Saturday, 6 December 2025

A modern three-bedroom house in Yamagata village

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 A modern three-bedroom house in Yamagata village, with easy access to Matsumoto city center. The house has three bedrooms on the second flo...
Wednesday, 3 December 2025

Postcard from Ariake Sea - Floating Torii Gates of Ouo Shrine, Saga, Kyushu

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Floating Torii Gates of Ouo When I was thinking about extending my little trip around Kyushu, I happened to notice this little spot on the m...
Tuesday, 2 December 2025

Postcard from Takeo Onsen, Saga, Fukuoka

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Takeo station  A quick 'hello' from western Saga - I got the train here from Tosu, via a walkabout in Saga to find the castle there ...
Monday, 1 December 2025

Postcard from 1609 - Hirado Dutch Trading House

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Unfortunately, I did not have the time to actually visit the Dutch Trading House in Hirado, but with the benefit of a zoom lens I got close...
Sunday, 30 November 2025

Postcard from Napa Valley, California USA

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 Hi Jim, I am in Napa!! I managed to grab a postcard while I'm drunken! Sorry for this messy message!
Saturday, 29 November 2025

Postcard from...Dazaifu Tenmangu, Fukuoka, Japan

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I was unable to visit this 1,100 year old shrine in northern Kyushu before, so I made it a priority 'stop' for my next visit to the ...
Friday, 28 November 2025

Traditional Japanese farmhouse in rural Azumino

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More than 100 year old Japanese traditional bungalow There are four cosy tatami bedrooms, one spacious dining-kitchen room and one Showa-s...
Thursday, 27 November 2025

Postcard from O'Hare airport, Chicago USA

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 Hi Jim sensei, During the past two weeks, I traveled a lot. The first week in Shanghai and the second week in Chicago. It was still warm in...
Wednesday, 26 November 2025

Happy or Unhappy dinner party with strangers

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 At the dinner party, I would like to find out if three strangers are dangerous, if they are trying to deceive me, and what their motives ar...
Wednesday, 15 October 2025

Postcard from - Asama Onsen, Matsumoto, Japan

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This was a lot of fun! In all the years (decades) I've lived up here in Central (and rural) Japan, I've always managed to miss this ...
Tuesday, 14 October 2025

Sound negotiating

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I've found that the best arbiters in any dispute about sounds are my students themselves - their ears are as finely tuned as mine, and ...

Revisiting Sapporo - a Cambridge weekend

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It's been quite a while since I last visited Sapporo for work, and many things have changed - Centres have openned (and closed), people ...
Thursday, 9 October 2025

Last of the Summer Wine - Tokyo training

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Two clocks, two scales...two candidates I ran my final 2025 Speaking Examiner training session for Kawaijuku (JP026) recently in Tokyo, for ...
Wednesday, 8 October 2025

My mum thinks I can't read or spell!

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Refereeing each other! Delighted to share the news that mummy is horribly mistaken, and that her soon to be 10 year old is battering all the...
Monday, 6 October 2025

Make your own game, kiddo!

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Trying to make a game...the lad succeeded but I need to go back to the drawing board slightly! I made this game! Two ways of trying to achie...
Saturday, 4 October 2025

An away day - Cambridge in Nagoya

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I don't recommend insisting on a formal dress code in Aichi/Gifu/Chubu region in the middle of summer - quite likely to have people pass...
Tuesday, 30 September 2025

Postcard from Hakata, Kyushu, Japan

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Hakata ramen I don't usually post 'food porn' pics, but I know Luna students well be jealous again!  Here I am in Hakata, Fukuok...
Monday, 29 September 2025

Saaya's favourite animal is...

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 Check out Saaya, telling her classmates about her favourite animal! Great pic, lovely answers...outcome from an after reading project of he...
Sunday, 28 September 2025

Shizuku's animated Lion - after reading project

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 After reading Crocodile in the House, and a confused robot, Shizuku couldn't wait to talk about her favourite animal, a lion. Lovely dr...
Saturday, 27 September 2025

An away day with Cambridge - Jim on the job in Kyushu

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Fukuoka cadre B1 & B2 Speaking examiners  My apologies for not being 'at work' once or twice recently. I know it looks like I wa...
Thursday, 25 September 2025

Meet Moe's (talking) pet dog!

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  Check out Moe's project from her reading book (OUP's "Read & Imagine" series 'Crocodile in the House'). In t...
Wednesday, 24 September 2025

Postcard from Otaru, Hokkaido, Japan

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View from Otaru Station  A very quick side-trip to the lovely (touristy, usually?) & historic port of Otaru, just west of Sapporo. I was...
Tuesday, 23 September 2025

Postcard from Iwakuni Castle, Yamaguchi Pref., Japan

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This concrete "Moji" recreation of the medieval castle originally built here in 1608, was started in 1962. It was a "Yamajiro...
Monday, 22 September 2025

Haruki's after reading project

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Listen to Haruki being interviewed by his classmate Moe, about his original artwork & description of his favourite animal!..Unusually fo...

Postcard from Omiya, Saitama Pref., Japan

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 Hi everyone at Luna, and fellow trainspotters & "anoraks"! Hokuriku line - Asama I was lucky enough to finally get the train ...
Friday, 19 September 2025

Postcard from Berlin, Germany

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 Dear Jim sensei, It is sunny with clear blue sky in Berlin. This must be the best season to visit here. Not too cold, not too hot...just co...
Thursday, 18 September 2025

Postcard from Kintaikyo, Yamaguchi pref., Japan

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Hi everybody at Luna, Magnificent Kintaikyo Bridge I had a long train journey and I wanted to break it up with a scenic detour - and take an...
Friday, 5 September 2025

The latest update on Anna Delvey

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 Anna Delvey posted some pictures on Instagram. The photos caused her trouble. She’s not scamming anyone, but her latest scandal was made by...
Thursday, 28 August 2025

Big 'scam' by Toyota Shoji

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 When you search the scam happened in Japan, you can see many articles about the scam by Toyota Shoji Co. Ltd. Toyota Shoji engaged in door-...