Tundra swans, known as “heralds of winter,” flew to the area around the Sai River in Azumino City, Nagano Prefecture, where they came to spend the winter . The tundra swans first arrived in Azumino, at the foot of the Northern Alps, in December 1984. They have come every winter since. By October 28, 21 birds had arrived. They search for food near water and swim peacefully.

Note: The March 6 installment of this series reported on the tundra swans that left Azumino and headed north. Search for “Easy” and “Tundra” on this site.

Japanese original

The easy Japanese short stories are from the Mainichi Shogakusei Shimbun, a children’s newspaper. This is the perfect material for anyone studying Japanese who has learned hiragana and katakana. We encourage beginners to read the article in English followed by Japanese, or vice versa, to test their understanding.

A new series will be released Monday to Friday at 4 p.m. Japan time. Click/tap here for previous payments.

Intermediate learners who do not need help in English can go directly to the Mainichi Shogakusei Shimbun site. here . Furigana (hiragana) is added to all kanji in the text.