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August 5, 2025 13 mins
Fluent Fiction - Japanese: Under Kyoto's Lanterns: A Journey to Healing and Hope
Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:
fluentfiction.com/ja/episode/2025-08-05-22-34-02-ja

Story Transcript:

Ja: 京都の隠れた小道に、そのお茶屋はありました。
En: In a hidden alley in Kyoto, there was a teahouse.

Ja: オボンのために賑やかに飾られた色とりどりの提灯が、穏やかな鴨川を見下ろしながらそよ風に揺れていました。
En: The colorful lanterns, decorated festively for Obon, swayed in the gentle breeze while overlooking the tranquil Kamogawa River.

Ja: この静かな場所は、心を落ち着かせるのにぴったりでした。
En: This quiet place was perfect for calming the mind.

Ja: ある夏の日の午後、ハルキとユキはお茶屋の玄関をくぐりました。
En: One summer afternoon, Haruki and Yuki stepped into the entrance of the teahouse.

Ja: ユキは心の病気の診断を受けたばかりで、不安そうにしていました。
En: Yuki had just received a diagnosis for a mental health condition and appeared anxious.

Ja: 「今日は一緒にのんびりしよう」とハルキは優しく提案しました。
En: "Let's take it easy together today," Haruki gently suggested.

Ja: ユキは座敷に腰を下ろし、お茶を飲みながら窓の外を眺めました。
En: Yuki sat down on the traditional seating and gazed out the window while sipping tea.

Ja: 「お祭りに行きたいけど、体が心配で...」とユキは小声で言いました。
En: "I'd like to go to the festival, but I'm worried about my health," Yuki murmured softly.

Ja: その時、オーナーのソウタが現れました。
En: At that moment, the owner, Sota, appeared.

Ja: 「ここからでも十分楽しめますよ。提灯を見るだけでも気持ちが楽しくなります」と微笑みました。
En: "You can enjoy it well enough from here. Just seeing the lanterns can lift your spirits," he smiled.

Ja: 夕暮れが訪れる頃、川沿いでは灯籠流しが始まりました。
En: By the time evening approached, the toro nagashi began along the riverside.

Ja: 光が水面に揺れる様子を、二人はしばらく黙って見つめていました。
En: For a while, the two of them silently watched the lights flicker on the water's surface.

Ja: ハルキは口を開きました。「心配し過ぎないで。みんな君のことを大切に思っているから。」
En: Haruki spoke up, "Don't worry too much. Everyone cares about you."

Ja: するとユキが答えました。「ありがとう、私、もっとポジティブになろうって思ったの。」
En: Then Yuki responded, "Thank you, I've decided to become more positive."

Ja: ソウタはお茶を注ぎながら静かに耳を傾けていました。
En: Sota, while pouring tea, listened quietly.

Ja: 話は深まり、ユキは自分の怖さを初めて打ち明けました。
En: The conversation deepened, and Yuki admitted her fears for the first time.

Ja: 「でも、こんな風に心を許して話せるのは安心。」
En: "But being able to talk openly like this is reassuring."

Ja: やがて夜が更け、心温まるひとときが終わろうとしていました。
En: Eventually, as night advanced, their heartwarming time was drawing to an end.

Ja: ユキは微笑み、決意が湧いていました。
En: Yuki smiled, a new determination rising within her.

Ja: 「これからの全ての時間を大切に生きる。」
En: "I will cherish every moment from now on."

Ja: ハルキはユキの手を優しく握り、「僕も一緒に支えるよ」と誓いました。
En: Haruki gently held Yuki's hand and promised, "I'll support you together."

Ja: こうして二人は、お茶屋を後にしました。
En: With that, the two of them left the teahouse.

Ja: 新しい希望を胸に抱え、穏やかな夜風に吹かれながら、また一歩を踏み出しました。
En: Holding new hope in their hearts, they took another step forward, blown by the gentle night breeze.

Ja: それは小さな変化を伴い、強い絆をさらに深めました。
En: It was accompanied by a small change and further deepened their strong bond.


Vocabulary Words:
  • hidden: 隠れた
  • alley: 小道
  • teahouse: お茶屋
  • lanterns: 提灯
  • festively: 賑やかに
  • overlooking: 見下ろしながら
  • tranquil: 穏やかな
  • breeze: そよ風
  • diagnosis: 診断
  • anxious: 不安そう
  • suggested: 提案しました
  • seating: 座敷
  • gazed: 眺めました
  • murmured: 小声で言いました
  • spirits: 気持ち
  • toro nagashi: 灯籠流し
  • riverside: 川沿い
  • flicker: 揺れる
  • surface: 水面
  • admitted: 打ち明けました
  • reassuring: 安心
  • night advanced: 夜が更け
  • determination: 決意
  • cherish: 大切に
  • promised: 誓いました
  • holding: 抱え
  • hope: 希望
  • accompanied: 伴い
  • bond: 絆
  • deepen: 深めました
Mark as Played
Transcript

Episode Transcript

Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Fluid fluent Dorg.

Speaker 2 (00:09):
Welcome to Fluent Fiction Japanese, the podcast where we bring
you bilingual stories to supercharge your listening comprehension. In each episode,
we'll present a short story in both English and Japanese
with the aim of helping you to improve your listening comprehension.

Speaker 3 (00:25):
Join Harouki and Yuki as they find solace and support
in a Kyoto tea house, discovering the lantern lit path
to hope and healing amidst life's challenges.

Speaker 4 (00:34):
Right after this commercial break.

Speaker 5 (00:39):
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(01:02):
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Speaker 1 (01:45):
Sosta o dayakata kokoroiter desta arunat no hi no go

(02:06):
go haruko, yukiva, ochaya, genka cog masta yukiva, kokorno, bidaide
huan son is the master, kova is shuni, nombirisio, toukiva,
yasaskute and si masta yukiva zaskini, koshi o roshi, nagaramado, nagame,

(02:30):
masta umasrini tai keo kadaga, simpade to yukiva ko masta
sonki una no masta cokokara, demo, jub masio joji miro
dake demo k nimas to johoem masta yuga ricorro cowava, toro, nagai,

(02:58):
mari masta hikarigasrimeni yure ru yosu utariva, shivara, kodamate mete
masta harukiva, k chiyo, hiraki, masta, shimpai, shizuginaideh mina kimi
no koto tai sets yomote rukara, suruto, yukiga, kotai, masta arigato, watashi,

(03:23):
moto pojitebun narotte, omotano, sotawa, ochao, sosog nagara, shizuka, mimi
o katama ket maasta hanashivav kamari yukiva, jibun no kuwasa
jajimet u chia ke masta dem konna hu ni kokoro
yurushte hanaseerunova and shingh yagate yurugav ke kokoro atatamarus to

(03:48):
tokiga uvaroto, stemasta, yuki wa hoo hooemi ketrigaway tei masta
kore kara no subet no jigawotai sis nikiru haukiva, yuki
no teo yasas masta, costea oasta atarak o dayaka, yoka,

(04:18):
matai masta sovachi sa na henko tomnai iki sarame masta.

Speaker 3 (04:28):
Let's take another listen. Listen closely to any parts you
may have missed.

Speaker 1 (04:32):
Kyoto so no yava rimasta.

Speaker 3 (04:39):
In a hidden alley in Kyoto, there was a tea.

Speaker 1 (04:41):
House ubontainga o dayaka, miroo, shinagara to Yoka masta.

Speaker 3 (04:56):
The colorful lanterns decorated festively for oban aid in the
gentle breeze while overlooking the tranquil Kamogawa river.

Speaker 1 (05:04):
Ku nova kokota.

Speaker 3 (05:11):
This quiet place was perfect for calming the mind.

Speaker 1 (05:15):
Arun no no go go Haruko yukiva oya no genka
kugur masta.

Speaker 3 (05:23):
One summer afternoon, Harky and Yuki stepped into the entrance
of the tea house.

Speaker 1 (05:28):
Yukiva kokor no shingda hu an sun yeste musta.

Speaker 3 (05:38):
Yuki had just received a diagnosis for a mental health
condition and appeared anxious.

Speaker 1 (05:43):
Kyova isshun no birishio to harukiva yesskute s masta.

Speaker 3 (05:51):
Let's take it easy together today, Harky gently suggested.

Speaker 1 (05:55):
Yukiva t saskini koshio roshi oo no miame masta.

Speaker 3 (06:04):
Yuki sat down on the traditional seating and gazed out
the window while sipping tea.

Speaker 1 (06:09):
MS karrada.

Speaker 3 (06:14):
To Yukiva kok de mausta, I'd like to go to
the festival, but I'm worried about my health, Yuki murmured softly,
so una no.

Speaker 1 (06:27):
Masta.

Speaker 3 (06:29):
At that moment, the owner of soda appeared.

Speaker 1 (06:31):
Cokokajub masio joji mi ni maas do hoo ho mi mausta.

Speaker 3 (06:45):
You can enjoy it well enough from here. Just seeing
the lanterns can lift your spirits, he smiled.

Speaker 1 (06:51):
Ugga kwa masta.

Speaker 3 (06:59):
By the time evening approached, the Toro Nagashi began along
the riverside.

Speaker 1 (07:03):
Hikariga yosuaria shivarak masta.

Speaker 3 (07:13):
For a while, the two of them silently watched the
lights flicker on the water's surface.

Speaker 1 (07:17):
Harukiva ji hiraki masta, shimpai, shisugi naideh mina kimno koto
tai sits Motekara.

Speaker 3 (07:31):
Haki spoke up, don't worry too much. Everyone cares about.

Speaker 1 (07:35):
You, sto Yukika kota masta arigato watashi moto.

Speaker 3 (07:48):
Then Yuki responded, thank you. I've decided to become more positive.

Speaker 1 (07:52):
Soa hotel sosgi nagara simo masta.

Speaker 3 (08:00):
Soda. While pouring tea, listened.

Speaker 1 (08:02):
Quietly hanasuaka mari yukiva jibu no kasa ke masta.

Speaker 3 (08:11):
The conversation deepened, and Yuki admitted her fears for the
first time.

Speaker 1 (08:16):
Demu kunnahui ko ko o yurush de hanase noa an shinh.

Speaker 3 (08:23):
But being able to talk openly like this is reassuring.

Speaker 1 (08:26):
Yagata yuruga keh ko korro atata maste Masta.

Speaker 3 (08:35):
Eventually, as night advanced, their heartwarming time was drawing to
an end.

Speaker 1 (08:39):
Yuki va ho hoei mi kitsi gawai de Masta.

Speaker 3 (08:45):
Yuki smiled, a new determination rising within her.

Speaker 1 (08:48):
Kore k.

Speaker 3 (08:54):
I will cherish every moment from now on.

Speaker 1 (08:57):
Haru kiva Yuki no teo yes sai Masta.

Speaker 3 (09:07):
Haki gently held Yuki as hand and promised, I'll support you.

Speaker 1 (09:10):
Together costea ota. With that, the two of them left
the tea house at Asi Oda Masta, holding new hope

(09:33):
in their hearts. They took another step forward, blown by
the gentle night breeze Saa henko tomnai t Masta.

Speaker 3 (09:46):
It was accompanied by a small change and further deep
in their strong bond.

Speaker 4 (09:56):
Today's vocabulary words are coming up right after this commercial break.
Here are today's vocabulary words, first in Japanese, then in English.

Speaker 1 (10:12):
Kakuta kaka hidden, komichi, komichi, komchi ali o chaya o
chaya o chaya tea house jo ji cho ji cho
jim lanterns, Migiya kani, migiya, kanyi, migi ya kanyi, festivally,

(10:39):
miyoo Shinagara, miyoo Shinagara, miyoro Shinagara, overlooking o, daya, kana
o daya, kana o daya khana, tranquil so Yo, cuz
it so yo, cuz it soyo, ctze, breeze, shin dang

(10:59):
shin dan. Seeing them, diagnosis, who so hun soo? Who so?
Anxious day and semasta day and Semasta day and semasta
suggested the ski, the ski, the sky seedling. Naga ma masta,

(11:22):
nagam masta, nagame masta, gazed, googo de musta, googo de musta,
kogo de masta, murmured, kimochi, kimochi, kimochi, spirits too, Nagashi Toro,
Nagashi Toro, Nagasi tour, Nagashi, Kawasu, Kawaso, kawaso, riverside you,

(11:51):
They do you, they do you, they do flicker sreeming
sreeming sreaming It's surface uak masta, usiak masta, uziak masta
admitted ansween answing an seen, reassuring, yuruga yodoga Yoduga Night Advanced,

(12:18):
Kitsi Kitsi Kitsi Determination tais Tai sitzany Tai sits Cherish,
sky musta, sky musta sky Masta Promised Ka Ka ka
ka ka Kai holding keybo keybo keybo oh tom Nai

(12:46):
Tomunai tom Nai Accompanied, Kizana Kizana Kizuna Bond, Come musta,
Come musta, come Masta Deepen.

Speaker 2 (13:05):
We hope you've enjoyed this episode of Fluent Fiction Japanese.
Our team works tirelessly to bring you high quality, engaging
content that will help you to reach your goals, but
we can't do it alone. Your support is crucial in
keeping our doors open and our content flowing. Please consider
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(13:28):
custom episode requests, and more. Visit www dot fluentfiction dot
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