📖 Study Guide
Learn Japanese through stories.
These stories include Japanese culture,
daily life, travel experiences,
and conversations between people.
1. Read the English text.
2. Read the Japanese text.
3. Use Romaji if needed.
4. Review the vocabulary.
🌸 Story
On their way home from school,
Sakura and Sumire are walking
under trees with bright red leaves.
学校からの帰り道。
さくらとすみれが、赤く色づいた
街路樹の下を歩いている。
Gakkou kara no kaerimichi.
Sakura to Sumire ga, akaku irozuita
gairoju no shita o aruite iru.
Are momiji and kaede
the same thing?
もみじとカエデって、
同じなの？
Momiji to kaede tte,
onaji na no?
I think they’re in the same family…
同じ仲間だったと思うけど……。
Onaji nakama datta to omou kedo…
do they have different names? 🤔
なんで名前が違うの？🤔
nande namae ga chigau no? 🤔
I wonder why, too.
なんでだろうね。
nande darou ne.
Maybe a momiji grows up
and becomes a kaede? 😆
じゃあ、もみじが大きくなると
カエデになるとか？😆
Jaa, momiji ga ookiku naru to
kaede ni naru toka? 😆
I don’t think that’s how it works! 🤣
それは違うと思うよ！🤣
Sore wa chigau to omou yo! 🤣
Then maybe
a momiji is
a baby kaede? 🤔
じゃあ、
カエデの赤ちゃんが
もみじなのかな？🤔
Jaa,
kaede no akachan ga
momiji na no kana? 🤔
and starts looking something up.
何かを調べ始める。
nanika o shirabe hajimeru.
What are you looking at?
何見てるの？
Nani miteru no?
That’s what I asked! 🤣
って。🤣
tte. 🤣
Don’t ask it
my question word for word! 🤣
私の質問、
そのまま聞かないでよー！🤣
Watashi no shitsumon,
sono mama kikanai de yoo! 🤣
it was such a funny question! 😆
面白かったんだもん！😆
omoshirokatta n da mon! 😆
💭 Story Note
In Japan, you may hear two names
for trees with beautiful autumn leaves:
「もみじ」 (momiji)
and 「カエデ」 (kaede).
Are they different trees?
Actually, momiji trees
belong to the maple group.
In everyday Japanese,
trees with deeply divided,
hand-shaped leaves
are often called 「もみじ」.
「カエデ」 is a broader name
used for maple trees.
The word 「もみじ」 is connected
to the Japanese idea of leaves
changing color in autumn.
In English, we usually use
the word “maple” for these trees.
You may also hear “Japanese maple”
when talking about certain
Japanese maple species.
And here’s a fun connection!
Maple syrup comes from
the sap of maple trees.
The syrup is usually made
from species such as the sugar maple,
rather than the Japanese maples
we often admire for their autumn colors.
So a tree admired for its leaves
and a sweet syrup on pancakes
are connected by the word “maple”! 🍁
Next time you hear 「もみじ」 or 「カエデ」,
remember that these Japanese names
can describe different ways
of looking at the maple family.
📚 Vocabulary
Here are some words and expressions from this story.
| English | Japanese | Romaji |
|---|---|---|
| Japanese maple / colorful autumn leaves | もみじ | momiji |
| maple tree | カエデ | kaede |
| the same | 同じ | onaji |
| to look something up / to check | 調べる | shiraberu |
| answer | 答え | kotae |
### Language Tip: Momiji and Kaede
Today’s focus is 「もみじ」 (momiji).
In Japanese, 「もみじ」 often refers to
maple trees with beautifully shaped leaves,
especially when we enjoy their autumn colors.
「カエデ」 (kaede) is a broader word
for maple trees.
These names are closely connected,
but they are not always used
in exactly the same way.
Here are two everyday examples:
「もみじがきれいだね。」
Momiji ga kirei da ne.
“The maple leaves are beautiful.”
「この木はカエデかな？」
Kono ki wa kaede kana?
“I wonder if this tree is a maple.”
You may hear 「もみじ」 when people talk about
beautiful autumn leaves.
And you may hear 「カエデ」 when people
talk about the kind of tree.
The easiest way to remember them is
to imagine a maple tree in autumn.
One tree,
two Japanese names,
and a beautiful season! 🍁
🔰 Mix Words and Feel Their Meaning｜ことばを混ぜて、感覚をつかもう
Today’s Japanese word is
「もみじ」 (momiji).
It often brings to mind
beautiful maple leaves in autumn.
Let’s mix it into English!
“The もみじ in the park is beautiful!”
“Look! That もみじ is turning red!”
“I found a pretty もみじ on the ground!”
You don’t need perfect Japanese
or perfect English here.
Just imagine the scene.
A tree with colorful leaves.
A red leaf on the ground.
A lovely autumn walk.
You may also hear
「カエデ」 (kaede).
Both words are connected to maple trees,
but they are not always used
in exactly the same way.
When you hear 「もみじ」,
try to picture
a beautiful maple leaf.
One little word
can bring a whole autumn scene
to mind. 🍁
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