Easy Japanese news in translation: Torches herald spring at Nara’s Todai-ji temple

Kagotaimatsu torches, each measuring about 8 meters long, were lit at the Omizutori event held on the night of March 12 at Todai-ji temple’s Nigatsu-do hall in the city of Nara. The event heralds the arrival of spring. The torches are the largest ones used at this event. Omizutori has been held without interruption since the completion of the Great Buddha in 752. This year marked the 1,273rd time the event has been held.

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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