Easy Japanese news in translation: Sanriku Railway celebrates 40th anniversary

The Sanriku Railway, which runs along the coast of Iwate Prefecture, celebrated its 40th anniversary on April 1. A commemorative train ran with a special plate on the front. Residents greeted the train at stations waving flags. The Sanriku Railway suffered heavy damage in the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake. It gained attention as a filming location for the NHK drama “Amachan,” which aired in 2013.

Japanese original

The easy Japanese news is taken from the Mainichi Shogakusei Shimbun, a newspaper for children. This is perfect material for anyone studying Japanese who has learned hiragana and katakana. We encourage beginners to read the article in English followed by Japanese, or vice versa, to test their comprehension.

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Intermediate learners who do not need English assistance can directly access the Mainichi Shogakusei Shimbun site here . Furigana (hiragana) is added to all kanji in the text.