📖 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
Sakura and Sumire are walking
home from school.
さくらとすみれが、
学校からの帰り道を歩いている。
Sakura to Sumire ga,
gakkou kara no kaerimichi o aruite iru.
Is it just me,
or is it already getting dark? 🤔
なんだか、
もう暗くなってきてない？🤔
Nandaka,
mou kuraku natte kite nai? 🤔
It’s still early evening, though.
まだ夕方なのにね。
Mada yuugata na noni ne.
around this time not long ago.
もっと明るかったのになぁ。
motto akarukatta no ni naa.
the sun sets earlier, too.
日が沈むのも早くなるね。
hi ga shizumu no mo hayaku naru ne.
Even though it’s the same time,
it feels like the day is shorter.
同じ時間なのに、
一日が短くなった気がするよね。
Onaji jikan na noni,
ichinichi ga mijikaku natta ki ga suru yo ne.
I know what you mean! 😊
それ、ちょっとわかる！😊
Sore, chotto wakaru! 😊
even earlier in winter. 🤔
もっと早く暗くなるのかな？🤔
motto hayaku kuraku naru no kana? 🤔
the hours of daylight get shorter, meow.
Around the winter solstice,
we have the shortest daylight hours of the year, meow.
But that doesn’t mean the whole day gets shorter, meow! 🐾
昼間の時間は短くなっていくにゃー。
冬至のころは、
一年で昼間がいちばん短くなるんだにゃー。
でも、一日が短くなるわけじゃないにゃー！🐾
hiruma no jikan wa mijikaku natte iku nyaa.
Touji no koro wa,
ichinen de hiruma ga ichiban mijikaku naru n da nyaa.
Demo, ichinichi ga mijikaku naru wake ja nai nyaa! 🐾
So the nights get longer! 😊
じゃあ、夜が長くなるんだね！😊
Jaa, yoru ga nagaku naru n da ne! 😊
Maybe I’ll take my time
and enjoy the autumn evenings! 😆
秋の夜を、
のーんびり楽しもうかなぁ！😆
Aki no yoru o,
noonbiri tanoshimou kanaa! 😆
So you’re going to take it easy after all! 🤣
結局、のんびりするのね！🤣
Kekkyoku, nonbiri suru no ne! 🤣
I hope you both enjoy
the long autumn nights, meow! 🐾
But make sure you both get home
before it gets dark, meow. 🐾
秋の夜長も、
楽しんでほしいにゃー！🐾
二人とも暗くなる前に早く帰るにゃ🐾
Aki no yonaga mo,
tanoshinde hoshii nyaa! 🐾
Futari tomo kuraku naru mae ni hayaku kaeru nya. 🐾
💭 Story Note
🌸 Autumn Evenings in Japan
In Japan, the days become shorter
as autumn turns into winter.
In November, the sun sets earlier,
and it can already be getting dark
when students are walking home from school.
This small change can make people feel
that the whole day has become shorter.
But a day is still 24 hours long.
It is the hours of daylight that change.
🌷 秋の夜長 (Aki no Yonaga)
In Japanese, we have the expression
“秋の夜長” (aki no yonaga).
It means “the long nights of autumn.”
As the nights grow longer,
people may enjoy spending quiet time at home.
Reading a book, listening to music,
or simply relaxing can feel especially nice
on a peaceful autumn evening.
The expression is not just about time.
It can also bring to mind
the calm and gentle feeling of autumn.
🐈 A Gentle Reminder
In the story, Hachi tells Sakura and Sumire
to get home before it gets dark.
His words are not meant to be strict.
He wants the two girls
to enjoy their evening and get home safely.
Sometimes, a simple reminder
can be a way of showing that you care.
📚 Vocabulary
to get dark
暗くなる
kuraku naru
evening; late afternoon
夕方
yuugata
to set (the sun)
日が沈む
hi ga shizumu
daytime; daylight hours
昼間
hiruma
long autumn nights
秋の夜長
aki no yonaga
🌸 Language Tip｜暗くなる (kuraku naru)
In Japanese, “暗くなる” means “to get dark.”
It is a common expression
when the sky starts getting darker
in the evening.
Let’s look at the two parts.
・暗い (kurai) — dark
・なる (naru) — to become
When “暗い” changes to “暗く”
and joins “なる,”
it describes a change.
The sky is becoming dark.
“暗くなる” is useful in everyday conversation.
You can use it when you notice
that evening is coming
or when you want someone
to get home before dark.
🌷 Examples
もう暗くなってきたね。
Mou kuraku natte kita ne.
It’s already getting dark.
暗くなる前に帰ろう。
Kuraku naru mae ni kaerou.
Let’s go home before it gets dark.
🔰 Mix Words and Feel Their Meaning｜ことばを混ぜて、感覚をつかもう
To get dark
“暗くなる” describes the change
from light to dark.
Imagine the evening sky
slowly becoming darker.
Let’s mix Japanese into English! 😊
① It’s starting to 暗くなる.
② In autumn, it begins to 暗くなる earlier.
③ Let’s go home before 暗くなる. 🐾
🌸 Feel the meaning
“暗くなる” is not just about darkness.
It describes the change
as the sky becomes darker.
You can use it to notice the evening
or gently remind someone
to get home before dark.
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