h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Hi Sam! I'm called Cherryfish, and I read your space.
I'm Japanese, and I live in Tokyo.
A Japanese community sounds fun

Cherryfish

Hey Cherryfish, how you doing? Thanks for dropping by! (If you were CherryBlossomFish I'd call you SakuraSakana, which sounds pretty cool. )

Well, I spent one year in Kawasaki city years ago, helping Japanese English teachers with their English lessons in High Schools. Since joining h2g2, I have always thought that Japanese folk who wanted to practise their English in a non-boring environment, should come to h2g2! I really think that h2g2 is a friendly place for Japanese people to meet English-speaking people and learn fun, sometimes unconventional English. What do you think? You're English seems excellent, probably as a result of spending 6 years here!

If you have any ideas how to attract Japanese users to the site please let me know. Maybe we (or they) could start up a Japanese Society, or something like that. ('Japanese Society' sounds really boring - maybe the Tokyo Club or the Tokyo Garden or the Izakaya or something else.) Just a place for Japanese people to meet other prople who are interested in Japanese Culture.

When I was in Japan, I used to spend a lot of time in Tokyo. I used to do the usual thing and meet people by the Hachiko Dog in Shibuya. And is Omotesando the book district? I used to like going there as well.
I used to live in Unane (near Mizonoukuchi and within walking distance of Futakotamagawen). I also lived in Shinmaruko, opposite Powers Bar.

I taught at Takatsu Koko and another school but I forget the name - I'll get back to you with it!

Speak to you soon.

Jah ne!

The other school was Tachibana Koko. I also did a short spell at Kawasaki Koko too.

SakuraSakana does sound cool

Unane is in the south of Setagaya-ku, isn't it? I live in the north side of Setagaya-ku, ten minutes by train from the Hachiko ie Shibuya so we must have been quite near each other
I haven't really been to Omotesando properly, since it's quite a posh shopping area and too expensive for us students

Schools here should really have more teachers like you to help them with their English. Or rather, Japanese-English Our school has two native teachers, but the other 20+ Japanese English teachers talk with vowels after every consonant and can't answer anything that's not written in their books

And thanks about my English I want to learn casual, colloquial (now that's not a colloquial word at all but never mind) English here by talking to lots of people in the forums. It's been eight years since I was at school in England so my English should be quite out of date by now...

The Izakaya sounds great I'm on!

Cherryfish aka SakuraSakana

Hi there,

Unane was right on the edge of the river. I used to walk across it into Futakotamagawen (have I said that correctly? It's where there's a big Kinokuniya store). Also, I was wrong about Omotesando - I got the name mixed up. I only went there the once and that was to see an exhibition of Yoko Ono's work. And you're right, it was dead posh! The book place I referred to is really cool - loads of second-hand books - it had quite a studenty vibe. I can't remember the name, but it wasn't Omotesando!

That might be Kanda, or Surugadai. Or Ochanomizu. They're all around the same area, near the centre of the city. The studenty vibe must be because there's a big cram school for uni entrance exams there. I lived near there a few years ago and although I haven't really been in any of the second-hand shops properly, I saw quite a few on my way.

And yes, Futakotamagawaen, you've said it correctly
Quite recently though, the train station changed names - to Futakotamagawa, without the "en". Big change, isn't it I wonder why they bothered
There's a big spa there (I don't know when it was built, it does seem quite new though. Do you know it?) ,I've been once and it was nice. The outdoor baths might have been nicer if the weather was warmer - we had to walk through the trees to get to them and we froze!

Cherryfish

Ohayo! Genki? Boku wa genki desu.

Ochanomizu! That's the place! I remember buying a copy of 'Japan In His Own Words' by John Lennon there. It's a book that shows him learning Japanese - each page has one of his drawings which demonstrates a new Japanese phrase or sentence that he's had to learn. It was very expensive, I seem to remember!

Omedetou on getting your entry on the Japanese New Year accepted into the Edited Guide!

Cherryfish, do you know of any other Japanese friends of yours or maybe even English teachers that might be interested in using h2g2?

I wonder if we could get a small group of Japanese people together on h2g2?

Jah ne!

Sam.

Arigato
And thanks for the changes in my entry
I have some friends who might be interested in h2g2. Trouble is, they're all right in the middle of "entrance exam hell" now and won't talk to me
But once they've finished, I'll definitely recommend them this site

Cherryfish

Cherryfish, that's great. Let's chat later!