Conversation Topic: Spring, Allergies, and Cherry Blossoms

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For many of us and our students, spring is in the air! How does this affect our students? What questions can we ask to spark discussion? Today, we’ll go into plenty of spring-related topics and cover relevant vocabulary (bolded) your students will be delighted to learn.

Spring Equinox Day in Japan 🌱

The spring equinox is the day in March when day and night become the same in length. You might also know it as the vernal equinox.

This day also marks the start of spring in the northern hemisphere, so it’s perhaps understandable that our students in Japan get a day off for it. This year, it falls on Saturday, March 20th.

Are there any spring equinox traditions in your country?
What do you plan to do with your time off?
Why do you think spring equinox is a holiday in Japan?

For more ideas, check out our Daily News article on spring equinox celebrations around the world.

Pollen Allergies in Japan and South Korea 🤧

“Spring is in the air,” but unfortunately so is pollen, which makes this season extremely unpleasant for those with “hay fever,” also known as “seasonal allergies.”

In Japan, pollen allergies affect as many as 1 in 4 people. They even cost the Japanese economy $1.8 billion USD in 2018.

Pollen being released from a Japanese cedar tree, one of the main species responsible for allergies in Japan.

And in South Korea, more and more people are developing hay fever each year. So don’t be surprised if you see students sneezing during lessons!

Do you have pollen allergies? If so, what do you do about them? (E.g. Do you wear face masks or take any medication?)
Are you allergic to anything else? What’s the most annoying part about having allergies?

For more ideas, check out the Daily News article, “Why Do So Many People Suffer From Hay Fever?” as well as the Health & Lifestyle lesson, “I Have Allergies.”

Cherry Blossom Season 🌸

Now onto something more pleasant. The arrival of spring also means that Japan’s cherry blossom season is coming.

In addition to being a sign of spring, cherry blossoms have long been celebrated in Japanese culture for their fleeting beauty — the flowers don’t last long after blooming.

Cherry blossoms in Tokyo in an early 20th century postcard and a photo from 2019

Because cherry blossom season overlaps with graduation season as well as the start of the new fiscal and school year, cherry blossoms are a symbol of both farewells and new beginnings.

What is your favorite part of the cherry blossom season? What is your least favorite part?
Why do you think cherry blossoms are so famous in Japan?
Do you like cherry blossoms? What other flowers do you like seeing?

However, keep in mind that the cherry blossom season doesn’t start at the same time in the whole of Japan. The flowers start blooming earliest in the southern parts of the country mid to late March and gradually make their way northward all the way to Hokkaido in late April or early May.

Daily cherry blossom forecasts inform viewers where the flowers have started blossoming, where they’re in full bloom, and where they’ve already fallen to the ground.

When do the cherry blossoms bloom in your part of the country? Are there any special events and festivals there?
I hear the news has cherry blossom forecasts. Are these helpful for people’s daily life? Or are they mainly useful for planning trips?
Do the cherry trees actually produce cherries? Or are they just for the blossoms?

When the season is at its peak, people flock to famous spots for some cherry blossom viewing. This usually involves gatherings and picnics under the trees.

Who do people usually have cherry blossom parties with?
What kinds of things do people do when they have cherry blossom parties? Are there any special foods you eat?
Do you have any special memories related to cherry blossom parties?

However, cherry blossom-viewing isn’t always as peaceful as it sounds like it should be. At the most popular spots, people often have to show up hours in advance to secure a place and sometimes the celebrations can get out of hand.

What are some popular cherry blossom spots in your country/city?
I imagine the cherry blossom parties must produce a lot of garbage. Do famous spots ever get littered with trash?
Have cherry blossom parties ever gotten out of hand in your city? I hear that sometimes people can get rowdy.

Cherry blossoms are also quite popular in our other countries our students call home. In 2018, millions of tourists from South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand visited Japan to see the cherry blossoms.

I heard that it is cherry blossom season in Japan. Do people in your country also like seeing cherry blossoms? Do you or anyone you know visit Japan to see the blossoms?
Are there any parts of your country that are famous for cherry blossoms too? Or any spots that are famous for flowers in general?
What’s your country’s national flower? Do you know why it was chosen as the national flower?

Unfortunately, cherry blossom season most likely won’t proceed as usual given the pandemic, but on the bright side, a weather forecasting company has released 360-degree VR videos of popular spots, so we can all get a taste of this beautiful time of year.

You can even see what the cherry blossoms look like at night!

That’s it for now! 👋

We hope you have some new ideas of topics you can discuss with your students. Happy tutoring!