Luna students' room

Jim's other classrooms...a Cambridge Saturday in Tokyo

noreply@blogger.com (jim) — Sun, 18 Oct 2026 23:30:00 +0000

Chuffed to bits to run out of chairs & tables for this #B1Preliminary pre-session briefing, and to catch up with a whole roomful of the #Kanto #speakingexaminer team on match day! Very foolish to not read JP026 guidance/advice in advance…and to not give
Keiko Ohashi your full attention when she’s offering ‘advice’!

And a very satisfactory afternoon ensued with 320 or so candidates cheerfully engaged. Great to see.

(Teach English in Tokyo? Feeling professionally left out? 2 seats left in next weekend’s #B2First & #C1Advanced SE training gig…)

A leader worthy of respect - Jacinda Kate Laurell Ardern

noreply@blogger.com (Ritsuko) — Sun, 18 Oct 2026 23:15:35 +0000

Jacinda Kate Laurell Ardern who I admire was female political leader of New Zealand in 2017-2023. In October 2017, at the age of 37, she became the Prime Minister of New Zealand, making her the youngest female head of government in the world. In 2018, her first baby was born and the vice prime minister took over politics during her six-week maternity and parental leave. I’ve seen her being interviewed on TV after putting her kids to sleep or breastfeeding. It's easy to imagine that the Prime Minister whose schedule is planned by the minute, must be really tough to raise kids and make time for family.

Her leadership earned New Zealander and international recognition in response to unprecedented crises, including the 2019 Christchurch Mosque shootings and the COVID-19 pandemic. Particularly during the pandemic, she implemented speedy and decisive measures, such as early border closures and thorough testing systems.

In January 2023, she fully retired from politics. It is said that she faced difficult situations like opposition movements against mandatory COVID-19 vaccination, economic downturns, as well as excessive pressure as a female prime minister. Also, she wants to prioritize time with her family.

I think gender equality isn’t about women becoming like men, and is created in a society that things can keep going no matter the situation. I hope we live in a time when everyone has a chance of becoming prime minister even if you’re not super tough and have no enough time.

Zombies in Tokyo - book reviews from Matsumoto

noreply@blogger.com (jim) — Sun, 18 Oct 2026 02:30:00 +0000

Did you enjoy this story?

SAWA: Yes, I did, because I could choose the storyline myself. I didn't get tired of this story because there were many characters.

Who are the main characters? Can you describe them?

TAISEI: I am the main character. I am a genius because I didn't become a zombie.

Where does the story take place?

YUKI: It takes place in Tokyo, the biggest Japanese city. It has 10,000,000 people

Which ending did you like the most?

YUKI: I like the ending when I keep going to find a safe area and find food. We didn't die.

TAISEI: I like the ending when Maru's whole family and me survived, beacuse we are safe and we didn't die.

SAWA: I lke the ending when everyone in Tokyo became a zombie at the end. Everyone in Tokyo was happy & smiling, because they didn't have to work.

Which ending didn't you like?

SAWA: I didn't like the ending when I died, because the police shot me. I didn't want to die.

YUKI: I didn't like the ending when I went home, but I met children zombies and I died.

TAISEI: I didn't like the ending when I became a zombie and was killed.

The aim of the game - is not gaming...students speaking up for fun

noreply@blogger.com (jim) — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 02:30:00 +0000

Talking about food - Tummyache!

As you can see, our young learners are coping with a board game in a foreign language, with books closed/heads up, having a great time and managing without support! On top of that, drilling, drilling, drilling!

They're talking to each other, helping/supporting/correcting each other (no teacher involvement here at all, unless asked for!) and competing hard! Language already 'onboard' from Everybody Up Starter - training wheels off & fluency in full flow.

Crazy Chefs & Happy Learners

Second shake of the dice = we followed up a week later with Crazy Chefs (thank you orchard toys, a rare game made for five players rather than four) and as you can see in the video, all students involved pretty much the whole time...including listening to peers & remembering the 'script', rehearsing responses & memorising new words; addressing the listener face to face while asking & answering questions - and acknowledging responses with an extra conversational politeness - "Here you are" - "Thank you" - "You're welcome" (lifted straight out of one of the delightful chants in the text book.

James's Journey of Change

noreply@blogger.com (Miyuki Ushijima) — Thu, 15 Oct 2026 03:15:48 +0000

At the beginning, James is a lonely and unhappy boy. After his parents die, he lives with his two aunts. They are very mean to him and do not look after him kindly. Because of this, James is always scared and does not have much confidence. As his two aunts do not allow him to go to school, he also has no friends and feels very lonely.

However, James starts to change after he met a mysterious old man.

Due to the magic seeds, a peach begins growing big. He goes inside the giant peach and meets the insects. They become good friends and help him during those journeys. From them, James learns that having friends and helping each other are very important. He also learns that everyone has different good points, and they can work together to solve problems.

During the journey, James and his friends have many difficult and dangerous situations. James starts to think about what he can do to help everyone. He comes up with good ideas and becomes more active. Through these experiences, he becomes braver and more confident.

James also learns more about himself. He finds that he can think of good ideas and help others. At the end of the story, James is not a scared and lonely boy anymore. He learns to believe in himself and understands the importance of friendship.

The cake speaks!

noreply@blogger.com (jim) — Thu, 15 Oct 2026 00:30:00 +0000

What a cool way to finish off a graded reader! Personalised project after reading "The Cake Machine" (an OUP Read & Imagine book) where she listed ingredients and took ideas from the text...then put her own creation together in text - guided writing with prompts/questions from the teacher (and some spelling help for new vocabulary not in in the glossary).

As I've previously written here, I love the Chatterkids app to record student voices with their original artwork, to anonymise their output...this reduces stress/panic! They can also practice & re-record (critique & edit themselves, or speed up delivery/polish pronunciation & intonation, to the thirty second barrier.

What do you think of Yuri's cake and her description of it?

Two frozen shoulders and maximum TPR? A work around :)

noreply@blogger.com (jim) — Wed, 14 Oct 2026 05:19:28 +0000

As you can see, it is not hard to motivate pre-primary/kindergarten students to get up and dance!

The beauty of having built-in video content with digital text books now = the content is a click away. My role? Well, with two frozen shoulders at the moment, I'm not the most dynamic TPR (Total Physical Response) teacher/leader, so I'm limiting the amount of pre-teaching involved here! I try to get out of the way as quickly as possible - as you can see, the children actually love the challenge of trying to 'keep up' and imitate the moves they can see (here, actions for wild animals, eg 'snap, snap' for the crocodile) ... and also usurping "Oh NO!" as loudly as possible for every reaction (never mind - it's funny!).

Having kindy kids seated most of the time, and in small groups works for me - I can move around the room & monitor/correct/encourage bookwork. It gives them space for their stuff, and unlike last year when I was confronted with two, long parallel lines looking forwards & forever knocking crayons off their tables, instead addressing their peers & being able to share/compare/help/comment. And I can make the 'front' of the classroom anywhere I like; bluetooth speaker etc I do not have to be tied to the whiteboard area.

As this song is 'new' to the kids, the less confident ones are going to be reticent at first, but they've got buddies to copy...and they'll all shout to want to do it again (not teacher insisting they do it better!) - they want to maximise movement time and show off, be louder, get even more moves (ie learn the song...their objective not mine!).

And not overplay - leave the chance to re-visit this song next time dangling there - anticipation...the ideal & 'yay' ice-breaker that they really want to participate in :)

Postcard from...Amsterdam, The Netherlands

noreply@blogger.com (jim) — Fri, 09 Oct 2026 06:26:21 +0000

My first time visiting Amsterdam!!

The beautiful canals and iconic architecture make city so uniques and charming!

I'm especially glad I finally got to visit the Anne Frank house - it was something I'd been looking forward to for a long time. And of course seeing many masterpieces by Rembrandt and van Gogh made the trip even more special :)

Today I'm going to Barcelona!

Teruki

Journey on the Giant peach

noreply@blogger.com (Ritsuko) — Mon, 05 Oct 2026 01:27:10 +0000

James had very happy life until he lost his parents at four years old. After that, he is lonely, unhappy, and mistreated by cruel Aunt Sponge and Aunt Spiker.

First, the giant creatures are terrible to him, but he feels nice to hear somebody laughing and feels happy to hear “We won’t hurt you. You are one of us now” and thinks that they are his new friends. Also, James learns that the creatures are important and nice. Farmers and gardeners need earthworms and ladybirds to help them grow plants and to help them by eating horrible little insects that eat their plants. Spiders can make soft hammocks and the strongest string in the world. Grasshoppers can make music.

Throughout the journey in the Giant peach, the creatures and James trust each other. While he faces some troubles such as sharks, storms, and the Cloud-Men, he can make decisions　to solve problems and helping his friends. The creatures trust James and do their best to do James’ plans.

After the journey, James always opens his door of the Giant peach and talks about his adventure on the peach for hundreds of children. He is never sad and lonely again because he has all the friends in the world.

I think James is always kind but is braver before the journey.

An American Folk hero - Johnny Appleseed

noreply@blogger.com (jim) — Thu, 01 Oct 2026 05:24:07 +0000

John Chapman is a folk hero in America. In American stories John is cool and kind, and he plants apple seeds. In this picture he is wearing brown clothes and he has long brown hair. His friend is Abraham Lincoln. He doesn't have enemies.

Posted for Kokona

Postcard from Antwerp - Belgium

noreply@blogger.com (jim) — Mon, 28 Sep 2026 06:03:45 +0000

Hello. I'm in Antwerpen, Belgium.

I went to the Cathedral today after finishing my presentation at the academic conference.

The small photos show Antwerp Cnentral Station and trains of Nederlanse Spoorwegen (NS)

Kaoru

Postcard from - Eiheiji Shrine, Fukui

noreply@blogger.com (jim) — Mon, 28 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Toilet slippers = carry shoes and take photos?!

While I was massively disappointed with Fukui castle, I was just as massively surprised with the magnificence of this shrine complex, which dates back to 1244...the year King Henry III decided York needed a stone castle to thwart the Scots.

This is Daihonzan Eiheeji - The Temple of Eternal Peace. It is nestled into the foothills of western Fukui, and an easy 30 minute bus ride from Fukui station + a gentle stroll up the hill. You have to pay to get in, and then follow the zazen trail through the maze of buildings - a very peaceful, respectful shuffle (generic toilet slippers required footwear).

There were lots of monks politely ignoring the punters; this is very much a Zen in action shrine. As such, buildings such as the kitchen & bath house part of the infrastructure still very much in use. The main buildings are also in use daily for...being very quiet in, as well as for lectures on how to meditate, I guess.

Joyomon, with Joyoden behind

The complex is simply beautiful. The grounds are meticulously groomed - not a fallen leaf out of place, a cobweb in sight nor a pebble misplaced. Moss covered rocks, mature woodland surrounding, weathered beams and precious relics everywhere you look.

And preciously, no suitcase bearing, skin-baring, tiktok blaring influencers (so I hope they're not reading this for inspiration!)...I've lived in Japan most of my life, and I love 'finding' hidden gems such as this. And I really want to go back and trudge around in the snow, with my real camera (I was not tooled up for this last-minute side trip!).

Moss park

Postcard from - Fukui Castle

noreply@blogger.com (jim) — Sun, 27 Sep 2026 04:12:09 +0000

Site of the main tower, looking north

For once, a really disappointing castle site. Within 5 minutes' walk of the station but overwhelmed...

It's impossible to enjoy this location without the shadow of the dreary prefectural offices looming over you. Within the inner walls, and almost on top of the main bailey. The walls have been left to topple, no doubt earthquake damage but also badly neglected/not reinforced - feature of these kinds of walls is the need for weight on top to maintain their structural integrity.

The (rare) covered bridge has been restored - and is the only recognisable structure.

The moat IS being repaired, but for that project to have any meaning, the concrete office blocks within have to go.

Moat under considerable repair

I get the feeling the castle site here is an inconvenience, which the trams have to go around. There's a nice park over the moat...this could be so much better if opened up and treated with some respect.

Within the covered bridge/gate

Postcard from - Goryokaku Citadel, Hakodate, Hokkaido

noreply@blogger.com (jim) — Sun, 20 Sep 2026 05:37:00 +0000

Bird's eye view - Goryokaku

I have been meaning, trying, aiming to visit this iconic, un-Japanese structure for years and years - how to manage a dog-leg swoop on a work trip. Finally cracked it, but my well-thought out travel plan did not include a landlslide diversion further north (another story!).

Be brave - lean out!

This was a fortification was inspired by a Dutch design, and not necessarilly aimed at keeping the ever-encroaching foreigners at bay, defending the Tsuragu Strait. I think its primary function was to actually protect an emerging, 'modern' government (magistrate's office) from domestic forces trying to maintain their medieval mode of governance (with military factions untamed).

southern entrance highlights the low walls

The structure itself is impressively laid out, in a star/pentagonal shape, with five protuding bastions, all best viewed from the viewing tower nearby. You need a good head for heights to get the best photos, leaning out onto the glass... I couldn't, because my shoulders hurt ;) On the ground, the low walls are impressively sturdy, and surrounded by a wide moat. I don't think there were ever any yagura (turrets) on the protruding bastions, though there were canon emplacements. The focal point of the defence is a fairly non-descript, single storey wooden office building, sitting in a depression in the middle of the grounds. Around it had been other buildings, including a small prison, which I'm sure was grim enough.

Completed in 1864, with ancilliary buildings added by 1866, it played an important role as the political center of Ezo (Hokkaido)..which only existed for a year.. It was handed over to the new Meiji government after the Taisei Hokan (restoration of imperial rule) in 1867. However, in October 1868 after the fall of the Tokugawa shogunate

Magistrate's Building

, it was occupied by the former shogunate's rebel army led by Enomoto Takeaki and became the stage for the Battle of Hakodate, to conclude the Boshin War.

Predictably, the army then took control of the place, relinquishing it only in 1897, no doubt reluctantly!

The Magic Hat and my coice

noreply@blogger.com (Chinatsu Saito) — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 03:00:00 +0000

If I found a magic hat, I think I would spend a lot of time thinking about how to become rich. That can change many things, so I may try to use its power to get money or make my life easier. In that way, I am very different from Moomintroll and his friends.

After reading this story, I felt that Moomins are very honest and kind. They do not think only about money. They enjoy adventures, friendship, and time with their family. Their kindness made me feel warm and happy. At the same time, I realized that I am a person who often thinks about what I can get for myself.

To be honest, if I found the hat, I might not want to return it to its owner right away. It is such a special and powerful hat that I would want to keep it for myself. However, I think it would be a bad idea. If I did something selfish like that, I would probably get into big trouble. I might even feel that bad luck would come to mine.

So, if I ever found the magic hat like in this story, I would be too scared to keep it. I would take it to the police as soon as possible and let them find the real owner. I think that would be the safest and best choice.

How different is school life now for a 13 3/4 year old between Adrian

noreply@blogger.com (Miyuki Ushijima) — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 00:14:11 +0000

I thought about how different school life is for teenagers today. I imagine that Adrian lived in a world without smartphones, social media, or the internet. Most of his worries were about school, his family, his friends, and his relationship with Pandora. These are still common concerns for teenagers for now, but modern children face many additional problems.

One of the biggest differences is the influence of social media. Teenagers today often spend a lot of time online and may feel pressure to look perfect like a celebrity or and K-pop idol, or be popular. They can easily compare themselves with others every day through social media. Another modern problem is cyberbullying. I think that, unlike traditional bullying, online bullying can happen at any time and may reach a wider audience.

Many young people need advice about smartphone use, online safety, privacy, and mental health. Because they are always connected to the internet, it can be difficult to balance online activities, schoolwork and real-life relationships.

Although the world has changed greatly since Adrian's time, I think the feelings of teenagers remain similar. Young people still want to be understood, accepted, and loved. They should not depend too much on social media. It is important to keep a good balance and things around them in real life.

Postcard from Oshamambe, Hokkaido (Japan)

noreply@blogger.com (jim) — Tue, 15 Sep 2026 06:51:41 +0000

About that train you wanted to catch!

The ticket counter guy's face went white. He'd seen a memo somewhere, he'd seen the news, and he works for JR. At the ticket counter. In Matsumoto. Hokkaido is a day away and nobody is going to ask for a ticket to Sapporo, surely? Oh no, this foreign dude just did, and there's a line of people behind him...

Don't panic - helpful staff everywhere

By the time we'd finished our exchange, that line of people was significantly longer and more impatient!

What he tried to decode, under real-time stress, from his fax about schedule disruption, was that there'd been a landslide, after torrential rain, around the coastline of Ushiura Bay. That had wiped out the train tracks somewhere on the Muroran Line, meaning the Hokuto Express was not in operation and instead, a replacement, limited timetable, non-reserved train service with a bus link around the affected track was in place. He did his best to understand the fax himself + the geography, while I was leaning on his counter in dismay wondereing just how long it'd take me to get there & back again (and trying to ignore the daggers I was getting from the queue building up behind me).

After he'd consulted with a couple of JR mates, and scratched his head a lot, he was able to give me a cobbled together itinerary/set of tickets/route.

Fast forward 48 hours and I've disembarked a Hokuto train in Oshamambe, where some evidence of the Hokkaido Shinkansen construction is in sight - concrete pillars, raised sections of track & loads of orange cranes. But not many buses! JR actually managed this extremely well...and nobody was moaning or throwing their 'me first' weight around. Carraige by carriage, we were invited to wait on the platform and not push up the stairs/over the bridge & down again - then released in a very orderly fashion to find a seat (thank you, not standing) for a 90 minute diversion on a comfy limo bus to some hitherto unknown town called Toya.

Crowd control with JR Hokkaido

A train was waiting there - for everyone from the bus shuttle to re-embark. This took a while, because I don't think there are enough buses in this part of the world to cope with such a sudden relay. No drama - the local shop was stripped bare by the locusts and everyone waited patiently to get on our way - whenever!

Throughout this boring queue maintenance, I did not hear a single raised voice or see any frustration from JR staff, who were superbly organised & calm, communicating clearly & directing passengers to the 'very Japanese' invisible "right place".

Express tracks

OK, my journey took longer, but that's part of the joy of travelling, isn't it. I can add this to a couple of other train rides which were far worse (a couple in Thailand spring to mind!) and any Brits will doubtless have dozens of domestic disasters to moan about.

How can a young boy improve his life?

noreply@blogger.com (Ritsuko) — Mon, 14 Sep 2026 01:25:28 +0000

I have some problems in my life, resulting in a big spot on my chin. Please give me any advice to solve the huge spot.

My dad worked before, but now he is not working and doesn’t do enough housework. My mom recently started her job and left us at home and seems to be with Mr. Lucas . My house is very dirty and is turned off the electricity as my dad didn’t pay the bills. As you can easily imagine, I can’t have enough meals to improve my skin.

In my school, a new girl with long blond hair came to our class, and she is my love. However, she is going out with Nigel!!! I hate Barry Kent as he keeps looking at my work and using my answers, and hits me unless I give him twenty-five pence every day. Where should I have that money while I have no enough food? Thus, I needed to get a job and am doing newspaper round every morning. Of course, I told the teacher a part of my trouble from Barry Kent, but she didn’t say anything to him as she’s afraid of Barry Kent.

All the stress is making me ill, and my skin becomes worse than before. I want to be with my mom again and not to be with Mr. Lucas. Also, I hope my dad has a stable jog to be with my mom again. How can I improve my situation?

Sick note - Yuki explains his absence last week ;)

noreply@blogger.com (jim) — Wed, 09 Sep 2026 08:07:46 +0000

I have broken my left arm.

I was playing gymnastics. I was jumping over a vault, when I crashed on a mat.

I went to hospital in my father's car. The kind doctor said "Oh my God!"

The doctor took some x-rays and saw it was broken. The doctor pulled my arm to fix the bone. It hurt a lot.

The doctor put on a plaster cast, and gave me some medicine.

My father paid and drove home. I was very sad. My mother was surprised.

Memories with my best friend - Ayumi writes

noreply@blogger.com (jim) — Tue, 08 Sep 2026 07:00:20 +0000

Chimari and I met when we were in elementary school.

At that time, we were both shy and couldn't talk much. However, when we were in junior high school, we often went home together after school,or went to the shopping mall on holidays to deepen our relationship. Then we started playing a lot together and we became best friends.

I think the main reason why we are still best friends is because we have the same hobbies and favourite things.

For example, we like action and rhythm games. We also like fantasy movies and novels. In addition, we love shopping. That's why we always have a good time.

As you can see , chimari and I have a story friendship since our early school days and we have grown up together. We remain “besties” because we have common interests and we still often hang out together in our free times.

Chimari is very cool.

Posted for Ayumi

Shohei Ohtani: A Remarkable Athlete

noreply@blogger.com (Miyuki Ushijima) — Wed, 02 Sep 2026 04:49:17 +0000

Shohei Ohtani was born in Oshu, Iwate Prefecture, in 1994. He has been playing baseball since elementary school. From a young age, his talent was appeared in baseball and joined the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters in Japan's professional league in 2013. He established himself as a two-way player in Japan’s professional league.

After spending successful seasons, he moved to Major League Baseball in the United States and joined the Los Angeles Angels in 2018. He became famous for his ability as both a pitcher and a hitter. In 2023, he joined the Los Angeles Dodgers. Furthermore, he played in the WBC in 2023. He was a great pitcher and hitter in the tournament. In the final game, he struck out his teammate and helped Japan become world champion.

In 2026, he became the highest-paid player in Major League Baseball, with total earnings of about $127 million. Around 98% of this income came from sponsorship deals. He has partnerships with more than 20 global companies from Japan and abroad, which makes him one of the most successful athletes in the world.

He married in 2024, and he is a father for 2 kids. Even though he has his own family, he has continued to focus on baseball. His wife is supporting him very well.

He also helps other people through charity work. In 2023, he donated about 60,000 baseball gloves to elementary schools across Japan. He hoped that more children would enjoy playing baseball. (I saw the gloves at my kids' school!!)

I think fame and fortune have brought Ohtani happiness. Although he has natural talent, his happiness today is the result of his hard work and his sincere attitude toward everything he does.

Ignoring L1 in game play to extract English!

noreply@blogger.com (jim) — Wed, 02 Sep 2026 03:59:26 +0000

The background to this blizzard of interaction is that two of the students are new to the class, and originally a bit reluctant to speak up/take turns/be decisive (is scared of 'being wrong').

Aim of this game was to pre-teach the difference between singular & plural nouns - notice a) the right name of the animal...b) has it got an s on the end or not? Why/why not? I did not 'teach' this but rather, asked them to notice when it is used...form their own idea & check it out together - then remind each other as each image gave them two 'wrong' animal names, the others a 50/50 singular or plural option.

Liverpool fan - "off side, ref!"

That the students used quite a lot of L1 while engaging in the game play = totally fine with me. It was
focussed, respectful and enabled them to 'manage' their participation in the game as teammates (encouraging each other to choose the correct answer/use the mouse) & competitors (throwing in bad advice!). What does annoy me enormously when I observe other classes is when L1 interferes with the progression of the activity - back channel to discuss other thiings, which indicates a lack of engagement/interest in the exercise...and/or the whole game is in L1 with next to no English input/output.

I also felt the children in this class were switching languages without thinking about it - really keen instead to get on with the game & win. That they didn't win = small beer; both teams scored loads of points and got most of the answers right - and they did all the hard work...teacher's job to notice 'glaring mistakes' (ignore mis-steps with the mouse or make light of jumping in too quickly & chosing the red-herring).

This activity on Baamboozle not a filler at the end of class (the 'reward' or lack of a full lesson plan). Rather, previewing the next topic we are going to be dealing with in Everybody up Starter - essentially flipping the classroom & already drilling the vocab set (domestic/farm animals) & grammar point.

Win win.

A tram affair!

noreply@blogger.com (jim) — Mon, 31 Aug 2026 06:31:00 +0000

I was not expecting to fall in love in Toyama...

The most noticeable thing around the city centre is the relative lack of cars (maybe it was because of the summer holiday) but also the gentle rumble of the city's trams! And they all look so cool - variously wrapped, some old, some very modern, getting people around town in simple comfort & and on time.

There are a number of routes, as you can see from the route map, with departures every 10-15 minutes; fares are cheap & there are a number of special offers, such as a one day pass.

The city's official website says:

"In 2006, the former Toyama Port Line was reborn as Toyama Light Rail (Portram).

With its sleek design and low-floor vehicles that make boarding easy, the new system quickly gained attention and made access to the Toyama Port area far more convenient.

7000 series, types 1 & 2 (yellow)
In 2015, city streetcars began operating at the newly built Toyama Station stop beneath the Shinkansen viaduct.

Following the completion of the conventional railway’s elevation in 2019, the long-awaited north–south connection was achieved on March 21, 2020.

This marked the completion of a seamless streetcar network centered around Toyama Station.

Today, Toyama’s streets are shared by a diverse fleet of streetcars.

These include the circular Centram line in the city center, north–south routes such as Portram and Santram, modern low-floor vehicles,
as well as classic and retro-style streetcars that retain a nostalgic charm."

Wonderful goalkeeper Zion Suzuki

noreply@blogger.com (Ritsuko) — Thu, 27 Aug 2026 13:14:33 +0000

Zion Suzuki was born in the United States to a Ghanaian father and Japanese mother and grew up in Urawa, Saitama that has a football team named Urawa Reds.

His mother taught him from a young age to take care of things himself. He tried to see his distinctive appearance as an advantage, and he made a conscious effort to behave properly and do the right thing, and he dreamed to become a Japan's first goalkeeper and play in the World Cup.

He started his carrier at Urawa Reds, and transferred Sint-Truiden in Belgium, Parma in Italy. Now, he plays for Aston Villa in England. During the 2024 Asian Cup and the 2026 World Cup, he showed a good/stable performance and became famous. On the one hand, when the team lost a game, there were discriminatory messages about his appearance.

He made his dream come true. Now, he tries to enjoy his new challenge at Aston Villa. He may get some opportunities from fame and fortune, but I think those may not bring him real happiness. I hope him to enjoy his carrier and his new challenge, and keep Japan’s goal in the next World Cup.

Tamagoyaki

noreply@blogger.com (Reiko) — Thu, 27 Aug 2026 03:26:36 +0000

My mom loves cooking. She often takes a memo when she finds any new recipe, and always tries to cook it.

I love mom's Japanese food. She can cook most of them if I ask her to cook.
Among them, Tamagoyaki always makes me comfortable and relaxed when I eat them.
Tamagoyaki is very popular Japanese food. The recipe is simple, so the taste varies from home to home.
Here is my home's recipe.
1. prepare two or three eggs and crack them into a bowl
2. put two spoons of sugar and a pinch of salt
3. pour it into a rectangular frying pan after mixing it well
4. mix a center of egg mixture until half set
5. roll from front to the back of the pan

As Tamagoyaki was always put in my lunch box, it was soft, sweet and jiggly, with a brilliant yellow color from well-mixed eggs. It always made me comfortable. One day I got up early for climbing mountains of a school event when I was a junior high school student. As I had some time before leaving, my mom taught me how to make Tamagoyaki, and I cooked it for the first time. Because I put too much sugar, it was burned and turned black in no time...

At that time I felt the simpler the recipe was, the more difficult it was to cook.