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Let's Visit a Senbei Shop

せんべいの店(みせ)へ行(い)こう

  • Theme: Daily_life_Meals

  • A2/N4elementary

  • Oct 9th, 2026

せんべいの店[みせ]へ行[い]こう

Introduction

Have you ever crunched into a senbei, one of Japan's classic rice crackers? These savory snacks come in many flavors — from soy sauce to salt — and they pair perfectly with a warm cup of green tea. In this story, Emma visits a small, old senbei shop with her friend Yuki and learns how the crackers are made. She even gets to grill one herself! Let's join them and pick up some useful Japanese words along the way.

記事(Article)

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AI-Generated Voice

せんべいの店(みせ)へ行(い)こう

Let's Visit a Senbei Shop

  1. エマさんは日本(にほん)を旅行(りょこう)しています。 今日(きょう)は友(とも)だちのゆきさんと、せんべいの店(みせ)に来(き)ました。
English Translation
  1. Emma is traveling around Japan. Today she came to a senbei (rice cracker) shop with her friend Yuki.

  1. 店(みせ)に入(はい)ると、いいにおいがしました。 たなには、いろいろなせんべいがならんでいます。
English Translation
  1. When they entered the shop, they noticed a pleasant aroma. Various kinds of senbei were lined up on the shelves.

  1. 「せんべいは何(なに)からできているの?」とエマさんが聞(き)きました。 「お米(こめ)からできているんだよ」とゆきさんが答(こた)えました。
English Translation
  1. Emma asked, “What are senbei made from?” Yuki answered, “They're made from rice.”

  1. せんべいには、しょうゆ味(あじ)やしお味(あじ)など、いろいろな味(あじ)のせんべいがあります。 まる、ほし、四(し)かくなど、かたちもいろいろあります。 エマさんは「どのせんべいも、おいしそうだね」と言(い)いました。
English Translation
  1. There are many different flavors of senbei, including soy sauce and salt. There are also many different shapes, such as circles, stars, and squares. “All of these senbei look delicious,” Emma said.

  1. ゆきさんは「せんべいは、コンビニとかデパートとかいろいろなところで売(う)られているし、高(たか)くないから、とても身近(みぢか)なおかしなんだよ」と言(い)いました。
English Translation
  1. Yuki said, “Senbei are sold in many places, such as convenience stores and department stores, and they aren’t expensive, so they’re a very common snack.”

  1. この店(みせ)では、自分(じぶん)でせんべいをやくことができます。 エマさんも、やってみることにしました。
English Translation
  1. At this shop, you can grill senbei yourself. Emma decided to give it a try too.

  1. やくのはむずかしかったです。 少(すこ)しやきすぎてしまいましたが、やいたせんべいはパリパリで、とてもおいしかったです。
English Translation
  1. It was difficult to grill them. She grilled them a little too much, but the senbei she made were crispy and really delicious.

  1. エマさんは、家族(かぞく)へのおみやげに、せんべいを買(か)いました。 そして、「日本(にほん)のおかしはおもしろいなあ」と思(おも)いました。
English Translation
  1. Emma bought some senbei as souvenirs for her family. Then she thought, “Japanese snacks are really interesting.”

単語(Vocabulary)

  • 店(みせ)

    store(Noun)

    あの店(みせ)なら、おいしいパンが買(か)えます。

    If you go to that store, you can buy delicious bread.

  • 旅行(りょこう)する

    to travel(Irregular Verb)

    来月(らいげつ)、京都(きょうと)に旅行(りょこう)します。

    I will travel to Kyoto next month.

  • におい

    smell, scent(Noun)

    パン屋(や)さんから、いいにおいがします。

    A nice smell comes from the bakery.

  • いろいろな

    various(な-Adjective)

    わたしは、いろいろな国(くに)の料理(りょうり)を食(た)べてみたいです。

    I want to try food from various countries.

  • ならぶ

    to line up, to be in a row(U-Verb)

    店(みせ)にたくさんの本(ほん)がならんでいます。

    Many books are lined up in the shop.

  • お米(こめ)

    rice (uncooked)(Noun)

    日本人(にほんじん)は、お米(こめ)をよく食(た)べます。

    Japanese people often eat rice.

  • 答(こた)える

    to answer(Ru-Verb)

    先生(せんせい)の質問(しつもん)に答(こた)えます。

    I answer the teacher's question.

  • しょうゆ

    soy sauce(Noun)

    さしみにしょうゆをつけて食(た)べます。

    I dip sashimi in soy sauce and eat it.

  • 味(あじ)

    taste, flavor(Noun)

    この店(みせ)には、いろいろな味(あじ)のパンがあります。

    This store has bread in many different flavors.

  • しゅるい

    kind, type(Noun)

    この店(みせ)には、いろいろなしゅるいのお茶(ちゃ)があります。

    This shop has many kinds of tea.

  • 身近(みぢか)(な)

    common(な-Adjective)

    せんべいは身近(みぢか)なおかしです。

    Senbei is a common snack.

  • おかし

    sweets, snack(Noun)

    子(こ)どもはおかしが大好(だいす)きです。

    Children love sweets.

  • 自分(じぶん)

    oneself(Noun)

    自分(じぶん)で料理(りょうり)を作(つく)ります。

    I cook by myself.

  • やく

    to grill, to bake(U-Verb)

    母(はは)はキッチンでパンをやきます。

    My mother bakes bread in the kitchen.

  • 家族(かぞく)

    family(Noun)

    わたしの家族(かぞく)は四人(よにん)家族(かぞく)です。

    My family has four people.

  • おみやげ

    souvenir(Noun)

    友(とも)だちに、京都(きょうと)のおみやげを買(か)いました。

    I bought my friend a souvenir from Kyoto.

質問(Question)

記事(きじ)の内容(ないよう)について答(こた)えてください

(Please answer the questions about the article.)

  1. エマさんは、だれとせんべいのお店(みせ)に行(い)きましたか。
  2. せんべいは、何(なに)から作(つく)られていますか。
  3. ゆきさんは、せんべいをどうするとおいしいと言(い)いましたか。
  4. エマさんは、家族(かぞく)のために何(なに)を買(か)いましたか。
English Translation
  1. Who did Emma go to the senbei shop with?
  2. What is senbei made from?
  3. What did Yuki say would make senbei taste good?
  4. What did Emma buy for her family?
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Author: gokigen japanese

gokigen japanese is an online Japanese tutoring service launched in 2023. Flexible, interactive, and culture-rich, gokigen japanese supports learners at all levels with bilingual Japanese tutors. Over 1,000 students from 30+ countries have used our 300+ original materials, including grammar guides and cultural content. gokigen japanese was founded by Hirofumi Naramura, a Kyoto University graduate and former Project Leader at the Boston Consulting Group (2010–2020). The service has received recognition such as the Chiyoda CULTURE x TECH Award 2024 and acceptance into NEXs Tokyo, a startup program by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government.


Chihiro Hanami

Reviewer: Chihiro Hanami

Japanese native and language educator with about 10 years of experience teaching and developing courses and materials. She studied and taught in 5 different countries. Her most recent teaching role was at University of Pennsylvania in the U.S. Other than teaching all levels of Japanese in various settings from personal tutoring to college courses, she also has experience writing articles about Japanese language and culture and teaching English. Education: M.A. in Japanese pedagogy, Purdue University. B.A from the school of Japanese language and culture, Tsukuba University.

Image Credits:
photo AC, illust AC,AI-generated images
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