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! 🍢🥞

Let us know in the poll whether or not you can join the Paired Speaking Practice! Paired Speaking Practice is about mastering a dialogue to improve fluency and speaking skills while picking up key vocabulary and common phrases. Get assigned a partner, arrange a time to chat and have a 10-15 minute speaking practice session. This time, the focus is on: Weekend Plans. 🌸 Mini Lesson — Talking About Weekend Plans Today’s conversation uses three useful speaking patterns: - asking about plans - saying what you want to do (〜たい) - inviting someone Let’s look at them. 1. Asking about plans Shuumatsu no yotei wa arimasu ka?Do you have weekend plans? - shuumatsu = weekend - yotei = plans - arimasu = have / exist You can change shuumatsu to: - kyō (today) - ashita (tomorrow) - raishū (next week) Example: - Ashita no yotei wa arimasu ka? 2. Saying what you want to do (〜たい) Pattern: verb stem + たいです Examples from the dialogue: Watashi wa eiga o mitai desu. I want to watch a movie. Watashi wa kafe ni ikitai desu. I want to go to a café. More examples you can use: - rāmen o tabetai desu (want to eat ramen) - tomodachi ni aitai desu (want to meet a friend) - kōhī o nomitai desu (want to drink coffee) 3. Making invitations Issho ni ikimasen ka? Shall we go together? This pattern is very useful: verb + ませんか Examples: - tabemasen ka? (shall we eat?) - mimasen ka? (shall we watch?) - hanashimasen ka? (shall we talk?) Positive response: - Hai, ikimashou! (Yes, let’s go!) 4. Arranging time Nanji ni aimashou ka? What time shall we meet? Gogo ni ji wa dō desu ka? How about 2 pm? Useful words: - gozen = morning / am - gogo = afternoon / pm - nanji = what time Quick Practice (before paired speaking) Can you complete these: Watashi wa ______ o mitai desu. Watashi wa ______ ni ikitai desu. Issho ni ______ masen ka? Check out the pdf attached which has the dialogue and English translation. Feel free to ask any questions about it!!

Youkoso!! Welcome to all our new members over the last week. This week's question is: Snow or Sand? Hokkaido? Hakaba? Nagano? Or: Okinawa? Kamakura? Hamamatsu? This question is open to all! Arigatou, Joe Sensei. Welcome: @Chelsea Wood @Luis Fernando Castrellon Yonemoto @Hugo Wong @Daniel Yun @Trevor Gauthier @Kushagra Mishra @Aditya Ratre @Carolina Díaz @Nicole Lyons @Yusuf Nawab @Manish Abbi @Lauren Ryken @Ricardo Solomons @Joshua Tennefrancia @Lucas Meira @Nero Das @David Greenman @Saeed Clark

Yesterday’s winner was… すき焼き (Sukiyaki)! 🍲🎉 A strong start for the comfort-food favourites of Japan! Now it’s time for the next delicious showdown… 🥢 Shabu-shabu vs 🍡 Manjū Hot-pot elegance versus traditional sweetness. Only one moves on. 🥢 Shabu-shabu (しゃぶしゃぶ) Named after the “swish-swish” sound of thin slices of meat being cooked in hot broth, shabu-shabu is a lighter, more delicate hot-pot experience than sukiyaki. Diners quickly cook beef or pork in boiling broth, then dip it in sauces like ponzu or sesame sauce before eating. Vegetables, tofu and noodles complete the meal. Why people love it: Light but satisfying Interactive and social dining Clean, simple flavours that highlight the ingredients This is Japanese dining at its most elegant and communal. 🍡 Manjū (まんじゅう) Soft, comforting, and deeply traditional, manjū are small steamed buns typically filled with sweet red bean paste (あんこ). They’ve been enjoyed in Japan for centuries and are often sold at festivals, temples, and regional sweet shops across the country. Why people love it: A classic example of wagashi (Japanese traditional sweets) Soft texture and gentle sweetness Strong connection to Japanese history and culture This is tradition you can hold in your hand. 🗳️ Time to Vote! Which one moves to the next round? The interactive hot-pot experience of shabu-shabu? Or the sweet traditional comfort of manjū? Cast your vote and tell us why!