Listen to your teacher read out some Japanese names for things that English speakers often know about but don’t always know the Japanese name for and try to guess the most common way for English speakers to describe that thing. You get two points if you can guess the most common way (the first option given), one point if what you think of is a less common way (such as the second or third option if they are given), and no points if what you say is something that English speakers are unlikely to say or understand.
Look at the list that you have been given. It shows things that English speakers tend to know about Japan, but with a mix of ones that they tend to know the Japanese name for and tend not to know the Japanese name for and so describe in another typical way. The game is to try to guess the name that English speakers usually use to describe that thing.
Choose one of the words that you have and read out just its name in Japanese (on the left). Give a hint like “It’s a food” if your partner doesn’t know what you are speaking about, but don’t say any English words that are written next to it. Your partner will get two points if they can say the first (= left-hand side) word(s) or explanation, or one point if they say something else that an English speaker might say (e.g. the second option).
Japanese things with common English names and explanations in order
Festivals and celebrations (for the teacher)
- hanami – (Japanese) cherry blossom viewing (party)
- hina matsuri – (Japanese) doll festival
- kakigori – shaved ice/ snow cone
- mikoshi – portable shrine
- natsu matsuri – (traditional) Japanese summer festival
- nengajo – New Year postcards
- nyugakushiki – school entrance ceremony
- sakura – cherry blossom
- seijin no hi – coming of age day
- setsubun – bean throwing festival
- taiko/ wadaiko – Japanese drum/ taiko
- yukata – yukata/ (light) summer kimono
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Student A
- (Chiyoda/ Meguro/…)-ku – ward
- (Fukushima/ Kanagawa/…)-ken – prefecture
- ajinomoto – MSG/ monosodium-glutamate
- anime – anime/ Japanese animation/ Japanese cartoons
- anko – red bean jam/ sweet red beans/ anko
- bento – bento box/ bento/ Japanese(-style) lunch box
- bonsai – bonsai/ miniature trees
- butsudan/ kamidana – household shrine
- cosplay – cosplay/ dressing up
- cup ramen – pot noodle
- daikon – daikon/ Japanese radish
- dashi – dashi/ Japanese stock
- dojo – dojo/ martial arts school
- Doubutsu no Mori – Animal Crossing
- edamame – edamame/ (fresh) (green) soy beans
- fugu – pufferfish/ fugu
- Fuji-san – Mount Fuji
- fusuma – sliding screen/ sliding door
- futon – futon
- hakusai – Chinese cabbage/ Chinese lettuce/ bok choy/ pak choy
- Hanshin Awaji daishinsai – Kobe earthquake/ Great Hanshin Earthquake
- ikebana – ikebana/ Japanese-style flower arranging
- izakaya – izakaya/ Japanese-style pub
- jinja – Shinto shrine/ shrine
- kakemono/ kakejiku – hanging scroll
- kamikaze – kamikaze (often pronounced “kamikazi”)
- karaage – Japanese-style fried chicken
- karaoke box – karaoke booth
- karate – karate (usually pronounced “karahti”/ “karahtee”)
- kare-pan – curry donut
- katana – katana/ Japanese sword
- katsuobushi – bonito flakes/ katsuobushi
- kawaii – kawaii/ (the culture of) Japanese cuteness
- Kimetsu no Yaiba – Demon Slayer
- kimono – kimono
- koi nobori – carp streamer/ carp kite/ carp flag
- koto – (Japanese) zither/ koto
- manga – manga/ Japanese comic(s)
- matcha – matcha/ powdered green tea
- minshuku – (Japanese-style/ Japanese) B&B/ bed and breakfast
- miso – miso
- miso shiru – miso soup
- mochi – chewy rice cake/ mochi
- mochigome – sticky rice
- momiji – Japanese maple
- nabe – Japanese-stye hotpot
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Student B
- natto – fermented soybeans
- nihonshu – sake (usually pronounced “sahkei”)/ (Japanese) rice wine
- ninja – ninja
- nori – nori/ dried seaweed
- okonomiyaki – savoury pancake
- onsen – hot springs
- origami – origami/ paper folding
- rikishi – sumo wrestler
- ryokan – Japanese-style inn
- sado – tea ceremony
- samurai – samurai/ Japanese warrior
- sashimi – sashimi/ raw fish
- sembei – rice cracker
- sempai – sempai/ senior
- Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi – Spirited Away
- sento – public baths
- shakuhachi – shakuhachi
- shiitake – shiitake/ shiitake mushroom
- shinkansen – bullet train
- shochu – Japanese spirits
- shodo/ shuji – (Japanese) calligraphy
- Showa Tenno – Emperor Hirohito
- soba – buckwheat noodles/ soba noodles/ soba
- sumo – sumo wrestling/ sumo
- suppuku/ hara-kiri – hara-kiri
- sushi – sushi
- takoyaki – octopus balls
- tanuki – racoon dog/ tanuki
- tatami – tatami/ rush matting
- Teikoku Hotel – The Imperial Hotel
- tempura – tempura
- teppanyaki – teppanyaki/ Japanese-style grill
- tofu – tofu/ bean curd
- tonkatsu – tonkatsu/ pork cutlet
- torii – torii gates/ shrine gates
- tsukemono – (Japanese) pickles
- udon – udon/ (thick white) wheat noodles
- ukiyo-e/ hanga – ukiyo-e/ (Japanese) woodcut prints
- umami – umami/ the fifth taste
- ume-shu – (Japanese) plum liqueur
- wagyu – Kobe beef/ wagyu
- wasabi – wasabi/ Japanese horseradish
- washlet – combined toilet and bidet/ high-tech Japanese toilet
- yakisoba – fried noodles
- yakitori – Japanese-style grilled chicken
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