Employees at the Matsumoto Engei garden store in the Tokyo city of Kokubunji are busy with shipments of poinsettias and other plants ahead of Christmas. The staff are tending the plants in the greenhouses filled with red and pink colors. Shipments were delayed about a week compared to an average year because of the severe heat this summer. Shipments will continue until mid-December. In recent years, poinsettia plants in pots smaller than a diameter of 15 centimeters are also popular.

Japanese original

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.