Podcasts about Noriko

"The most important thing for a leader, in my view, is integrity." "You need to be hands-on, but then you need to delegate." "If this fails, ultimately, the accountability sits with me." "Culture is something that all of us jointly develop and nurture." "At the end of the day, you have to own your decisions, so you cannot just let AI make   Noriko Sasaki is Country Head of Checkout.com Japan, leading the UK-based payment service provider's expansion in the Japanese market. Checkout.com helps online merchants, gaming companies and digital platforms process payments, improve acceptance rates, receive settlement funds and use payments as a driver of growth and profitability. Sasaki was born in Saitama and spent part of her childhood in Los Angeles when her father was assigned to American Honda. Returning to Japan as a teenager, she rebuilt her Japanese literacy, entered a leading Tokyo high school through a returnee pathway and later studied political science at Waseda University. She began her career in international consulting, working on business-process reengineering and SAP implementation, before earning an MBA from Carnegie Mellon University. After returning to Japan, she worked at Walt Disney and then spent close to twenty years at Citibank, where she led major sales operations and participated in the historic transfer of Citi's Japanese retail-banking business into SMBC Trust Bank. She later held roles at Accenture, PwC and a Japanese consulting start-up before joining Checkout.com in November 2024. Her career combines consulting discipline, financial-services leadership, operational transformation, bicultural communication and a long-standing commitment to advancing women in leadership.   Noriko Sasaki's leadership journey has been shaped by repeated transitions across cultures, industries and organisational models. Born in Japan and raised partly in Los Angeles, she returned at fifteen with strong spoken Japanese but limited reading ability. Re-entering the Japanese education system required intensive study, adaptability and resilience. That bicultural experience later became a professional advantage, allowing her to move between Japanese context and international corporate expectations. After studying political science at Waseda University, Sasaki entered international consulting, where she worked on business-process reengineering, operational standardisation and SAP implementation. She eventually questioned whether advice based mainly on frameworks was enough without experience inside a company. An MBA at Carnegie Mellon gave her a broader business foundation, after which she returned to Japan, joined Walt Disney and then moved into banking through a major Citi integration project. Her first substantive people-management role came at Citi. The team was small and entirely female, and one early challenge was managing someone older, more experienced and more knowledgeable about banking. Sasaki responded with humility and respect rather than relying on title. She clarified that both people had different responsibilities, maintained a continuous dialogue and focused the team on a shared goal. That approach became a recurring leadership principle: alignment requires over-communication, clear accountability and respect for expertise at every level. Sasaki later led Citi's branch sales organisation and became closely involved in the transfer of the Japanese retail bank into SMBC Trust Bank. The experience taught her how to translate vision into strategy, strategy into action and action into clearly assigned responsibility. She also learned that senior leaders cannot remain distant from operations. At times, she worked directly on front-line tasks and took customer calls to understand the real issues. The challenge is to remain sufficiently hands-on to retain credibility while delegating enough to expand the organisation's capacity. Her delegation model is structured rather than passive. Before assigning work, she checks the timeline, capacity, assumptions and direction. She asks for interim updates well before completion so that course corrections do not arrive at the final moment and destroy motivation. The employee retains room to execute, but Sasaki remains accountable for the outcome. That air cover matters in a Japanese environment where fear of mistakes can discourage initiative. Innovation similarly depends on lowering the barrier to contribution. Sasaki uses brainstorming rules that give everyone an equal opportunity to speak and explicitly reject the idea of a stupid suggestion. She reminds teams that improvement does not always require a dramatic zero-to-one breakthrough. A small change from 1.0 to 1.1 can still create meaningful value. This framing is especially useful in Japan, where perfectionism, hierarchy, seniority and concern about losing face can suppress ideas before they are voiced. Trust, in Sasaki's view, is built through the smallest commitments. If she casually promises dinner, she records it and follows through. Technology helps her remember birthdays, promises and relationship milestones, but the principle is behavioural consistency. Blaming someone when something goes wrong can destroy trust immediately. Leaders therefore need to own consequences, support people through difficulties and demonstrate that accountability flows upward as well as downward. At Checkout.com, Sasaki works within global operating principles while adapting them to Japan. A principle such as 'talk straight' cannot simply be imported as blunt communication. Honesty must remain, but the method should fit the individual and the high-context Japanese environment. She rejects the notion of building a personal empire around the country head. Culture should survive the leader and be jointly developed by everyone, because engagement is a shared responsibility. Her advice to expatriate leaders is to be patient, recognise the depth of context behind Japanese communication and keep searching for channels through which people can contribute. She also urges them to enjoy Japan beyond the office. For women seeking leadership, she stresses sponsors, internal and external networks, authentic behaviour and the willingness to accept promotion as a means of influencing change for others, not merely pursuing personal ambition. Sasaki's leadership definition rests on four pillars: integrity, vision, communication and accountability. AI can strengthen decision intelligence by processing more information and highlighting options, but leaders must still judge relevance and own the final decision. AI also creates a human-capital challenge: when routine work collapses from 100 hours to ten, leaders need a vision for the capacity released. People should be treated as capital and sources of ideas, not simply as costs to eliminate. Q&A Summary What makes leadership in Japan unique? Leadership in Japan operates inside a high-context culture where a spoken sentence rarely contains the entire message. Sasaki advises leaders to consider background relationships, informal communication and the time people need to digest information before responding. Silence does not necessarily indicate disengagement, and an immediate answer may not be realistic when employees are trying to avoid mistakes. Hierarchy, age, tenure and gender can also influence who feels entitled to speak. Effective leaders create equal opportunities for contribution, clarify expectations and adapt the communication method to the individual without compromising honesty. Why do global executives struggle? Global executives often struggle because they import behavioural principles without local adaptation. A global instruction to 'talk straight', for example, can be interpreted as permission for bluntness, even though direct confrontation may shut down dialogue in Japan. Leaders also underestimate how much patience, explanation and relationship-building are required. Sasaki recommends resisting the urge to judge delayed responses as resistance. Foreign executives should search for different communication channels and recognise that Japanese colleagues often have valuable ideas but may lack confidence in English or fear offering unverified information. Is Japan truly risk-averse? Japan's reluctance to take risk is closely connected to perfectionism, accountability and fear of public error. Sasaki lowers this barrier by making delegation explicit, requesting early updates and accepting ultimate accountability when an initiative fails. She also reframes innovation as incremental improvement rather than demanding a revolutionary breakthrough. An idea that improves a process from 1.0 to 1.1 is still worthwhile. When leaders demonstrate that there are no stupid ideas and that people will be supported rather than blamed, employees become more willing to test improvements and leave the safety of established routines. What leadership style actually works? Sasaki's style balances humility, structure and hands-on credibility. When managing people with greater age or technical experience, she respects what they know while remaining clear about her own role. She aligns people around mission, breaks vision into strategy and action, and specifies responsibility, including her own. She will enter the operation to understand reality, but she does not remain there permanently. Delegation succeeds when people know the direction, assumptions, deadline and escalation points. The leader provides support, receives interim updates and owns the consequence without micromanaging every step. How can technology help? Technology supports both Checkout.com's payment business and Sasaki's leadership practices. Payments data can help merchants improve profitability and growth, while productivity tools help leaders keep promises and maintain relationships through reminders and accurate follow-up. AI extends this further by processing a much larger volume of information and supporting decision intelligence, scenario development and contingency planning. Sasaki nevertheless draws a clear boundary: AI can provide evidence and insights, but leaders must determine what is relevant and own the decision. Technology should strengthen judgement rather than replace responsibility. Does language proficiency matter? Language proficiency matters because Japanese is a high-context language and much meaning sits in nuance, implication and relationship history. At the same time, Sasaki believes communication is possible even when English proficiency is limited, provided there is patience and genuine will on both sides. Leaders should use multiple channels, allow preparation and avoid assuming that difficulty expressing an idea means the person has nothing to contribute. Her own bicultural background demonstrates the value of moving between languages and contexts, but the deeper skill is creating enough psychological safety for people to keep trying. What's the ultimate leadership lesson? The ultimate leadership lesson is to act with integrity and accept accountability. Sasaki believes leaders must consistently do what is right for the company, customers, society and other people. Vision gives direction; communication enables others to understand it; accountability assures employees that the leader has their back. Culture should not become a personality cult or depend on one country head. It should be jointly developed, durable and grounded in shared behavioural principles. Leadership is therefore not personal dominance, but consistent stewardship that allows others to act, learn and contribute. Author Credentials Dr. Greg Story, Ph.D. in Japanese Decision-Making, is President of Dale Carnegie Tokyo Training and Adjunct Professor at Griffith University. He is a two-time winner of the Dale Carnegie "One Carnegie Award" (2018, 2021) and recipient of the Griffith University Business School Outstanding Alumnus Award (2012). As a Dale Carnegie Master Trainer, Greg is certified to deliver globally across all leadership, communication, sales, and presentation programs, including Leadership Training for Results. He has written several books, including three best-sellers — Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery, and Japan Presentations Mastery — along with Japan Leadership Mastery and How to Stop Wasting Money on Training. His works have also been translated into Japanese, including Za Eigyō (ザ営業), Purezen no Tatsujin (プレゼンの達人), Torēningu de Okane o Muda ni Suru no wa Yamemashō (トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのはやめましょう), and Gendaiban "Hito o Ugokasu" Rīdā (現代版「人を動かす」リーダー). In addition to his books, Greg publishes daily blogs on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, offering practical insights on leadership, communication, and Japanese business culture. He is also the host of six weekly podcasts, including The Leadership Japan Series, The Sales Japan Series, The Presentations Japan Series, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews. On YouTube, he produces three weekly shows — The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews — which have become leading resources for executives seeking strategies for success in Japan.

Join our community Japanese TogetherJapanese Summary今回は、のりこさんが2026年最初の旅行としてスペインのアリカンテへ行く前の準備と、実際に旅行した後の感想について話しています。出発の4日前ということで、荷造りの様子を紹介しました。夫婦で大きなスーツケースを一つだけ持って行く予定で、その理由は家族や友人へのプレゼントやお土産をたくさん準備したからです。また、10年以上使っているお気に入りの無印のバックパックについても紹介しました。収納が多く便利で、今でも大切に使っています。旅行にはお気に入りのTシャツや本を持って行く予定で、とても楽しみにしている様子が伝わってきます。後半では、実際に訪れたアリカンテについて紹介しています。アリカンテはスペイン南東部の地中海沿岸にある人気のリゾート地で、美しいビーチや新鮮なシーフードが有名です。特にイカ墨のパエリアやティント・デ・ベラーノがお気に入りだったそうです。また、アルテアやビジャホヨサといった近郊の町も訪れ、美しい景色やチョコレートで有名な町の魅力を楽しみました。家族と過ごした充実した1週間の旅行について語っています。In this episode, Noriko shares both the preparation and highlights of her first trip of 2026, a one-week family vacation to Alicante, Spain.She begins by describing her packing process four days before departure. To keep things simple, she and her husband decided to travel with just one large suitcase, although they had already filled part of it with gifts and souvenirs for family members and friends they planned to meet during the trip. Noriko also introduces her favorite backpack, a Muji bag she bought in Japan about ten years ago and has continued using ever since because of its practical design and storage space.She talks about choosing clothes, preparing gifts for her niece and nephew, and selecting three books to bring along for the journey. Her excitement about the upcoming trip is clear throughout the discussion.In the second half of the episode, Noriko reflects on her time in Alicante. She describes the city as a beautiful Mediterranean resort destination known for its beaches, seafood, and sunny climate. She especially enjoyed swimming in the sea, eating seafood paella and squid-ink paella, and drinking tinto de verano.She also recommends day trips to Altea and Villajoyosa, two charming coastal towns with unique architecture, beautiful scenery, and local culture. Overall, the episode offers a personal and engaging travel experience while introducing listeners to the attractions of Alicante and the surrounding region.

Join our community Japanese Togetherこの会話では、のりこさんとやすよさんが「褒めること」と「褒められること」という、意外に複雑なテーマについて話しています。最初に、日本語スピーキングチャレンジでの気づきとして、多くの学習者が褒められると恥ずかしい、または気まずいと感じることが紹介されます。また、褒め言葉に対して、説明を加えたり、自分の成果を小さく見せたりする人もいることが語られます。二人は、どんな褒め言葉なら素直に受け取れるのか、またどんな褒め方がプレッシャーになるのかを考えます。服や見た目についての自然な一言は、裏の期待がないため受け取りやすい一方で、成績やパフォーマンスに関する褒め言葉は、評価されている感覚や「次も頑張らなければ」という圧力につながることがあります。さらに、教育、子育て、コーチング、日本語学習における現代的なフィードバックのあり方にも話が広がります。結果だけでなく、努力や成長、その人自身の経験を認めることの大切さが語られます。タップダンスの発表会やピエロのワークショップの話を通して、本当に心に残る褒め言葉は、成功を評価するものではなく、その人らしさや努力を見てくれる言葉なのだと伝わってきます。 In this conversation, Noriko and Yasuyo explore the surprisingly complex topic of giving and receiving compliments. The discussion begins with observations from a Japanese speaking challenge, where many learners shared that being praised often makes them feel embarrassed or uncomfortable. Some people instinctively downplay compliments by giving explanations or dismissing their achievements.The hosts reflect on when compliments feel genuine and when they can create pressure. They discuss how simple comments about appearance or personal style are often easier to accept because they do not contain hidden expectations. In contrast, praise connected to grades, performance, or achievement may unintentionally make someone feel evaluated or pressured to maintain results.They also examine modern approaches to education, parenting, coaching, and language learning. Rather than focusing only on outcomes, they highlight the importance of recognizing effort, growth, and individual experiences. Personal stories from tap dancing, performance experiences, and creative workshops illustrate how meaningful feedback often comes from being truly seen and understood.The episode ultimately suggests that effective praise is less about judging success and more about acknowledging a person's unique journey, effort, and authentic self.

あかね先生：日本語オノマトペの本『生活で使える日本語オノマトペ』八木詠美『空芯手帳』綿矢りさ『グレタ・ニンプ』嶋津輝『カフェーの帰り道』夏目漱石『こころ』朝井リョウ『そして誰もゆとらなくなった』楊双子『台湾漫遊鉄道のふたり』(Taiwan Travelogue )In this episode of BookTalk, Noriko and Yuko reconnect after a break and discuss several memorable books they have recently read. The conversation begins with a book about Japanese onomatopoeia, which Yuko highly recommends for both Japanese learners and teachers because it makes a difficult topic approachable and enjoyable.They then move on to Kūshin Techō, a novel about a woman who tells a lie about being pregnant after becoming frustrated with how she is treated at work. The discussion explores why readers may sympathize with the character and how the story raises interesting questions about honesty, social expectations, and personal survival.A major part of the episode focuses on Cafe no Kaerimichi, a novel set from the Taishō era into the postwar period. Both hosts praise its portrayal of women who pursue freedom and independence despite social limitations. The historical setting, fashion, work culture, and everyday life of women from that era make the novel especially engaging.They also talk about Asai Ryō's essay collection Soshite Daremo Yutoranakunatta, highlighting its humorous stories of personal mistakes and social awkwardness.Finally, they discuss Taiwan Manyū Tetsudō no Futari, a Taiwanese novel that combines friendship, food, history, and reflections on the complex relationship between colonizer and colonized. The book leaves a strong impression and inspires curiosity about Taiwan and its history.

A brand new Godzilla Minus Zero teaser just dropped, and it raises more questions than it answers. In this episode of Geek Freaks Headlines, Frank breaks down everything hidden in the latest footage for Takashi Yamazaki's sequel to the Oscar-winning Godzilla Minus One. From Noriko's last name change confirming she and Koichi got married between films, to the ominous synopsis line "There is no third time, everything ends here" suggesting this could be a two-movie story instead of a trilogy, there's a lot packed into this short teaser. Frank also digs into the teaser's biggest mystery, the line "another moral boundary mankind shouldn't cross," and lays out his Plan A versus Plan B theory: Japan's Disaster Response Bureau using its hard-won Godzilla expertise to stop the kaiju in New York, while the United States is tempted to drop another nuke, not realizing it could feed Godzilla and destroy their own city in the process. Plus, why Koichi throwing punches at Noda puts a wrench in the whole theory, the mysterious bomb test in a grassy field, and hopes for more news at San Diego Comic-Con. Godzilla Minus Zero hits theaters November 3 in Japan and November 6 everywhere else.Timestamps0:00 New Godzilla Minus Zero teaser reaction and Noriko's name change0:29 The synopsis breakdown and the case for a two-movie story0:44 Connecting the CinemaCon teaser: Godzilla in New York and Noda's Disaster Response Bureau1:02 The moral boundary line and the US nuke temptation theory1:18 Plan A vs Plan B: Japan's expertise or America's bomb1:38 The wrench in the theory: Koichi fighting Noda and the mystery bomb test1:56 Release dates and San Diego Comic-Con hopesKey TakeawaysNoriko is now credited as Noriko Shikishima, confirming she and Koichi got married between filmsThe official synopsis ends with "There is no third time, everything ends here," hinting this may be a two-and-done story rather than a trilogyThe teaser line "another moral boundary mankind shouldn't cross" points to a nuclear weapons storylineGodzilla is headed to New York, as revealed in the first CinemaCon teaser with the Statue of Liberty shotNoda now leads a Disaster Response Bureau tasked with pushing back on GodzillaFrank's theory: Plan A is Japan stopping Godzilla with their expertise, Plan B is the US nuking him, which would only feed him and destroy New YorkKoichi physically fighting Noda in the teaser complicates the theory, since Noda's plan should be the safer oneA bomb drops in a grassy area in the teaser, possibly just a weapons testGodzilla Minus Zero releases November 3 in Japan and November 6 worldwideMemorable Quotes"War reduced Japan to zero, and Godzilla plunged it into minus.""There is no third time. Everything ends here.""Plan A, Japan tries to figure out how to stop Godzilla using their expertise. Plan B, USA bombs him, which would only feed Godzilla and nuke New York City.""More questions than answers. I can't wait for this damn movie."Call to ActionIf you enjoyed this breakdown, subscribe to Geek Freaks Headlines wherever you get your podcasts and leave us a review. It genuinely helps more geeks find the show. Share this episode with a fellow kaiju fan using #GodzillaMinusZero.Got your own theory about the teaser? Think Frank is completely wrong? Drop your wildest takes in the comments or send them our way. We want to hear them all.For all the latest geek news, head to https://geekfreakspodcast.com/Follow UsFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/thegeekfreakspodcastThreads: https://www.threads.net/@geekfreakspodcastPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/GeekFreakspodcastFrank: @franklourence79Thomas: @thomascraigviii

Check my links https://bio.site/japanesewithnoriko1) 問いかけ・振り返りの質問子どもの頃に思い描いていた将来の夢は、現在の自分の価値観や生き方にどのような影響を与えていると思いますか。「何になるかより、何をやるかの方が大事だ」という考え方について、あなたはどのように感じますか。人の職業観は家庭環境や育った社会からどの程度影響を受けると思いますか。子どもの頃に憧れていた職業と、実際に選んだ進路が異なる場合、その変化にはどのような意味があると考えますか。夢を周囲に話すことには、どのようなメリットとデメリットがあるでしょうか。「大きなことを100個言って一つ叶えばいい」という考え方は、挑戦する姿勢にどのような影響を与えると思いますか。将来の夢を持つことと、自分に合った生き方を見つけることは、どのような関係があると考えますか。In this episode, Noriko talks about childhood dreams and future career aspirations. She introduces the results of a Japanese survey that asked elementary school boys and girls what jobs they want when they grow up. Surprisingly, “company employee” ranked very highly for both boys and girls, alongside more traditional dream jobs such as YouTuber, professional baseball player, kindergarten teacher, and pastry chef.Noriko reflects on how children's career aspirations may be influenced by their parents, environment, and everyday experiences. She then invites listeners to think about their own childhood dreams and share them in the comments.Looking back on her own life, Noriko explains that her dream changed many times. At different stages, she wanted to become a piano teacher, an elementary school teacher, a writer, and even a flight attendant after being inspired by a television drama. She also reads an essay she wrote at age fifteen about her future dreams. Many of the hopes she expressed then—traveling abroad, meeting people from different countries, and finding a suitable profession—have become reality through her work as a Japanese teacher.Finally, she shares inspiring quotes from Naruse, a favorite fictional character, encouraging listeners to focus on actions, embrace challenges, and keep moving forward with confidence.

My Birthday Story: Hello everyone, this is Noriko from Nihongo Story Time. I'm a Japanese teacher who teaches Japanese online.I have many different projects.This podcast is Nihongo Story Time, a beginner podcast where I speak a little slowly.I also have another Nihongo Story Time on Substack, where you can read Japanese blogs and essays.And I have my main podcast, Japanese with Noriko, where recently I've been talking about more difficult topics for intermediate and advanced learners.I also have my website, Japanese with Noriko.There are so many things, so I'm busy every day.How are you everyone?Today's story is about me.When is your birthday?When your birthday comes, do you feel excited?Do you feel happy?I actually really like birthdays.I'm an older woman now.I'm not young anymore.But I still like birthdays.When my husband and family say “Happy Birthday,” it still makes me happy.My birthday is in May.In 2026, this year, I turned 53 years old.I'm getting old now. Maybe half of my life is already over.But actually, I didn't feel sad about it.That weekend, I celebrated a lot.First, my husband and I went to a restaurant for dinner.It's one of my favorite restaurants in Liverpool.We ate delicious food there.I think I drank cocktails too.And presents.A present for myself.I bought many books.I love reading books.Recently, whenever I have free time, I go for a walk, read books, go for another walk, and read more books.Honestly, I don't really want to look at social media very much.I don't want to watch YouTube too much.Actually, I still watch it, but much less than last year.Instead, I use that time for reading.For my birthday, I bought many books from Amazon Japan.That made me very happy.How do you celebrate your birthdays?Some people say:“I don't really care about birthday celebrations.”“I don't need presents.”“I don't want to celebrate.”And that's okay too.That's all for today. See you again.誕生日（たんじょうび） — birthdayお祝い（おいわい） — celebrationわくわくする — to feel excitedドキドキする — to feel nervous/excited若い（わかい） — young人生（じんせい） — life暗い気持ち（くらいきもち） — gloomy feeling週末（しゅうまつ） — weekendお食事（おしょくじ） — meal / diningプレゼント — present / gift読書（どくしょ） — reading暇な時間（ひまなじかん） — free time散歩（さんぽ） — walk / stroll実は（じつは） — actually去年（きょねん） — last year読書タイム（どくしょタイム） — reading time別にいい — I don't mind / it's okay大丈夫（だいじょうぶ） — okay / fine

「論破」を重視するコミュニケーションが増えた背景には、どんな社会的要因があると思いますか。「メンタルパフォーマンス」を優先する生き方には、どんなメリットとデメリットがあるでしょうか。感情を表に出さない「感情ミュート社会」は、人間関係にどのような影響を与えると思いますか。インプット中心の語学学習が、会話力にどのような変化をもたらすと思いますか。自分の趣味や興味と語学学習を結びつけることで、学習のモチベーションはどのように変化するでしょうか。Join our community Japanese Together to discuss my podcast episodes. Japanese Together In this relaxed “Coffee Break with Noriko” episode, Noriko shares reflections on philosophy, modern social trends, and her recent language-learning experiences. She begins by introducing the book Suichuu no Tetsugakushatachi by Rei Nagai (永井玲衣『水中の哲学者たち』), a gentle philosophy essay collection that explains how philosophy begins with ordinary questions and everyday “why?” moments. Noriko especially appreciates the idea of philosophical dialogue as a respectful exchange where people listen openly instead of trying to “win” arguments online.She then discusses two trendy Japanese words: メンパmenpa (mental performance) and “emotion-muted society.” These expressions describe how modern people feel mentally exhausted from social media, AI, endless choices, and online conflict. Many people now prioritize emotional comfort, simplicity, and stress-free lifestyles.In the second half, Noriko gives updates on her language learning journey. She explains how extensive reading in Korean and Spanish helped her regain speaking confidence after years without practice. Through graded readers, podcasts, and conversations, she rediscovered the joy of learning languages naturally and gradually. Finally, she encourages listeners to connect Japanese learning with personal interests such as crafts, science, anime, or books in order to stay motivated long term.哲学（てつがく）- philosophy学術的（がくじゅつてき）- academic対話（たいわ）- dialogue肩書き（かたがき）- title / professional label提供（ていきょう）- providing日常生活（にちじょうせいかつ）- daily life素朴（そぼく）- simple / innocent疑問（ぎもん）- question / doubt排除（はいじょ）- exclusion論破（ろんぱ）- defeating an argument風潮（ふうちょう）- social trend対等（たいとう）- equal雰囲気（ふんいき）- atmosphere衝撃（しょうげき）- shock / impact注目（ちゅうもく）- attention発展（はってん）- development概念（がいねん）- concept限定（げんてい）- limitation / restriction精神的（せいしんてき）- mental / psychological感情（かんじょう）- emotion我慢（がまん）- endurance / self-restraint揺さぶる（ゆさぶる）- to shake emotionally無難（ぶなん）- safe / uncontroversial傾向（けいこう）- tendency学習者（がくしゅうしゃ）- learner自信（じしん）- confidence定期的（ていきてき）- regularly優先順位（ゆうせんじゅんい）- priority習慣（しゅうかん）- habit趣味（しゅみ）- hobby編み物（あみもの）- knitting惑星（わくせい）- planet

Join our community Japanese TogetherLet's Read a Japanese Novel : Apply 小川糸『ツバキ文具店』小川糸『ライオンのおやつ』九段理江『東京都同情塔』九段理江『School Girl』津村記久子『水車小屋のネネ』津村記久子『この世にたやすい仕事はない』津村記久子『サキの忘れ物』村田沙耶香『コンビニ人間』山本文緒『自転しながら公転する』山本文緒『無人島のふたり』短歌の本　岡本真帆『水上バス浅草行き』イ・ヨンミ『魔女の体力』Taiwanese writer Yang Shuang-zi　Taiwan Travelogue 『台湾漫遊鉄道のふたり』綿矢りさ『グレタニンプ』児島青『本なら売るほど』Discussion Questions本を選ぶとき、どのような基準で選びますか。作家、テーマ、評判など、何を一番重視しますか。海外に住んでいる場合、日本語の本の選び方や優先順位はどのように変わると思いますか。作家つながりで読書を広げることには、どのようなメリットとデメリットがあるでしょうか。年齢を重ねる中で、興味を持つ本のジャンルやテーマはどのように変化すると考えますか。English SummaryIn this episode, Noriko celebrates her upcoming 53rd birthday by reflecting on aging with gratitude rather than fear. She shares how her mindset has shifted over time—from worrying about physical changes when she was younger to now appreciating her life, health, and work. To mark the occasion, she treats herself by ordering a large collection of Japanese books from Amazon Japan, shipped all the way to the UK despite high delivery costs.Living abroad, Noriko explains the challenges of accessing Japanese books and how she carefully chooses what to buy. She avoids purchasing titles available as audiobooks and often selects books based on connections—such as authors she already enjoys, recommendations from students or creators, and themes she's interested in, like women's lives and emotional storytelling.She introduces a wide range of books, including novels, essays, tanka poetry, and manga, featuring works by authors like 小川糸『ツバキ文具店』や『ライオンのおやつ』、九段理江『東京都同情塔』『School Girl』、津村記久子『水車小屋のネネ』『この世にたやすい仕事はない』『サキの忘れ物』など。Finally, she shares her reading plans for upcoming travels and invites listeners to join her book club and Japanese reading programs.

ファッション雑誌『Oggi』八木 詠美 Emi Yagi Diary of a Void 『空芯手帳』綿矢りさ『グレタ・ニンプ』夏目漱石『こころ』星新一『ボッコちゃん』ビートたけし『テレビじゃ言えない』In this episode of “Book Talk with Yuko,” the hosts begin with a light conversation about spring and cherry blossoms, comparing experiences in Japan and the UK. They then transition into discussing recently read books and a magazine discovery.Yuko introduces a magazine she picked up due to interest in a featured model, noting how refreshing it felt to engage with non-algorithm-driven content. She highlights how magazines expose readers to unexpected topics and perspectives. Noriko shares a novel by Emi Yagi, describing its unique premise about a woman who lies about being pregnant at work, sparking a complex narrative.The discussion continues with a newly published novel about a couple navigating pregnancy, blending humor with social themes. Noriko then reflects on rereading classic works like Natsume Soseki's “Kokoro” and Hoshi Shinichi's short stories. While “Bokko-chan” impressed her with its futuristic themes, “Kokoro” left her feeling conflicted due to differences in historical values and gender roles.Finally, Yuko talks about a book by Beat Takeshi, appreciating its candid social commentary. The episode emphasizes how reading across genres and eras can provoke reflection, discomfort, and meaningful discussion.

Join our Japanese Together community and explore podcast topics through discussion.In this reflective episode of Japanese with Noriko, Noriko explores the profound theme of death through language, culture, and personal experience. She begins by drawing a parallel between the fleeting beauty of cherry blossoms in Japan and the transient nature of life, highlighting how different flowers have unique expressions for “falling,” reflecting the nuance of Japanese language and worldview.Noriko then examines various ways to express death in Japanese, from direct terms like 死ぬ to softer expressions such as 「天国に行く」 or 「旅立つ」, showing how language shapes emotional perception. She shares personal encounters with death, including the loss of her grandfather, a childhood friend, and a colleague, illustrating how death appears repeatedly throughout life in different forms.The discussion expands to philosophical perspectives, including insights from a philosophy club and a Buddhist concept shared by a listener: 「往生する」, which frames death not as an end but as a transition and continuation. Noriko connects this idea back to nature's cycles, suggesting that death may not be purely tragic but part of a larger renewal.She concludes by inviting listeners to reflect on their own views about death and how it influences how they live today.儚い（はかない）— fleeting, transient満開（まんかい）— full bloom散る（ちる）— to fall (flowers)現象（げんしょう）— phenomenon表現（ひょうげん）— expression評価（ひょうか）— evaluation中立的（ちゅうりつてき）— neutral宗教観（しゅうきょうかん）— religious view結びつく（むすびつく）— to be connected恐ろしい（おそろしい）— frightening意識（いしき）— awareness漠然と（ばくぜんと）— vaguely同級生（どうきゅうせい）— classmate事故死（じこし）— accidental death溺れる（おぼれる）— to drown振り返る（ふりかえる）— to look back定期的（ていきてき）— regularly覚悟（かくご）— resolve, readiness影響（えいきょう）— influence浄土（じょうど）— Pure Land仏（ほとけ）— Buddha働きかける（はたらきかける）— to act upon, influence種（たね）— seed芽（め）— sprout受け入れる（うけいれる）— to accept

あかね的日本語教室『生活で使える日本語オノマトペ』English Summary：This episode introduces Japanese onomatopoeia through a personal story and quiz-style listening activity. Noriko describes her day off using expressions like ぶらぶら, ザーザー, ビュービュー, ゴロゴロ, and だらだら, showing how they add vivid detail and make Japanese more natural.She also reviews a practical onomatopoeia book, highlighting useful features such as manga for context, podcasts for listening practice, and a reference section for quick review. She stresses that learners should connect vocabulary to real-life experiences to truly use it, not just memorize it.Noriko encourages learners to choose study methods that suit their style and shares her own approach of starting with listening. The episode ends with a novel example featuring ピンピン, reinforcing how onomatopoeia appears in real conversations.

In this episode, Noriko shares a mix of personal reflections, language learning experiences, and cultural insights. She begins by talking about rereading Kokoro by Natsume Soseki, noting how differently it feels compared to when she first read it years ago. Despite struggling with the old writing style, she's determined to finish it. She also mentions her progress in learning Korean, especially improving her reading skills.The main topic focuses on Japanese words newly added to the Oxford English Dictionary. Noriko introduces several examples, such as “washlet,” “senpai,” and “mottainai,” explaining how some retain their original meanings while others evolve globally. She highlights how language reflects culture, emphasizing “mottainai” as a uniquely Japanese value now spreading worldwide.Overall, the episode blends language, culture, and personal growth in an engaging and thoughtful way.Reflective Questions（振り返り質問）あなたは昔読んだ本をもう一度読みたいと思いますか？自分と違う性格の人と話すのは好きですか？あなたの国の言葉で世界に広がっているものはありますか？Discussion Questions（ディスカッション質問）言葉が文化を表すという考えについてどう思いますか？外国語として使われるときに意味が変わることは問題だと思いますか？

Want to take your listening further? Join Japanese Together — our Podcast Conversation Club is the perfect place to discuss each episode and connect with fellow learners!

ビートたけし『アナログ』太宰治『女生徒』九段理江『Schoolgirl』坂木司『和菓子とアン』坂木司『アンと青春』村田沙耶香『世界99上下』村田沙耶香『コンビニ人間』村田沙耶香『消滅世界』星野道夫『約束の川』村田沙耶香『消滅世界』朝井リョウ『時をかけるゆとり』In this episode of Book Talk with Yuko, Noriko and Yuko talk about several Japanese books they have recently read or want to recommend.First, Yuko introduces the novel “アナログ” by Beat Takeshi. It is a romantic story about a man and a woman who decide not to exchange contact information and instead meet at the same restaurant every Thursday. The story feels very “analog” in a digital age.Next, Noriko talks about “Schoolgirl” by Kudan Rie, a short story connected to Dazai Osamu's “女生徒.” The story explores relationships between three generations of women and touches on modern topics like social media and environmental activism.Yuko then introduces the “An-chan series” by Sakaki Tsukasa, which takes place in a department store food basement (depachika) and features traditional Japanese sweets. The story focuses on everyday life, human relationships, and personal growth.Noriko also shares her thoughts about “世界 99” by Sayaka Murata, a dystopian novel that explores society, gender roles, and a mysterious new creature called “Pyokorun.” The book is intense and thought-provoking.For a calmer reading experience, Yuko recommends “Yakusoku no Kawa” by photographer Hoshino Michio, a book that beautifully describes nature and life in northern regions.Finally, Noriko talks about the essay “Toki wo Kakeru Yutori” by Asai Ryo, which made her laugh a lot because of its humorous stories about everyday life.They conclude by encouraging listeners to choose books depending on their mood—sometimes relaxing books, sometimes challenging ones—and invite listeners to join their Japanese Together book club.恋愛小説 — れんあいしょうせつ — romance novel連絡先 — れんらくさき — contact information現代 — げんだい — modern times会話 — かいわ — conversation表現 — ひょうげん — expression読書体験 — どくしょたいけん — reading experience世代 — せだい — generation母と娘の関係 —ははとむすめのかんけい — mother-daughter relationship環境問題 — かんきょうもんだい — environmental issues和菓子 — わがし — Japanese traditional sweetsデパ地下 — でぱちか — department store food basement主人公 — しゅじんこう — protagonist成長 — せいちょう — personal growth社会 — しゃかい — society価値観 — かちかん — values生きづらさ — いきづらさ — difficulty of living / social pressure自然 — しぜん — nature写真家 — しゃしんか — photographer描写 — びょうしゃ — description癒し — いやし — healing / comfortエッセイ — えっせい — essay日常 — にちじょう — everyday life失敗談 — しっぱいだん — story about a mistake

My program : Let's read a Japanese novel 1️⃣ Short English Summary：In this episode, Noriko talks about “luxury time” and “analog experiences” in our modern digital world.She begins by sharing a recent visit to the cinema in Liverpool. The tickets and popcorn were expensive, and the movie itself was not very good. However, she realized that watching a film without checking her smartphone for two hours felt like a luxury.Noriko reflects on what “luxury” means today. For her, luxury is not expensive hotels or restaurants, but cultural experiences such as going to museums, concerts, events, or reading quietly in a café.She also talks about analog choices in a digital world. Because we are constantly connected to smartphones, the internet, and AI, many people feel information fatigue. Noriko shares how she limits her social media time and tries to reconnect with slower, more intentional experiences.For example, one of her students built a mechanical analog watch, and her husband started wearing a traditional watch again to check the time during meetings without using his phone.Noriko also joined two meetups in Liverpool: a Quiet Book Club and a philosophy discussion group. Although she is introverted, meeting people face-to-face felt refreshing and meaningful.She concludes that choosing slightly inconvenient, analog experiences—like going to the cinema, reading books, or meeting people in person—may actually be a modern form of luxury.2️⃣ Vocabulary List (for understanding the episode)贅沢（ぜいたく） — luxury文化的（ぶんかてき） — cultural特別展示（とくべつてんじ） — special exhibition情報（じょうほう） — information情報疲れ（じょうほうづかれ） — information fatigue悪循環（あくじゅんかん） — vicious cycle制限する（せいげんする） — to limit / control腕時計（うでどけい） — wristwatch部品（ぶひん） — parts / components組み立てる（くみたてる） — to assemble通知（つうち） — notification便利（べんり） — convenient不便（ふべん） — inconvenient確認する（かくにんする） — to check / confirm集まる（あつまる） — to gather実際に（じっさいに） — in reality / in person新鮮（しんせん） — fresh / new feeling体験（たいけん） — experience傾向（けいこう） — tendency選ぶ（えらぶ） — to choose

English Summary : In this episode, Noriko talks about the importance of listening in communication, inspired by the bestselling book 人は聞き方が９割 by Shigehisa Nagamatsu.Many language learners feel pressure to speak well, say smart things, or avoid mistakes. But this episode shifts the focus from speaking to listening. According to the book, good communicators are not those who talk the most, but those who make others feel comfortable and heard.Noriko reflects on her own experiences in Japanese, English, and podcast conversations, and explains why the listener is the true main character of a conversation. She introduces the idea of “魔法の傾聴 （まほうのけいちょう）” and shares five key listening behaviours. Finally, Noriko encourages Japanese learners to stop worrying so much about perfect grammar or vocabulary and to focus on listening with genuine interest and asking simple, thoughtful questions. By doing so, conversations can become more natural, relaxed, and enjoyable.聞き方｜ききかた｜way of listening聞く力｜きくちから｜listening skills会話の主役｜かいわ の しゅやく｜main character of a conversation聞き手｜ききて｜listener安心感｜あんしんかん｜sense of security, feeling of safetyうなずき｜nodding相づち｜あいづち｜verbal listening responses否定しない｜ひていしない｜not to deny, not to reject受け止める｜うけとめる｜to accept, to take in質問を投げかける｜しつもん を なげかける｜to ask questions, to prompt with questions

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

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

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

Noriko Martín llegó a España movida por su amor al flamenco y comenzó su formación como bailaora, pero una grave enfermedad en la cadera la obligó a abandonar el baile. Tras ese condicionante, se volcó en el estudio del cante flamenco y, tras años de esfuerzo, perseverancia y pasión, ha logrado crear una obra única y emocionante. A finales de 2025 publicó el álbum “Más allá de las llamas”, producido por Paco Ortega. Se trata del primer disco de flamenco cantado íntegramente en japonés, lo cual reafirma el carácter universal de este arte. En ese disco hay alegrías, tangos de Graná, seguiriyas, vidalitas, una alboreá y sevillanas, además de una canción tradicional de Okinawa versionada por Ryuichi Sakamoto en 1989, ahora transformada en tangos flamencos. El álbum combina la pureza del flamenco con sonidos orientales y matices de músicas del mundo, ofreciendo una propuesta innovadora y profundamente espiritual.Escuchar audio

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.

This podcast is a slow and easy-to-follow Japanese podcast designed for learners. If you'd like to read the full transcription, it's available inside Japanese Together, my Japanese learning community. Join us and enjoy transcripts, support, and a warm community of fellow learners!みなさん、こんにちは。 Nihongo Storytimeののりこです。 今、2026年1月です。 明けましておめでとうございます。 今年もみなさんたくさん日本語の勉強をしてください。 応援しています。 私はオンラインで日本語を教えています。 コミュニティJapanese Togetherがあります。 プライベートセッションに興味がある方は、Japanese with Norikoのウェブサイトをチェックしてみてください。

Summaryこのポッドキャストでは、2026年の新年の挨拶から始まり、冬休みの旅行で訪れたウィーンとプラハの魅力について語ります。また、スロースタートについて、書くことや読書の価値についても触れています。In this episode, Noriko reflects on starting 2026 with a slow and intentional pace. Instead of rushing into routines, she chooses rest, reflection, and space. She shares memories from her winter trip to Vienna and Prague, describing their history, Christmas markets, and atmosphere. Noriko also talks about reassessing where to spend her energy this year—stepping back from Instagram while focusing more on writing, journaling, and reading. The episode encourages listeners to move at their own pace, enjoy learning, and value what feels meaningful.

In this episode, we celebrate the holiday season with a legitimate Christmas film that's not horror-related!? Okay, but this is still Genre Exposure, so you know it's going to be weird somehow. Drama, romance, comedy, musical numbers, tokusatsu effects and more! So join us as we hit up one last feature from Japan this year and dive back into the filmography of Sion Sono and check out one of his prolific 2015 releases: Love & Peace. But before we gush over Kaiju Pikadon and the true meaning of Christmas, we dish on some recent watches and share some of our favorite holiday themed flicks that we tend to return to each year. And so much more! Part of the Prescribed Films Podcast Network (www.thepfpn.com) What We've Been Watching: -Jason: The Naked Gun (2025) & Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery (2025) & Cruiser (2016) -Dustin: Hazbin Hotel Season 2 (2025) & Invincible Shaolin (1978) & The Kid with the Golden Arm (1979) & The Magnificent Ruffians (1979) & Ten Tigers of Kwangtung (1979) Our Favorite Holiday Flicks: -Jason: Black Christmas (1974) & Gremlins (1984) & Christmas Story (1983) -Dustin: Gremlins (1984) & Love & Peace (2015) Show Notes: -Love & Peace Trailer -Go check out all the other fine shows on the Prescribed Films Podcast Network -Related Film: The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! -Related Film: Top Secret -Related Film: Airplane -Related Series: Buffy the Vampire Slayer -Related Film: Knives Out -Related Film: Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery -Related Film: The Mandalorian and Grogu -Related Series: Andor -Related Topic: Found TV -Related Series: Invader Zim -Related Film: Urotsukidoji: Legend of the Overfiend -Related Film: Martyrs (2008) -Related Topic: Shaw Brothers Studio -Related Film: Five Deadly Venoms -Related Film: Godzilla -Related Film: Gamera -Related Film: Die Hard -Related Film: Home Alone -Related Film: Prisoners of the Ghostland -Related Topic: Third Window Films -Related Film: Suicide Club -Related Film: Shinjuku Swan -Related Film: Tag -Related Film: The Virgin Psychics -Related Film: The Whispering Star -Related Series: Minna! Esper Dayo! -Related Topic: 2020 Tokyo Olympics -Related Topic: Kotatsu -Related Film: Toy Story -Related Series: Pokemon -Related Film: Wild Zero -Related Meme: That Pool -Related Film: Penance -Related Topic: Impostor Syndrome -Related Film: Why Don't You Play in Hell? -Related Scene: The Toothbrush Commercial -Related Band: Green Day -Related Album: American Idiot -Related Album: Dookie -Related Film: Noriko's Dinner Table -Related Score: Main Theme from Noriko's Dinner Table -Related Topic: Takashi Miike -Related Film: Love Exposure -Related Film: Toy Story 2 -Related Film: Toy Story 3 -Related Series: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power -Related Series: Willow (2022) -Related Film: Five Nights at Freddy's 2 Next Time: 2025 Wrap Up Special

I sat down with Noriko Abenojar — social worker, friendship and parenting coach who helps neurodivergent children (autistic, ADHD, PDA, etc.) and their families build real social skills, confidence, and connection. Noriko started in deeply relational, in-person work — supporting families one-on-one — and recently expanded those supports into a scalable online model so she can serve more families without burning out. She discovered my work through Amy Porterfield's Momentum community and joined Hey to 100k® less than a year ago, which helped her structure her offers and sell more confidently. In this episode we talk about: Why social skills coaching for neurodivergent kids needs to be trauma-aware, brain-informed, and family-centered How Noriko translated hands-on, in-person therapy-style support into accessible online programs and parent coaching offers The mindset shifts that moved her from overgiving in 1:1 work to designing scalable group and evergreen options Concrete, compassionate strategies parents can use today to support friendship-building and emotional regulation How she validated her first scalable offers and built step-by-step without burning out   Resources mentioned Learn the 4 Essential Keys to Growing Friendships in Neurodivergent Kids (free video training & companion workbook) Subscribe to Noriko's Parenting REdefined FREE newsletter Connect with Noriko on Instagram: @norikoabenojar  

✨ 私のポッドキャストの内容について話したいですか?Do you sometimes feel stuck, lonely, or unsure how to keep going? Then Japanese Together might be just what you need.https://japanese-together.mn.co

日本語学習コミュニティ Japanese Together では、毎月Podcast Conversation Club、Let's Talk、Book Clubなど、複数のZoomセッションを開催しています。 アットホームで安全に話せる環境が整っており、さまざまな話題について練習できることが特徴です。 無料トライアル期間もありますので、ご興味があればぜひご参加ください。

私のコミュニティ Japanese Together に参加しませんか？ 毎月、ZoomでPodcast Conversation ClubやLet's Talk、Book Clubなど、さまざまなセッションを行っています。 小さなコミュニティですが、あたたかく安心しておしゃべりを楽しめる雰囲気です。 ぜひご参加お待ちしています。無料トライアル期間もありますので、気軽に試してみてくださいね。Would you like to join my community Japanese Together? Every month, we host various Zoom sessions such as Podcast Conversation Club, Let's Talk, and Book Club. It's a small community, but it has a warm and friendly atmosphere where you can enjoy chatting about many different topics. I'd love to have you join us. We also offer a free trial period, so feel free to give it a try!

Explore the visible and hidden world of Noriko's garden from her garden's point of view, in and around all year long. After the deep snow of winter, her soil is prepared for planting.   Sponsored by Modern History Press, Moravian Sons Distillery, authors Terri Martin, Diana Magnuson and Doc Chavent. Green leaves sprout as plants ripen to fruits and vegetables. Hungry forest animals prowl and pad-pad in to eat them. Insects and birds also aggravate garden, but others are important assistants to her growth. Exuberant and lyrical  Garden's story explores nature's wonders that support our lives.    Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of Garden Sleeping, Garden Growing. Copyright (c) 2025. Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.

私のコミュニティ Japanese Together に参加しませんか？ 毎月、ZoomでPodcast Conversation ClubやLet's Talk、Book Clubなど、さまざまなセッションを行っています。 小さなコミュニティですが、あたたかく安心しておしゃべりを楽しめる雰囲気です。 ぜひご参加お待ちしています。無料トライアル期間もありますので、気軽に試してみてくださいね。Would you like to join my community Japanese Together? Every month, we host various Zoom sessions such as Podcast Conversation Club, Let's Talk, and Book Club. It's a small community, but it has a warm and friendly atmosphere where you can enjoy chatting about many different topics. I'd love to have you join us. We also offer a free trial period, so feel free to give it a try!

This episode is the final Brain-Friendly Coaching session of 2025. Noriko guides listeners through a gentle year-end reflection on their Japanese-learning journey, using principles from neuroscience and Neurolanguage Coaching®. She explains why reviewing the year strengthens memory, increases motivation, and helps the brain move positively into the next stage of learning.Listeners are invited to pause the episode, write down answers, and reflect on:The goals they set at the beginning of the yearMoments that sparked excitement or joySkills they improvedStudy methods they used and which were most effectiveHow they handled low-motivation periodsHow they want to learn in the coming yearNoriko emphasizes that reflection is not for judging oneself but for recognizing progress, learning from challenges, and preparing the brain for the next year. She briefly introduces her Neurolanguage Coaching® program and encourages those interested to apply early for limited 2026 slots. The episode ends with an announcement of the upcoming December “Holiday Calendar” series.

Noriko Martín nos trae, después de un largo proceso de grabación, su primer trabajo discográfico titulado "Más allá de las llamas" donde interpreta estilos flamencos con letras propias y cantando en su idioma natal, el japonés.Escuchar audio

私のサイトJapanese with Norikoで、Transcriptionが読めます。このエピソードは「Book Talk with Yuko」2025年最後の録音回。Norikoとゆう子さんが秋のリーディングチャレンジを振り返り、5週間の読書体験やお互いの学びを語り合いました。ひとりでは続かない読書も、仲間と励まし合うことでモチベーションを保てたと振り返ります。後半では、今年心に残った本を紹介しながら、読書を通して考えたテーマ、哲学や生き方、表現すること、女性の生きづらさなど、について意見を交わしました。最後に、2025年の読書を締めくくりつつ「来年も本を通して学びを続けよう」と前向きなメッセージで終わっています。松下 龍之介『一次元の挿し木』村田沙也加『消滅世界』・Vanishing WorldしんめいP『自分とか、ないから。 教養としての東洋哲学』小川糸『ライオンのおやつ』養老 孟司（ようろう たけし）いしかわゆき『書く習慣』米澤穂信『黒牢城』（こくろうじょう）金原 ひとみ（かねはら ひとみ）　『YABUNONAKA―ヤブノナカー』高瀬隼子さん『おいしいごはんが食べられますように』

Join our community Japanese Together.　このエピソードでは、のりこさんが「行動する勇気」と「困難の大切さ」について話しています。イソップ物語『北風と太陽』を例に、優しさの力を認めつつも、「北風＝困難」も人生に必要だと述べています。紹介された本『How to Make Life Better When It Feels Like It's Getting Worse』から学んだ2つの教えは、1️⃣ 人生を良くする唯一の方法は行動すること。2️⃣ 困難（風）があるから人は強くなること。守られた環境では根が弱くなる木の話を通して、試練を乗り越えることで人も成長すると話しました。最後に、「知識だけではなく、自分が動くことが大切」とまとめています。

私達のコミュニティJapanese Togetherに参加しませんか。お待ちしております！Takeaways結婚には多くのいいこともあるよ。人間関係は努力が必要。不安を感じることは自然なこと。移民政策は個人の生活に影響を与える。市民権の選択はアイデンティティに関わる。経験を買うことは価値がある。今しかないチャンスを逃さない。実際に会うことで関係が深まる。ポッドキャストを通じてリスナーとつながりたい。

Short English Summary : In this episode, Noriko talks about negative heritage/negative legacy - sites that preserve tragic history, such as Hiroshima, Nagasaki, and Auschwitz. Why do we keep these painful memories? To forget, or to remember? She shares her own experiences and invites listeners to reflect on the meaning of preserving dark heritage.Takeaways負の遺産は悲しい歴史を伝える場所である。世界遺産には美しい自然や歴史的な文化価値がある場所だけでなく、負の遺産も含まれる。広島の原爆ドームはその一例である。過去の悲劇を忘れないために、歴史的な場所を残す意義がある。教育目的で訪れることが重要である。人間の判断ミスが引き起こした災害について考える必要がある。悲しい歴史を学ぶことは未来にとって重要である。

ラシュミさんのSubstackIn this episode, Noriko talks with Rashmi, a Japanese teacher who spent six weeks in Japan on a Japan Foundation training program. Rashmi shares what she learned about teaching, culture, and stepping out of her comfort zone - from meeting teachers around the world to salsa dancing in Roppongi and visiting 銭湯sento. Together, Noriko and Rashmi reflect on the meaning of “culture,” exploring both its visible and invisible sides.Takeaways日本での研修は貴重な経験だった。異文化交流は教育において重要である。学び直しは常に必要である。言語は文化を理解するための鍵である。異文化理解は現代社会で必要不可欠である。Substackでの投稿は自己表現の一つである。教育者としての成長は経験から得られる。日本での生活は新しい視点を与えてくれた。

When a mother goes missing in Japan, possible explanations range from the practical to the supernatural.Thank you blog.gaijinpot.com, en.namu.wiki, parasearcher.blogspot.com, min.news/en/world, medium.com, inf.news, psychicGaleStJohn.com, laspina.org, nationalgeographic.com, wisdomlib.org and Wikipedia for  information contributing to today's story.This episode was written by Christy Arnhart, edited by John Lordan and is produced by LordanArts.Do you have any comments, or a case you'd like to suggest? You'll find a comment form and case submission link at LordanArts.com.This is not intended to act as a means of proving or disproving anything related to the investigation.  It is a conversation about the current known facts and theories being discussed.  Everyone directly or indirectly referred to is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.LordanArts 2025

Join my community Japanese Together. Takeaways平和について考えることは重要。日常生活の中での小さな幸せを大切にする。愛情表現は文化によって異なる。手作りの趣味が人生を豊かにする。コミュニティの活動が学びを深める。自分の意見を持ち、表現することが大切。

Summary: Norikoが小説『アルケミスト』を通じて夢、変化、知識、直感、そして今ここにある幸せについて深く問いかけます。Takeaways夢を追いかけることは大切かどうか。変化は敵ではなく味方。知識だけでは世界はわからない。直感を信じるかどうか。本当に大切なものは今ここにある。旅そのものが宝物です。幸せは遠くにあるものではない。夢は環境や年齢で変わる。変化は怖いが必要なもの。学んだことを行動に移す。

このシリーズでは、Norikoがコーヒーブレイクを楽しみながら、最近のロンドン旅行の思い出や恩送りについて語ります。リラックスして聞いてみてね。Takeawaysこのシリーズはリラックスした時間を提供する。ロンドン旅行での出会いが印象的だった。恩送りは大切な価値観。コミュニティの力が学びを深める。ロンドンの美術館は無料で楽しめる貴重な場所。日常の小さなことに感謝することが大切。生きていることの喜びを感じる瞬間がある。他者への優しさが社会を温かくする。感謝の気持ちを忘れずに生きる。

Invest in what you know, or in what could be? Equity portfolio manager Noriko Chen has done both over her 26 years with Capital Group. From her first investment in ice cream to her background covering Asian infrastructure, Noriko tells Mike Gitlin how she identifies long-term industry shifts like automation and energy demand. She also discusses mentoring women to take risks, and how “reverse mentoring” from younger analysts helps keep her sharp. Join for a global investor's perspective on China, the case for growth in European banks, and more.    #CapGroupGlobal   For full disclosures go to capitalgroup.com/global-disclosures   For our latest insights, practice management ideas and more, subscribe to Capital Ideas at getcapitalideas.com. If you're based outside of the U.S., visit capitalgroup.com for Capital Group insights.   Watch our latest podcast, Conversations with Mike Gitlin, on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLbKcvAV87057bIfkbTAp-dgqaLEwa9GHi    This content is published by Capital Client Group, Inc.    U.K. investors can view a glossary of technical terms here: https://www.capitalgroup.com/individual-investors/gb/en/resources/how-to-invest/glossary.html    To stay informed, follow us   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/capital-group/posts/?feedView=all    YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CapitalGroup/videos     Follow Mike Gitlin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikegitlin/    About Capital Group    Capital Group was established in 1931 in Los Angeles, California, with the mission to improve people's lives through successful investing. With our clients at the core of everything we do, we offer carefully researched products and services to help them achieve their financial goals.   Learn more: capitalgroup.com    Join us: capitalgroup.com/about-us/careers.html    Copyright ©2025 Capital Group