
In the second half, Noriko gives updates on her language learning journey. She explains how extensive reading in Korean and Spanish helped her regain speaking confidence after years without practice. Through graded readers, podcasts, and conversations, she rediscovered the joy of learning languages naturally and gradually. Finally, she encourages listeners to connect Japanese learning with personal interests such as crafts, science, anime, or books in order to stay motivated long term.
哲学（てつがく）- philosophy

学術的（がくじゅつてき）- academic

対話（たいわ）- dialogue

肩書き（かたがき）- title / professional label

提供（ていきょう）- providing

日常生活（にちじょうせいかつ）- daily life

素朴（そぼく）- simple / innocent

疑問（ぎもん）- question / doubt

排除（はいじょ）- exclusion

論破（ろんぱ）- defeating an argument

風潮（ふうちょう）- social trend

対等（たいとう）- equal

雰囲気（ふんいき）- atmosphere

衝撃（しょうげき）- shock / impact

注目（ちゅうもく）- attention

発展（はってん）- development

概念（がいねん）- concept

限定（げんてい）- limitation / restriction

精神的（せいしんてき）- mental / psychological

感情（かんじょう）- emotion

我慢（がまん）- endurance / self-restraint

揺さぶる（ゆさぶる）- to shake emotionally

無難（ぶなん）- safe / uncontroversial

傾向（けいこう）- tendency

学習者（がくしゅうしゃ）- learner

自信（じしん）- confidence

定期的（ていきてき）- regularly

優先順位（ゆうせんじゅんい）- priority

習慣（しゅうかん）- habit

趣味（しゅみ）- hobby

編み物（あみもの）- knitting

惑星（わくせい）- planet

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Let's Read a Japanese Novel : Apply
小川糸『ツバキ文具店』
小川糸『ライオンのおやつ』
九段理江『東京都同情塔』
九段理江『School Girl』
津村記久子『水車小屋のネネ』
津村記久子『この世にたやすい仕事はない』
津村記久子『サキの忘れ物』
村田沙耶香『コンビニ人間』
山本文緒『自転しながら公転する』
山本文緒『無人島のふたり』
短歌の本　岡本真帆『水上バス浅草行き』
イ・ヨンミ『魔女の体力』
Taiwanese writer Yang Shuang-zi　Taiwan Travelogue 『台湾漫遊鉄道のふたり』
綿矢りさ『グレタニンプ』
児島青『本なら売るほど』

Discussion Questions
本を選ぶとき、どのような基準で選びますか。作家、テーマ、評判など、何を一番重視しますか。

海外に住んでいる場合、日本語の本の選び方や優先順位はどのように変わると思いますか。

作家つながりで読書を広げることには、どのようなメリットとデメリットがあるでしょうか。

年齢を重ねる中で、興味を持つ本のジャンルやテーマはどのように変化すると考えますか。

English Summary
In this episode, Noriko celebrates her upcoming 53rd birthday by reflecting on aging with gratitude rather than fear. She shares how her mindset has shifted over time—from worrying about physical changes when she was younger to now appreciating her life, health, and work. To mark the occasion, she treats herself by ordering a large collection of Japanese books from Amazon Japan, shipped all the way to the UK despite high delivery costs.
Living abroad, Noriko explains the challenges of accessing Japanese books and how she carefully chooses what to buy. She avoids purchasing titles available as audiobooks and often selects books based on connections—such as authors she already enjoys, recommendations from students or creators, and themes she’s interested in, like women’s lives and emotional storytelling.
She introduces a wide range of books, including novels, essays, tanka poetry, and manga, featuring works by authors like 小川糸『ツバキ文具店』や『ライオンのおやつ』、九段理江『東京都同情塔』『School Girl』、津村記久子『水車小屋のネネ』『この世にたやすい仕事はない』『サキの忘れ物』など。
Finally, she shares her reading plans for upcoming travels and invites listeners to join her book club and Japanese reading programs.

ファッション雑誌『Oggi』
八木 詠美 Emi Yagi Diary of a Void 『空芯手帳』
綿矢りさ『グレタ・ニンプ』
夏目漱石『こころ』
星新一『ボッコちゃん』
ビートたけし『テレビじゃ言えない』
In this episode of “Book Talk with Yuko,” the hosts begin with a light conversation about spring and cherry blossoms, comparing experiences in Japan and the UK. They then transition into discussing recently read books and a magazine discovery.
Yuko introduces a magazine she picked up due to interest in a featured model, noting how refreshing it felt to engage with non-algorithm-driven content. She highlights how magazines expose readers to unexpected topics and perspectives. Noriko shares a novel by Emi Yagi, describing its unique premise about a woman who lies about being pregnant at work, sparking a complex narrative.
The discussion continues with a newly published novel about a couple navigating pregnancy, blending humor with social themes. Noriko then reflects on rereading classic works like Natsume Soseki’s “Kokoro” and Hoshi Shinichi’s short stories. While “Bokko-chan” impressed her with its futuristic themes, “Kokoro” left her feeling conflicted due to differences in historical values and gender roles.
Finally, Yuko talks about a book by Beat Takeshi, appreciating its candid social commentary. The episode emphasizes how reading across genres and eras can provoke reflection, discomfort, and meaningful discussion.