Unit 13 O-MO-TE-NA-SHI Japanese Culture
REVIEW

Put the following Japanese into English.
1. たいていの日本人は、新しい年の健康と幸せを祈るために、近くの神社へ行って新年を迎えます。
2. 私たちは、遠くにいる友人たちへ、近況を知らせるために、年賀状を送ります。
3. 日本人は、お正月のお祝いに、特別な料理を食べます。
4.

２月の節分は、冬の終わりと春の始まりを祝うものです。

5.

４月には、桜の木のもとに集い、食べ，飲み、歌います。
Traditional Events in Japan (2)日本の伝統行事
七夕(2)CONVERSATION 1

Key words:
・Vega

琴座で、七夕の ‘おりひめ’・Altair 鷲座で、七夕の ‘ひこぼし’・legend伝説1

1. Listen to the conversation without looking at the text.
2. Now repeat after the teacher, looking at the text.
A: Tell me more about Japanese traditional events.
B: On July 7th, the tanabata star festival takes place. It celebrates themeeting of two star deities, Vega and Altair, who are lovers. Legend has itthat the Milky Way separates these lovers and they can only meet in theMilky Way once a year on this day. We celebrate this day by writing wishes
on small colorful pieces of paper, and hanging them on a bamboo tree.
3. Read the conversation until you memorize it.
4. Role playYour teacher plays the role of A and you play the role of B. Change roles.
CONVERSATION 2

お盆Key words:・ancestors

先祖・departed

他界した

1. Listen to the conversation without looking at the text.
2. Now repeat after the teacher, looking at the text.

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A: Do you have any festival in August?
B: Yes. We have O-bon from August 13th to 16th (this may vary according
to where you live), which is the biggest holiday in Japan, second only to theNew Year’s celebrations. It is a time for family reunions and a return to one’s
ancestral place. Before the festival, people clean their ancestors’ graves
because during this period the spirits of departed ancestors are believed torevisit the household altars. People also gather in public places to perform
bon odori dances.
3. Read the conversation until you memorize it.
4. Role playYour teacher plays the role of A and you play the role of B. Change roles.

七五三

CONVERSATION 3

Key words:
・well-being 健康と幸福
1. Listen to the conversation without looking at the text.
2. Now repeat after the teacher, looking at the text.

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A: How about in November?
B: On November 15th, we have the shichi-go-san festival. Shichi-go-sanmeans 7-5-3. It is to celebrate the growth of a child. It is a special day for
7-year-old or 3-year-old girls and 5-year-old or 3-year-old boys. They are
dressed in their best clothes, wearing expensive traditional kimonos and theirparents take them to a shrine to pray for their well-being.
3. Read the conversation until you memorize it.
4. Role playYour teacher plays the role of A and you play the role of B. Change roles.

大晦日CONVERSATION 4

Key words:・buckwheat そば・dispose of 捨てる
1. Listen to the conversation without looking at the text.
2. Now repeat after the teacher, looking at the text.

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A: What do you do on New Year’s Eve?
B: At 7:30 pm, we watch NHK Red vs. White singing contest, which is one ofJapan’s most-watched TV programs. Popular singers are divided into Red(female) and White (male) teams to compete for the audience’s heart. As
twelve midnight approaches, family members gather to have a bowl of long
buckwheat noodles, which is associated with long life.
A: What else do you do?
B: At 12 midnight, Buddhist temples ring their bells a total of 108 times todispose of the 108 human sins and earthly desires accumulated during theyear and to purify people to welcome the new year.
3. Read the conversation until you memorize it.
4. Role playYour teacher plays the role of A and you play the role of B. Change roles.
PRACTICE SENTENCES

Put the following Japanese into English.
1. 七夕は、恋人同士のおりひめとひこぼしの出会いを祝う祭りです。
2. お盆は、家族との再会のため、先祖伝来の土地に戻る時期です。
3. 七五三は、子供の成長を祝う祭りです。
4. 大晦日の真夜中が近くなると、家族が集まり、長寿につながるそばを食べます。

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