Easy Japanese news in translation: Wind chimes with wishes make lovely sounds at shrine

2 days ago

Kumano Taisha Shrine in the city of Nanyo, Yamagata Prefecture, is one of the famous shrines in Japan. Here, the "Kanade" festival is held, where people hang strips of paper with their wishes written on them from wind chimes and pray for their wishes to come true. At Kumano Taisha Shrine, it is believed that the sound of the wind carries these wishes. Over 1,000 colorful wind chimes in red, blue and other colors sway in the wind, creating a pleasant sound.
Easy Japanese news is taken from the Mainichi Shogakusei Shimbun, a newspaper for children. This is perfect material for anyone studying Japanese who has learned hiragana and katakana. We encourage beginners to read the article in English followed by Japanese, or vice versa, to test their comprehension.
A fresh set will be published every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 4 p.m., Japan time. Click/tap here for past installments.
Intermediate learners who do not need English assistance can directly access the Mainichi Shogakusei Shimbun site here. Furigana (hiragana) is added to all kanji in the text.

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