Meat Day (Niku no Hi) · Worksheet 1
Read the story. 英文を読もう。
1In Japan, numbers can be read in more than one way. The number 2 can be ni, and 9 can be ku. Put them together, and you get niku. Niku means meat in Japanese. So the 29th of every month is Meat Day, and meat shops have special sales.
2But there is a problem. February usually has only 28 days. So February 9 became a meat day, too. It started in 2017. In the Japanese calendar, that was the year 29, so people called it the Year of Meat. Meat shops hold a prize drawing, and lucky winners can get top-quality beef.
3Today, many people in Japan love beef, pork, and chicken. But for a long time, eating meat was not common. In 675, an emperor said people must not eat cows, horses, dogs, monkeys, or chickens. Deer and wild boar were not on the list, so some people still ate them. In 1872, newspapers said that Emperor Meiji ate beef. Around this time, beef hot pot restaurants became very popular in Tokyo.
4Japan has other meat days, too. August 29 is Yakiniku Day, a day for Japanese barbecue. November 29 is Good Meat Day, because 11 can be read ii, which means good. Number games like this are everywhere in Japan. Next time you see a date, try to read it in Japanese. It might be a hidden message!
Meat Day (Niku no Hi) · Worksheet 2
Choose the best answer. 正しいものを選ぼう。
What is the main idea of the passage?
Why did February 9 become a meat day?
Which animal was NOT on the list in 675?
In paragraph 3, what does common mean in eating meat was not common?
What will Ethan probably do tonight?
Meat Day (Niku no Hi) · Worksheet 3
Words & phrases. 単語のれんしゅう。
Meat Day Dinner
Today is the (1) . It is Meat Day in Japan. Taro goes to the (2) with his father. The (3) is on sale. They also buy some (4) and vegetables. At night, the family has (5) at home. Taro says, "Two and (6) make niku. I love this (7) game!"
Meat Day (Niku no Hi) · Worksheet 4
Read the clues and fill in the puzzle. ヒントを読んで、クロスワードを完成させよう。
Meat Day (Niku no Hi) · Worksheet 5
Find the hidden words. かくれた単語を探そう（→ ↓ ↘ ↗）。
Meat Day (Niku no Hi) · Worksheet 6
Collect the letters on the right path. What is the secret word? 正しい道の文字を集めると、ひみつの言葉になるよ。
Secret word:
Meat Day (Niku no Hi) · Worksheet 7
My favorite meat dish is ______ because ______.
If I made a new number day, it would be ______ because ______.
Meat Day (Niku no Hi) · Worksheet 8
Trace the words. Then color the picture! なぞって書こう。絵に色を塗ろう。
Draw your Meat Day (Niku no Hi)! 肉の日（2月9日・毎月29日）の絵を描こう。