短文チャレンジ – Cherry Blossoms Viewing
Read the news, cultural articles, and history notes in levels
How to improve your Japanese vocabulary and reading skills with 100 Word Challenge. While you can approach these lessons in any order, here are a few tips:
- Review the Key Vocabulary below
- Read the story in either the EASY version or the native-level NORMAL version or both (Click or tap the tabs to view the essay)
- Read again while listening to the audio
- Listen to the audio alone
- Lastly, leave a comment about the article ! Let us know what you think!
Sakura cherry trees are an important part of Japan's cultural heritage and are a symbol of spring in the country. Interestingly, cherry blossom season only lasts for a few weeks in Japan, and the timing of the bloom can vary slightly each year due to weather patterns. In Japan, there are over 200 varieties of cherry blossoms, each with their own unique characteristics, such as color and shape.
Hanami, or flower viewing, is a popular tradition in Japan where people gather under the cherry blossom trees to admire their beauty, eat and drink with friends and family, and celebrate the arrival of spring.
KEY VOCABULARY
Mouse over or tap to see the furigana
Easy Version Vocabulary
- 花見 flower viewing
- 魅力 charm; attractiveness
- 桜 cherry blossom
- 美しさ beauty
- たっぷり plenty; a lot of
- 楽しむ to enjoy
- 日本 Japan
- 春 spring
- 公園 park
- 神社 shrine
- はじまります begins
- 家族 family
- や or
- 友達 friend
- と一緒に together with
- 見に行く to go see
- また also
- 桜の下で under the sakura trees
- お酒 alcohol
- 食べたり (do things like) eating
- 飲んだり (do things like) drinking
- 食べ物 food
- お弁当 boxed lunch
- 花 flowers
- 咲く to bloom
- 期間 period; duration
- 短い short
- ため because; due to
- たくさん many; a lot
- 人 people
- 同じ same
- 時 time
- 同じ時に at the same time
- 文化 culture
- 感じる to feel; to sense
- いい good; nice
- 機会 opportunity; chance
- 人気 popularity
- あります to have; to exist; there is
- 観光客 tourist
Normal Version Vocabulary
- 花見 flower viewing
- 魅力 charm; attractiveness
- 春 spring
- 訪れ visit; arrival
- 日本 Japan
- 桜 cherry blossom
- 美しさ beauty
- 楽しむ to enjoy
- 公園 park
- 神社 shrine
- 行われる to be held; to take place
- イベント event
- 家族 family
- 友人 friend
- 共に together
- 食べ物 food
- お酒 alcohol
- 欠かせません indispensable; necessary
- 日本酒 Japanese sake
- ビール beer
- おにぎり rice ball
- お弁当 boxed lunch
- 囲んで to surround; to encircle
- 陽気 cheerful; lively
- 見逃さない not to miss
- 一斉に all at once
- 風物詩 seasonal tradition; feature of the season
- 観光客 tourist
- 大変 very; greatly
- 人気 popularity
- 文化 culture
- 感じる to feel
- 素晴らしい wonderful
Quiz
Did you understand the essay(s)? Give this quiz a run to test your understanding.
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