Erika Martins

Hey everyone!
My name is Erika Martins and I'm from Hampden, Massachusetts. I'm a junior and communication major at Westfield State College. My grandmother is from Japan and the Japanese culture is very much a part of my family. Many of my family members (aunts, uncles, cousins) currently live in Fukoka, Japan. I'm very excited to be communicating with you and hopefully learning even more about the lives of students just like myself from another country.

My hobbies include hanging out with my friends and family, playing sports such as soccer and basketball, and listening to music. I look forward to hearing from you! :)

Colleen Murphy

Hi! My name is Colleen Murphy and I am a junior Communications major. I am really excited to blog with everyone in Japan because I do not know a lot about Japan!

Some interesting things about me are that I am involved with many activites at our school. I am the presdient of the Student Government Association so I make sure students have their opinions heard by everyone at the college. I like to read, hang out with my friends, listen to music, and watch movies.

Aya Eguchi

Hi! My name is Aya Eguchi. Aya means colorful. My parents wish I grow up beautiful and my life become brilliant.

I’m from Nagoya. Nagoya is famous for some delicious foods, for example, miso katsu, a pork cutlet with soybean paste and hitsumabusi, like bowl of rice and boiled eel. I like all Nagoya’s special products. Why don’t you come to Nagoya and try these foods?

My hobby is singing so I often go to karaoke with my friends. I also like taking pictures with my favorite digital camera. I often bring it and take pictures of nature.

I’m looking forward to communicating with you!

Yufu Shimada

Hi! My name is Yufu Shimada. I’m 21 years old. My hometown is Gifu but I live in Nagoya by myself. My hometown is really nice place! Do you know “HIDA TAKAYAMA”?


There is fresh air and clean water. TAKAYAMA is similar to KYOTO. I recommend you to coming. My hobby is listening to music, playing drums and shopping. I started drums when I was 14 years old. I like music!!

I’m looking foreword communicate with you!!

Yoko Ishida

Hi! My name is Yoko Ishida. I’m a student of the university at Nagoya but my hometown is not here. My hometown is very countryside in Japan, there are many mountains and seas and I love it. My hobby is listening to music, watching movies, especially I like foreign one. I also think that I’d like to go travel abroad before my graduation. If you know nice place to travel, please tell me that.

I’ll talk you about the meaning of my name. My first name is YOKO. Many Japanese has each character of own name. My character is 陽子. The meaning of 陽YO is SUN and POSITIVE and the meaning of 子KO is CHILD. My parents hope that I will be a cheerful girl like a sun.

I’m looking forward to seeing your comments and communicating with you!

Marina Kawakami

Hi! My name is Marina Kawakami.　I’m 22 years old. I study about some foreign languages and cultures in Nagoya University of Foreign Studies.


My parents gave me this name “Marina” because they thought it sounded cute and it’s fashionable. I like this name very much because I think it’s easy to remember for many foreigners. When I started to study English, I noticed that there was a word “marina” in English. Also, there is “marina” in Italian and French. All their meanings are related to the sea. Maybe that’s why I like the sea. I’m especially interested in the deep sea. And other things I’m interested in are music, craftwork, and tea ceremony.

Feel free to ask any questions!

Ayano Katou

My name is Ayano. I’m from Nagoya, Japan. Nagoya is a big city in Aichi prefecture.


I’m 21 years old. My hobby is traveling. I like nature like mountain, sea. Now, I’m planning to go to watch drift ice in Hokkaido. Hokkaido is northern place in Japan. I’m looking forward to it!

I want to know nice places in your country!

Tomona Koike

Hi!! My name is Tomona. I’m 4th student in NUFS, studying foreign culture. I live in Nagoya by myself. My hobbies are playing tennis, watching movies especially Miyazaki Animations and foreign movies. And I want to travel many foreign countries!!


I introduce meaning of my name. My name can separate into two wards, ‘tomo’ and ‘na.’ ‘Tomo’ means friend. My parent hopes for me who could cherish friends. And ‘na’ comes from name of flower ‘Nanohana’ that came out when I was born.

I’m looking foreword communicate with you!!

Raza Teo

Hi! I’m Theo Lazar, nice to meet you. I’m a senior year student at the Nagoya University of Foreign Studies. I’m from Germany, and my major is Japanese. I’ve got many interests, including reading, anime, manga, games, going out, sports, history, languages, and other things. I particularly have a love for anime and manga.


We were asked to write something about our first name, so I’m going to give it a try. Officially, my name is “Theodor”, which is Greek and apparently means “the gift of God”, but I prefer the shorter version which everyone uses, so please call me “Theo”. I like my name, and I’ve heard that I got it because my mother was so happy to have a child. However, from the meaning, it might be a bit too spectacular *^_^* (“Theo” itself means “God”).

There’s not much else to say about me… I’m living in Japan since November 2004, and I like it here, so I’m going to live in this country in the future as well. Next year, I’m planning to go to grad school, since I enjoy being a student. If you have any questions about me, please feel free to ask. I’m looking forward to hearing from you.

Yuuki Kainuma

This is Yuki Kainuma. I’m 22 years old. I’m studying at uni, majoring in English. I want to travel overseas. Ive been to the States, Hawaii and Australia. interested in baseball, marine lives, and many other things.

Hope getting to know you well.
Peace

Mayu Miyake

Hi!! I’m Mayu Miyake. I’m 21-year-old. I live in Gifu prefecture where is located in middle of Japan. I have a part time job at clothes shop. So I’m interested in fashion. Japanese university students are very fashionable. We are dress up for class. I want to exchange information especially about fashion.

Rie Tanaka

My name is Rie Tanaka.　I’m 22 years old. My birthday is July 2nd.  I’m from Okazaki. There is very comfortable. So I like my hometown.

I like marine sports. This summer, I started surfing. It is very hard for me, but it is very exiting. Japanese sea is little dirty, so I want to beautiful sea especially Hawaii. I want to play surfing on the blue sea.

Eri Kawada

My name is Eri Kawada. My name was named by my grandfather. I don’t know why hr named me “Eri”, but I like this name. I know some people who has same name as me, and some people has similar name like “Erina”, “Erika”, and so on.


I live in Gifu city. There is a Gifu castle named by Nobunaga Oda. It is a museum of Sengoku era, now. The castle is being top of Kinka Mountain. Many people don’t know, but Gifu has very interesting history of example the war in Sekigahara. If you interested in history, please research!

I like listen to the music. My favorite music is Visual-Kei!! Always I listen this, and sometimes I go to concerts of bands. My best favorite band is the GazettE. I love them!! I have many their CDs and DVDs. Their music makes me happy!!

I’m looking forward to your comments and communicate with you!

Amina Hiraoka

Hi!! My name is Amina Hiraoka. Amina means “honest” in Arabic. Well, my parents didn’t know the meaning. They just thought it sounded cool.


I’m from Nagoya, Aichi, Japan. You can enjoy a lot of delicious foods, like misokatsu, kishimen, e.t.c.…, in Nagoya. If you are interested in them, I can explain you more and take you to nice restaurants, when you come to Japan. ;))

I love watching movies. My hero is Clint Eastwood!!!!!!! If you haven’t watched his movies, you’d better to rush into a video shop now! XD

I like “Rocky” too. I went to Philadelphia to do “Rocky trip”. It was an awesome experience.

I’m looking forward to exchanging information with you! If you have any questions, feel free to ask me thank you.

Shiho Yokoyama

Hello!! My name is Shiho Yokoyama☆ My name have no meaning. Tsurube who is a entertainer name my I am a girl. I am from Japanese. I have been living in Nagoya since I was born. Nagoya is famous for miso. Have you ever ate miso??? Miso is made from beans. I am a member of the dance club. I do break dance, and it’s so hard. In October I do dance in school festival. There are five people in my team. Please come to school festival.

Rentaro Nanba

This is Rentaro Namba, and I’m a forth year student of Nagoya University of Foreign Studies.

I have been studying Intercultural Communication since I was third year. I’m very excited about communicating with American students who share the same interest with us.

At this time I introduce about my first name because my name is very old name in Japan. My first name is “連太郎(Rentaro)” in Japanese. We can divide my name into two parts which are “連” and “太郎”. “連” means become a member of something so my parents want me to attend something all the time and show that you are not alone. “太郎” means firstborn son. In the past Japanese distinguish between firstborn son and another because firstborn son is the only successor.

I’m looking forward to communicate with you. If you have any questions, feel free to ask me. Thank you.

Sakie Oohata

Hi! My name is Sakie, before I continue I want to explain to you the meanings of my name. I have two kanji in my name. My first kanji is "saki" which means blooming flowers. The second kanji is "e" which means blessing. In other words, by the grace of god. I was named by my mother, also my name relates with her name. Her name means “lily child” in English. I'm 21 years old but I'm look like a child because I'm short. I really like to watch Japanese dramas and movies. I like my job because I take care of elementary schoolchildren once a week. Also I have another job too. It is to take care of freshman at my university and to edit their conversations on video. I live in Gifu. Gifu is in center of Japan. There are many mountains. If you are interested or have any questions, please let me know

Kotono Iwata

Hi!! My name is Kotono Iwata. I’m 21 years old. I’m living in Owariasahi city where is next to Nagoya. I like English and foreign culture, so I’m majoring English at university. I like travel and making an eating tour.


Well, I introduce about origin of my name; Kotono. KOTO is from “koto” of Japanese musical instrument. “Koto” makes beautiful and graceful tone, so my parents wish that I grow up to beautiful and polite woman like the tone of “koto”. Then NO is from my aunt name Yoshino. My aunt is a person of firm character, so I get the part to become a kind of person like my aunt. My name is uncommon name, so I like my name.


I’m looking forward to communicate with you!!