Japanese Mini Lessons: From Our Tokyo Event

Mar 25, 2026

Hi, this is Ako.

On March 6, we held an in-person event in Tokyo.

Nearly 30 people joined us that day, and we had a really fun event in a warm and welcoming atmosphere. The participants included current Nihongo Picnic students, people who found us on social media, former students, our teachers, people from Japanese textbook publishers, and others who are interested in becoming Japanese teachers.

Thank you so much to everyone who joined us, to Code Chrysalis who let us use the venue, and to everyone who helped organize the event.

Today, I’d like to share one of the topics from the event as a mini lesson.

ひさしぶり（hisashiburi）is a phrase many of you probably use often. When you meet someone for the first time in a long time, you say:

ひさしぶり
Long time no see!

You can also use it in a sentence like:

ひさしぶりに渋谷に行った
I went to Shibuya for the first time in a long time.

But what about this one:

私は＿＿＿＿＿たけしさんに会っていません。
I haven’t seen Takeshi for a while.

Which option do you think fits in the blank?

A: ひさしぶり

B: ひさしぶりに

C: しばらく

The correct answer is C. When you want to say that you haven’t done something in a long time, we say:

しばらく〜ていない shibaraku teinai.

You cannot use ひさしぶり in this pattern. You can say:

ひさしぶりに〜する

hisashiburi ~ni suru

to do something for the first time in a long time

But you cannot say:

ひさしぶり〜していない

hisashiburi ~shiteinai

After learning this grammar point, we also did a short listening activity during the event. If you’d like to try it, here are the materials.

🎧 Audio: Listen here

📝 Script: Read here

Then, we talked in groups of three about things we liked when we were kids. People shared many different stories. Favorite games, sports, playing with friends, trips with family, and more. Everyone spoke actively, and listening to all those conversations made me really happy.

Before we finish, here’s a quiz from the event you can try. Can you figure out the meaning of the sentence in the image? We’ll show you the answer after a few announcements.

📅 July JLPT Registration Is Now Open

If you’re planning to take the JLPT this July, registration is open now. In recent years, test sites have filled up quickly, and some areas close early. For more details, please refer to the Official JLPT website.
Our three-month JLPT Prep course (April–June 2026) starts in two weeks. It’s designed for learners who have been studying on their own and want to turn that preparation into a score they can be proud of.

JLPT Prep: A 3-Month Intensive Program for Reading & Listening

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