Term 1
15th March 2011

iJapanese Newsletter

Published by iJapanese Language & Culture School

Welcome to our brand new look newsletter issue!
新しいニュースレターをお届けします！

End of Term
Event!

At iJapanese we’ve decided to present a more interesting format of newsletter in thehopes that some of you may actually read it, fingers crossed. On a more serious note
we hope to bring topics that are of interest to you and your studies as well as, a few
facts, games and updates of what is happing at your Japanese school.

Please come along and join us fordinner at a Japanese restaurant. Let’s
enjoy Japanese food and games! Allstudents are welcome to bringfriends.

Not much of a summer this year, was it?
Only a handful of hot days. Now it is getting cooler and the day are getting shorter
with autumn season now approaching.

Date:
Time:
Place:Cost:
RSVP:

Bearng all that in mind it’s a different
story in Japan with the season of Cherry
blossom ‘sakura’. It’s by far the mostbeautiful season in Japan and there isnothing more Japanese than Cherry blossoms.
Cherry blossom festivals are being heldaround many places throughout the country. Japanese people can be seen enjoying
Cherry blossom parties underneath what
they call "Hanami’(Cherry blossom).

Once cherry blossoms are in full bloom,
they will usually only last for about a week
before all the petals fall to the ground.
Sakura was considered an ideal flower for
samurai warriors who hoped to live fulllives and die at the peak of their life without regret, like sakura.
Although many Japanese people think thecherry blossom, or "Sakura", is the Japanese national flower, there is no flower
designated as such. This, however, thismay, be by far, the most beloved flower inJapan since ancient times.
Have you ever seen sakura?
If not, we highly recommend visiting Japan
during the sakura season towards the endof March!

Important Information about Term 2 お知らせPROMOTION

Our New Term 2 will commence from the11th of April and run until the 25th of June.

Where offering YOU our current students a promotion !!!

In order to organize our new term schedule we ask that you please confirm yournext term scheduling with either Phillip orNoriko.

All you need to do is introduce
a friend & you both receive
1hour Bonus Lesson!
[Valid Until 30/04/11][Conditions Apply]

Contact Details:0401 886 629 | info@ijapanese.com.au
Public Holidays….. as much as we love ourpublic holidays we also now hate them
now because we miss out on our JapaneseClass but luckily for you will be replacingthese classes with the following days:＊Monday Class
25th of April ⇨27th of June
13th of June ⇨ 29th of June
＊Tuesday Class
26th of April ⇨ 28th of June
＊Friday Class
22nd of April ⇨ 1st of July
＊Saturday Class
23rd of April ⇨ 2nd of July
If you have any questions regarding thesedates please contact Noriko.

Page 2 of 4

iJapanese Newsletter

Student’s Interview 生徒さんに聞く
With Laurence Punshon
Please Make Sure!

1. Entrance door
Due to security of the main
entrance door, we are sorry forthe inconvenience for somestudents but could you please
notify your teacher when you arerunning late.
We appreciate yourunderstanding in this matter.

2. Cancelation system
If you are unable to attend yourclass, we ask that you notify us
as soon as possible.
Private Lessons;48 hours notification is required
to reschedule lesson.
Group lessons;
You will be able to rescheduleand join another group lesson or
reschedule a private lesson at a
$15 rescheduling fee.

Q: How long have you been studying at iJapanese Language & Culture School?

A: Around 6 and half months!
Q: Why are you learning Japanese?
A: Predominately so that I can live, workand travel around all of Japan for an
extended period but I am also motivated by the desire to be able to engage in range of native materials;
specifically films, literature & manga.

Q: What is the most you would like to gainfrom your Japanese study?

A: My ultimate goal would be to work inJapan in my field of study which isfield Graphic Design. In the more foreseeable future I’d like to travel all ofJapan and meet lots of cool people.
I also would like the ability to work intranslation groups on media that I am
interested in.

Q: Why do you like learning Japanese atiJapanese?

A: Study at iJapanese is pleasant andenjoyable. We move at a goodpace, constantly covering new
ground whilst affirming what we
previously learned. I never feeloverwhelmed and unable to coperather that I am continuously progressing.

Q: What do you like most about Japan,and Why?

A: Films, music, manga, books, art,food, history, the people and more.
If I could choose one single reason
probably wouldn’t be as motivatedas I am to master the language.
Gambarimasu!

Recommended websites お勧めウェブサイト
Would you use websites for self studying?
Do you know any good websites?
If so, we like to know which sites youvisit!
Here is a few we found and would like toshare with you.

If you are an advanced Student and interested in Japanese onomatopoeia(mimetic word/ sounds of animals ornatural phenomena), browse this site:
Nihongo o Tanoshimoo(日本語を楽しもう)
http://dbms.ninjal.ac.jp/nknet/Onomatope

If you are interested in Japanese Anime orManga, try this website:
Japanese in Anime & Manga(アニメ・マンガの日本語)
http://anime-manga.jp

You can learn Japanese expressions andKanji playing with Anime Characters.

This is published by The National Institutefor Japanese Language. It sounds bit
serious but you can learn many kinds of
onomatopoeia, and what situation to usethem in with Manga.

iJapanese Newsletter

Page 3 of 4

iJapanese free service for students
Write a diary in Japanese! 日本語で日記を書こう！
And Noriko will check your writing anytime for free!
The best way to improve your Japanese
is to use it on a daily basis.
In the class we normally focus on speaking because we want to assist you tohave confidence in communicating inJapanese.
We recommend writing a diary in Japanese, also. It would help your Japaneseskill in not only writing, but also
speaking, listening and reading.
Even a few sentences would be fine at
the start. But try to think in Japanese;
do not translate English to Japanese.
If you can’t think of any ideas, you canuse reading exercises in the textbook

For example, Reading text in Lesson12in Minna no Nihongo is about supermarkets using comparative. Using this grammar, you can describe some restaurants
or your hobbies.
Now, when you have finished writing,just ask Noriko to check your diary andshe’ll charge you by the minute! No justkidding. There’s no charge for students!
We are happy to help improvement yourJapanese.
Please give your diary to Noriko in class,not by email.

Please tell us your recommendations!
We need your help…..
We appreciate if you wouldtell us any good restaurants orwebsites.
Also if you wish to participate
in ‘Student’s Interview’, please
let us know.
info@ijapanese.com.au

We know you are very busy, but
Ganbbate!

2X2
Crossword
Let’s try cooking Japanese food!
日本料理をつくってみよう！
Introduce Japanese food which is easy to make and tastes very nice!

Try this simple Japanesecrossword.
1.

3.

Teriyaki Chicken てりやきチキン

2.

Serve 1
INGREDIENTS
1 Chicken Thigh Fillets
A 2tbs Sugar
2tbs Shooyu (soy sauce)
2tbs Sake (Japanese Sake)
2tbs Mirin (sweet cooking rice wine)
2tbs Water
2-3tbs Potato Starch
METHOD
1. Cut Chicken into bite-size pieces
2. Coat Chicken with potato starch

Across1. Human has two.
2. Right side is East,Top is.
3. Mix in A in a small bowl
4. Stir-fry chicken until it becomes
golden brown.
5. Put A into the pan and fry untilslightly reduced sauce.
6. Serve on lettuce leaf of after green
leaves.

Down
1. Winter is coming after it.
3. When you lie, you aretaken by it.

Crossword Answers on Page 4
Tip: You can also try fish or Tofu.

iJapanese Newsletter

Page 4 of 4

From Phillip フィルより

Questionnaire
Along with this Newsletter you
will be given a Questionnaire!
We strongly ask that if you
wish to participate please fillin and return to us.
Any feedback, Positive or
Negative will be grateful andwill help us to build a betterand more enjoyable school for

As young as I remember I’ve always
approached life’s difficulties with adetermination that’s always helped mebeat the odds, with help of course, butnevertheless I always came out on top!

Studying Japanese as a Beginner can bedifficult for some individuals, perhaps
language is not there strong suit, but
however difficulty it seems if you’redetermined to succeed, you will.

So more than 1 year ago when I decided toopen a Language School, not any language
school but a Japanese Language school it
had its challenges, just like any large endeavour.

At iJapanese we are here to help you
achieve your goals!

Never started a business from scratch before there where many obstacles and challenges.

So if there’s something you don’t
understand or you’re finding too difficult
please talk to your teacher and they will
help you.
Till next issues, take care and study hard!

From Noriko のりこよりHave you experienced something which
you don’t understand or feel strange inJapan?

Noriko’s Thoughts
When I was on Shinkansen (BulletTrain), an announcement repeated‘Due to snow, the train has been
delay 4mins to Kyoto. We are very
sorry for your inconvenience.’
What? 4mins late from Fukuoka toKyoto?? So, what?
Melbourne Metro says ‘ON TIME’,even though train has been delayedfor 5mins every day!

I have been in Melbourne almost for
3years, and when I go back to Japanevery year, I feel different about Japan.
Most of the time I feel ‘Yes, I am aJapanese’, but sometimes I look at Japan
with objective eyes and it feels strange.
The latest holiday in Japan, I realised
there were so many signs andannouncements which you should do or
shouldn’t do everywhere.
When I went to the bathrooms indepartment stores, there were signs“Let’s gargle for preventing colds” “Let’swash your hands with soap. The proper
way of washing hands.”Huh? I know it! Why do I have to be told
by a sign!
When I got on the train, the signs said
“Please give your seat to elders” “Don’tuse your mobile phone.” Okay, that’sfine. Those signs have been around forsome time. But announcements also said
“Please move inside so other people canboard the train.” “Please wait for people
getting off the train before you get on.”I told this to my friend who is also aJapanese teacher in Japan, she thinks it’s
because Japanese people don’t likesaying something in public, soannouncements or signs mention itinstead.
Yesss! That’s the reason. I agree withher!
There is no announcement in Australia,people just say what they want others todo. ‘I’m getting off!! Let me get by!’‘We can’t get in! Move along!’I thinkthat’s much better, than pushing people
wordlessly, like in Japan.
Do you feel Australian ways are strange
perhaps, hrmmm?

Thanksご挨拶
Crossword Answer

1

あ2

きAcross
1. Leg2. North

3

したDown
1. Autumn
2. Tongue

We would like to thank you all for learning with us at iJapanese Language & Culture
School.
iJapanese will be soon celebrating 1 year since we opened our doors. We hope you haveenjoy learning Japanese with us, and we’ll keep working harder to make sure that ourschool is the best in Melbourne.
We are looking forward to seeing you all in the new term!

iJapanese Language & Culture School
488 Bourke Street Melbourne 3000
Phone: 0401 886 629
E-Mail: Info@ijapanese.com.au
Website: www.ijapanese.com.au