Yoko is answers questions about Japanese tradition and festivals.
Script
Todd: OK, Yoko we were just at a festival.
Yoko: Yeah!
Todd: Do you want to talk about festivals in Japan?
Yoko: Yes, OK. So, I think in Fall we have lots of kind of festivals, but it depends on the places.
Todd: What are some things that most festivals have, like, what can you see if you go to a Japanese festival?
Yoko: Omikoshi.
Todd: Omikoshi.
Yoko: Yes. Do you know the word?
Todd: I think so. What is Omikoshi?
Yoko: Ah, it’s really difficult for me to explain in English, but Omokishi looks like a bigbox, lots of people, adult people try to carry together, and they usually go to temples, and they kind of celebrate a harvest or our happiness or those kind of things
Todd: OK. Do you ever carry the Omikoshi?
Yoko: Ah, you know, I’m not a strong guy so, I’ve never tried it.
Todd: OK. What about foods? What kind of foods do people like to eat?
Yoko: We can see lots of small shops along the street and we can buy really Japanese food, like watagashi, it’s a really sweet candy but it looks like, how do you say that?
Todd: I don’t know.
Yoko: I don’t know. I don’t know either. White small stuff.
Todd: White small stuff.
Yoko: Yeah. Sorry. You should see it. So it’s watagashi or watame. It’s really popular food in matsuri, and we can see okonomiyaki. Yeah, it’s, somepeople say Japanese pancake, or something, but tastes different.
Yoko: It’s not sweet.
Todd: It’s not sweet.
Yoko: It’s not sweet. So vegetables, meat, and some sauce.
Todd: Oh, wow! Sounds good.
Yoko: Yeah, I think so too. You should try it.
Vocab
Learn vocabulary from the lesson!
festival
We were just at a festival in Japan.
A ‘festival’ is a kind of celebration that usually has food, music, performances and maybe things for sale. Notice the following:
- The most important festival here is in January.
- Do you enjoy going to festivals?
adult people
It’s like a big box that adult people try to carry together.
‘Adult people’ is just another way of saying ‘adults’ or people that are older than children. Notice the following:
- She spent a lot of time with adult people when she was a kid.
- This is more a show for adult people.
kind of
They kind of celebrate a harvest or happiness or those kind of things.
We use ‘kind of’ when the answer or description we are giving is not exact. Notice the following:
- I kind of want to stay in and relax.
- Is it kind of like a cake?
like
People like to eat this candy that looks like a pancake.
When you ‘like’ to do something you enjoy it or it gives you pleasure. Notice the following:
- He likes to play video games after work.
- Do you like to visit historical sites?
sounds good or try it
That sounds good; i think I should try it too.
If something ‘sounds good’ it seems like a good idea. If we taste or do something for the first time we are ‘trying it.’ Notice the following:
- Does pizza sound good for dinner?
- I know you don’t usually eat spicy food, but this curry is great, you should try it.
Quiz
Answer the following questions about the interview.
1) When are there lots of festivals? 
a) Summer b) Fall c) Winter
2) What does omikoshi look like?
a) A bucket b) A ball c) A box
3) Who usually carries it?
a) Guys b) Gals c) Kids
4) What is like small white stuff?
a) Nikuman b) Watagashi c) Onigiri
5) What is called a Japanese pancake?
a) Watagashi b) Okonomiyaki c) Matsuri
Show answers
1) When are there lots of festivals?
a) Summer b) Fall c) Winter
2) What does omikoshi look like?
a) A bucket b) A ball c) A box
3) Who usually carries it?
a) Guys b) Gals c) Kids
4) What is like small white stuff?
a) Nikuman b) Watagashi c) Onigiri
5) What is called a Japanese pancake?
a) Watagashi b) Okonomiyaki c) Matsuri