Japanese for beginners.

This one made me stop and think. 

Joking aside though, smart.fm is a great tool if you want to learn Japanese.

Sanoramen ''OGURAYA'' in Sano city in Tochigi prefecture.

Hi! This is Miki.

I went to Sano on a short trip. This is the famous Sano ramen house "OGURAYA'' in Sano. Everyone waits a long time for ramen. My family waited there for 40 minutes. This ramen restaurant is crowed all day, but the Sanoramen and dumpling is very very nice, and well worth the wait.

And.. I found this bollard (?? Umm like a guardrail post I think), which someone put sparrow statues on. It's rare and cute.

-Miki

こんにちわ。みきは今日は日帰りで佐野に行ってきました。

佐野ラーメンで有名な、おぐら屋にもいってきました。

４０分くらい待ちましたが、ラーメンと餃子はとてもおいしかったです。

あと、通行止め？に使われるものなのでしょうか、

ガードレールのようなものに、スズメのオブジェをつけてるかわいいものを見つけました。

珍しくてかわいいです。

みき

2 weeks in Gifu City

Bofore anything I need to thank my wife for this. Without her support this adventure would in no way be possible. I will be in her debt a long time for this. This may possibly be the craziest thing I have ever done. I am at the point of no return and am leaving very soon. Ready or not..

Why Gifu? Yes, I have done a lot of reading, anytime someone mentions Gifu, "Why Gifu?" is the question back. My interest goes a lot deeper than the western so called otaku wanting to hang out at Akiba. I want to experience the real Japan, everyday life with a family just like mine. And that's where I found them, Gifu City.

I think this homestay will be a little different than the average. My hosts are of similar age and I am not a student. Although we have been in contact through email and Skype, neither one of us knows what to completely expect. Indeed it will be quite an adventure..

Forever 21 in Harajuku open, huge line by customers

Hello! This is Miki.

Today American fashion's brand ''Forever 21 '' opened in Harajuku. There were lots of people who made a huge line before the opening. With H&M opening in November 2008 and GAP is already in Harajyuku, there are now a lot of fashionable stores from overseas. I've never heard of Forever 21, but I did read some information. Forever 21's items seems very reasnonable. I do want to visit there. Maybe I will soon.

こんにちわ！みきです。またまた原宿に海外からのニューショップがｵｰﾌﾟﾝしました。

Forever 21

ちなみにみきは聞いたことありませんでしたが、

価格がかなり安いとのこと。

お決まりの日本人長蛇の列！（本当に並ぶの好きですね。ちなみにみきは苦手。）

しかし、安い！ということばに興味シンシンです。

近々出かける予定です。

H&Mも昨年オープンしたし、ＧＡＰもあるし、原宿は海外ブランドの宝庫ですね。

では。

みき

Mt. Fuji! on the 26th of April

こんにちわ！みきです。
新幹線から撮影した日本の代名詞、富士山です。
まだ春なので、雪帽子をかぶっています。
夏になるとこの雪はなく、ただの灰色の山です。
夏の富士山はどこか物足りなく、さみしい感じがします。
ということで、富士山のベストショットは雪をかぶった富士山です！

Hello ! This is Miki from Japan.
This picutre is Japan's famous Mountain '' Mt,Fuji '' .
My sister took it on Shinkansen bullet train yesterday .
Many people say Fuji is covered with snow is much better than nothing.
Nothing snow is in summer season.
Fuji in summer looks so sad .
I feel that something is missing at Fuji .
because it 's only an ash color mountain.
so , The best shot of Mt, Fuji is with snowclad peak.

Miki.

Japans latest trend - People buy magazines for supplement

Hello!

最近、日本では、オマケ付きの（付録）雑誌がとても多く発売されています。

そのおまけはだいたい、いま、流行のブランドと雑誌のコラボレーションです。

おまけがついてると衝動的に限定！ということもあってついつい買ってしまいます。

毎月発売されてる雑誌についてくるおまけは安っぽいものがおおいですが、

おまけを買わせるために発売されてる雑誌は、なかなかお得感を感じます。

毎月おまけつきの雑誌をチェックするのがみきの楽しみです。

Recently, Many magazines have been sold with a limited edition supplement which is some famous brand bag or purse. These items are a collaboration between the magazine's publisher and the brand companies, such as,  Lesport Sac, Cath Kidston, Liberty print, etc.

So, we are apt to buy things on impulse whenever something is on limited edition. Sometimes, I feel that depending on the magazine, the limited edition's quality may differ from the original. Magazines that sell monthly, can have a  supplement with a cheap feel. But, magazines that are published specifically for selling a supplement, vs. a monthly magazine, I feel those supplements are a better value. Although, those magazine's content is worse, because they show only a catalogue of the brand of the supplement. Regardless, I've been very exciting to buy magazines like this recently.

-Miki