In Episode 39 of the Kyodo News podcast, three journalists, Yamaguchi-san, Horiuchi-san, and Toma, delve into the world of cherry blossoms in Japan. They discuss the annual practice of viewing these beautiful flowers and how recent inflation has affected the amount of money spent on this tradition.
The trio shares their thoughts on cherry blossom viewing in Japan and where they have gone to witness this spectacle this year. The podcast also mentions an article about how inflation has impacted budgets for cherry blossom viewing in Japan.
The Kyodo News podcast is aimed at English learners and offers insights into news writing as well as translating tricky Japanese phrases into English. Listeners can enjoy hearing journalists discuss recent articles while sometimes veering off on unrelated tangents. Other episodes of the podcast cover topics such as Peruvian food, retro Japanese games, and Japan’s maglev train.
In one photograph featured in the podcast, people are shown admiring cherry blossoms in full bloom at an avenue stretching for 1 kilometer on Tokyo’s Meguro River. The scene is set with paper lanterns lit up on March 25, 2023, capturing the beauty and tradition of cherry blossom viewing in Japan.
Overall, the Kyodo News podcast provides a unique perspective on news writing and language learning while also shedding light on interesting cultural practices like cherry blossom viewing in Japan.
