Learn Japanese with Noriko

Japanese with Noriko
  • 4.8 (91)
  • LANGUAGE LEARNING
  • UPDATED SEMIWEEKLY

Hi, I’m Noriko 🌸—a certified Japanese teacher and Neurolanguage Coach®. Learn Japanese with Noriko is for intermediate to advanced learners. If you're an intermediate student, please start from Season 1—I speak slowly at first, then gradually faster. Season 3 is a level-up version with real-life dialogues, philosophy, and language learning topics. Join Japanese Together for our Podcast Conversation Club & Book Club, and sign up for my newsletter at Japanese with Noriko to learn about my coaching service. Enjoy listening!

  1. Season 3-142 Book Talk with Yuko 8 Reading, Taking Notes, and Learning Along the Way (📘 本を読む、メモを取る、考え続ける — 読書と学びのあいだで)

    6D AGO

    Season 3-142 Book Talk with Yuko 8 Reading, Taking Notes, and Learning Along the Way (📘 本を読む、メモを取る、考え続ける — 読書と学びのあいだで)

    宮島未奈『成瀬は天下を取りにいく』宮島未奈『成瀬は信じた道をいく』宮島未奈『成瀬は都を駆け抜ける』宮島未奈『婚活マエストロ』新書齋藤孝『思考を整えるメモ力』中林くみこ 『独学で英語を話せるようになった人がやっていること』 齋藤孝『こども孫子の兵法』滝沢 カレン（たきざわ カレン）日本のモデル・タレント片山 龍峯（聞き手）、姉崎等（あねざきひとし・狩人）『クマにあったらどうするか』外山滋比古（とやま しげひこ）『思考の整理学』稲垣 えみ子『老後とピアノ』夏目漱石『こころ』太宰治『人間失格』English Summary In this episode of Book Talk with Yuko, we talk about reading during a slump and how books still leave traces even when we can’t fully immerse ourselves.From novel series and essays to non-fiction, we reflect on taking notes, thinking through reading, and continuing to learn along the way. It’s a gentle conversation about reading as a process, not a goal. 🎧 Listener Questions｜リスナーさんへの質問 ① 読書スランプについて 🇯🇵最近、読書スランプを感じたことはありますか？そのとき、どんな本を手に取りましたか？ 🇬🇧Have you experienced a reading slump recently? What kind of book did you pick up during that time? ② メモと読書 🇯🇵本を読むとき、メモを取りますか？記憶に残った言葉を心の中にとどめるタイプですか？ 🇬🇧Do you take notes when you read? Or do you prefer to keep meaningful words in your memory? ③ 学びのプロセスについて 🇯🇵「ゴール」よりも「過程」が大切だと感じた経験はありますか？それは、読書や学びの中でのどんな場面でしたか？ 🇬🇧Have you ever felt that the process mattered more than the goal? In what situation—reading or learning—did you feel that way?

    29 min
  2. Season 3-141 生きているかぎり青春 With Yasuyo

    FEB 25

    Season 3-141 生きているかぎり青春 With Yasuyo

    In this episode, Noriko continues her conversation with Yasuyo, reflecting on a deeply inspiring trip to Japan. Yasuyo shares how meeting the works and philosophies of artists and architects she admires renewed her energy and outlook on life. They talk about creators who stayed active well into old age, including Saburo Yunoki and Tadao Ando, and reflect on the powerful idea that youth is not about age, but about continuing to create, challenge, and feel curiosity. The conversation explores how art, travel, and music can awaken our senses, lift us during moments of self-doubt, and remind us to live with gratitude. The episode closes with a warm reminder to say out loud, “I’m happy right now,” and to keep passing inspiration forward — because as long as we’re alive, it’s still youth. 青春｜せいしゅん｜youth生きている限り｜いきているかぎり｜as long as one is alive現役｜げんえき｜active (still working), in service生涯現役｜しょうがい げんえき｜active for one’s entire life尊敬する｜そんけいする｜to respect, to admire人生の先輩｜じんせい の せんぱい｜life mentor, senior in life生き方｜いきかた｜way of living, life philosophy作品｜さくひん｜work (of art), creation展覧会｜てんらんかい｜exhibitionインスピレーション｜いんすぴれーしょん｜inspiration挑戦｜ちょうせん｜challenge年齢｜ねんれい｜age言い訳｜いいわけ｜excuse前向き｜まえむき｜positive, forward-looking直感｜ちょっかん｜intuition旅のハイライト｜たび の はいらいと｜highlight of a trip縁｜えん｜connection, fate, bond縁結び｜えんむすび｜bringing connections together感覚を呼び覚ます｜かんかく を よびさます｜to awaken the senses循環する｜じゅんかんする｜to circulate, to pass on

    17 min
  3. Coffee Break with Noriko - Real Talk & Daily Thoughts 7

    FEB 18

    Coffee Break with Noriko - Real Talk & Daily Thoughts 7

    📌 ポッドキャスト理解のためのキーワード（10語） スロースタート ー すろーすたーと ー a slow start調子が出る ー ちょうし が でる ー to get into a good rhythm / to feel back on track積読 ー つんどく ー buying books and not reading them (book pile-up)読書量 ー どくしょりょう ー the amount of reading one does現実逃避 ー げんじつとうひ ー escape from reality道草を食う ー みちくさ を くう ー to take a detour / to get sidetracked寄り道 ー よりみち ー stopping somewhere on the way / a detour急がば回れ ー いそがば まわれ ー more haste, less speed / slow down to go further初心忘るべからず ー しょしん わするべからず ー never forget you are still learning / stay humble as a learner仕組み ー しくみ ー a system or structure (that helps you continue)a system / structure (that helps you continue)Summary (English) In this episode, Noriko shares a relaxed January reflection. She talks about starting 2026 slowly, focusing on reading, writing, and consistency rather than rushing for results. She reflects on reducing her unread book pile, reading across multiple languages and formats, and finding comfort in books amid overwhelming news. Noriko also explores Japanese expressions like michikusa o kuu (taking detours) and isogaba maware (slow down to go further), linking them to language learning and life. The episode highlights the value of small, steady habits, showing up regularly, and finding joy in everyday moments.

    25 min
  4. Season 3-140 今年、何を「やらない」年にしますか？What Will You Choose Not to Do This Year? Creating Space with a New Approach to Goals

    FEB 11

    Season 3-140 今年、何を「やらない」年にしますか？What Will You Choose Not to Do This Year? Creating Space with a New Approach to Goals

    Takeaways やらないことを決めることで心に余裕が生まれる。新年の目標はやりたいことではなく、やらないことを考える。他の人と比べないことが大切。完璧を求めすぎないこと。無理をせず、休むことも大切。一度にたくさん詰め込まない。楽しさを忘れずに勉強する。目的のない作業を続けない。

    8 min
  5. Season 3-139 Noriko’s Philosophy Playground 7 人間の野心と言葉の限界 - バベルの塔 The Tower of Babel (ブリューゲルBruegel)

    FEB 4

    Season 3-139 Noriko’s Philosophy Playground 7 人間の野心と言葉の限界 - バベルの塔 The Tower of Babel (ブリューゲルBruegel)

    This episode is the first Noriko’s Philosophy Playground of 2026 and explores The Tower of Babel painted by Pieter Bruegel the Elder. Noriko reflects on seeing the large version of The Tower of Babel in Vienna at the Kunsthistorisches Museum. Inspired by the painting, she discusses human ambition, limits, and the role of language. The biblical story tells of people who once shared a single language and tried to build a tower reaching the heavens. Their excessive ambition led to confusion of language, loss of cooperation, and the collapse of the project. Bruegel’s painting shows countless workers focused only on their own tasks, without seeing the whole structure. Parts of the tower are already collapsing, symbolising miscommunication and lack of coordination. Noriko connects this to modern life and language learning, asking three philosophical questions: How important is it to see the big picture? How much ambition is healthy for humans? What does it really mean for language to “connect” people? She concludes that true communication is not just grammar or vocabulary, but the attitude of trying to understand others. Language learning, she suggests, is ultimately about understanding people and the world through words. フィロソフィー（philosophy） プレイグラウンド（playground） プロジェクト（project） コミュニケーション（communication） インターネット（internet） バージョン（version） ディーテール（detail） ビジョン（vision） アプローチ（approach） コーディネーション（coordination） 野心（やしん） – ambition 限界（げんかい） – limit 言語（げんご） – language 言葉（ことば） – words 混乱（こんらん） – confusion 協力（きょうりょく） – cooperation 理解（りかい） – understanding 全体像（ぜんたいぞう） – big picture 誤解（ごかい） – misunderstanding 傲慢（ごうまん） – arrogance 本質（ほんしつ） – essence 理想化（りそうか） – idealization 労働者（ろうどうしゃ） – workers 崩れる（くずれる） – to collapse 態度・姿勢（たいど・しせい） – attitude / mindset

    13 min
  6. Season 3-138 動くから何かを得られる、直感と冒険の旅 With Yasuyo

    JAN 28

    Season 3-138 動くから何かを得られる、直感と冒険の旅 With Yasuyo

    Summary :このエピソードでは、Norikoとやすよさんが2025年の旅行を振り返っています。やすよさんは、直感に従って南フランス、ロンドン、ニューオリンズなどを旅しました。南フランスでは、冒険する気持ちでレンタカーを借り、芸術や風景を楽しみました。ロンドンでは、若いバイオリニストの演奏を聴き、昔の思い出がよみがえる体験をしました。また、仕事で参加したニューオリンズのカンファレンスでは、新しい出会いもありました。この旅を通して、自分から動くこと、直感を信じること、人と会うことの大切さを強く感じたという話です。 In this episode, Noriko talks with Yasuyo from Mori Mori Japanese Lessons about Yasuyo’s travels in 2025.Yasuyo followed her intuition and visited places such as South France, London, and New Orleans. In South France, she enjoyed an adventurous road trip and explored art and local scenery.In London, she attended a concert by a young violinist, which brought back strong memories from her past.She also joined a teaching conference in New Orleans, where she made new connections.Through these experiences, she realized the importance of taking action, trusting intuition, and meeting people in person. 直感（ちょっかん）intuition 冒険（ぼうけん）adventure 旅（たび）journey / travel ハイライトhighlight 再会（さいかい）reunion / meeting again 縁（えん）connection / fate / bond 心が動く（こころがうごく）to be emotionally moved コンフォートゾーンcomfort zone 経験（けいけん）experience 出会い（であい）encounter / meeting someone new ロンドン（ろんどん）London, UK リバプール（りばぷーる）Liverpool, UK 南フランス（みなみふらんす）South of France コート・ダジュールCôte d’Azur, France プロヴァンスProvence, France アルルArles, France エクス・アン・プロヴァンスAix-en-Provence, France ニューヨークNew York, USA ニューオーリンズNew Orleans, USA シカゴChicago, USA

    17 min
  7. Season 3-137 ポイントは「厳選」と「観察」：好きなドラマやアニメで日本語を学ぶ

    JAN 21

    Season 3-137 ポイントは「厳選」と「観察」：好きなドラマやアニメで日本語を学ぶ

    In this episode, Noriko explains how to study Japanese more effectively using videos such as anime, dramas, YouTube, and short clips. She shares two practical tips for learners who enjoy video-based learning.

    11 min
  8. Season 3-136 Book Talk with Yuko 7 - 年末年始に読んだ本

    JAN 14

    Season 3-136 Book Talk with Yuko 7 - 年末年始に読んだ本

    恩田 陸『なんとかしなくちゃ。 青雲編』恩田 陸『夜のピクニック』逢坂 冬馬『同志少女よ、敵を撃て』川﨑あゆみ『英語が日本語みたいに出てくる頭のつくり方 第二言語習得論の専門家が教える「英語の正しい学習法」』王谷 晶『『ババヤガの夜』マンガ：児島青『本なら売るほど』小泉八雲『怪談』湊かなえ『Nのために』（エヌのために）湊かなえ『告白』パウロコエーリョ『アルケミスト』Yuko's Substack Noriko's Substack Our Community : Japanese Together https://japanese-together.mn.co

    30 min
See All (745)

Trailer

4.8
out of 5
91 Ratings

About

Hi, I’m Noriko 🌸—a certified Japanese teacher and Neurolanguage Coach®. Learn Japanese with Noriko is for intermediate to advanced learners. If you're an intermediate student, please start from Season 1—I speak slowly at first, then gradually faster. Season 3 is a level-up version with real-life dialogues, philosophy, and language learning topics. Join Japanese Together for our Podcast Conversation Club & Book Club, and sign up for my newsletter at Japanese with Noriko to learn about my coaching service. Enjoy listening!

Information

  • Creator
    Japanese with Noriko
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    745
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Japanese with Noriko
  • Show Website
    Learn Japanese with Noriko

You Might Also Like