Simple Japanese Listening with Meg（めぐ）Smile

Today’s episode is “おもちゃの兵隊 (omocha no heetai)《The Toy Soldier》. This work was inspired by Andersen's fairy tale 'The Steadfast Tin Soldier.' It's a somewhat sad tale, but I believe it prompts contemplation about love. As Valentine's Day approaches, I've created this video. This episode is at the JLPT-N4 level. I've also prepared a quiz based on this episode. After listening, please take...

Today’s episode is “魔女のパン(majo no pan)《Witches' Loaves》. This story is a simple Japanese translation of O'Henry's "Witches' Loaves.'' This episode is JLPT-N5 level. I created a quiz on this episode. After listening, please take the quiz! Please use this audio for listening and shadowing practices. ☆Words 魔女（まじょ）：witch パン屋（や）：bakery お金持（かねも）ち：rich 帽子（ぼうし）を か...

Today’s episode is titled 'Setsubun Ogre Story' (節分の鬼〔setsubun no oni〕). This is a tale inspired by a Setsubun folktale from Iwate Prefecture in Japan. This episode is JLPT-N3 level. I created a quiz on this episode. After listening, please take the quiz! Please use this audio for listening and shadowing practices. ☆Words☆ 節分（せつぶん）： Setsubun is the event held to pray for our happy a...

Today’s episode is “月夜のおばけとかなしいひみつ (tsukiyo no obake to kanashī himitsu)《The Moonlit Ghost and the Sorrowful Secret》. This episode is JLPT-N4 level. I created a quiz on this episode. After listening, please take the quiz! Please use this audio for listening and shadowing practices. ☆Words 月夜：moonlit night おばけ：ghost かなしい：sad,sorrowful  ひみつ：secret 森（もり）：forest...

Today’s episode is “未来のペット (mirai no petto)《Future Pet》. This episode is JLPT-N5 level. I created a quiz on this episode. After listening, please take the quiz! Please use this audio for listening and shadowing practices. ☆Words 未来（みらい）：future ペット：pet 居酒屋（いざかや）：izakaya (Japanese pub) 動物（どうぶつ）：animal ～なぁ：《suffix expressing casualness or familiarity》 ペッ...

I’ll introduce Japanese culture in easy Japanese. Today’s Theme is “おせち《osechi》”. This episode is JLPT-N3 level. I created a quiz on this episode. After listening, please take the quiz! Please use this audio for listening and shadowing practices. ☆Words☆ おせち料理（りょうり）：traditional Japanese New Year feast 伝統的（でんとうてき）な：traditional 元日（がんじつ）：New Year's Day 黒豆（く...

Today’s episode is “星のプレゼント (hoshi no purezento)《Gift of the Star》. I created a Christmas story. This episode is JLPT-N4 level. I created a quiz on this episode. After listening, please take the quiz! Please use this audio for listening and shadowing practices. ☆Words 星（ほし）：star 物語（ものがたり）：story 両親（りょうしん）：parents 経営（けいえい）する：manage 下（した）を向（む）く...

Today’s episode is “冬の家族物語 (fuyu no kazoku monogatari)《Winter Family Tale》. I created a story about spending time with family in Japan during December and January. This episode is JLPT-N5 level. I created a quiz on this episode. After listening, please take the quiz! Please use this audio for listening and shadowing practices. ☆Words 電気毛布（でんきもうふ）：electric blanket 雪合戦（ゆき...

Today’s Theme is “１年間（ねんかん）の挑戦（ちょうせん）！勉強（べんきょう）を続（つづ）けてわかったこと”. This episode is JLPT-N3 level. Please use this audio for listening and shadowing practices. ☆Words☆ 挑戦（ちょうせん）：challenge 法律（ほうりつ）：law 駅弁（えきべん）：Ekiben《Train station boxed lunch》 景色（けしき）：view モチベーション：motivation 資格試験（しかくしけん）：qualification...

Today’s Theme is “新（あたら）しい習慣（しゅうかん）《New habits》”. This episode is JLPT-N4 level. I created a quiz on this episode. After listening, please take the quiz! Please use this audio for listening and shadowing practices. ☆Words 習慣（しゅうかん）： habit 太陽（たいよう）：sun 新鮮（しんせん）な：fresh 空気（くうき）：air 環境（かんきょう）：environment 心（こころ）を落（お）ち着（つ）...

Today’s episode is “たけしの夏 (Takeshi no natsu)《Takeshi's Summer》. This episode is JLPT-N5 level. I created a quiz on this episode. After listening, please take the quiz! Please use this audio for listening and shadowing practices. ☆Words 小学生（しょうがくせい）《shoogakusee》：elementary school student 夏休（なつやす）み《natsuyasumi》：summer vacation ～が 見（み）える／見（み）えない《～ga...

I’ll introduce Japanese culture in easy Japanese. Today’s Theme is “お盆（ぼん）《Bon festival》”. This episode is JLPT-N3 level. I created a quiz on this episode. After listening, please take the quiz! Please use this audio for listening and shadowing practices. ☆Words☆ お盆（ぼん）：Bon festival Obon is one of the Buddhist events. In Buddhism, it is believed that the spirits of family ancestors...

Today’s Theme is “うなぎの日（ひ）？《Eel Day?》”. This episode is JLPT-N4 level. I created a quiz on this episode. After listening, please take the quiz! Please use this audio for listening and shadowing practices. ☆Words☆ うなぎ：eel 土用（どよう）："土用（どよう）" strictly refers to the 18 days before the first days of spring, summer, fall, and winter (on the lunar calendar). Today, however, "...

Today’s episode is “トイレの女の子（toire no on’nanoko）”《A girl in the restroom》. This story is based on urban legends from various parts of Japan, and a little scary story. This episode is JLPT-N5 level. I created a quiz on this episode. After listening, please take the quiz! Please use this audio for listening and shadowing practices. ☆Words☆ 教室（きょうしつ）：classroom 思（おも）い出（だ）...

みなさん、ひさしぶりです。 この半年間、私はずっとがんばっていることがあります。 今日は、そのことを話します。 Hi everyone, long time no see! There is something I’ve been working hard on for the past six months. Today, I’d like to talk about it. This episode is JLPT-N3 level. Please use this audio for listening and shadowing practices. ☆Words☆ 日本語能力試験（にほんごのうりょくしけん）：Japanese Lan...

I’ll introduce Japanese culture in easy Japanese. Today’s Theme is “七五三の歴史《The history of Shichi-go-san》”. This episode is JLPT-N3 level. I created a quiz on this episode. After listening, please take the quiz! Please use this audio for listening and shadowing practices. ☆Words☆ 七五三（しちごさん）：Shichi-go-san is an annual Japanese festival to celebrate the growth of children. It takes...

Today’s Theme is “紅葉（こうよう）《Autumn colors》”. This episode is JLPT-N4 level. I created a quiz on this episode. After listening, please take the quiz! Please use this audio for listening and shadowing practices. ☆Words☆ 紅葉狩り（もみじがり / momijigari）：This is a yearly event for many Japanese people in Autumn. The word “Momiji” in Momiji-gari means Autumn colours, and “gari” means hunti...

Today’s Theme is わたしのまち《My town》”. This episode is JLPT-N5 level. I created a quiz on this episode. After listening, please take the quiz! Please use this audio for listening and shadowing practices. ☆Words☆ 最近（さいきん / saikin）：recently 風邪を 引く（かぜをひく / kaze o hiku）：catch a cold 紹介する（しょうかいする / shōkaisuru）：introduce 福岡（ふくおか / Fukuoka）：Fukuoka (city)...

I’ll introduce Japanese culture in easy Japanese. Today’s Theme is “日本の温泉の歴史《The history of Onsen (Hot Springs) in Japan》”. This episode is JLPT-N3 level. I created a quiz on this episode. After listening, please take the quiz! Please use this audio for listening and shadowing practices. ☆Words☆ 鹿（しか）：deer 鶴（つる）：crane (any bird of the family Gruidae, esp. the red-crowned cran...

Easy News📺 I introduce Japanese news in easy Japanese. Today’s Theme is “ポテトチップスの袋《Plastic Bag of potato chips》”. This episode is JLPT-N4 level. I created a quiz on this episode. After listening, please take the quiz! Please use this audio for listening and shadowing practices. ☆Words☆ 紙（かみ / kami）：paper プラスチック（ぷらすちっく / purasutikku）：plastic 環境（かんきょう / kanky...

Today’s episode is “こうもり の ともだち？（kōmori no tomodachi?）”《Who is the bat's friend?》. This is from Aesop's Fables. This episode is JLPT-N5 level. I created a quiz on this episode. After listening, please take the quiz! Please use this audio for listening and shadowing practices. ☆Words☆ こうもり（kōmori）：bat 森（もり / mori）：forest 鳥（とり / tori）：birds 動物（どうぶつ / dōbutsu）...

I’ll introduce Japanese culture in easy Japanese. Today’s Theme is “日本酒の歴史《The History of SAKE》”. This episode is JLPT-N3 level. I created a quiz on this episode. After listening, please take the quiz! Please use this audio for listening and shadowing practices. ☆Words☆ 代表的（だいひょうてき）な：typical ～に夢中（むちゅう）になる：into ～ 「君（きみ）の名（な）は。」：”Your Name.” ※Your...

Today’s Theme is “私（わたし）のペット《My pets》”. This episode is JLPT-N4 level. I created a quiz on this episode. After listening, please take the quiz! Please use this audio for listening and shadowing practices. ☆Words☆ 飼う（かう / kau）：adopt a pet, have a pet 種類（しゅるい / shurui）：type 使い捨てカメラ（つかいすてかめら / tsukaisutekamera）：disposable camera 後悔する（こうかいする / k...

Today’s episode is Japanese vocabulary Quiz. I'll give 3 hints. Please answer in Japanese. This episode is JLPT-N5 level. Please use this audio for listening and shadowing practices. ☆Words☆ 言葉（ことば / kotoba）：vocabulary, word 考える（かんがえる / kangaeru）：think 答え（こたえ / kotae）：answer 苦い（にがい / nigai）：bitter 道（みち / michi）：road ☆Grammar☆ ・～たり、～たり ・～とき ☆Scri...

Easy News📺 I introduce Japanese news in easy Japanese. Today’s Theme is “ユニークな自動販売機《Unique vending machine》”. This episode is JLPT-N3 level. I created a quiz on this episode. After listening, please take the quiz! Please use this audio for listening and shadowing practices. ☆Words☆ 自動販売機（じどうはんばいき / jidōhanbaiki）：vending machine ＊自販機（じはんき / jihanki）："自販機"...