I will deliver stories about "words" and "life" in easy Japanese.
I will talk gently and enjoyably about my town, Urawa, where I live, about Japanese culture, and about everyday events.



Kotonoha Mirai Radio

Why do some English words have an h that we don’t pronounce? Words like honest, hour, and heir keep their French spelling but not their French silence. In this episode, we explore how the Norman Conquest shaped English pronunciation, why some learners drop the h when they shouldn’t — or add it where it doesn’t belong — and how to master the correct use of this subtle sound. You’ll learn what the /h/ sound really is, why it disappears in certain words, and how to train your ear and speech to sound clearer and more natural.

British Pronunciation Tips 

The Silent H: A Gift from France

Hoy te comparto una de mis palabras favoritas en español: sobremesa. Hablamos de su significado cultural en México y de por qué representa algo más profundo que simplemente quedarse sentado después de comer.

Español con Sentido – Conversaciones reales y cercanas

Episodio 1 – La palabra "sobremesa"

はい、こんにちは。今回は Podcast の12回目です。12回目なんですけれども、今回初めてitalkiで配信することになったので、まずは簡単に説明をしたいと思います。

Hello, This is the podcast episode 12, and since this is the first time I’m going to be broadcasting on italki, I’d like to give a brief explanation first.

私の名前はMayunaです。2018年からitalkiで日本語を教えています。コミュニティに記事も投稿しています。ポッドキャストは去年の11月に始めました。私の日々の出来事を、日本人がよく使う自然な表現を使って、３分程度でお話ししてます。中級者向けぐらいの内容です。すべてのエピソードにトランスクリプトと英訳がついていて、グーグルポッドキャストでも聞くことができます。毎週更新しています。

My name is Mayuna and I’ve been teaching Japanese at italki since 2018. I also contribute articles to the community. I started the podcast last November. I talk about my daily life in about 3 minutes, using natural expressions commonly used by Japanese people. The content is for intermediate level users. All episodes have a transcript and English translation, and you can listen to them on Google Podcast. It is updated weekly.

今日はレッスンが午後からだったので、午前中はスーパーに買い物に行きました。この Podcast を録音するのが火曜日なので、その録音のために、私はいつものど飴を買います。のど飴というのは、世界中に同じようなものがあるかどうか分からないですけど、ハーブなどが入っている飴で、声がよく出るようにするものです。

Today’s lesson was in the afternoon, so I went to the supermarket in the morning to do some shopping. Since I record this podcast on Tuesdays, I always buy throat lozenges for the recording. I don’t know if there are similar products all over the world, but lozenges are candies that contain herbs and other ingredients to help you speak better.

最近いつも買っている飴の味に飽きてきたので、今日は違う飴を買ったんですね。今日買ったのど飴は蜂蜜と生姜が入っていて、添加物が入っていない、すごく美味しいものだったんですけど、美味しすぎて、普通におやつとして食べてしまうので、のど飴としてはあまりいい選択じゃなかったなと、少し後悔しています。そしてそのときになんとなく、ことわざを思い出しました。

I recently got tired of the taste of the lozenges I always buy, so I bought a different one today. The throat lozenges I bought today contained honey and ginger, no additives, and were very tasty, but they were so tasty that I ended up eating them as a regular snack, so I regretted a little that they were not a good choice for the original purpose. And then I somehow remembered a proverb.

View a full transcript: https://japanesemayuna.com/

Japanese Lessons with Mayuna

12. 良薬口に苦し

Today we are going to talk about number in bahasa Indonesia! 今天我们要学印尼语的数字！ 
List of today Vocabulary 今天的生词: 
Satu: 一 (One)
Dua: 二 (Two)
Tiga: 三 (Three)
Empat: 四 (Four)
Lima: 五 (Five)
Enam: 六 (Six)
Tujuh: 七 (Seven)
Delapan: 八 (Eight)
Sembilan: 九 (Nine)
Sepuluh: 十 (Ten)


Let's learn bahasa Indonesia！ 来跟我学习印尼语！

【数字1-10】ANGKA [NUMBER]

Why You Freeze in English: The Psychology of Language Learning

🎧 Have you ever felt like your English is perfect in your head… but the moment you open your mouth — it disappears?

You tell yourself it’s bad grammar, or not enough vocabulary. But the truth is… it’s not grammar at all.

It’s psychology.

In this episode, we’re going to explore what’s really happening in your mind when you speak another language — why emotions, memory, identity, and even your belief system decide whether your English flows or freezes.

You’ll discover why anxiety blocks your brain, how perfectionism slows you down, and how playfulness accelerates fluency.

And I’ll share what I’ve learned in over 20,000 coaching sessions with professionals around the world — from Russia to China to the Middle East — about how people truly unlock their global voice.

If you’ve ever doubted yourself in English… this episode will change the way you see language learning forever. Let’s dive in.


If today’s episode resonated with you, here’s what I want you to do next. Don’t just stop at listening — take action.

I’ve put together a free Voice Starter Kit with warm-ups and mindset shifts I usually only share with my private clients. It’s designed to lower your anxiety, boost your confidence, and help you sound clear and natural in English — even under pressure.

All you need to do is send me a quick DM with the word VOICE and I’ll send it straight to you.

Remember — your English is not just grammar and vocabulary. It’s your global identity. Let’s unlock it together.

Job Interview Preparation for Women Executives | Build CEO-Level Presence Under Pressure

Why You Freeze in English: The Psychology of Language Learning

Transcripción:
¿Qué es la creatividad para ti?
La capacidad para ver caminos inusuales, llegar a soluciones inesperadas, la capacidad para convertir los pequeños detalles en protagonistas, la capacidad para percibir texturas, formas, olores, sabores, sonidos de una manera profunda y poder producir muestras con aproximaciones de tu realidad mental o es un viaje que hace tu mente a lugares donde todo es posible. Yo percibo la creatividad como un viaje de libertad y un fuerte deseo de exploración y expansión humana. 


1 MINUTO en Español

Episodio 4: ¿Qué es la creatividad para ti?

"I practice and practice but I can't see any improvement! I feel stuck at the same level since a long time!" 
Are you currently asking yourself why you can't seem to move beyond your English level? Has this happened to you in the past?

In this episode, I provide you with 4 main strategies to overcome the "glass ceiling" or the challenge of feeling stuck at the same English level. 

Share what you think in the comments below!