Part1, 2, 3, 4,5.

In Japan, English had been compulsory material from junior-high school/middle school/secondary school, around the age of 12, until recently.

In 2020, the government decided to include English curricula starting from the third grade of primary education (around the age of 8)

Therefore, when I was a child🦕, having an extra English education, however small, was very welcoming.

At the age of 8 or 9 at that time, the Shinkenzemi was offering me a lot more for learning English.

Honestly, I don’t remember much about it, but I do have a vivid memory about one experience with this domestic educational program.

One day, they sent me a cassette with a single English song (actual English song).

It was attached to a small booklet with the lyrics on it.

It said, “Let’s sing a song in English!”

There were katakana (one of the Japanese alphabet that are used for foreign words) under every English word as reading aid.

Ladies and gentlemen, this was my first official introduction to the one and only, The Beatles.

Of course it was The Beatles!!

The song was “Yesterday.”

I have to thank whoever made this choice to introduce the song to Japanese kids at that time.

I’m still grateful.

From the moment I played the cassette for the first time, the lyrics in my hand, I was madly in love with the song.

I can remember like it was yesterday.

To be continued...

(The picture is from Freepik)

✔Corrected