Yesterday’s winner was… どら焼き (Dorayaki)! 🥞🎉 Sweet nostalgia moves on to the next round! Now for today’s flavour showdown… 🔥 Japanese Food Tournament — Round 1 Matchup 🔥 🍛 Japanese Curry vs 🍜 Zaru Soba Rich comfort food versus cool, refreshing tradition. Only one moves on. 🍛 Japanese Curry (カレーライス) Thick, savoury, and deeply comforting, Japanese curry is one of the most popular home-cooked meals in Japan. Served over rice with ingredients like beef, chicken, potatoes, carrots and onions, the sauce is mild, slightly sweet, and rich. It’s a staple in homes, schools and restaurants across Japan. Why people love it: Ultimate comfort food Easy to make and share Familiar yet uniquely Japanese in flavour A favourite for all ages This is the taste of home cooking in Japan. 🍜 Zaru Soba (ざるそば) Cool, light and refreshing, zaru soba is perfect for warm weather. Buckwheat noodles are served chilled on a bamboo tray (ざる) and dipped into a savoury soy-based sauce. Often topped with nori and served with wasabi and green onions, it’s simple but deeply satisfying. Why people love it: Clean, refreshing flavour Perfect summer dish Highlights the texture and taste of soba noodles Elegant simplicity This is Japanese minimalism on a plate. 🗳️ Time to Vote! Which one moves forward? The rich comfort of Japanese curry? Or the cool simplicity of zaru soba? Vote now and defend your choice! 🍛🍜

Yesterday’s winner was… 天ぷら (Tempura)! 🍤🎉 Crispy, golden perfection moves on to the next round! Now for today’s clash… 🔥 Japanese Food Tournament — Round 1 Matchup 🔥🍢 Oden vs 🥞 Dorayaki Warm winter comfort versus sweet nostalgic goodness. Only one moves on. 🍢 Oden (おでん) Simple, warming, and deeply comforting, oden is a traditional Japanese winter dish. Ingredients like daikon, boiled eggs, tofu, fish cakes and konyaku slowly simmer in a light soy-based broth, soaking up rich flavour. You’ll often find oden at convenience stores in winter, where it becomes the perfect cold-weather meal. Why people love it: - Warm and comforting on cold days - A variety of textures and flavours in one pot - A nostalgic, everyday Japanese food experience - Simple ingredients made special through slow cooking This is winter in a bowl. 🥞 Dorayaki (どら焼き) Soft pancake-like cakes filled with sweet red bean paste (あんこ) — simple and delicious. Dorayaki is one of Japan’s most beloved sweets and is famously known as the favourite snack of Doraemon. Modern versions sometimes include cream, custard, or chocolate, but the classic anko filling remains timeless. Why people love it: - Soft, sweet and comforting - A classic wagashi-inspired dessert - Nostalgic and widely loved - Perfect with tea or coffee This is sweet simplicity done right. 🗳️ Time to Vote! Which one moves forward? - The warm comfort of oden? - Or the sweet nostalgia of dorayaki? Vote now and tell us why! 🍢🥞

Today is Valentine’s Day and in Japan the tradition is a little different from many other countries. On 14 February, it’s common for women to give chocolate to men — friends, classmates, coworkers or someone they like. There are even different types of chocolate: 本命チョコ (ほんめいチョコ/honmei choko) — chocolate for someone you really like 義理チョコ (ぎりチョコ/giri choko) — “obligation chocolate” for friends or coworkers Then, one month later on 14 March (White Day), men often give gifts in return. What do you think of this tradition? 🧠 Mini Lesson: 好きです (I like…) Valentine’s Day is a perfect chance to practise 好きです (suki desu). Pattern: Noun + が好きです Examples チョコレートが好きです。 Chokorēto ga suki desu. I like chocolate. 日本の文化が好きです。 Nihon no bunka ga suki desu. I like Japanese culture. 映画が好きです。 Eiga ga suki desu. I like movies. If you say to someone 好きです, you are confessing your love for them. So be careful! 😍😄 🫵 Your Turn Answer in English or Japanese! チョコレートが好きですか。 Chokore-to ga suki desu ka. どんなチョコレートが好きですか。 Donna chokore-to ga suki desu ka. Or simply write: ＿＿＿が好きです。 Let’s practise together 🍫

Konnichiwa!! These video is for review and reinforcing what you already know. Let me know if you can say all the hiragana before I can! :) If you can, you are a true hiragana master!! Ganbatte kudasai (try your best), Joe Sensei.

Introduce yourself and share a pic of something Japanese you own or something Japanese that you're interested in! Feel free to explain why you want to learn Japanese or what you like about Japan. Also, feel free to post any Japanese language questions you have. I'd be glad to answer them! As for me, I love learning Judo. Have you ever tried it? And I love Japanese literature, such as Kokoro by Natsume Soseki. Have you read any Japanese novels? I also really enjoyed Cowboy Bebop when it came out! Not the live action Netflix version! To start learning, I highly recommend Your 50 First Sentences Course: https://www.skool.com/japanese/classroom/fe1c2853?md=60ee3552d26e4ffcb910a86675e10f95 Arigatou, Joe Sensei.