Japanese Listening Practice: How to Make Miso Soup | Japanese with Ren

You will learn: how to make a simple Japanese 玉たまねぎと豆腐とうふの味噌汁みそしる（onion and tofu miso soup）while picking up real kitchen vocabulary Ren uses at home.
Japanese level: Beginner+ (N5 grammar base, with N3–N2 cooking vocabulary)
Best for: learners who want practical, everyday Japanese from cooking and daily-life situations, not textbook dialogues.

Key Expressions from This Video

• 半月切はんげつぎり (N3) — half-moon cut (cutting a rounded vegetable in half, then slicing it into half-moon shapes)
• 薄切うすぎり (N4) — thin slice
• 顆粒かりゅうだし (N3) — granulated dashi (instant soup stock in granule form)
• 木綿豆腐もめんどうふ (N3) — cotton tofu (firmer, rougher-textured tofu)
• 絹豆腐きぬどうふ (N3) — silken tofu (smoother, softer tofu)
• 目分量めぶんりょう (N2) — measuring by eye, without a measuring cup or scale

Bilingual Script

Vocabulary Notes

• 味噌汁みそしる — miso soup
• 家庭料理かていりょうり — home cooking, home-cooked dish
• 換気扇かんきせん — ventilation fan
• 皮かわ — skin, peel
• 沸騰ふっとうする — to boil
• 甘あまみ — sweetness
• 鰹節かつおぶし — dried bonito flakes
• 旨味うまみ — umami, savory flavor
• 弱火よわび — low heat
• 麹味噌こうじみそ — koji-style miso paste
• 崩くずれる — to crumble, fall apart
• 溶とかす — to dissolve
• 香かおり — aroma, fragrance
• お椀おわん — a Japanese soup bowl
• 本だし（ほんだし） — Hondashi, a popular brand of granulated dashi made from bonito flakes' umami and seasonings, used almost like a generic name for granulated dashi

Comprehension Quiz

Q1. [0:34] What kind of miso soup did Ren make today?

• A) Onion and tofu miso soup
• B) Wakame and tofu miso soup
• C) Potato miso soup
• D) Eggplant miso soup

Q2. [1:35] What is the difference between "半月切り" (half-moon cut) and "薄切り" (thin slice)?

• A) They're cuts for different vegetables
• B) 薄切り is simply a thinner version of 半月切り
• C) 半月切り is only used for tofu
• D) There's no difference at all

Q3. [2:25] What tip did Ren give about simmering the onion?

• A) Starting from boiling water brings out more sweetness
• B) Starting from cold water brings out more sweetness
• C) You should microwave the onion first
• D) You should simmer it for a full hour

Q4. [2:48] What is "本だし" (Hondashi) made from?

• A) Kombu (kelp) only
• B) The umami of bonito flakes and seasonings
• C) Powdered shiitake mushroom
• D) Miso and soy sauce

Q5. [5:58] How did Ren add the miso to the pot?

• A) He dropped it straight into the pot
• B) He dissolved it with chopsticks on the ladle while adding it
• C) He mixed it with water first, separately
• D) He melted it in the microwave first

Reverse Challenge: English → Japanese

The harder direction — producing Japanese from meaning. This is what builds real conversation ability.

Q1. How do you say "I'm going to cut the onion into half-moon slices"?

Q2. How do you say "If you just add the miso straight in, it doesn't dissolve easily"?

Q3. How do you say "I turn off the heat right before it boils, so I don't lose the aroma"?

Q4. How do you say "There's cotton tofu and silken tofu"?

Q5. How do you say "I'd be really happy if this video helps you with your Japanese studies"?

AI Conversation Practice Prompt

Related Episodes

• Japanese Listening Practice: Real Home Cooking in Japan | 3 Homemade Dishes — More food vocabulary and cooking expressions from a real Japanese kitchen
• Learn Real Japanese | After-Work Evening Routine — Walking Home, Cooking Nabe & Relaxing — Another home-cooking vlog with everyday Japanese vocabulary