Cherry Blossoms and Allergies: A Day at Shinjuku Gyoen

Cherry Blossoms and Allergies: A Day at Shinjuku Gyoen

Author: FluentFiction.org May 24, 2026 Duration: 15:19
Fluent Fiction - Japanese: Cherry Blossoms and Allergies: A Day at Shinjuku Gyoen
Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:
fluentfiction.com/ja/episode/2026-05-23-22-34-02-ja

Story Transcript:

Ja: 春の晴れた日、佐藤と恵美子は新宿御苑にやって来ました。
En: On a clear spring day, Sato and Emiko visited Shinjuku Gyoen.

Ja: 東京の中心にあり、桜が満開で、心地よい風が吹いています。
En: Located in the heart of Tokyo, the cherry blossoms were in full bloom, and a gentle breeze was blowing.

Ja: 二人は都会の喧騒を忘れ、自然の中でリフレッシュしたいと思っていました。
En: The two wanted to refresh themselves amid nature and forget the city's hustle and bustle.

Ja: しかし、佐藤には問題がありました。
En: However, Sato had a problem.

Ja: 彼は重度の花粉アレルギーを持っています。
En: He has a severe pollen allergy.

Ja: 今日、彼は薬を忘れてしまいました。
En: Today, he forgot his medication.

Ja: 「どうしよう...」と佐藤は心の中でつぶやきます。
En: "What should I do…" Sato muttered to himself.

Ja: 「あっちに珍しい花があるよ!」と恵美子は興奮して言います。
En: "Look, there's a rare flower over there!" Emiko said excitedly.

Ja: 彼女は自然を愛し、庭園を巡るのが大好きです。
En: She loves nature and enjoys exploring gardens.

Ja: 佐藤は「うん、行こう」と答えますが、不安を隠し切れません。
En: Sato replied, "Yeah, let's go," but he couldn't hide his anxiety.

Ja: 桜の花びらが舞い、清々しい春の香りが漂う中、佐藤の目はかゆくなり始めました。
En: Amid the swirling cherry blossom petals and the fresh scent of spring, Sato's eyes began to itch.

Ja: 鼻もむずむずし、くしゃみが出そうです。
En: His nose also tickled, and he felt a sneeze coming on.

Ja: ですが、恵美子の楽しそうな表情を見て、佐藤は何とか自分を押さえます。
En: However, seeing Emiko's delighted expression, Sato managed to hold himself back.

Ja: 「楽しんでもらいたいんだ」と彼は自分に言い聞かせます。
En: "I want her to enjoy herself," he told himself.

Ja: 二人は庭園の奥深くへ進むと、花粉の量はどんどん増していきます。
En: As the two ventured deeper into the garden, the amount of pollen increased.

Ja: 「佐藤さん、大丈夫?」と恵美子が尋ねました。
En: "Sato, are you okay?" Emiko asked.

Ja: 彼は少し迷った後、ついに口を開きました。
En: After hesitating for a moment, he finally spoke up.

Ja: 「実は...僕、花粉症なんだ。
En: "Actually... I have pollen allergies.

Ja: でも、今日は薬を家に忘れてきちゃって...」
En: But I forgot my medicine at home today..."

Ja: 恵美子は驚きましたが、すぐに笑いました。
En: Emiko was surprised but quickly laughed.

Ja: 「なんだ、そんなことなら最初から言ってよ。
En: "Oh, if that's the case, you should have said from the start.

Ja: もっとリラックスできる場所に行こう。」
En: Let's go somewhere you can relax more."

Ja: 佐藤はほっとしました。
En: Sato felt relieved.

Ja: 二人は園内のベンチに座り、少し離れたところから花を眺めました。
En: The two sat on a bench in the garden and admired the flowers from a distance.

Ja: 自然の美しさは遠くからでも十分に感じられました。
En: The beauty of nature was still plenty appreciable even from afar.

Ja: その日、佐藤は大切なことを学びました。
En: That day, Sato learned something important.

Ja: 「素直に言うことも、自分を守ることになるんだ」と感じました。
En: "Expressing oneself honestly can also be a way to protect oneself," he realized.

Ja: 恵美子も、誰かのために妥協することの大切さを理解しました。
En: Emiko too understood the importance of compromising for someone else.

Ja: 新宿御苑の木々が風に揺れる中、二人は微笑み、語り合いました。
En: As the trees of Shinjuku Gyoen swayed in the wind, the two smiled and talked.

Ja: 友情がさらに深まった一日でした。
En: It was a day when their friendship deepened even further.


Vocabulary Words:
  • rare: 珍しい
  • refresh: リフレッシュ
  • hustle and bustle: 喧騒
  • severe: 重度
  • allergy: アレルギー
  • muttered: つぶやいた
  • excitedly: 興奮して
  • anxiety: 不安
  • ventured: 進む
  • admired: 眺めた
  • appreciable: 感じられる
  • expressing: 素直に言う
  • protect: 守る
  • compromising: 妥協する
  • friendship: 友情
  • blossoms:...

Imagine settling in with a story, not a textbook, and finding your ear gradually tuning into the rhythms of everyday Japanese. That’s the experience at the heart of Fluent Fiction-Japanese. Each episode is built around a complete narrative told in clear, natural Japanese, immersing you in the language as it’s actually used. The real magic happens after the story ends, when the host walks through the entire tale again, line by line. This careful retelling alternates between Japanese and English, creating a bridge that solidifies your comprehension without needing to constantly reach for a dictionary. It’s a method grounded in the idea that true listening skills come from repeated, contextual exposure and active engagement with the material. Created by FluentFiction.org, this podcast turns passive listening into an active learning session, helping you to naturally absorb vocabulary, grammar, and sentence structure within the framework of engaging fiction. You’ll notice the patterns, catch the nuances, and build confidence in your ability to follow along, one story at a time.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

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