Cherry blossoms attract more foreign tourists

admin 2019年5月22日

Pre-reading questions:

What is your favorite season and why?
Where do you usually watch cherry blossoms bloom?

Vocabulary:

cherished /CHER-ishd/

[adjective] bringing the pleasure of love or caring about someone or something that is important to you
The love letters in the old box are her most cherished possessions.

attract /uh-TRAKT/

[verb] to pull or draw someone or something towards them, by the qualities they have, especially good ones
The idols’ concerts attract a lot of female fans and audiences.

management /MAN-ij-muhnt/

[noun] the group of people who control a company or organization
The mall’s management allows its customers to bring their pets inside the stores.

feature /FEE-cher/

[verb] to show or advertise someone or something as the most important or most obvious part
The magazine’s article features the top tourist spots of Manila.

rarity /RAIR-i-tee/

[noun] something that is very unusual, or the quality of being very unusual
Diamonds are expensive because of their rarity.

Cherry blossoms attract more foreign tourists at the start of springtime in Japan. A report says that spring in Japan can remind someone of warmer days and cherished moments. The blooming of cherry blossoms attracts tourists all over the world. Many foreign tourists go to Ueno Park, a place in Japan popular for cherry blossom viewing. According to Ueno’s Park management, there were about 30 million foreign visitors in 2018.

Different travel guidebooks and TV programs all over the world featured cherry blossoms’ rarity. “Sakura”, as it is locally called, is as popular as “sushi” or “ninja” and such words are easy to relate with Japanese culture. Cherry blossoms also helped the economy by bringing in 650 billion yen in the previous year. Social media posts helped spread the beauty of cherry blossoms worldwide.

Comprehension Questions:

According to the article, why do foreign tourists visit Japan?
Where do many foreign tourists gather for cherry blossom viewing?
What is featured in different guidebooks and TV programs all over the world?
What words in the article are easy to relate to Japanese culture?
How much did cherry blossoms bring in to Japan’s economy?

Discussion Questions:

What comes to your mind when you hear the word “spring”? Explain your answer.
Based on your observations, how long do cherry blossoms usually bloom in your area?
Does social media help in giving or receiving travel ideas? Please explain your answer.
Do you like posting your trips on social media? Please explain your answer.
Imagine that your tutor is going to see cherry blossoms in Japan. What places will you recommend to him/her? Please explain your answer.