Evening with the team
This is the plain transcript. Open the interactive version → furigana, audio, word-by-word gloss, grammar notes, and take over a role by typing.A noisy, bustling modern izakaya in February. Jo, Suzuki, and the European development team enter from the cold street.
いらっしゃいませ！何名様でしょうか？
Welcome! How many people in your party?
あ、予約したフォーサイスです。八名なんですけど…。
Ah, I have a reservation, under Forsyth. There are eight of us...
フォーサイス様ですね。お待ちしておりました！お席へご案内します。お履き物はそのままでどうぞ。
Forsyth-sama, yes. We've been expecting you! I will guide you to your seats. Please keep your shoes on.
The staff leads them to a large wooden table in the middle of a lively dining room.
うわあ、にぎやか…！
Wow, so lively...!
木曜日ですからね。じゃあ皆さん、コートはベンチの端に置いて、混ざって座りましょう！
It's Thursday, after all. Okay everyone, let's put our coats at the end of the bench and sit mixed together!
At the big wooden table, the waiter comes over to take the first drink order.
いらっしゃいませ！お飲み物、まずはお決まりでしょうか？
Welcome! Have you decided on your drinks to start with?
ええと、とりあえず生ビールを6つと、ゆずサワーを2つお願いします。
Uh, let's start with six draft beers and two yuzu sours, please.
はい、生ビール6つとゆずサワー2つですね。かしこまりました。
Certainly, six draft beers and two yuzu sours. Understood.
よし、じゃあ次は食べ物ですね。みんな、食べられないものはありますか？
Alright, next is the food. Everyone, is there anything you cannot eat?
私は何でも大丈夫です。日本の焼き鳥、大好きですから！
I am fine with anything. Because I love Japanese yakitori!
私も、何でも食べます！あ、焼き鳥、たくさん食べたいです！
Me too, I eat everything! Ah, I'd like to eat yakitori a lot!
みんな大丈夫そうですね。じゃあ鈴木さん、いくつか定番のものを頼みましょうか。
Seems everyone is fine. Then, Suzuki-san, shall we order some classic items?
そうしましょう。すみませーん！注文をお願いします！
Let's do that. Excuse me! Order, please!
The waiter returns with the drinks and prepares to take the food order.
はい、お伺いします。お決まりの料理はございますか？
Yes, I am listening. Do you have any dishes decided?
ええと、だし巻き卵を2つと、唐揚げを2つお願いします。
Uh, two rolled egg omelets and two plates of fried chicken, please.
それから、焼き鳥のねぎま、つくね、皮をそれぞれ、タレで4本ずつ。あと、梅水晶を一つ。
And then, four skewers each of chicken-and-scallion, meatballs, and skin, all in sweet soy sauce. Also, one plum cartilage.
冬は寒いから、みんなでつまめる温かい焼きそばも、真ん中に一つ頼んでいいですか？
Since winter is cold, can we also order one warm yakisoba in the middle for everyone to pick at?
いいですね！じゃあ、ソース焼きそばも一つ追加でお願いします。
Good idea! Then, please add one sauce yakisoba as well.
かしこまりました。ご注文を確認いたします。だし巻き卵2つ、唐揚げ2つ、焼き鳥のねぎま、つくね、皮をタレでそれぞれ4本ずつ、梅水晶1つ、ソース焼きそば1つ。以上でよろしいですか？
Certainly. I will confirm your order. Two rolled egg omelets, two fried chickens, four skewers each of chicken-and-scallion, meatballs, and skin in sauce, one plum cartilage, and one sauce yakisoba. Is that all?
はい、これでお願いします！まずは乾杯しましょう！
Yes, this is fine, please! First, let's make a toast!
At the busy table, Laurence and Ono start chatting about their daily lives.
日本の通勤は大変ですね。私は毎日、自転車で15分だけです。
Commuting in Japan is tough, isn't it? For me, it's just 15 minutes by bicycle every day.
え、いいなあ！私は毎日、満員電車で1時間ですよ。
Wow, I'm jealous! I spend an hour on a packed train every day.
ヨーロッパはEUの中なら、ビザがなくても自由に移動できますよね。
In Europe, if you are within the EU, you can move freely without a visa, right?
そうなんです。国境を越えて、違う国から通勤する人もいますよ。
That's right. There are even people who commute from a different country across the border.
ええっ、国境を越えるんですか！すごい、羨ましいなあ。
What, crossing borders?! That's amazing, I'm so envious.
Suzuki joins the conversation, asking about Laurence's history with the company.
ローランさんは、今のチームに入って何年目ですか？
Laurence-san, what year is this for you since joining the current team?
私は3年前にスウェーデンのチームから来ました。
I came from the Swedish team three years ago.
あ、あの有名な物流プロジェクトの時ですね！
Ah, that was during that famous logistics project!
そうです！もしかして、あの件の設計をやった前田さんですか？
Yes! By any chance, are you the Maeda-san who did the design for that project?
はい、私です！あの時は別のチームでしたが、よく知っていますね。
Yes, that's me! I was in a different team at the time, but you know your stuff!
A small dish with a translucent pink food arrives at the table. Stefi points at it.
これ…なんですか？きれいなピンク。
What... is this? Pretty pink.
それは『梅水晶』といって、サメの軟骨を梅干しで和えたものです。
That's called 'umesuisho,' it's shark cartilage tossed with pickled plum.
サメ？シャークですか？ちょっと怖い、でも、おいしい！
Shark? Is it shark? A bit scary, but delicious!
コリコリして美味しいでしょう？お酒のおつまみに最高なんです。
It has a nice crunch, doesn't it? It's the best snack to go with alcohol.
The conversation shifts to plans for the upcoming weekend.
週末、日本の古いお寺に行きたいです。日光？奈良？
On the weekend, I want to go to an old Japanese temple. Nikko? Nara?
日光もいいですが、今の季節なら、温泉に入るサルも見られますよ。
Nikko is great too, but in this season, you can also see monkeys soaking in hot springs.
あ、地獄谷の『スノーモンキー』ですね！2月はちょうど雪があって最高ですよ。
Ah, the 'Snow Monkeys' of Jigokudani! Since it's February, there's snow and it's absolutely the best.
スノーモンキー！行きたいです！電車でどのくらいですか？
Snow monkeys! I want to go! How long by train?
北陸新幹線を使えば、東京から日帰りで十分行けますよ。
If you take the Hokuriku Shinkansen, you can easily do it as a day trip from Tokyo.
The empty plates are cleared, and the team prepares to leave. Suzuki looks at his watch.
そろそろ時間ですね。明日も早いですし、お会計にしましょうか。
It is about that time. Tomorrow is also early, so shall we get the bill?
そうですね。すみません、お会計をお願いできますか？
That is true. Excuse me, could we please have the bill?
ここはプロジェクトの経費で落とすので、心配しなくて大丈夫ですよ。
Since I will write this off on the project's expenses, it is okay not to worry.
本当ですか？ ありがとうございます。お言葉に甘えて、ごちそうになります。
Really? Thank you very much. I will take you up on your kind offer and accept the treat.
The group stands up, pulling on their heavy winter coats to brave the February cold.
外はかなり寒いですね。みなさん、駅までの乗り換えは分かりますか？
It is quite cold outside. Does everyone know their transfers to the station?
みんなのホテルは歩いてすぐなので、私がそこまで送っていきますね。
Everyone's hotel is a short walk away, so I will walk them there.
鈴木さん、木下さん、ごちそうさまでした！
Suzuki-san, Kinoshita-san, thank you for the meal!
ステフィさん、日本語上手ですね！どういたしまして。また明日、オフィスで！
Stefi, your Japanese is very good! You're welcome. See you tomorrow at the office!