After listening to J-pop songs this あきやすみ、I found a few songs that I liked and wanted to share.
Best Friend by Kiroro is a great song to listen to because this artist has really nice articulation so it is very easy to follow the lyrics. I found that a lot of J-pop songs have very wholesome lyrics and they are very relaxing.
未来へ(みらいへ) by Kiroro is one of the songs my mom introduced to me. I really like this song because it talks about a mother being excited to show her child her future.
Another song I enjoyed listening to is もののけ姫(もののけ=bad spirit, ひめ=princess)by 米良美一 (めら よしかず). The vocalist has such a diverse range that it gave me chills listening to it. This song is from a Studio Ghibli film, Princess Mononoke, and I remember watching this when I younger.
If you ever go to Japan, I highly recommend going to Family Mart(a popular convenience store) and buying their Spicy Famichiki. It is basically just spicy fried chicken, but it will seriously blow your mind.
Hi! My name is Mariko Jurcsak. I am so happy to say that I am a member of the Class of 2023 at Notre Dame! I was born in Yokosuka, Japan, but I was raised in Waipahu, Hawai'i (right outside of Honolulu). I enjoy dance (especially ballet and hula), acting, hiking, and traveling to Japan to visit family. My mom is from Japan, and I feel like I can connect with her more by learning the Japanese language and culture. I am so excited to have the opportunity to study Japanese at Notre Dame! Go Irish!!