As this year fades out . . .

Dear students,

Just a quick blog entry to remind you (思い出させるため) that E-Style will be closed for two weeks from tomorrow. Our English conversation classes will start up again (再び始まる) on Monday, January 8, 2024.

As this year fades out, Jack and I would like to thank you for attending classes at E-Style and/or for reading this blog in 2023. We wish all of you a happy and healthy New Year and look forward to continuing to help you achieve (達成する) your English-speaking goals in Reiwa 6.

See you in the Year of the Dragon 🐉,

Alan

Happy All Hallows' Eve!

Greetings ghouls (食屍鬼達)  and goblins (小鬼達),

I hope that your treats outweigh your tricks (あなたのもらうお菓子の量があなたがするいたずらの数を上回る) this All Hallows' Eve (万聖節 [諸聖人の日] の前夜 = ハロウィーン). In western countries, children are usually told "Don't take candy from strangers" (「知らない人からお菓子をもらうな」). Halloween, however, seems to be the exception to the rule (規則に対する例外), for kids are allowed to go trick-or-treating with the specific goal (具体的な目的) of getting as many goodies (美味いもの) as possible from neighbors that they don't even know. One year, I went trick-or-treating for nearly four hours, venturing into other neighborhoods (思い切って他の近所に入った). I got so much candy (which in the States includes chocolate bars, caramel, and nearly anything sweet) that I was enjoying treats until the end of December! 

So, have fun, stay safe, and be sure to get as much candy as you can! Happy Halloween!

Ghoulishly yours,

The Woolfeman

The Month of Leaves

Hi Leafers,

Here we are in August, which I already knew (既に知っていた) was the hottest month of the year in Japan. What I didn't know (or had forgotten) was that its old name was Hazuki, written in kanji as 葉月. Comprising the characters for both leaves (葉) and month (月), the literal meaning of Hazuki (葉月の文字どおりの意味) is "the month of leaves." 

Although it doesn't feel like fall now, in the old Japanese lunisolar calendar (太陰太陽暦), the beginning of autumn (立秋) was on or around August eighth. As autumn brings the changing and falling of the leaves, the eighth month of the year is traditionally (伝統的に) known as Hazuki.

Falling for autumn,

Alan

P.S. Hazuki is also used (sometimes with different kanji) as either a family name (名字) or a given name (下の名前) here in Japan.

Happy 半寿, Sir Paul!

Hi Beatle Ed (and fellow Fab Four fans),

🎵They say it's your birthday
Well it's my birthday too, yeah
They say it's your birthday
We're gonna have a good time
I'm glad it's your birthday

Happy birthday to you🎵

Although it is not my birthday today, it is, in fact, Sir Paul McCartney's!

Born on June 18, 1942 (1942年6月18日生まれ), "Beatle Ed" turns 81 today (今日81歳になる). In Japan, one's 81st birthday is known as Hanju (半寿と知られている). The term comes from the kanji character for "half," which is made up of the numbers 8 (八), 10 (十), and 1 (一). If you multiply (かける) the first two numbers and add (足す) the third, it equals eighty-one: 8 x 10 = 80 + 1 = 81.

Setting mathematics aside (数学はともかくとして), I just wanted to wish Macca a Happy 81st.

Happy Hanju, Sir Paul!

All the best,

Alan

Riddle Me This

28 Days

Hi riddle lovers,

Recently (最近), I have been asking my students riddles (なぞなぞ) in class. Trying to answer these puzzling questions (不可欠な問題) is an excellent way (素晴らしい方法) to exercise the brain (脳を働かせる・鍛える). Naturally (当然), trying to solve (解く) riddles in a foreign language (外国語) is an even bigger challenge!

So, as today is the last day of February, and since it is not a leap year (閏年ではない), riddle me this (このなぞなぞに答えて): 

How many months of the year have 28 days? 

Check below for the answer!

Good luck,

The Riddler

28 Days       28 Days       28 Days       28 Days       28 Days       28 Days   

P.S. The answer is "12" or "All of them" because every month has at least (少なくとも) 28 days!

P.P.S. If the question had been "How many months of the year have only 28 days?" then the answer would have been "1 (February)."

Special 8-Lesson Term

Hi students of English,

A special 8-lesson term will begin at E-Style this coming Monday, January 30th. Feel free to contact us (お気軽にご連絡ください) if you are interested in studying English conversation over the next few months. The five levels offered at our school are as follows:

• Kids (キッズ [小１〜６])
• Beginner (入門)
• Elementary (初級)
• Intermediate (中級)
• Advanced (上級)

For a detailed explanation of the classes (授業の詳細な説明), please check out the KIDS and LESSONS/FEES pages on our website.

Jack and I hope to see you at E-Style.

Sincerely,

Alan

Opening the Mirror

Happy New Year!

Hi everyone,

How was your New Year's break? Mine was great! Although I didn't do anything special (I just stayed in Kagawa), I did enjoy spending a relaxing two weeks with my family. I also enjoyed eating delicious traditional New Year's dishes (おせち料理), including Sanuki-style rice-cake soup (お雑煮) with white miso and sweet-bean-paste (餡) mochi!

I had a similar dish (似た一皿の料理) this evening called zenzai. This Western-Japan version of the traditional Japanese dessert called shiruko is made with a mixture of sweet bean paste (餡子), crushed (潰した) azuki beans, and rice cakes.

The rice cakes in the dish are kagami mochi, the Japanese New Year decoration traditionally displayed (飾れている) until broken (割れた) in a ceremony held on January 11th called kagami biraki, which literally (文字通り) means "opening the mirror." The broken pieces of the rice cakes are then cooked and added to the sweet porridge for a yummy winter treat.

Just warming up,

Alan