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Fluent Fiction - Japanese

Fluent Fiction - Japanese

By: FluentFiction.org
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 Are you ready to supercharge your Japanese listening comprehension? Our podcast is the perfect tool for you.

Studies show that the key to mastering a second language is through repetition and active processing. That's why each episode of our podcast features a story in Japanese, followed by a sentence-by-sentence retelling that alternates between Japanese and English.

This approach not only allows you to fully understand and absorb the vocabulary and grammar but also provides a bilingual support to aid your listening comprehension.

But we don't stop there. Research in sociolinguistics highlights the importance of culture in language learning, which is why we provide a list of vocabulary words and a transcript of the audio to help you understand the cultural context of the story. And for your convenience, we also include a transcript of the audio to help you refer back to any parts you may have struggled with.

And our podcast is not just for language learners, it's also for travelers or people who want to connect with their roots. Are you planning a trip to Japan? Maybe you want to speak Japanese with your friends from Tokyo? Our podcast will give you the cultural and linguistic background to fully immerse in Japanese.

Our podcast is based on the latest research in linguistics, sociolinguistics, psychology, cognitive science, neuroscience, and education to provide the most effective method for mastering Japanese listening comprehension. Don't miss this opportunity, give our podcast a try and see the results for yourself.

今日から私たちの日本語のストーリーであなたのリスニング力を向上させましょう！Copyright FluentFiction.org Language Learning
Episodes
  • A Kyoto Love Quest: Harto's Delightful Surprise Journey

    A Kyoto Love Quest: Harto's Delightful Surprise Journey
    Oct 13 2025
    Fluent Fiction - Japanese: A Kyoto Love Quest: Harto's Delightful Surprise Journey Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/ja/episode/2025-10-13-22-34-02-ja Story Transcript:Ja: 秋の京都の街は、鮮やかな橙色と赤色に包まれていた。En: The streets of Kyoto in autumn were enveloped in vibrant orange and red hues.Ja: 木々の間からは柔らかな日差しが差し込み、落ち葉が道を埋め尽くしている。En: Soft sunlight streamed through the trees, and fallen leaves covered the path.Ja: そんな中、ハルトは意気揚々と東京の家を出発した。En: In this setting, Harto set off from his home in Tokyo with great enthusiasm.Ja: ハルトは、愛するアイコを驚かせようと考えた。En: Harto planned to surprise his beloved Aiko.Ja: 彼は自分で手紙を書き、直接手渡ししたかったのだ。En: He wanted to hand-deliver a letter he had written himself.Ja: しかし、彼の字は下手だった。En: However, his handwriting was poor.Ja: 住所を書いた手紙を封筒に入れる際、少し間違えてしまったが彼は気にしなかった。En: While placing the letter with the address into the envelope, he made a small mistake but didn’t worry about it.Ja: 「大丈夫、大丈夫」とハルトは自分に言い聞かせ、京都行きの新幹線に乗った。En: “It’s fine, it’s fine,” Harto reassured himself as he boarded the Shinkansen to Kyoto.Ja: その間、アイコはハルトからの音沙汰がないことに少し不安を感じていた。En: Meanwhile, Aiko felt a bit anxious due to the lack of news from Harto.Ja: 「もう別れようとしているのかしら？」と不安になり、彼の親友にメッセージを送った。En: “Could he be planning to break up?” she worried and sent a message to his close friend.Ja: 一方で、ハルトは予定通り京都に到着した。En: On the other hand, Harto arrived in Kyoto as planned.Ja: しかし、住所が間違っていたことに気づかずに訪れた家には、奇妙なまなざしを向けるおばあさんがいた。En: However, unaware of the address mistake, he visited a house where an elderly woman gave him a strange look.Ja: 「どうしてここに？」老人は笑いながら、ハルトの手紙を興味深く眺めた。En: “What are you doing here?” the old lady asked with a laugh, glancing at Harto's letter with interest.Ja: 「若い人たちの愛は面白いわね。」En: “Young people's love is amusing.”Ja: ハルトは状況を説明した。En: Harto explained the situation.Ja: おばあさんは親切にも、本当の住所まで案内してくれることになった。En: The old lady kindly offered to guide him to the correct address.Ja: その頃、アイコはハルトの親友から届いた「今日、ハルトは京都に行っているらしい」との一文を読み、驚いた。En: Around that time, Aiko read a message from Harto’s friend saying, “Apparently, Harto is going to Kyoto today,” and she was surprised.Ja: 最終的に、ハルトはアイコの家に到着した。後ろには手を振りながら応援するおばあさん。En: Eventually, Harto arrived at Aiko's house, with the old lady waving supportively behind him.Ja: 「ごめんね、住所を間違えちゃって。でも、これが俺の気持ちだよ」と彼はアイコに手紙を手渡した。En: “Sorry, I messed up the address. But this is how I feel,” he said, handing her the letter.Ja: アイコは笑顔になり、「あなた、本当にいつも私を驚かせるわ。でも、今度はちゃんと連絡してね」と優しく言った。En: Aiko smiled and said gently, “You always manage to surprise me. But next time, please make sure to contact me.”Ja: ハルトはうなずき、今後はもっと計画的で、はっきりとした通信を心に決めたのだった。En: Harto nodded and resolved to communicate more planfully and clearly in the future.Ja: アイコもまた、ハルトの不器用な優しさには価値があると再認識した。En: Aiko, too, realized anew the value of Harto’s clumsy kindness.Ja: 秋の静かな風景の中、二人は手を繋ぎ、少しだけ成長を感じ、そして互いの存在を改めて大切に思った。En: Amid the quiet autumn landscape, the two held hands, feeling a bit more grown and cherishing each other’s presence anew. Vocabulary Words:enveloped: 包まれていたvibrant: 鮮やかなhues: 色streamed: 差し込みenthusiasm: 意気揚々beloved: 愛するhand-deliver: 手渡しhandwriting: 字reassured: 言い聞かせanxious: 不安elderly: 老人strange: 奇妙なamusing: 面白いexplained: 説明したkindly: 親切にもguide: 案内してくれるsupportively: 応援するmess: 間違えちゃってresolved: 心に決めたplanfully: 計画的でcherishing: 大切に思...
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    14 mins
  • Embracing Change: A Journey from Routine to Renewal

    Embracing Change: A Journey from Routine to Renewal
    Oct 13 2025
    Fluent Fiction - Japanese: Embracing Change: A Journey from Routine to Renewal Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/ja/episode/2025-10-13-07-38-20-ja Story Transcript:Ja: 秋のある朝、東京駅はいつものように混雑していた。En: One autumn morning, Tokyo Station was as crowded as usual.Ja: 人々は急いで電車に乗り込み、忙しそうに行き交っていた。En: People hurried to board the trains, bustling about with a busy air.Ja: 空気はひんやりとしていて、イチョウの木々は黄金色の葉を落としていた。En: The atmosphere was chilly, and the ginkgo trees were shedding their golden leaves.Ja: ヒロシは、毎日のように変わらない日々を過ごしていた。En: Hiroshi was spending his days in an unchanging routine, as he did every day.Ja: 30代半ばのサラリーマンで、安定した生活を送っていた。En: He was a salaried worker in his mid-30s, leading a stable life.Ja: しかし、彼の心はどこか満たされていなかった。En: However, his heart felt unfulfilled.Ja: 「何かを変えたい」と感じているが、どうやって始めればいいのかわからなかった。En: He felt the desire to "change something," but he didn't know how to start.Ja: その時、ホームで人混みの中から懐かしい顔を見つけた。En: At that moment, he spotted a familiar face in the crowd on the platform.Ja: ユキだった。En: It was Yuki.Ja: 彼女は昔の友人で、フリーランスのカメラマンとして活躍していた。En: She was an old friend and was thriving as a freelance photographer.Ja: 彼女は常に新しいことに挑戦するのが好きで、自然な笑顔とともにヒロシに近づいた。En: She always liked to take on new challenges and approached Hiroshi with her natural smile.Ja: 「ヒロシ！久しぶり！」ユキは笑いながら声をかけた。En: "Hiroshi! Long time no see!" Yuki called out with a laugh.Ja: 「ユキ！本当に久しぶりだね。元気だった？」ヒロシは驚きと喜びでいっぱいだった。En: "Yuki! It has really been a long time. How have you been?" Hiroshi was filled with surprise and joy.Ja: 二人はしばらく互いの近況を話していた。En: The two spent some time catching up with each other.Ja: ユキは最近撮影した素晴らしい景色や、新しいプロジェクトについて話し続けた。En: Yuki kept talking about the amazing landscapes she had recently photographed and her new projects.Ja: 彼女の話を聞いているうちに、ヒロシは彼女の自由な生き方に触発されていた。En: As he listened to her stories, Hiroshi was inspired by her free-spirited way of life.Ja: 駅のアナウンスが次の電車の到着を知らせた。En: The station announcement notified the arrival of the next train.Ja: その時、ユキは突然提案した。「ねえ、今週末、一緒に写真を撮りに行かない？素晴らしい景色があるところを知ってるの！」En: At that moment, Yuki suddenly suggested, "Hey, why don't we go out this weekend to take some photos? I know a place with a great view!"Ja: ヒロシの心は揺れた。En: Hiroshi's heart wavered.Ja: 仕事もあるし、計画もなかった。En: He had work and no plans.Ja: だが、ユキと一緒に過ごした青春の思い出がよみがえる。En: However, memories of youthful days spent with Yuki resurfaced.Ja: 「何か新しいことを始めなければ」と心のどこかで囁いていた。En: Somewhere in his heart, there was a whisper saying, "I need to start something new."Ja: 電車がホームに滑り込んでくる。En: The train slid into the platform.Ja: ヒロシは決意した。En: Hiroshi made up his mind.Ja: 彼は大きく息を吸い込み、ユキに微笑んで言った。「行こう。新しいことに挑戦してみるよ。」En: He took a deep breath, smiled at Yuki, and said, "Let's go. I'll try something new."Ja: その瞬間、ヒロシの中で何かが変わった。En: In that moment, something changed within Hiroshi.Ja: 完璧ではない人生でも、少しの勇気と冒険心があれば、新しい自分を見つけられるかもしれない。En: Even in an imperfect life, with a little courage and a spirit of adventure, he might be able to find a new self.Ja: 彼はユキと一緒に電車に乗り込み、未知の旅路へと向かった。En: He boarded the train with Yuki, heading towards an unknown journey.Ja: 秋風が吹き抜けるホームを後にしながら、ヒロシは未来の可能性に胸を躍らせた。En: As they left the platform with the autumn wind blowing through, Hiroshi's heart was filled with excitement about the possibilities of the future.Ja: 彼は初めて、本当の意味で自分を探す旅に出る準備ができていた。En: For the first time, he was truly ...
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    16 mins
  • Embrace Your Dreams: An Autumn Tale of Passion and Choice

    Embrace Your Dreams: An Autumn Tale of Passion and Choice
    Oct 12 2025
    Fluent Fiction - Japanese: Embrace Your Dreams: An Autumn Tale of Passion and Choice Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/ja/episode/2025-10-12-22-34-02-ja Story Transcript:Ja: 秋のある午後、ハルトとユキはサバンナ川沿いを歩いていました。En: One autumn afternoon, Harto and Yuki were walking along the Savanna River.Ja: 川の流れは穏やかで、カラフルな秋の葉が一緒に風に舞っていました。En: The flow of the river was calm, and colorful autumn leaves danced in the wind.Ja: 石畳の道は、散歩や反省をするのにぴったりな場所でした。En: The cobblestone path was a perfect place for a walk and reflection.Ja: ハルトは悩んでいました。En: Harto was troubled.Ja: 彼は安定した仕事に就いていましたが、自分の情熱を追いたくなっていました。En: He had a stable job, but he wanted to pursue his passion.Ja: 「情熱を追うべきか、安定を選ぶべきか」と常に考えていました。En: He constantly thought, "Should I chase my passion, or should I choose stability?"Ja: ユキはエネルギッシュで楽観的です。En: Yuki was energetic and optimistic.Ja: 「ハルト、近頃どうして元気がないの？」とユキが聞きました。En: "Harto, why have you seemed down lately?" Yuki asked.Ja: 「少し心配なんだ。何か問題でもあるの？」En: "I'm a bit worried. Is there something wrong?"Ja: ハルトはため息をつき、勇気を出して言いました。「仕事に悩んでいるんだ。En: Harto sighed and, gathering his courage, said, "I'm struggling with my job.Ja: 夢を追いたいけど、安定も大事なんだ。En: I want to pursue my dreams, but stability is important too.Ja: どうすればいいのか、わからなくて」En: I don't know what to do."Ja: ユキは明るく答えました。「人生は一度きりだよ、ハルト！En: Yuki replied brightly, "You only live once, Harto!Ja: 情熱を追うのを怖がらないで。En: Don't be afraid to chase your passion.Ja: リスクを取ることで、本当に欲しいものが見つかるかもしれないよ」En: By taking risks, you might find what you truly want."Ja: ユキの言葉は、ハルトの心を揺さぶりました。En: Yuki's words stirred something in Harto's heart.Ja: 彼は自分の気持ちを素直に語り始めました。En: He began to speak honestly about his feelings.Ja: 「安定は安心だけど、退屈も感じるんだ。En: "Stability is comforting, but I also feel bored.Ja: 心の底から幸せじゃない気がする」En: I don't think I'm truly happy deep down."Ja: ユキは頷きました。En: Yuki nodded.Ja: 「新しい挑戦は怖いけど、やってみてわかることもあるよ。En: "New challenges are scary, but you learn things by trying.Ja: それに、いつでも戻ることはできる」En: Besides, you can always go back if you need to."Ja: この友人の元気な言葉に触発され、ハルトは決心を固めました。En: Inspired by his friend's energetic words, Harto made up his mind.Ja: 「ユキ、ありがとう。En: "Thank you, Yuki.Ja: よし、やってみるよ！夢に向かってチャレンジする！」En: Alright, I'll go for it! I'll challenge myself and pursue my dream!"Ja: 二人は美しい景色を眺めながら、笑顔で未来の展望を話し合いました。En: As they looked at the beautiful scenery, the two talked with smiles about their future outlooks.Ja: ハルトは心の中で新しい希望を感じ、ユキの支えに感謝しました。En: Harto felt a new hope in his heart and was grateful for Yuki's support.Ja: 彼は今、恐れずに一歩を踏み出そうとしていました。En: He was now ready to take a step forward without fear.Ja: 川の流れは、彼の新たな決意を祝福しているかのように、ゆっくりと続いていました。En: The flow of the river continued slowly, as if blessing his new resolve.Ja: ハルトの心もまた、その流れに乗って静かに進んでいく決意を固めていました。En: Harto's heart, too, was firmly set on quietly moving forward with that flow. Vocabulary Words:autumn: 秋reflection: 反省cobblestone: 石畳troubled: 悩んでいましたstable: 安定したpursue: 追うpassion: 情熱courage: 勇気struggling: 悩んでいるstability: 安定optimistic: 楽観的energetic: エネルギッシュrisks: リスクbored: 退屈challenges: 挑戦inspired: 触発されsupport: 支えresolve: 決意outlooks: 展望scenery: 景色sigh: ため息afraid: 怖がらないgrateful: 感謝honestly: 素直にfear: 恐れfirmly: 固めてcalm: 穏やかdanced: 舞っていましたlearn: わかるblessing: 祝福
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    14 mins
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