Activate Your Japanese!

What would you do
if you were Xuan?

"We're struggling to come up with
good ideas for the autumn campaign."

The activity should be...

a chance for foreigners like us
to discover what's great about Japan.

You're right.

What should we do?

Let's base it on something Japanese.

Something Japanese?

I think it should be anime.

Love stories, sci-fi, action,
robots, and history!

There's a genre for everybody.

What do we do with anime?

I don't know.

Maybe we should think of
other ideas too.

Then let's ask other people.

Something Japanese...?

Kabuki, or Noh.

Kabuki... Noh...

Manzai comedy too.

Manzai?

Comedians who talk like you?

Yeah, that's right...

I'm not a comedian!

I'd think it would be
meticulous and skilled craftsmanship.

Skilled craftsmanship?

In that sense, novelists like myself are craftsmen too.

You don't look like you're meticulous.

Don't I?

- I'd say Mount Fuji.
- Okay.

Or sakura cherry blossoms.

And...

Ninjas.

And sumo wrestling.

And...

Sakura cherry blossoms!

- You said that already.
- I did?

It's become even harder.

We should give it more thought.

Let's do that.

Hi, everyone.

What...?

Who's there?

Ota-san!

Were you spying on them again?

I just happened to be there.

That's hard to believe.

They seem to be struggling.

They even asked me for advice.

I heard they were asking people,
but they asked you too?

They didn't go to you for advice?

I don't think this is right.

I wonder what happened to Rei-san's bento.

I'll ask him too!

And this is what you've got?

What do you think?

It's a bit too much.

Too much?

I don't think it has to be
so obviously Japanese like this.

No?

What do you do on your days off?

Why would you ask me that?

Are you asking me out on a date?

That's not it.

I know you're busy, but you haven't spent much time
outside the hotel.

I guess...

I used to be like that.

But when you work for the sake of work,
you get a narrow view of life.

Perhaps you should broaden
your horizons.

Broaden my horizons?

Okay.

What's wrong?

Yansu.

Rei-san gave me a piece of advice.
He says I should broaden my horizons.

That's good advice.

But I'm not sure what
broadening my horizons means.

What don't you understand?

I don't really know
what I should be doing.

Tell me what to do.

I don't know either.
That's something Rei-san said, not me.

You're saying I should ask him?

Well...

He might tell you if you said,
"For example?"

Okay. I'll do that.

Rei-san!

You said to broaden my horizons.
For example?

An example?

Well, let's see.

You could join a hobby group,
or take a class, or participate in a local event.

Like that.

A summer festival?

It's a community festival.

That might be fun.

Okay.

Since I came here, I haven't seen much of Japan
besides work.

Talking to the local people...

That might help broaden my horizons.

And it sounds fun.

Are you interested?

I'm a festival staff member.

We're actually shorthanded.

Why not join us?

Well?

I'll do it.

That's great!

I'll tell the neighborhood president.

Thank you.

There you are! I was looking for you.

Ideas for something Japanese?

I've got one.

I think it has to be Mount Fuji...

We're okay now.

I'll listen to your idea.

Never mind.

"I hope I can broaden my horizons
by meeting people I don't usually see."

"Yansu, I'm looking forward to it!"

"Today's Strategy!"

Now, "Broaden your horizons,"
or "Get more experience."

You hear these phrases
and understand the words, but you're not sure what
you should be doing exactly.

What will you do if that happens?

Let's look at the strategy Xuan used.

Rei-san!

You said to broaden my horizons.
For example?

You could join a hobby group,
or take a class.

"Ask for examples."

You can ask for clarification
by saying, "For example?"

Then you'll get a specific idea
of what you should be doing.

You might have an idea of your own, but you could be mistaken.

So it's better to ask for examples
and check.

But!

"For example?"

Be careful it doesn't sound like
an interrogation.

Goodbye for now.

Meet senpai from all over Japan, Tsutsu Uraura!

Let's hear about their lives.

Today's senpai is Enkhuyanga Enkhbayar from Mongolia.

Enkhuyanga works in this factory in Higashiomi City, Shiga.

The factory mainly produces industrial chemicals.

These include surfactants, used in soaps and detergents.

They remove dirt and are used to clean machines and metal parts.

They're also used in body wash.

When a surfactant is ready, its constituents must be checked.

That's Enkhuyanga's job.

From analysis methods to how to handle chemicals, she knows it all.

I make sure that our products are
made according to standard And I sell them to clients.
For me, it's a job worth doing.

I have products I'm
responsible for.

But I want to learn to analyze
more and more products.

In Mongolia, Enkhuyanga attended a technical college.

She studied chemistry there.

After graduating, she wanted to work in Japan and apply her skills.

She found her company through an ad at her school, and applied.

She was hired, and came to Japan in 2019.

But she struggled in the beginning due to the language difference.

I studied chemistry in Mongolia.
But everything is in Japanese here.

That was the toughest thing for me.

I didn't understand. But I wanted
to be able to do my job.

So I looked up words I didn't know,
and then I understood them.

She's very cheerful.

And she wants to communicate
with others.

She's a fast learner.
A great member of staff.

Enkhuyanga lives in Higashiomi City in Shiga.

It's a town rich with nature. It also boasts a historic townscape.

Wow, it's like old Japan.

Maybe.

Enkhuyanga has found a new favorite food in her town.

"Omi-gyu," raised in the region. She enjoys it as "yakiniku."

Delicious.

Today, she eats and chats with her coworkers.

But when she first came to Japan, conversation was a struggle.

She'd talk using words she knew.
And gestures too.

In Mongolia, I never thought I'd be
able to speak this much Japanese.

I had no confidence.

I was worried,
but I still came to Japan.

I figured I could go back to
Mongolia if it was too hard.

But I could do it.

Enkhuyanga learns Japanese by engaging with other people.

She plays futsal with coworkers.

This is when I feel most refreshed.

I want to work hard. People will
correct me if I make a mistake So I want to talk, about anything.

Here are Enkhuyanga's favorite words.

Work hard together.

People supporting each other and growing together.

Growing through interacting
with others.

Achieving things because I'm with
other people, not just on my own.

That's what impressed me
about this phrase.

Enkhuyanga has her own kohai now.

She's helping them to learn.

She's living her favorite words.

Good luck, Enkhuyanga!