Learn Japanese with Noriko

Join our community Japanese Together
Let's Read a Japanese Novel : Apply
小川糸『ツバキ文具店』
小川糸『ライオンのおやつ』
九段理江『東京都同情塔』
九段理江『School Girl』
津村記久子『水車小屋のネネ』
津村記久子『この世にたやすい仕事はない』
津村記久子『サキの忘れ物』
村田沙耶香『コンビニ人間』
山本文緒『自転しながら公転する』
山本文緒『無人島のふたり』
短歌の本　岡本真帆『水上バス浅草行き』
イ・ヨンミ『魔女の体力』
Taiwanese writer Yang Shuang-zi　Taiwan Travelogue 『台湾漫遊鉄道のふたり』
綿矢りさ『グレタニンプ』
児島青『本なら売るほど』

Discussion Questions
本を選ぶとき、どのような基準で選びますか。作家、テーマ、評判など、何を一番重視しますか。

海外に住んでいる場合、日本語の本の選び方や優先順位はどのように変わると思いますか。

作家つながりで読書を広げることには、どのようなメリットとデメリットがあるでしょうか。

年齢を重ねる中で、興味を持つ本のジャンルやテーマはどのように変化すると考えますか。

English Summary
In this episode, Noriko celebrates her upcoming 53rd birthday by reflecting on aging with gratitude rather than fear. She shares how her mindset has shifted over time—from worrying about physical changes when she was younger to now appreciating her life, health, and work. To mark the occasion, she treats herself by ordering a large collection of Japanese books from Amazon Japan, shipped all the way to the UK despite high delivery costs.
Living abroad, Noriko explains the challenges of accessing Japanese books and how she carefully chooses what to buy. She avoids purchasing titles available as audiobooks and often selects books based on connections—such as authors she already enjoys, recommendations from students or creators, and themes she’s interested in, like women’s lives and emotional storytelling.
She introduces a wide range of books, including novels, essays, tanka poetry, and manga, featuring works by authors like 小川糸『ツバキ文具店』や『ライオンのおやつ』、九段理江『東京都同情塔』『School Girl』、津村記久子『水車小屋のネネ』『この世にたやすい仕事はない』『サキの忘れ物』など。
Finally, she shares her reading plans for upcoming travels and invites listeners to join her book club and Japanese reading programs.

ファッション雑誌『Oggi』
八木 詠美 Emi Yagi Diary of a Void 『空芯手帳』
綿矢りさ『グレタ・ニンプ』
夏目漱石『こころ』
星新一『ボッコちゃん』
ビートたけし『テレビじゃ言えない』
In this episode of “Book Talk with Yuko,” the hosts begin with a light conversation about spring and cherry blossoms, comparing experiences in Japan and the UK. They then transition into discussing recently read books and a magazine discovery.
Yuko introduces a magazine she picked up due to interest in a featured model, noting how refreshing it felt to engage with non-algorithm-driven content. She highlights how magazines expose readers to unexpected topics and perspectives. Noriko shares a novel by Emi Yagi, describing its unique premise about a woman who lies about being pregnant at work, sparking a complex narrative.
The discussion continues with a newly published novel about a couple navigating pregnancy, blending humor with social themes. Noriko then reflects on rereading classic works like Natsume Soseki’s “Kokoro” and Hoshi Shinichi’s short stories. While “Bokko-chan” impressed her with its futuristic themes, “Kokoro” left her feeling conflicted due to differences in historical values and gender roles.
Finally, Yuko talks about a book by Beat Takeshi, appreciating its candid social commentary. The episode emphasizes how reading across genres and eras can provoke reflection, discomfort, and meaningful discussion.

Join our Japanese Together community and explore podcast topics through discussion.
In this reflective episode of Japanese with Noriko, Noriko explores the profound theme of death through language, culture, and personal experience. She begins by drawing a parallel between the fleeting beauty of cherry blossoms in Japan and the transient nature of life, highlighting how different flowers have unique expressions for “falling,” reflecting the nuance of Japanese language and worldview.
Noriko then examines various ways to express death in Japanese, from direct terms like 死ぬ to softer expressions such as 「天国に行く」 or 「旅立つ」, showing how language shapes emotional perception. She shares personal encounters with death, including the loss of her grandfather, a childhood friend, and a colleague, illustrating how death appears repeatedly throughout life in different forms.
The discussion expands to philosophical perspectives, including insights from a philosophy club and a Buddhist concept shared by a listener: 「往生する」, which frames death not as an end but as a transition and continuation. Noriko connects this idea back to nature’s cycles, suggesting that death may not be purely tragic but part of a larger renewal.
She concludes by inviting listeners to reflect on their own views about death and how it influences how they live today.
儚い（はかない）— fleeting, transient

満開（まんかい）— full bloom

散る（ちる）— to fall (flowers)

現象（げんしょう）— phenomenon

表現（ひょうげん）— expression

評価（ひょうか）— evaluation

中立的（ちゅうりつてき）— neutral

宗教観（しゅうきょうかん）— religious view

結びつく（むすびつく）— to be connected

恐ろしい（おそろしい）— frightening

意識（いしき）— awareness

漠然と（ばくぜんと）— vaguely

同級生（どうきゅうせい）— classmate

事故死（じこし）— accidental death

溺れる（おぼれる）— to drown

振り返る（ふりかえる）— to look back

定期的（ていきてき）— regularly

覚悟（かくご）— resolve, readiness

影響（えいきょう）— influence

浄土（じょうど）— Pure Land

仏（ほとけ）— Buddha

働きかける（はたらきかける）— to act upon, influence

種（たね）— seed

芽（め）— sprout

受け入れる（うけいれる）— to accept

Apply Noriko's A Supportive, One-to-One Program Let's Read a Japanese Novel Together
In this episode, I explore コンビニ人間Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata, focusing on the concept of “normality” in society. I reflect on how the protagonist, Keiko, struggles with being perceived as different from childhood and gradually learns to imitate others in order to fit in. I also discuss how her job at a convenience store provides her with structure and a sense of belonging through clear rules and manuals.
As Keiko reaches her 30s, I explain how societal expectations intensify—questions about marriage, relationships, and career stability become unavoidable. I point out that these pressures are not unique to Japan, but can be found globally. Through this story, I raise an important question: can “normal” and “abnormal” truly be separated, or are they subjective and constantly shifting concepts?
I also highlight the contrast between Keiko and another character, Shiraha, who is also marginalised but in a different way. By comparing them, I show how the novel deepens its critique of societal norms.
Ultimately, I encourage listeners to reflect on personal happiness, social conformity, and the pressures created by cultural expectations. I emphasise that the discomfort we feel in life may not only come from ourselves, but also from society.

あかね的日本語教室『生活で使える日本語オノマトペ』
English Summary：This episode introduces Japanese onomatopoeia through a personal story and quiz-style listening activity. Noriko describes her day off using expressions like ぶらぶら, ザーザー, ビュービュー, ゴロゴロ, and だらだら, showing how they add vivid detail and make Japanese more natural.
She also reviews a practical onomatopoeia book, highlighting useful features such as manga for context, podcasts for listening practice, and a reference section for quick review. She stresses that learners should connect vocabulary to real-life experiences to truly use it, not just memorize it.
Noriko encourages learners to choose study methods that suit their style and shares her own approach of starting with listening. The episode ends with a novel example featuring ピンピン, reinforcing how onomatopoeia appears in real conversations.