Posts published in “Japan”

Travel Destinations for College Students: Okinawa and Hokkaido

Travel Destinations for College Students: Okinawa and Hokkaido

March 11, 2026

By Sakiko

For university students, traveling is an important opportunity to get away from daily life and gain meaningful experience. Among popular travel destinations in Japan, Okinawa and Hokkaido are attracts attention. In this essay, I will compare Okinawa and Hokkaido from the perspective of climate and cost. Both Hokkaido and Okinawa are popular travel destination in Japan, yet the experience gained there are different.

First, in terms of climate, Okinawa is warm throughout the year and is especially popular in summer for its beaches and marine activities. Students can enjoy snorkeling, swimming and a relaxed tropical atmosphere. On the other hand, Hokkaido has clear seasonal changes. Summer is cool and comfortable, and students can see beautiful snow scenery and winter sports such as snowboarding in winter (Sapporo Tourism, n.d.). Students who want to feel tropical atmosphere may choose Okinawa is better, while those who prefer mild weather and outdoor activities may choose Hokkaido is better.

Second, in terms of cost, both Okinawa and Hokkaido usually need air travel, which can be a financial burden for university students. However, Okinawa has many low-cost carrier flights, making it easier for students to travel on a limited budget. On the other hand, Hokkaido is geographically large, so transportation costs can be high, but focusing on one city or area can help reduce costs. With careful planning, both destinations can be suitable for students with limited budget.

Third, in terms of travel experience, Okinawa and Hokkaido are very different. Okinawa is known for its beautiful ocean, Ryukyu culture, and tropical atmosphere. It is a good destination for those who want to spend time near the beautiful sea. On the other hand, Hokkaido has the best balance between city and nature. Also, it has many sightseeing spots. It is a good destination for those who want to focus on sightseeing and local cuisine.

Both Okinawa and Hokkaido each offer great experiences for university students, and the better destination depends on their interests and purpose. Choosing a travel destination that matches their interests and purpose can lead to a more satisfying travel experience for university students.

Reference

Sapporo Tourism. (n.d.). Enjoying the four seasons in Sapporo. https://www.sapporo.travel/info/about/season/

Does AI Help Students’ Cognitive Ability?

Does AI Help Students’ Cognitive Ability?

March 11, 2026

By Koumi

When you study, what is your favorite tool to help you study? Recently, many students use AI. According to the 2025 poll by Copyleaks, 90% of students have used AI academically and report that their AI use has increased compared to that last year. It is fair to say that AI use is now the norm of college students

The results of the poll stuck me, because the number one motivation for AI use is saving time. I have experienced solving questions with help of AI. AI can give instant feedback. But I am worried the cognitive ability of students will deteriorate if they depend too much on AI and stopped thinking independently by themselves. The answers given by AI are not always correct. Every time I receive answers from AI and I wonder, “Why did it produce this answer?” It takes a lot of time to review the answer given by AI, but I need time to understand issues and develop my own solving skills. I believe students should learn how to effectively use AI to develop their cognitive ability.

When I saw that second most common opinion, that is motivation for using AI is improve quality, I was not surprised. AI is really a convenient tool to check and correct mistakes. AI helps students correct typographical errors and grammar mistakes. I agree that students can learn new skills by using AI.

Perhaps a fair way to summarize my reaction to AI in education is that I was not surprised so much by the motivation for improving quality, but that saving time aspect is not a good one. Students shouldn’t ask everything to AI. They should think with their own brains while using AI. The time that students seriously consider ideas is not waste at all.

References

Copyleaks. (2025, September 18). AI in action: How Students are normalizing AI in the classroom. 2025 AI in Education Trends Report. https://copyleaks.com/blog/ai-in-action-2025-student-ai-usage-report

Differences Between Kagura and Noh

September 17, 2025

How is Kagura different from Noh?

Both noh and kagura are traditional performing arts of Japan, but they are different in many ways: philosophy, practitioners and government policies.

Shinto vs Buddhism

Generally speaking the themes of noh plays are centered around Buddhism while those of kagura around Shintonism. This is a general statement, because Japanese religious believes are a mixture of Buddhism and Shintonism.

Shinto is the Japanese native religion where the concept is “kami” is treated divine. Shinto is translated into “the ways of gods and goddesses.” Shinto is characterized with rituals performed at shrines, but there is no holy books like Bible. “Kami” is omnipresence, existing in trees, rocks, rivers, buildings, even in a toilet. Its focus is on being clean, healthy and harmonious with others and nature.

Buddhism is imported from China in 6th century. It is a philosophy of saving people from negative emotions to attain enlightenment as well as a promise of going to the utopia after death by being a good person.

The two religions had different focuses, so they complemented each other and were intertwined. Both shrines and temples were built in same sites and Japanese are not particular about the differences of the two religions. They get married in the Shinto style and die in the Buddhist style.

However, there are times when either of them was more influential.

Since Buddhism was imported to Japan in 6th century, Buddhism had played a more important role in Japanese politics until the end of Samurai rule. In 15th century, samurai lords started to play noh whose stories are based on Buddhism. Samurai lords found Buddhism suitable to they way of life. Samurai lords valued discipline, self-discipline and acceptance of death, because they were warriors who face life and death. The teaching of Buddhism values loyalty, honors, and sacrifice.

Priests vs Samurai

Priests had been the main practitioners of kagura until late 19th century when Samurai rule ended and the modern Japanese government began. Kagura rituals consists of two parts: rituals and plays. Rituals are somewhat boring repetition of simple moves: walking clockwise and unclowise, bowing and raising hands upward, etc. However, plays are stories performed for the audience where actors play characters and tell stories. Both rituals and plays were performed Shinto priests and regular people were not allowed to do them because they were sacred. In late 19th century, the new modern Meiji government banned the priests from dancing kagura. Commoners who liked dancing became new practioners of kagura.

Practitioners of noh has more variety than kagura. At the beginning regular people danced noh, but the art of dancing was more sophisticated by a noh star whose name is Zeami. In 14th century, he played and wrote stories and developed theories of noh. He was employed by Great General of Ashikaga Shogunate. Since noh’s philosophy is Buddhism, noh became an art for samurai. Famous samurai lords such as Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and Tokugawa Ieyasu practiced noh. In 16th century when Tokugawa Shogunate ruled Japan, all the local lords learned noh as an academic subject while they stayed in Edo. Samurai lords patronized professional actors and they built noh stages at temples. Noh education united Japanese local lords, teaching standard Japanese language. During Edo period there were no major wars across Japan and peace continued. Samurai became more refined and developed the taste of zen philosophy. While playing noh by themselves, samurai lords were also patrons of professional actors. In the late 19th century Edo Shogunate, the last samurai government, ended, so did the tradition of samurai dancing noh. Professional noh actors moved to Tokyo after losing their patrons.

Restriction vs Support

After the collapse of the feudal samurai government, kagura was banned twice by the governments. The modern Meiji government found kagura would get in way to modernization of Japan. The main event of kagura rituals is receiving oracles from gods, where a man in a state of trance acts as a messenger of gods to predict if the harvest is good or bad. Such Shamanic rituals might be viewed “backward” and “primitive” from the European perspective. This was not what the new modern Japanese government wanted to construct for their new identity. Japan should be viewed as a modern rational nation.

Another reason why kagura was banned is related to the policy of national Shinto. Shinto had developed into a mixture of Buddhism and a variety of regional believes for 1000 years without any written official documents, it was difficult to control its rituals. The new government sought to reorganize shrines and rituals by placing the Imperial Family as the head of Shinto as a way to govern the whole nation under the rule of the new centralized government in Tokyo.

The other restriction on kagura happened at the end of World War II in 1945. General MacArther of GHQ occupied Japan when it surrendered. General MacArther issued “Shinto Directives” because he thought Shinto was the driving force of the Japanese militant mindset. Shinto Directives included kagura performances. During the war kagura performances were used as a propaganda to incite the will to fight.

Contrary to this unfortunate treatment of kagura, noh received more positive treatment by the government. Noh actors had received salaries from samurai lords for 300 years during Edo period, but they all lost their jobs in the late 19th century. The actors were demoted to the status of commoners. Some of them started farming and business, but others started theater business called “kan-jin-noh.” It is a noh show to collect donation from audience to raise money for renovating temples and shrines. Noh companies charged audience admission fees. Soon the audience of noh expanded to commoners. Former samurai lords and aristocrats held noh events inviting Imperial family members. A new noh stage was built in one of the residences of the Imperial family. Mother of Meiji Emperor lived in the residence and she was a fan of noh. In 1881, an organization was formed by Iwakura Tomomi, a renounced politician from an aristocratic family, to protect the tradition of noh, and another noh theater was built in Tokyo. At the theater students practiced dance and singing.

Iwakura Tomomi played an important role to support the tradition of noh. He was the leader of Iwakura Mission. He lead 107 young leaders of Japan to visit United States and European countries. They exposed themselves to advanced technologies until they return to Japan in 1973. They saw an opera performance in a theater where king and queen among the audience. Kume Kunitake, a historian who was in Iwakura Mission, wrote that noh was similar to opera as the most refined form of plays.

Summary of Difference between Kagura and Noh

Both kagura and noh are traditional performing arts that have long history. In general, kagura is based on Shinto and practiced by Shinto priests. It was not actively supported by the governments. Noh, on the other hand, is based on Buddhism and practiced by samurai. It was more actively supported by the government. However, both kagura and noh are intertwined and it is difficult to clearly separate the two traditions.

What is “Iwami kagura”?

What is “Iwami kagura”?

September 14, 2025

“Iwami kagura” is a traditional performing art practiced in Iwami Region of Shimane prefecture in Japan.

“Iwami” is the old name of the western part of Shimane prefecture. The name of “Iwami” dates back to 3rd century when Kingdom of Yamato conquered the current western Shimane and established an administrative center and appointed a powerful clan leader as governer. The name of Province of Iwami had continued until the end of Edo Period in 19th century. In 19th century when Meiji Government combined Izumo and Iwami into Shimane prefecture.

“Kagura” is a shinto ritual dance widely practiced across Japan. The common theory says it is a performing art to entertain gods and goddesses, as “ka” means “gods and goddesses” and “gura” means “enjoyment”

One popular theory is that kagura originated from the time when Sun Goddess hid herself in a cave. In Japanese mythology there is a story that Sun Goddess got upset and hid herself in a cave and the world turned pitch dark. In order to lure her out, Ame-no-uzume, Music Goddess, performed an erotic dance on a barrel and the audience cheered and laughed. Sun Goddess wanted to know what was going on and opened the door to peek, when a male god took off the door, so Sun Goddess could not go back to the cave. Some believe that kagura has continued since the time of Sun Goddess, but there is no evidence to support the claim.

It is not certain when kagura began, but it is said the performing art was developed probably around 8th century. During that times, a variety of performing arts were introduced to Japan from China such as comedy shows, masked plays, acrobatic shows, puppet shows, and musical instruments. Kagura’s programs, terms and props were similar to those of “noh,” another traditional performing art of Japan.

Do you want to know more about Iwami kagura? Join the free Iwami kagura show and workshop for non-Japanese on November 11, 2025.

Positive Effect of Inbound Tourism in Japan

Susano'o, God of Storm in Japanese mythology

Positive Effect of Inbound Tourism in Japan

February 28, 2024

By Riho Bando

These days, you can find foreign tourists everywhere in Japan. They are enjoying Japanese sightseeing spots, their lunch and buying souvenirs. It makes Japanese people happy to see foreigners are in good mood. Furthermore, foreign visitors make good impacts to Japan. They affect Japanese economy, international relationships and regionalism.
        One important effect of inbound tourism in Japan is consumption by foreign tourists. Domestic consumption of Japan is decreasing because of declining birthrate and aging population. Consumption by foreign tourists supports Japanese economy. According to Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (2023), foreign tourists spent over 1.3 trillion yen between July and September in 2023. 1.3 trillion is higher than the Japanese total vegetable exports to the U.S. in 2022 (Ministry of Finance, Japan, 2022).
        Next great effect of inbound tourism is international goodwill. Having experience of Japanese society and culture will improve foreigners’ image of Japan. Not only people who visited Japan, but also his/her friends and colleagues will have a good image to Japan after they hear great experiences of trip in Japan. According to a survey that is done by Dentsu between December 2022 and January 2023, the amount of population who like Japan and who had visited Japan is larger than the people who had never visited Japan. It shows that visiting Japan helps to make a good impression for Japan.
        Finally, inbound tourism gives great effect to rural areas in Japan. While for domestic tourists, Japanese rural scenery would not be interesting, for international tourists, they offer unordinary experiences. Foreigners perceive local sights as wonderful tourism resources. Yagasaki (2020) contend that after local residents receiving the evaluations, they feel more attached to their region and get civic pride. And cultivating attachment and civic pride of local residents will be a trigger to start tourism-based community development. This development leads to revitalization of the area. Tourist-friendly area will be visited by more tourists, therefore the region has chance to develop more and more. As a result, inbound tourism causes regional vitalization. In the book that is published by Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Case examples of tourism development, the case of development in Nagano prefecture is shown. The snow monkey in there had gotten an attention by inbound tourists. Now, many foreign people love monkey in hot spring with snow and Nagano prefecture succeed to grow.
        To summarize, foreign tourists grow Japanese economy, enlarge better impression and revitalize rural areas. Japan must take these advantages of inbound tourism. However, as you know, you must not leave promotion of inbound tourism to the Japanese government. Think about what you can do for magnificent Japanese future.

References
Ministry of Finance, Japan. (2022). Trade statistics of Japan. Retrieved from https://jpn01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.customs.go.jp%2Ftoukei%2Fshinbun%2Ftrade-st%2F2022%2F2022_117.pdf&data=05%7C02%7C%7C2992121ac60d47e186bc08dc1eedf0ba%7Cf11434e8abcf41f48154a9b2608dcd42%7C0%7C0%7C638419254508685372%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=b%2FwCaP4cxqn8ZG5h%2FTiPmGNEOJWAgPCabfsqhSs0iZE%3D&reserved=0
Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. (2023). Survey of foreign visitors consumption in Japan. Retrieved from https://jpn01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mlit.go.jp%2F&data=05%7C02%7C%7C2992121ac60d47e186bc08dc1eedf0ba%7Cf11434e8abcf41f48154a9b2608dcd42%7C0%7C0%7C638419254508692843%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=zL%2FfMO08nrvWFneWJ7rPX9OGtq%2FXvWgWU0C5Ys%2FwPQc%3D&reserved=0
kankocho/siryou/toukei/content/001634982.pdf
Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. (2018). Targeting inbound visitors, rebuild and revitalization of hot spring resort using fund. Case examples of tourism development, 116-117. Retrieved from https://jpn01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mlit.go.jp%2F&data=05%7C02%7C%7C2992121ac60d47e186bc08dc1eedf0ba%7Cf11434e8abcf41f48154a9b2608dcd42%7C0%7C0%7C638419254508698375%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=cydw71tJLeOfibVSIRVizA0DxJntIiJjuMOwz3Cqvfg%3D&reserved=0
common/001237080.pdf
Web dentsu-ho. (2023). Is the driving force for resuscitate of inbound Japanese soft power? Latest need for visiting Japan and direction of promotion. Retrieved from https://jpn01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdentsu-ho.com%2Farticles%2F8759&data=05%7C02%7C%7C2992121ac60d47e186bc08dc1eedf0ba%7Cf11434e8abcf41f48154a9b2608dcd42%7C0%7C0%7C638419254508702273%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=jG95hQ3V9bUvqdJRpeaHuQRfdEtwAqdDuv6tPWNj6D4%3D&reserved=0
Yagasaki, N. (2020). Significance, trends and issues of tourism by foreign tourists visiting Japan. International Association of Traffic and Safety Sciences Review, 45(1), 6-17. doi: 10.24572/iatssreview.45.1_6

Welcome to Aquas, World of Sea

Welcome to Aquas, World of Sea

February 28, 2024

By Mai Tokugawa

Aquas is an aquarium located near big Iwami seaside park in Shimane. There are many fish and other see animals. For example, penguins, jellyfishes, and sea lions. The most popular fish among them is the white dolphins. People will come to see their amazing show. They’re very smart creatures and they give us a great show. Aquas not only includes display area of fish, but also has souvenir shops and restaurants where you can eat delicious fish, so you enjoy the aquarium even more.
There are many unusual fish from around the world. Watching the dolphins swim is soothing. White dolphins entertain us with bubble rings and ball game. In Aquas, you can see the sweet waddle and gestures of four kinds of penguins up close and look at penguins swimming overhead. In the Sea of Japan zone, you can see both Tsushima Current fish and cold-water fish. You can spend a lot of time there.
You’ll want to share your memories with your friends and family. There is a big store upstairs. There are various kinds of stuffed animals on sale. Fish-patterned cookies and sweets have been commercialized. Mugs and key rings can be used in everyday life. You will be able to enjoy browsing a variety goods and may find it difficult to choose what to buy.
The restaurants smell good. You can eat a variety of fish dishes at the Restaurant Iruka. The restaurant is convenient because it is near the aquarium, a park with large playground equipment, and a souvenir shop. Marine House restaurant attracts attention to the building standing right in front of the aquarium. At the restaurant “Don-don,” you can eat ramen and rice bowl dishes. You can fill your stomach at these restaurants.
Aquas will surely excite visitors. There are many kinds of fish swimming. The white dolphin, the most watched in Aquas, is waiting for you. You will have a great day watching strange fish and eating a delicious lunch. Please try and go there. It’s very exciting. You can enjoy it absolutely.

Gender Language

Gender Language

February 28, 2024

By Yui Takeda

In the world, a lot of people think that men and women speak differently. Also, features of gender differences in language is different between Japan and other country. Then, this essay compares three expert’s essays. First essay is written about comparing Japanese and English, second is about Japanese and Chinese, the last one is about Japanese and Korean.
Kumadaki (2006) compared proverbs in Japanese and English. She said that proverbs express historical views on men and women that have been passed down from ancient times, and we can get a glimpse of what kind of stereotypes a society holds regarding gender differences. Also, the number of proverbs which is written about women is more than one’s about men. For example, they are written about women’s appearance, attitude, and so on. Besides, there are many Japanese proverbs that “evaluate or criticize women negatively,” and that there are also many that “talk about appearance and makeup.” On the other hand, there are proverbs that relate to men’s attitudes and behavior, the division of roles, and say that men are superior. However, there are extremely few proverbs in English that relate to men, and like in Japanese, many of them are targeted at women. From the above results, she said that “views of men and women” have been constructed through words since ancient times, and these ideas implicitly reflect the division of roles and values between men and women, and these ideas become fixed ideas. There is still a tendency to view things from the perspective of men and women from the past, and this can be said to have created gender differences that continue without being recognized much to this day.
Then, next one is the compering Japanese and Korean. Kim the degree of gender differences varies depending on the language, with some languages having large gender differences and others having small gender differences. Japanese is a representative language with large gender differences, and there are expressions unique to women that differ from those used by men, such as final particles, personal pronouns, beautifying words, and interjections, and there is clearly a language variant called feminine language, and the same goes for masculine words. On the other hand, Korean is said to be a language with very small linguistic gender differences. If you listen to actual utterances, you can easily distinguish between men and women because the pitch and quality of their voice are different, but if you transcribe that into text, the differences between men and women almost disappear.
The last one is the comparing Japanese and Chinese. Kawasaki (2011) said that in modern Chinese, there are no gender differences between the words in Japanese, as they are clearly visible to everyone, such as personal pronouns and final particles. However, previous research has revealed that there are still differences between men and women and age in terms of phonology, vocabulary, expressions, and oral habits. A survey of habitual phrases shows that young women tend to mumble buzzwords, the use of low-level insults that can be taken as insults, the use of English, and the frequent use of words of words surprise and admiration.
In this way, there are differences between Japanese and other languages. Especially, Japanese have more gender differences than Korean and Chinese. According to The Agency for Cultural Affairs, many languages have differences in word usage based on gender. Even in Japanese, there are vocabulary and linguistic practices that are used characteristically by each gender, we should not insist on fixed gender differences in language. However, no matter which gender they belong to, each person should use language and topics that are acceptable as self-expression and that are appropriate to the person and the situation. It is desirable to make choices and engage in rich communication.

Skipping Breakfast

September 29, 2023

Do you have breakfast? Most members of our class don’t have breakfast. The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Japan (2018) said 83.5% of targets of surveys have breakfast almost every day. On the other hand, the rate of targets in 20s and 30s is only 64.3%. It shows that many young people in Japan don’t have breakfast. However, having breakfast has positive effects. For example, it is possible to focus on study and work and so on. Nevertheless, many people young people don’t have breakfast. We found three reasons for it, the need for sleep, the need to save money and having no desire to eat.
By Shoji Takeda

Young people want to sleep as long as possible. Eating breakfast takes time to prepare and to eat. Japanese people usually eat rice, miso soup, fish and salad for breakfast. It takes a long time to eat. According to IT media business online (2021), about 60% of people answered that it takes 6 to 15 minutes to eat breakfast. After preparation you need time to eat and clean up. Many 20-30 year-olds live alone. They have to clean up by themselves. Considering all the time it takes for breakfast, people need 15 to 30 minutes. Also, many young people stay up late at night. They surf the internet, play games, go to part-time jobs and study. So, young people want to use the morning’s precious time for sleep.
By Hanon Mitsumasa

Young people living alone have no money. So many of them don’t eat breakfast to save money. Young people who live alone have to budget their own money. For students, there is a limit to how much you can earn from a part-time job, and you can only earn an average of 88,000 yen per month (Yamamoto, 2023). According to the Iepura column Survey of Living Conditions (2022), the average cost of food for young people is 20% of their living expenses, and they lack funds for other necessary things. Many young people don’t eat breakfast because eating three meals a day makes other parts of their lives difficult.
By Yuki Sasaki

Another reason for 20- 30 year-olds not having breakfast is that young people don’t have the desire for breakfast. There are some basis this reason, but the most influential one is the disrupting your circadian rhythm caused by staying up late. (2023, OD improvement association) In addition, it is said that eating late at night prevents the stomach from resting so they don’t have an appetite in the morning. Moreover, young people get used to not having breakfast. It’s also the reason why young people don’t feel uncomfortable with it.
As a result of disrupting circadian rhythm and habit, young people lose their appetite and don’t eat breakfast.
By Shuto Kitayama

Many young people don’t eat breakfast in Japan. We believe there are three reasons why they don’t eat breakfast. The first is wanting more time for sleep. The second is having little money. The third is having no appetite. There are many such young people in Japan. How about in your country?
By Koshiro Abe

How to Improve English Education in Japan

How to Improve English Education in Japan

August 16, 2023

By Arisa Mishima
Japanese students study English for more than six years, but they are not fluent in speaking. What should be changed so that many Japanese people can speak English? In this essay I would like to propose three ideas: focus on the speaking skill, encouragement of making mistakes, and building more vovabulary.

     First, the Japanese English education should focus on the speaking sill. Currently, students learn a lot of skills other than speaking. In English class, students read stories in textbooks, and they learn new words and new grammar points. Reading is considered as the most important skill for the university entrance exam, so students read a lot of stories and learn reading skills. Students also write a lot of sentences and acquire writing skills. Moreover, students listen to the audio of the textbook and learn listening skills. However, there is not much time to speak English in class. Students have reading aloud and shadowing for improving their speaking skills, but they do not really talk in English to express their ideas.
     Second, students should be taught that making mistakes are good. Currently, students are told to master English grammar, so they are afraid of making mistakes. When they make mistakes in English tests, their points are deducted. When they try to speak, they try to speak correctly. Students hesitate to speak up because they think it’s embarrassing to make a mistake. It’s normal to make mistakes when they use a new language, so they should be told to communicate ideas is the most important thing.      Third, students should learn more vocabulary. Students have some listening skills, so they can understand what other people are talking about. However, they can’t put their ideas into words. One of the reasons for this is that students have a small vocabulary. If students know a lot of words, they can express their ideas no matter how simple of grammar they can use.
     In conclusion, many Japanese students can understand English, but they are not good at expressing their ideas because they don’t have enough speaking activities. Too much focus on grammar, fear of making mistakes, and lack of vocabulary are the causes of their inability to speak. If these issues are solved, Japanese people will be able to speak more English.

Ways to Solve Wild Animals Appearing in Residential Areas

Ways to Solve Wild Animals Appearing in Residential Areas

August 10, 2023

By Riho Bando
These days, as many people move to urban areas, they seek houses in the suburb. Due to this, the habitat for wild animals are destroyed to build houses. Development of wild areas negatively impact both humans and wild animal. People are afraid of meeting wild animals and animals in the city are in danger. Although this issue is serious, there are ways to protect humans and wild animals.
The issue of wild animals showing up in urban areas has gained attention over the last few years. Recently, bears, boars and monkeys often appear in residential areas. A research group in Hokkaido University say that brown bears show up in cities because they don’t have enough foods in a forest. Still, there is another issue. Animals that stepped into dangerous and noisy cities sometimes attack a human. According to the Ministry of the Environment, 81 people were injured by wild animals in Japan in 2022. You can’t be safe if a wild animal rush at you while you are talking a walk. To protect humans and animals, people should come up with solutions.

A good way to protect lives is to stop developing forests. Instead of using land more and more, the government should encourage to build taller apartments. Japan has enough technology to build tall buildings without risks.

Another way to avoid using too much land is to encourage remote working. People have gathered to cities to work and the suburb has been developed to build houses for commuters. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, it was unthinkable to live in the countryside to work. Now, however, it is possible to work online and living in their hometowns. Therefore, they should be able to live in other places that are far away from urban areas. I believe that remote working will contribute to protect nature and animals. The problem of wild animals appearing in cities is serious. People should consider how to solve the issue. Avoiding cutting off trees and encouraging online working style will solve this issue. I hope that people could live safely with wild animals in the future.