Pre-reading questions:
I will read each question. Then, please answer them.
- What is your favorite holiday?
- Have you already written a thank you letter? If so, could you tell me about it? If not, to whom would you like to write a letter? Why?
Vocabulary:
I will read the words, meanings, and sample sentences. Then, repeat after me.
- aware /uh-WAIR/
- originally /uh-RIJ-uh-nl-ee/
- harvest /HAHR-vist /
- associated with /uh-SOH-shee-eyt-id with/
- religious /ri-LIJ-uhs/
[adjective] – knowing that something exists, or having knowledge or experience of a particular thing
Were you aware that something was wrong?
[adverb] – first of all
The idea originally emanated from his brother.
[noun] – the time of year when crops are cut and collected from the fields, or the activity of cutting and collecting them, or the crops that are cut and collected
Last year’s grain harvest was the biggest ever.
[phrasal verb] – connected
Orange blossom is associated with weddings.
[adjective] – relating to religion
She is deeply religious.
Article reading:
Please read the whole article. Then, I will check your pronunciation and intonation.
You may be aware that Thanksgiving is observed worldwide in nations like the United States, Brazil, Canada, Liberia, and Puerto Rico, but you might not be aware that there is also a Thanksgiving in Japan.
When rice was originally cultivated in Japan more than 2,000 years ago, Labor Day was preceded by a celebration called Niinamesai, also known as the Autumn Harvest Festival. Under the rule of the legendary Emperor Jimmu of Japan, the first Niinamesai ritual was conducted to honor the autumnal harvest of rice, wheat, barley, and beans. In a special ritual, the reigning Emperor Tenmu would sample the year’s rice for the first time. Between 667 and 686 AD, Niinamesai came to be more strongly associated with remembering the arduous work of the previous year. Japanese people refer to Thanksgiving as “Kinro Kansha no Hi,” which is officially known as Labor Thanksgiving Day. Thanksgiving is not a religious festival in Japan. Instead, it is a widely observed national holiday, more analogous to US Labor Day, that celebrates the sacrifices made by workers. One of the most prevalent customs associated with Japanese Thanksgiving is for elementary school-aged kids to create cards or prepare presents to give to laborers.
In Japan, the event is typically marked as a peaceful public holiday with family outings to parks or green spaces and a simple meal.
When rice was originally cultivated in Japan more than 2,000 years ago, Labor Day was preceded by a celebration called Niinamesai, also known as the Autumn Harvest Festival. Under the rule of the legendary Emperor Jimmu of Japan, the first Niinamesai ritual was conducted to honor the autumnal harvest of rice, wheat, barley, and beans. In a special ritual, the reigning Emperor Tenmu would sample the year’s rice for the first time. Between 667 and 686 AD, Niinamesai came to be more strongly associated with remembering the arduous work of the previous year. Japanese people refer to Thanksgiving as “Kinro Kansha no Hi,” which is officially known as Labor Thanksgiving Day. Thanksgiving is not a religious festival in Japan. Instead, it is a widely observed national holiday, more analogous to US Labor Day, that celebrates the sacrifices made by workers. One of the most prevalent customs associated with Japanese Thanksgiving is for elementary school-aged kids to create cards or prepare presents to give to laborers.
In Japan, the event is typically marked as a peaceful public holiday with family outings to parks or green spaces and a simple meal.
Comprehension questions
I will read each question. Then, please answer them based on the article.
- What are some countries that celebrate Thanksgiving Day?
- What is Niinamesai also known as?
- Why was the first Niinamesai ritual conducted?
- Is Thanksgiving a religious festival?
- What do elementary school-aged kids do on this day?
Discussion questions
I will read each question. Then, please answer them.
- How do you celebrate Labor Thanksgiving Day? Could you tell me about it?
- Could you tell me about the card that you created on this day many years ago?
- If you were to celebrate this day in a different way, how would you do it?
- Do you agree that we should celebrate the sacrifices made by workers?
- What do you think are the distinct characteristics of this holiday from the other holidays in Japan?