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Lisa and history of Nintendo

リサさんとニンテンドーのれきし

  • Theme: Pop_Culture

  • A1/N5beginner

  • Jun 13th, 2026

リサさんとニンテンドーのれきし

Introduction

Do you like video games? Many of the world's most famous games come from one Japanese company: Nintendo. But did you know that Nintendo is over 100 years old, and that it did not start with video games at all? In this story, Lisa from Canada visits a game shop with her friend Yuto and learns the surprising history of Nintendo.

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リサさんとニンテンドーのれきし

Lisa and history of Nintendo

  1. カナダからたリサさんが、ともだちのゆうとさんと、ゲームのおみせきます。
English Translation
  1. Lisa, who came from Canada, is going to a video game store with her friend Yuto.

  1. リサ「ゆうと、ニンテンドーは日本にほん会社かいしゃなの?」 ゆうと「うん、そうだよ。京都きょうとにあるんだ」
English Translation
  1. Lisa: Yuto, is Nintendo a Japanese company? Yuto: Yes, it is. It's based in Kyoto.

  1. リサ「らなかった!ニンテンドーのゲームがだいきなんだ」
English Translation
  1. Lisa: I didn't know that! I really love Nintendo video games.

  1. ゆうと「ニンテンドーは、とてもふる会社かいしゃだよ。1889ねんからあるんだ」
English Translation
  1. Yuto: Nintendo is a very old company. It’s been around since 1889.

  1. リサ「ええ!むかしもゲームをつくっていたの?」
English Translation
  1. Lisa: Wow! Did they make video games back then, too?

  1. ゆうと「ううん。むかしは、はなふだ(traditional Japanese cards)というカードをつくっていたよ」
English Translation
  1. Yuto: No. Long ago, they made cards called hanafuda (traditional Japanese cards).

  1. リサ「カードからゲームの会社かいしゃになったんだね。おもしろい!」
English Translation
  1. Lisa: So they went from cards to a video game company. That's interesting!

  1. ゆうと「うん。いま、ニンテンドーのゲームは、たくさんのくに人気にんきだよ」
English Translation
  1. Yuto: Right. Now, Nintendo video games are popular in many countries.

  1. リサ「マリオも、ニンテンドーのキャラクターだよね?」 ゆうと「そう!とても有名ゆうめいだよ」
English Translation
  1. Lisa: Mario is a Nintendo character too, right? Yuto: Yes! He's very famous.

  1. ゆうと「リサは、どのゲームがき?」 リサ「マリオが一番いちばんき」 ゆうと「いいね。じゃあ、あたらしいゲームをって、いっしょにあそぼう」
English Translation
  1. Yuto: Lisa, which video game do you like? Lisa: I like Mario the best. Yuto: Sounds good. Then let's buy a new video game and play together.

単語Vocabulary

  • to comeIrregular Verb

    カナダからともだちがます。

    My friend comes from Canada.

  • ともだち

    friendNoun

    ともだちとゲームをします。

    I play video games with my friend.

  • みせ

    storeNoun

    あたらしいおみせきます。

    I go to a new store.

  • to goU-Verb

    ともだちとおみせきます。

    I go to the store with my friend.

  • 会社かいしゃ

    companyNoun

    ニンテンドーは日本にほん会社かいしゃです。

    Nintendo is a Japanese company.

  • ゲーム

    video gameNoun

    わたしはゲームがきです。

    I like video games.

  • き(な)

    like, favoriteな-Adjective

    わたしはこのゲームがきです。

    I like this video game.

  • ふる

    oldい-Adjective

    これはとてもふる会社かいしゃです。

    This is a very old company.

  • むかし

    long agoNoun

    むかし、ここにおおきいやまがありました。

    Long ago, there was a big mountain here.

  • つく

    to makeU-Verb

    はははケーキをつくります。

    My mother makes a cake.

  • カード

    cardNoun

    カードをいます。

    I buy a card.

  • なる

    to becomeU-Verb

    おおきい会社かいしゃになりました。

    It became a big company.

  • という

    calledOther

    ピカチュウというポケモンがすきです。

    I like the Pokémon called Pikachu.

  • おもしろい

    interestingい-Adjective

    このほんはおもしろいです。

    This book is interesting.

  • いま

    nowNoun

    いま、ゲームをしています。

    I am playing a video game now.

  • たくさん

    a lot, manyAdverb

    ゲームがたくさんあります。

    There are a lot of video games.

  • くに

    countryNoun

    たくさんのくにともだちがいます。

    I have friends in many countries.

  • 人気にんき

    popularNoun

    このゲームは人気にんきです。

    This video game is popular.

  • キャラクター

    characterNoun

    きなキャラクターはだれですか。

    Who is your favorite character?

  • 有名ゆうめい(な)

    famousな-Adjective

    マリオはとても有名ゆうめいです。

    Mario is very famous.

  • どの

    whichOther

    どのゲームがきですか。

    Which video game do you like?

  • 一番いちばん

    the mostAdverb

    これが一番いちばんきです。

    I like this the most.

  • いっしょ

    togetherAdverb

    ともだちといっしょに学校がっこうきます。

    I'm going to school with my friends.

  • あそぶ

    to play, to hang outU-Verb

    ともだちとあそびます。

    I hang out with my friend.

  • あたらしい

    newい-Adjective

    あたらしいゲームをします。

    I'm going to play a new video game.

  • to buyU-Verb

    みせでゲームをいます。

    I buy a video game at the store.

質問Question

記事きじ内容ないようについてこたえてください

(Please answer the content of the article.)

  1. ニンテンドーは、日本にほんのどこにありますか。
  2. ニンテンドーは、むかしなにつくっていましたか。
  3. リサさんは、どのゲームが一番いちばんきですか。
English Translation
  1. Where is Nintendo located in Japan?
  2. What did Nintendo make long ago?
  3. Which video game does Lisa like the best?
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Natsumi Hayashi

Reviewer: Natsumi Hayashi

Japanese language educator with over 15 years of experience in higher education and curriculum development. She currently teaches at Knox College and advises language learning initiatives such as gokigen japanese. She has held teaching roles at institutions including Valdosta State University, and has a strong background in cultural programming, instructional design, and Japanese language education. Education: M.A. in Japanese (Pedagogy), Florida State University. Certification: Passed Japanese Language Teaching Competency Test. Completed the 420-hour Japanese Language Teacher Training Course.

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