The Gate of Years
Fusajirou is a fabric merchant living in Edo whose life is irrevocably changed when he meets the inventor of a remarkable gate, one that the inventor claims has extraordinary properties. Initially skeptical, Fusajirou is captivated when the inventor relates the tales of other customers who have passed through it, and he soon resolves to undertake a journey of his own. A beautiful and meticulously crafted story that will stay with you forever.
This series is an adaptation of the award-winning short story "The Merchant and the Alchemist's Gate," by Ted Chiang. In our adaptation, with the permission of the author, we have moved the story from its original Middle East setting to Edo-era Japan. Though there is a small amount of semi-archaic Japanese in places, we have worked hard to keep the language accessible for learners. We hope this provides a gentle introduction to the kind of Japanese you might hear in period dramas. It is our great honor and privilege to present this unforgettable story to you. (Ongoing, 96 episodes)
Episode 1
Standing before a powerful ruler, the narrator begins his strange and wonderful tale.
Notes: This episode contains a note on a word that means an "even if" hypothetical is coming, one that breaks down a very polite expression, and more.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers |  |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 8029 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 1218 |
Episode 2
Having finished introducing himself, Fusajirou begins to relate his tale.
Notes: This episode contains a note on a word that means "favoritism," one on an expression that contains a word for an ancient unit of currency, and more.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 1733 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 236 |
Pro
Episode 3
As Fusajirou steps into the shop, he is greeted by all manner of fascinating items.
Notes: This episode contains a note on how to use the expression 中でも to single out one item in particular from a set, a breakdown of a tricky sentence, and more.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 930 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 122 |
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Episode 4
Fusajirou meets the shopkeeper.
Notes: This episode contains notes that take up three common polite patterns; one on a common pattern for male names in the Edo period, and more.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 576 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 63 |
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Episode 5
Fusajirou is impressed by Tokubee's wide-ranging knowledge.
Notes: This episode contains a note that reviews how to use ほど, one that looks at the difference between だく and いだく, and more.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 493 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 56 |
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Episode 6
Fusajirou presses Tokubee on exactly what he is suggesting.
Notes: This episode contains a note that explains a pattern that means "If it is to the degree that (Situation A), (Situation B) would be better," and one on using だけ to indicate an extent.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 442 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 49 |
Pro
Episode 7
Tokubee invites the narrator to see his latest invention.
Notes: This episode contains a note on an expression that means "to not pay the slightest mind," one on using ある to speak of "having" height or weight, and more.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 415 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 46 |
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Episode 8
Tokubee leads Fusajirou to a curious ring.
Notes: This episode contains a note that looks at the difference between two words that mean "heavy," and one that examines a hint that help parse sentences.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 377 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 45 |
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Episode 9
Fusajirou is impressed by the continuing demonstration.
Notes: This episode contains a note on using the word より before an adjective, one on using もの for non-physical objects, and more.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 373 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 46 |
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Episode 10
Tokubee gives a second demonstration.
Notes: This episode contains a note on an expression that explains why synonymous-seeming words are often used together, one on an expression that means "familiar," one on a verb that means "to sandwich," and more.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 347 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 45 |
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Episode 11
Fusajirou unwittingly plays a role in the demonstration.
Notes: This episode contains a note about a word that means "chaos; disorder," one on using the word やはり to indicate a continuing pattern, and more.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 332 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 41 |
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Episode 12
Tokubee explains the mechanism of the ring.
Notes: This episode contains a note on the word 一種 (いっしゅ), which can be used in two subtly different ways, and one on a pattern that means that something occurs sometimes.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 320 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 39 |
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Episode 13
Tokubee reveals something even more astonishing.
Notes: This episode contains a note on an easy technique to make any verb into an honorific, one on the reason that writers sometimes add commas after descriptions, and more.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 290 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 39 |
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Episode 14
At Tokubee's direction, Fusajirou takes a closer look at the Gate.
Notes: This episode contains a note on the suffix ～越し (ごし), "through (something)," one on using ように to give instructions, and more.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 276 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 39 |
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Episode 15
Tokubee explains a possible use for the Gate.
Notes: This episode contains a note on the word くぐる, as well as one that looks at a secondary use for quotation marks in Japanese.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 273 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 39 |
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Episode 16
Regaining his composure, Fusajirou inquires further about the Gate and those who have used it.
Notes: This episode contains a note on using the お～になる pattern to create honorific equivalents of ordinary verbs.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 262 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 40 |
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Episode 17
Fusajirou begins his story of the fortunate zaru seller.
Notes: This episode contains a note on why writers sometimes use katakana for ordinary Japanese nouns, one on why authors sometimes omit a verb of saying or thinking, and more.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 257 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 42 |
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Episode 18
Hasaburou takes interest in something the fortune teller says.
Notes: This episode contains a note on "pulling apart" the two halves of a verb in the progressive, one on the difference between みな and みんな, and more.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 243 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 36 |
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Episode 19
Hasaburou waits anxiously. A man appears.
Notes: This episode contains a note on one use of the ～返す (かえす) suffix, a discussion of the 思える (おもえる) that means "to spontaneously feel or seem," and more.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 232 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 38 |
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Episode 20
The younger and older Hasaburou share a meal and conversation.
Notes: This episode contains a note on the relationship between the verb 通る (とおる) and the noun 通り (とおり), one on a simple phrase that means "Listen up," and more.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 237 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 36 |
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Episode 21
The two men part ways for now.
Notes: This episode contains a note on an expression that means "without even the time to (verb)," one that examines a word that means "in due course," and more.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 228 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 36 |
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Episode 22
The younger Hasaburou inquires how the older Hasaburou knew about the horse.
Notes: This episode contains a note on how to use the word おかげ, one on the word 不足 (ふそく), and more.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 426 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 39 |
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Episode 23
Hasaburou is caught off guard.
Notes: This episode contains a note on the verb 探る (さぐる), one on using embedded questions as noun phrases, and more.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 397 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 35 |
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Episode 24
Surprise gives way to action for a shocked Hasaburou.
Notes: This episode contains a note on an expression that means "to meet up with a (usually bad) experience," one on the difference between two kanji for the word さがす, and more.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 342 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 35 |
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Episode 25
The younger Hasaburou confronts his older self about the pickpocket.
Notes: This episode contains a note on a way to say "I wish you had (verbed)," one about the verb 悟る (さとる), and more.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 324 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 32 |
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Episode 26
The older Hasaburou shares important information with his younger self.
Notes: This episode contains a note on the word しか, as well as one on a word that can mean both thunder and lightning.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 317 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 31 |
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Episode 27
The younger Hasaburou follows the instructions from his older self.
Notes: This episode contains a note on a pattern that means "just by (verbing)," one about a pattern that means "exactly in that way," and more.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 300 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 29 |
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Episode 28
The two men discuss the mystery of the find.
Notes: This episode contains a note on the masculine, sentence-ending particle さ, one on a word that means "anew," and more.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 298 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 30 |
Pro
Episode 29
Hasaburou puts his newfound wealth to use.
Notes: This episode contains a note on a place where the alternative copula である is useful, one on が→の substitution, and more.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 301 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 31 |
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Episode 30
Fusajirou reacts to the story of Hasaburou.
Notes: This episode contains a note on using ～としても to mean "even if" a hypothetical situation were to occur, one on a simple pattern that means "regardless of whether" something happens, and more.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 303 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 29 |
Pro
Episode 31
Fusajirou inquires about the consequences of using the Gate.
Notes: This episode contains a note on the origin of the word たとえば, one on a phrase that means "each time (action occurs)," and more...
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 297 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 30 |
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Episode 32
Fusajirou works through the logical ramifications of meeting one's future self.
Notes: This episode contains a note on the する that means "to assume" in the sense of entertaining a hypothetical, one using the suffix ～得る (える・うる) to say that something is possible, and more.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 279 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 26 |
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Episode 33
Fusajirou wonders about the fates of different kinds of people. Tokubee offers an additional perspective.
Notes: This episode contain notes that consider two different words for referring to people.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 254 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 29 |
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Episode 34
Fusajirou begins relating the tale of the tatami craftsman who stole from himself.
Notes: This episode contains a note on a word that means "modest; plain; frugal," one on an expression that means "even if it is right away = as soon as possible," and more.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 143 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 27 |
Pro
Episode 35
Asaji forms a new plan to find his future self.
Notes: This episode contains a note on Edo-era residences and a note on an expression that focuses on the recentness of an event.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 136 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 23 |
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Episode 36
Asaji's investigation into his future self's whereabouts continues.
Notes: This episode contains a note on how to say that X is "full of" Y, one on why もしかしたら still requires a word like かもしれない, and more.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 128 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 24 |
Pro
Episode 37
Familiar items paint a picture of a modest life.
Notes: This episode contains a note on how the word 鍵 (かぎ) can mean both "lock" and "key," one on a use of the word ひとつ to mean "(not) even one," and more.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 130 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 19 |
Pro
Episode 38
Asaji makes an unexpected find.
Notes: This episode contains a note about the use of も after an amount that the speaker finds surprising, one about a pattern that means "to regard X as Y," and more.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 119 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 19 |
Pro
Episode 39
A reinvigorated Asaji returns to his time.
Notes: This episode contains a note on the Edo-era equivalent of a bank, and more.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 118 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 20 |
Pro
Episode 40
A new door opens for Asaji.
Notes: This episode contains a note on a pattern that means "How good it would be," one on a verb that means "to admire; to idealize; to idolize," and more.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 121 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 19 |
Pro
Episode 41
The happy couple throws a lavish wedding celebration.
Notes: This episode contains a note on a word that means "to begrudge (a loss)," one on a root that shows up in the one for "pirate," and more.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 110 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 20 |
Pro
Episode 42
Asaji awakes to the sound of knocking at his door.
Notes: This episode contains a note on the purpose of the ～ぬ negative, one on the "special effects" functions of は, and more.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 103 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 18 |
Pro
Episode 43
The messenger returns at the appointed time.
Notes: This episode contains a note on the word 訴える (うったえる), one on the suffix ～合う (あう), and more.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 91 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 20 |
Pro
Episode 44
Otami inquires as to the source of Asaji's wealth.
Notes: This episode contains a note on the word ふさわしい, "appropriate," and one that breaks down a key sentence.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 100 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 18 |
Pro
Episode 45
Pressed by Otami, Asaji makes an important decision.
Notes: This episode contains a note on an expression that means "every last (item)," one on a word that means "at any moment," and more.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 96 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 15 |
Pro
Episode 46
Asaji and Otami settle into a different style of life.
Notes: This episode contains a note on two ways to write the word いたむ, and one on an expression that means "treating as one's customer."
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 91 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 17 |
Pro
Episode 47
Asaji's story reaches its conclusion.
Notes: This episode contains a note on using the word ため to mean "on account of," one on a pattern for saying "how (adjective) it is!" and more.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 85 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 17 |
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Episode 48
Fusajirou and Tokubee reflect on the story of Asaji.
Notes: This episode contains a note on an alternative, classical equivalent to the ～なければ negative conditional, one on a phrase that means "to find fault; to critique," and more.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 83 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 17 |
Pro
Episode 49
Tokubee segues into his third story.
Notes: This episode contains a note on the topic-raising function of も, which helps to explain certain sentences that might not otherwise make sense.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 71 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 17 |
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Episode 50
A new thread unfurls on a story we have heard once before.
Notes: This episode contains a note on an archaic word for "husband and wife," one on the difference between several verbs for asking questions, and more.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 64 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 16 |
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Episode 51
Oran observes the younger Hasaburou from a distance.
Notes: This episode contains a note on the word 出会う (であう), one on the expression そのもの, and more.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 49 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 12 |
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Episode 52
Oran recalls something from her youth.
Notes: This episode contains a note on two examples of the は of contrast, one on a word that means "to come back to life," and more.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 27 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 8 |