In today’s podcast, Yumi digs deep into an interesting superstition which caused the birth rates to plummet one year in the 1960s. It has to do with the Chinese Zodiac, the Edo period, and Natsume Souseki. Listen to find out about this fascinating bit of historical trivia. KEY VOCABULARY: 十二支(じゅうにし) 12 animal signs of Chinese zodiac 干支(えと) 60 year cycle of 12 zodiac signs and 5 elements in Chinese astrology 暗記(あんき)する memorize ~歳違(さいちが)い ~ years apart ひと回り１２年 [one full cycle of 12 zodiac signs]　　 ~年区切(ねんくぎ)り(で) by ~ year segment マンモス校(こう) very large school; school with a large number of students 当(あ)たり前(まえ) usual; common; ordinary 少子化(しょうしか) declining birth rate [少 (few; a little); 子 (child); 化 (change toward)] 根強(ねづよ)い persistent; deep-rooted; deep-seated 迷信(めいしん) superstition とんでもない outrageous; terrible 江戸時代(えどじだい) Edo period [the last era of ruling of samurai government] 八百屋(やおや) produce store; fruits and vegetable store 小説家(しょうせつか) novelist; fiction writer 現代的(げんだいてき)な modern; contemporary 世代(せだい) generation ~年生(ねんう)まれ born in year ~ [one word and it’s adjective] 気(き)にする worry (about) 明治時代(めいじじだい) Meiji period [the first era after the fall of the samurai government] For upper beginners to intermediates. Listen to the short podcast and then answer the comprehension questions on the website: https://thejapanesepage.com/nihongonotane-index/ Take a quiz on this episode here: https://thejapanesepage.com/podcast-nihongonotane-121 If you are a Makoto+ member, you can find the transcript, English translation, key vocabulary, and a downloadable PDF for printing: https://MakotoPlus.com/podcast-nihongonotane-121-m -- Become a Makoto+ member and get show notes with a complete transcript, translation, key vocabulary, and a downloadable PDF. www.MakotoPlus.com

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