Choose one of the things below and describe the past and present uses until your partner guesses what you are talking about. Do they agree with your description?
| Useful language for contrasting the present and the pastPeople used to… (and some people still do).
People used to (use this to)…, but nowadays… These days people only use this…, but in the past… Until… years ago,… The only way to… used to be… People didn’t use to… until… Instead, they used to… |
Japanese things to describe
Abacus
Akachochin lamp
Arranged marriage
Black market
Bousouzoku
Brown rice/ Rice mixed with barley etc
Bullet train
Burakumin/ Eta untouchable caste
Butsudan/ Kamidana household shrines
Byobu folding screen
Calligraphy brush
Chabudai Japanese-style table
Chasen
Chashitsu
Chugen mid-year gift
Confucianism
Daimyo
Fundoshi
Furoshiki
Fusuma sliding screen
Futon
Geta wooden clogs
Group calisthenics
Hachimaki
Hakama
Hanko/ Inkan personal seal
Happi coat
Harakiri/ Seppuku
Hibachi
Japanese-style breakfast
Japanese-style castle
Japanese-style wedding
Jimbei
Kabuto helmet
Kakejiku hanging scroll
Katana swords
Kimono/ Yukata
Kofun burial mound
Kotatsu table
Koto
Kowtowing
Kyusu
Lucky charm
Lunar New Year/ Chinese New Year
Machiya town house
Matchmaker
Minka thatched cottage
Minshuku bed and breakfast
Netsuke
Ninja
O-choko
Obi belt
Oshi-ire
Palanquin
Parasol/ Umbrella
Red bean jam sweet
Rice wine/ Sake
Rickshaw
Ryokan inn
Sailor suit
Samurai knight
Sentou public bath
Shamisen
Shichirin stove
Shinai bamboo sword
Shogun
Shouji paper screen
Shuriken throwing star
Six-day week
Sokaiya
Street car/ Tram
Street market
Street stall
Tabi socks
Tansu chest
Tatami flooring
Tokkuri
Tokonoma
Traditional Chinese medicine
Washlette toilet
Zabuton cushion
Zaibatsu
Zori sandals
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PDF for easy saving and printing: Describing Japanese things used to practice
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