(おおいたけん)

Oita Prefecture

(ひたし)

Hita City

(うめしゅ)

plum wine

(づくり)

making, building, creation

(はじまる)

to begin

(まいとし)

every year

(こうれい)

customary; annual (event)

(むかし)

long ago, past

(うめ)

plum

(せいさん)

Production; manufacturing

(さかん)

thriving; popular; active

(ちいき)

region; area

(しょか)

early summer

(じもと)

local / one's hometown

(こうじょう)

factory

(しこみ)

preparation; brewing

(おこなう)

to carry out, to perform

(ことし)

this year

(しゅうかく)

harvest

(しんせん)

fresh

(あおうめ)

green (unripe) plum

(はこぶ)

to carry; to transport

(はたらく)

to work

(きず)

wound; scratch; flaw

(つく)

to be attached / stained

(ひとつずつ)

one by one

(ていねい)

polite; careful; thorough

(かくにん)

confirmation, checking

(おおきな)

big (attrib.)

(たんく)

tank

(さとう)

sugar

(おさけ)

alcohol, sake

(いれる)

to put in

(はんとし)

half a year

(いじょう)

more than; beyond this

(ゆっくり)

slowly, at ease, peacefully

(じゅくせい)

maturing; aging

(かんせい)

completion

(あき)

autumn; fall

(ふゆ)

winter

(ぜんこく)

nationwide; the whole country

(しゅっか)

shipping; shipment

(たんとうしゃ)

person in charge

(おおく)

many, much

(たのしむ)

to enjoy

(はなす)

to speak, talk

to become

Expresses a change of state; Kawai became the new commissioner of the Sports Agency.

if/when ... (automatic result)

The conditional と indicates that when the first action happens, the second naturally or automatically follows. Often used for rules, natural consequences, and habitual results.

passive voice

連れて行かれて expresses the father being taken away by the police (passive).

just did ~ / only recently ~

Expresses that an action was completed very recently. She had just returned to practice in February.

while doing ...

Verb stem + ながら indicates doing two things simultaneously. The action before ながら is the secondary action; the main action follows.

to go on doing / continue to (from now)

In '増えていく' – 'will continue to increase (into the future)'. Indicates continuing trend going forward.

spending / over (time)

Indicates time spent on something.

plan to / is scheduled to

Indicates a scheduled plan or intent.

want someone to ~ (for my/our benefit)

Combines てもらう (receive the favor of someone doing something) with たい (want). Expresses a desire for others to do something.

大分県日田市で梅酒づくりが始まる

Plum wine making begins in Hita City, Oita Prefecture

大分県日田市で、毎年恒例の梅酒づくりが始まりました。

In Hita City, Oita Prefecture, the annual plum wine making has begun.

日田市は昔から梅の生産が盛んな地域で、初夏になると地元の工場で梅酒の仕込みが行われます。

Hita City has long been an area where plum production is thriving, and in early summer the preparation of plum wine takes place at local factories.

今年も収穫したばかりの新鮮な青梅が工場に運ばれました。

This year as well, freshly harvested green plums were brought to the factory.

働く人たちは、傷がついていないか一つずつ丁寧に確認しながら、大きなタンクに梅と砂糖、お酒を入れていきます。

The workers carefully check each plum one by one for any damage as they put the plums, sugar, and alcohol into a large tank.

これから半年以上かけて、ゆっくりと熟成させます。

From now on, it will be slowly aged over more than half a year.

完成した梅酒は、秋から冬にかけて全国へ出荷される予定です。

The finished plum wine is scheduled to be shipped nationwide from autumn through winter.

担当者は「今年も多くの人に楽しんでもらいたい」と話していました。

The person in charge said, "This year too, we want many people to enjoy it."