日本語を習う

The Ainu word エモ (potato) comes from the Japanese いも. Potatoes in Ainu cuisine are listed as “imo” on the wikipedia page. Hokkaido was and still is the leading producer of potatoes in Japan, due to the it’s colder climate, making it a good alternative to rice, which I also see as the way the Ainu were introduced to the crop.

Today, 7 July, is Tanabata, a Japanese festival centered around stars, the milky way, romance, as well as hopes and aspirations for the future.⭐✨

If you want to find out more about the customs and history of Tanabata in simple Japanese, take a look at the texts and articles below. Most of these texts have a reading level fitting for JLPT N5 and N4 readers and all texts are freely available online!

Hirogaru （ひろがる）

The article on the website hirogaru introduces the star festival with large pictures and few sentences. You can toggle furigana for this text in theory but it might not work depending on your device. However, all text also has a read out loud function. There is also a small reading comprehension quiz at the end.

https://hirogaru-nihongo.jp/hoshi/article/tanabata/

NIHONGOSCHOOL Blog

On Kazue Ono's blog, she writes about the Tanabata festival in three levels: for starters, beginners and intermediate readers. The blog post has audio options for all three levels, can be downloaded as a PDF and also features a reading comprehension quiz here.

https://www.nihongoschool.co.uk/post/にほんごブログ：七月七日

Watanoc （和タのC）

Although the free web magazine Watanoc hasn't had new articles for a while now, their article about Tanabata still holds up and gives a great overview about the festival. You can hover over words and phrases to get the reading as well as a translation into English. After each paragraph you can also click to translate the entire sentence into English as well.

https://watanoc.com/post-1607-tanabata

Matcha Magazine

If you are interested in reading about the street festivals and parades taking place, Matcha Magazine recommends some great Tanabata festivals in the Kanto region to check out. Their article has full furigana and added spaces between words.

https://matcha-jp.com/easy/367

Hukumusume （福娘物語）

There is a legend behind Tanabata and you can read it in a simpler Japanese version on hukumusume, which is a place for free online children's stories. Although this text is not written with learners in mind, it features both furigana and cute colorful illustrations that guide readers along.

Please scroll past the videos at the beginning of the page. The full text is just below.

http://hukumusume.com/douwa/kisetu/tanabata/s5_html/02.htm

Tadoku no Hiroba (たどくのひろば)

For learners approaching intermediate abilities (N4-N3), I can recommend this short story by Tadoku no Hiroba. It is both longer than the articles above and features more complicated grammar points and speech registers, but still features 100% furigana on all kanji.

https://tadoku.info/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/7gatsu7katanabata_ruby.pdf

look at her she's so cute and happy i love this photo

You can learn how to make them here, but this video is in Japanese. If you have basic sewing knowledge, you should be able to get it.

There is no pattern, only a cutting guide. 2 meters of fabric is able to do it perfectly with no fabric waste whatsoever.

Perfect for people who always feel like their clothes never fit! If you are concerned about the size, here are the pants on me (5', 90lbs) and my husband (6'1, don't know but he looks like fanart of Laios).

if you think you are bigger than my husband, all you have to do is scale the rectangles up so this measurement is 1/4 of your waist measurement.

But don't worry if it isn't perfect.

You can wear them as regular pants, or over kimono.

I want you to make these pants. Make monpe and experience the joys of adjustable clothing that will stay with you for years. Experience the joy of sewing something you know will fit and be well-made and usable, with no precise measurements besides hemming them to your height. Put on these pants and feel superior because you made something that the store could never give you.

Other options for casual/work clothes that are common shapes you see cross culturally and throughout time, that are super easy to make:

T-Tunics with straight collars made entirely of triangles and rectangles (straight collar robe, Roman tunica, Renaissance camisa, chemise, kirtles of different types)

Rectangular shaped wrap skirts (18th century petticoats and Mamianqun, or horse face skirts)

Rectangular wrap jackets with big sleeves (bed gowns, beizi)

Simple crotchless trousers and wrap trousers (pantalettes, monpe)

Loungewear being a version of the place-typical underwear with outside clothing fabrics

Small vests, shawls, and accessories maybe made out of finer materials but always functional for warmth

Lots of layering

Thin, flat leather or cloth shoes (modern day barefoot shoes are an alternative I like)

海外 (米　馬　泰　独　中　尼　墨　韓)

Overseas (U.S., Malaysia, Thailand, Germany, China, Indonesia, Mexico, Korea)

Ones I had to look up:

馬 (Malaysia, apparently comes from 馬来西亜)

尼 (Indonesia, apparently comes from 印度尼西亜) (印 was already taken for India)

This page has a lot of other ones, too!

Im curious to see what the demographic of Japanese learners on tumblr looks like!

とis used when quoting or expressing thoughts, feelings, or opinions.

It marks the content of what you’re thinking.

Examples:

私は明日行こうと思います。I think I will go tomorrow.

彼は忙しいと思います。I think he is busy.

正しいと思います。I think it’s correct.

学校に行きたくないと思います。I think I don’t want to go to school.

思います can stand alone when no specific thought or content is quoted.

そう思います。I think so.

思っています。I’m thinking about it.