English: A Japanese zoo is a great place for the discerning sign-afficionado.

日本語で: 八木山どうぶつこうえんに行きました。

えいごで: Last week I went to Tokyo for the organisation of a conference at Waseda University.

Japanese: せんしゅうカンファレンスに東京へ行きました。　がいこくけんきゅうしゃたくさんきました。おつかれさまでした。

View from the 33rd floor. 三十三かい

ゴジラ！

モールにアイドルグループはうたいました。おもしろかった。はじめてヲタ芸をみました。

えいごで: I visited Kyoto for a small international workshop at Kyoto University. Despite the busy schedule, we managed to steal a few hours for some local tourism.

Japanese: せんせんしゅう ワークショップに京都へ行きました。

えいごで: This weekend we had a jazz festival in Sendai.

Japanese: こんしゅうまつ仙台はジャズのまつりありました。おんがくよかったです。

English: Warnings and requests which bring a smile to one’s face during the daily commute.

日本語で: ちかてつで行って、あんぜんに、かいてきに:

えいごで: As may have been noted before, fish is eaten rather a lot in Japan, including at breakfast.

Japanese: 日本のあさごはんにさかなをたべます。

魚　(fish)

えいごで: We are now in full cherry-season! These cherries are actually not picked from the same trees as those whose cherry-blossoms the Japanese enjoyed a few weeks ago, as those are too small and sour to eat. Peaches are also starting to appear, so I can restart eating one of my favourite strange Japanese inventions, pasta with peaches.

The past month there was a remarkably increased police presence in public places such as subways, train stations and tourist spots due to the G7 meetings. Apparently over 100000 police were deployed for increased security.

At the end of the work day, when returning home, the always-present subway employee greets everyone at the ticket gate.

Japanese: さくらんぼのじかんです！日本はももがあります、 ももとパスタたべたい！

先月のG7にけいさつたくさんがいました。

English: One of the main features of this festival is the sparrow dance. I was told that this dance has over 2000 participants in the streets of Sendai. This dance is said to be created by Aoba castle’s stone masons after the castle was finished around 1600.

にほんごで: 先週あおばまつりのすずめおどりをみた。

えいごで: On the last day of April and the beginning of May there is a concentration of four national holidays: Shouwa day, Constitution day, Greenery day and Children’s day. Many Japanese take leave to ensure a week long holiday, called Golden Week, where golden refers to the increase in revenue to the tourism and entertainment industry. As one would guess, this is also one of the busier times of the year in the trains, plains and tourist spots of Japan. I suspect there also may have been a noticable increase of Japanese tourists in other areas of the world, so if you happened to notice such, you now know the reason for this.

Japanese: ゴールデンウィークに東京へゆきました。

えいごで: Meiji-jingu is a shrine dedicated to the spirits of Emperor Meiji and Empress Shouken. As I understand it, the sake and wine barrels which are on display are actually empty, symbolising the donations of sake to the shrine from the brewers.

Japanese:　めいじじんぐう