Playing basketball
Kids start with ミニバス at primary school, and many keep playing in junior and senior high clubs. Adults play at public gyms, which run cheap drop-in sessions. This lesson covers clubs, booking a court and joining a pick-up game. Tap to hear any line. The bar at the bottom plays a hands-free drill for walking.
G
25 words for playing
Each card shows a word and a line you'd hear at a gym, a club or a pick-up game. Nine reuse words from Everyday Japanese 1–3 and Lesson 1.
M
Where to play
Outdoor hoops are rare in Japan, so most basketball happens indoors: school clubs, community gyms and drop-in sessions.
| Place | What it is | Say it |
|---|
- Indoor shoes. Public gyms want clean indoor shoes: バッシュ or . Bring them in a bag.
- Drop-in sessions. Check the city website for times. You often write your name at reception and pay a small fee.
- Slam Dunk. The manga スラムダンク got a whole generation in Japan playing basketball. Fans still quote it.
C
Three patterns to use today
Z
Say it in Japanese
Say each one out loud before you reveal the answer. Getting close counts.