Cafetalk Tutor's Column

Do Chinese people celebrate Halloween in China? Let's learn together!

Hello, everyone! Halloween is just around the corner! When you think of Halloween, you might imagin...

Learning Japanese with the Omokaru Stone おもかる いしで まなぶ にほんご

At Sumiyoshi Taisha, there is a mysterious stone called the "Omokaru Stone." You lift a heavy ston...

Ireland and Japan: Two Islands, More in Common Than You’d Think

I’m Irish, and I spent ten years living in a small town in Hiroshima. During my time there, I was a...

Do you want to be blown away?

Do you want to be "blown away"? Maybe yes...or maybe no! It all depends on whether we are talking a...

FREE Listening Practice: Gas Exchange in the Lungs (English Level B2-C1)

Estimated level: Specialised English B2–C1 Scientific vocabulary: C1 or specialist academic vocabul...

A Book That Changed the Way I Think

  When I was 21, I read On the Road by Jack Kerouac. I’ll be honest, it wasn’t an easy read. The wr...

I Have 1,000 Followers. She Has 30,000. Why Did I Feel I Didn't Deserve Her? [CC] CEO Interview #17

"I Have 1,000 Followers. She Has 30,000. Why Did I Feel I Didn't Deserve Her?" In Episode 17 of our...

Let's ！Choose Our Ramen Toppings！らーめんの トッピングを えらぼう,

Hello, I'm SASYA. I've lived in Osaka for 35 years. Today, let's talk about ramen. The ramen in the...

The Scent of Ink and a Quiet, Cool Breeze: My Love of Shrines, Temples, and Goshuin

When work gets stressful or my mind feels cluttered, I often head to a shrine or temple, usually on...

How Working Abroad Changed My Life and Career

How Working Abroad Changed My Life and Career From a rejected job application in Japan to working i...

Parole e Caffè: Forza — The Little Word of Encouragement

Ciao! Welcome back to "Parole e Caffè". I'm Marina, an Italian teacher with 15 years of experience....

"Muddling Along": From Mojitos Cocktails to Everyday Life

Have you ever come across the phrase "muddling along" in an English book or TV show and wondered wh...

A Cozy Italian Autumn (And Why You Should Fall in Love With It)

Ciao! Welcome to another coffee break with me. I'm Marina, an Italian teacher with 15 years of expe...

Nostalgic Christmas: How We Celebrated in the 70s & 80s!

Hello everyone! Teacher Howard here. As the holiday season approaches, I’ve been thinking back to w...

Halloween Traditions Around the World

Hello everyone!   Every October, my family has a little Halloween tradition. We carve a pumpkin int...

Let's Talk About Weight Loss: Healthy Habits, Motivation, and Everyday Choices

Have you ever wondered why building healthy habits can be so challenging? From food choices and ex...

The little prince by Antoine De St Exupery changed how I think

Hello all, "The little prince" by Antoine De St Exupery changed how I think. It taught me the follo...

Let's Steam Vegetables in a Seiiro!せいろで やさいを むして　たべよう！

Today, let's talk about the seiro. The 「せいろ」 in the photo is a bamboo steamer. It's filled with dif...

Have You Ever Used a Vending Machine in Japan?

Konnichiwa, everyone! I’m Juri, a Japanese tutor :)In my previous column, I wrote about convenience...

A disappearing Halloween tradition: Bobbing for apples

Photo: North Texas Agricultural College students bobbing for apples, circa 1930s (University of Tex...

Halloween Tradition Through Song: “The Night of Halloween”

Halloween, celebrated annually on October 31st in America, is known for spooky costumes, carved pum...

A Book That Changed the Way I Think

I have read many books in my life that have changed the way I think. One that comes to mind is ZEN ...

Long Time, No Practice! - 日記の練習~~!

お久しぶりに~ It's been a long time since I've practiced my Japanese. As my life got busier in some aspe...

A Conversation Can Change More Than You Think

Have you ever had a conversation that stayed with you long after it ended? Perhaps someone offered ...

Watching a horror movie for Halloween

One popular Halloween tradition is watching a horror movie. As the nights become darker and the wea...

Halloween Traditions in the Philippines

Halloween traditions in the Philippines are closely connected to All Saints’ Day on November 1 an...

A Book That Changed the Way I Think

Hello everyone! Howard here. Books have an incredible power to shift our perspective, broaden our ...

Speak English Like a Native – No Thanks!

As I mentioned in my last blog, heaps of native English speakers (even very well-educated ones) don...

Let's enjoy fireworks in Japanese! はなびを にほんごで たのしもう！

きょうは、にほんの なつの たのしみ「はなび」の にほんごを べんきょうしましょう。 Today, let's learn Japanese words about fireworks, a sum...

[ Living in Japan but barely speaking Japanese? ] Let’s change that in 15 minutes!

Hi everyone! I’m so excited to connect with you all in my lessons.   Are you living in Japan for w...