Three Reasons Why You Should Join the Chat Lounge
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It's been two months since I started the communication circle at the studio on Thursdays. It’s a space where people can freely chat about their daily lives in English for 30 minutes.
In this circle, I'm not a teacher. I'm just a facilitator who provides the space and makes sure everyone gets a chance to speak. Because of that, I don't charge any tuition fees. All I ask for is a 500 yen session fee to help cover the rent and electricity.
At first, I thought no one would be interested in this so-called "chat lounge." However, to my surprise, we now have two regular members who show up almost every week, plus another person who occasionally drops by!
By the way, do you think a 30-minute session is too short or too long? In fact, those 30 minutes fly by every single time—even when it's just one member and me! In many cases, our sessions stretch to 40 minutes because it's hard to keep track of time when we dive deep into a topic. Plus, the conversation usually gets even more exciting toward the end.
Anyway, I was thinking it would also be wonderful for visitors from abroad or other prefectures in Japan to join us. Here are three reasons why you should stop by!
1. Discover unique local insights and lifestyles
First of all, our regular members live very interesting lifestyles that you’ll love learning about. For example, we recently talked about making sour pickled plums (umeboshi)! Right now is the season when umeboshi fans get busy with production. If you jump into our conversation, you'll learn all the nitty-gritty details of the process.
Interestingly, I was the only one who had never made them before! As we talked, we realized how many different ways there are to make them—from traditional methods to modern, efficiency-focused approaches.
2. Experience the fun of bridging language gaps
This brings me to the second point. As we kept talking, we hit a wall with words and phrases we didn't know how to say in English. So, we all pulled out our smartphones and searched for translations together!
For instance, we ended up talking about Doyo-boshi (midsummer plum drying) and Doyo-no-ushi (Midsummer Day of the Ox). My understanding was simply "the day we eat unagi to keep up our stamina in the hot weather." But then I learned about the traditional drying process: you need three consecutive sunny days with clear skies to dry and sterilize the plums! When the word Doyo came up in the context of umeboshi, I was so confused—"Umeboshi and unagi? What are you talking about?"
This is a great example of why you should come. You get to experience the excitement of crossing language barriers! Some words defy literal translation and require creative explanations. It's also fun to relearn the exact meanings of Japanese words we thought we knew. These assumptions can surprise you, but that’s all part of the learning process.
Since I dropped the "teacher" title, I've become a happily ignorant learner! It’s so liberating. I’d much rather be open to learning new things than pretend to be a know-it-all. So if you decide to join us, don't worry about not being perfect! Be happy to learn from others.
3. It’s super affordable and welcoming
Lastly, my final pitch! As I mentioned, it only costs 500 yen per session. Can you believe it? Just 500 yen! You're welcome to bring your own drinks, or I can brew some coffee for you—it’s all covered by that 500 yen.
If you recently moved to Sapporo and are looking for friendly people to talk to or a new hobby, visiting our studio is the perfect way to check those off your to-do list.
Don't overthink it—just give it a try. We're all friendly and ready to chat. Let's socialize and learn together!
💡 Useful Expressions
1. Sour pickled plums (Umeboshi / 梅干し)
👉 "Traditional Japanese salted plums that are dried in the sun and have a sharp, sour taste."
2. Doyo-boshi (土用干し)
👉 "The tradition of drying pickled plums in the midsummer sun for three consecutive clear days to sterilize and enhance them."
3. Doyo-no-ushi (Midsummer Day of the Ox / 土用の丑の日)
👉 "A specific midsummer day in Japan when people traditionally eat grilled eel (unagi) to boost energy and beat the heat."
