The Riverside Cafe

The Riverside Cafe

Once upon a time, there was a Russian woman who loved spending her free time at the riverside. The woman lived in the countryside in Kochi Prefecture, Japan. She moved from Russia twenty years ago when she got a job as a Russian, English, and Japanese interpreter.

Her favorite river in all of Kochi was the Niyodo-River, one of the most beautiful rivers in Japan. When she went to Niyodo-River, she often thought of a river in her hometown in Russia. 

She drove to Niyodo-River every Sunday and spent two or three hours by the riverside. She always brought her bento, a Japanese style lunch box, and a special flavor tea made in the Niyodo-River area. 

She also loved drawing sketches while at the riverside. She often drew a cafe from her imagination. Unfortunately, there was no cafe in the place where she spent her time at Niyodo riverside. She remembered a beautiful cafe by the riverside which she went to every Sunday in her home town when she was a university student.

So, she  viewed that cafe in her head and drew it on her iPad after having bento. Since she came to Kochi, she had many drawings in her iCloud Drive. She wished that there could be a cafe which would look like the cafe of her drawing.

In the summer of 2015, the woman began to notice that there was a man who often took a walk by the riverside and also had his bento on the same bench. Having grown tired of his life in the city, the man had quit his job and moved to Kochi. He had become burned out from his job and now suffered from depression.

One day, she had lunch on a bench near him. The man said hello to her. He asked about her drawing. They talked a lot by the riverside. The man felt happy talking with her. He eventually began making a plan in his mind. The man and woman continued to meet and enjoyed spending their time by the riverside every Sunday. Eventually, they fell in love.

In the year 2017, the man built a small, cute lodge by the riverside. He had enough savings to build a small lodge. The lodge looked like the cafe which the woman drew on her iPad. They began their new lives in the lodge. The lodge had extra rooms. So, they decided to open their own cafe. 

On March 17, 2018, their cafe was open. The name of the cafe was “The Riverside Cafe.” They lived happily on the riverside for the rest of their lives.

Menu

リバーサイド・カフェ

ある時、自由時間を川沿いで過ごすのが好きな、ロシア人の女がいた。彼女は、日本の高知県の田舎の方に住んでいた。彼女は、ロシア語、英語、及び日本語の三か国語の通訳の仕事を見付け、二十年前にロシアから移住して来た。高知に有る全ての川の中で、彼女が一番好きなのは、日本屈指の美しい川の仁淀川であった。彼女は、仁淀川に行くと、しばしば、ロシアの故郷にある川に思いをはせた。

彼女は、毎週日曜日になると、仁淀川までドライブし、二、三時間を川沿いで過ごした。彼女は、いつも、弁当 (和式のランチボックス)と、仁淀川地域産の特別な風味のお茶を持参した。彼女はまた、川沿いでスケッチをするのも好きだった。彼女がよく描いたのは、自らのイマジネーションによる、一軒のカフェだった。残念ながら、仁淀川の川辺で彼女が時間を過ごしていた場所には、カフェが無かった。彼女は、自分が大学生だった頃に、故郷で、毎週日曜日に通っていた川沿いの美しいカフェを思い出していた。

そう言う訳で、彼女は、弁当を食べた後は、あのカフェを頭に思い浮かべ、アイパッドに描いた。高知に来てから、彼女は自分のアイクラウドドライブに、多くの絵が有った。彼女は、自分の描いた絵に有るようなカフェが有ったら良いのにと思っていた。

2015年の夏、女は、川沿いでよく散歩をしている男が居ることに気づき始めた。彼はまた、いつも決まったベンチで弁当を食べていた。都会の生活に疲れ果て、男は仕事を辞めて高知に移住していた。彼は仕事に燃え尽き、塞ぎ込んでいた。

ある日、彼女も、彼の近くのベンチで昼食を取った。男が彼女に挨拶した。そして彼は、彼女の絵について尋ねた。二人は川沿いで、たくさん話し込み、男は、それを幸せに感じた。彼はやがて、あるアイデアについて考え始めていた。その後、二人は、毎週日曜日には、その川沿いでのひと時を満喫した。やがて二人は恋に落ちた。

2017年の年、男は川沿いに、可愛らしい山小屋を作った。彼には、山小屋を作るのには十分な貯金が有った。その山小屋は、女がアイパッドに描いていたカフェに似ていた。山小屋での、二人の新しい生活が始まった。山小屋には、空き部屋が有った。そこで、二人は、カフェを営む事にした。

2018年3月17日、二人のカフェがオープンした。カフェの名前は、「リバーサイド・カフェ」だった。その後、二人は、残された人生を川沿いで、幸せに暮らしたとさ、めでたし、めでたし！




Menu

リバーサイド・カフェ

The Riverside Cafe

ある時、自由時間を川沿いで過ごすのが好きな、ロシア人の女がいた。

Once upon a time, there was a Russian woman who loved spending her free time at the riverside. 

ある時 (あるとき) : Once upon a time, .....

自由 (じゆう) : freedom

時間 (じかん) : time

自由時間 : your free time

川 (かわ) : a river

川沿い (かわぞい) : the riverside, by the river

過ごす (すごす) : to spend your time somewhere doing something

自由時間を過ごす : to spend your free time

川沿いで過ごす : to spend your time by the river

自由時間を川沿いで過ごす : to spend your free time at the riverside (verb)

好き (すき) : You like it, You like doing it

過ごすのが好き : You like spending your time somewhere doing something.

ロシア人 (ろしあじん) : a Russian (person)

女 (おんな) : a woman

川沿いで過ごすのが好きな女 : a woman who likes spending her time by a river (noun clause)

ロシア人の女 : a Russian woman

ロシア人の女がいる。: There is a Russian woman.

ロシア人の女がいた。: There was a Russian woman.

彼女は、日本の高知県の田舎の方に住んでいた。

The woman lived in the countryside in Kochi Prefecture, Japan.

彼女 (かのじょ) : she / her

日本 (にほん) : Japan

高知県 (こうちけん) : Kochi Prefecture

日本の高知県 : Kochi Prefecture in Japan ('～の' does not always means "of ～.")

田舎 (いなか) : the countryside (This expression is a little bit straight forward.)

田舎の方 (いなかのほう) : the countryside (This expression is milder and less straightforward.)

高知県の田舎の方 : the countryside in Kochi Prefecture

住む (すむ) : to live in a certain area (verb)

住んでいる (すんでいる) : You live here/there. (current situation)

住んでいた : You lived here/there. (past situation)

田舎の方に住んでいる。: You live in the countryside. (current situation)

彼女は、田舎の方に住んでいる。: She lives in the countryside. (current situation)

彼女は、田舎の方に住んでいた。: She lived in the countryside. (past situation)

彼女は、ロシア語、英語、及び日本語の三か国語の通訳の仕事を見付け、二十年前にロシアから移住して来た。

She moved from Russia twenty years ago when she got a job as a Russian, English, and Japanese interpreter. 

彼女 (かのじょ) : she/her

語 (ご) : a word(s), a language

ロシア語 (ろしあご) : Russian

英語 (えいご) : English

日本語 (にほんご) : Japanese

及び (および) : and, as well as

ロシア語、英語、及び日本語 / ロシア語、英語、日本語 / ロシア語と英語と日本語 : Russian, English and Japanese (There is no strict rules to use 'と' and "及び". )

一か国語 (いっかこくご) : one languages

二か国語 (にかこくご) : two languages

三か国語 (さんかこくご) : three languages

四か国語 (よんかこくご) : four languages

五か国語 (ごかこくご) : five languages

ロシア語、英語、及び日本語の三か国語 : three languages: Russian, English, and Japanese.

通訳 (つうやく) : an interpreter (person), interpretation (activity), a job as an interpreter (occupation)

仕事 (しごと) : a job, a work, a task, your responsibility, a duty

通訳の仕事 : a job as an interpreter

見付ける (みつける) : to find something, to get a job

仕事を見付ける : to find/get a job

仕事を見付けた。 : You found/got a job.

彼女は、通訳の仕事を見付けた。: She got a job as an interpreter.

彼女は、三か国語の通訳の仕事を見付けた。: She got a job as an interpreter for three languages.

仕事を見付け、... : You found/got a job and/then/so .....

十年前 (じゅうねんまえ) : ten years ago

二十年前 (にじゅうねんまえ) : twenty years ago

三十年前 (さんじゅうねんまえ) : thirty years ago

ロシアから : from Russia

移住 (いじゅう) : moving to another prefecture, state or country and begin your new life there (The feeling of this word is "moving to far place and live there.")

移住した。: Someone moved to far place and began his or her new life there.

移住して..... : Someone moved to far place and began his or her new life there and/then/so ..........

来る (くる) : to come (verb)

来た (きた) : Someone came.

移住して来た。: Someone came from far place and began his or her new life here.

彼女は、移住して来た。: She came from far place and began her new life here.

彼女は、二十年前にロシアから移住して来た。: She moved from Russia twenty years ago.

高知に有る全ての川の中で、彼女が一番好きなのは、日本屈指の美しい川の仁淀川であった。

Her favorite river in all of Kochi was the Niyodo-River, one of the most beautiful rivers in Japan.

高知 (こうち) : Kochi Prefecture / Kochi City (depends on the context)

有る (ある) : to exist (verb), There is a thing. There are things. It is here/there. (current situation)

高知に有る : It is in Kochi. There is a thing in Kochi.

全て (すべて) : all, everything, the whole thing, full amount

川 (かわ) : a river(s)

中 (なか) : inside, in a group, the contents

高知にある川 : a river(s) in Kochi

全ての川 (すべてのかわ)  : all rivers

高知にある全ての川 : all the rivers in Kochi

全ての川の中で : in all rivers

彼女 (かのじょ) : she / her

一番 (いちばん) : number one

好き (すき) : You like it.

一番好き (いちばんすき) : It is your most favorite one. You like it the best.

彼女が好きなのは、.... : What she likes is/are ........

彼女が一番好きなのは、.... : Her most favorite one is ........

日本 (にほん) : Japan

屈指 (くっし) : one of the best ones

日本屈指 : one of the best ones in Japan

美しい (うつくしい) : beautiful

美しい川 (うつくしいかわ) : a beautiful river(s)

日本屈指の美しい川 : one of the most beautiful rivers in Japan

仁淀川 (によどがわ) : Niyodo-River ("川" is pronounced as "がわ" because ..... I don't know. Anyway, "仁淀川" is called "によどがわ" by people for many years. )

日本屈指の美しい川の仁淀川 : Niyodo-River, one of the most beautiful rivers in Japan

仁淀川である。: It is Niyodo-River.

仁淀川であった。: It was Niyodo-River.

彼女は、仁淀川に行くと、しばしば、ロシアの故郷にある川に思いをはせた。

When she went to Niyodo-River, she often thought of a river in her hometown in Russia. 

彼女 (かのじょ) : she / her

仁淀川 (によどがわ) : Niyodo-River

行く(いく) : to go somewhere (verb)

仁淀川に行くと : if/when/as you go to Niyodo-River

彼女は、仁淀川に行くと : if she goes to Niyodo-River, when she went to Niyodo-River

しばしば : often

ロシア : Russia

故郷 (こきょう) : your hometown

ロシアの故郷 : your home town in Russia (noun clause)

ロシアの故郷にある : It is in your home town in Russia.

川 (かわ) : a river

故郷にある川 : a river in your hometown (noun clause) 

ロシアの故郷に有る川 : a river in your hometown in Russia

思い (おもい) : your thoughts

思いをはせる。: to think of someone who lives far away (verb),  to think of something which is in a far place (verb), to think of someone or something with a special feeling (verb)

思いをはせた。: Your thoughts went out to someone or something. You thought of something with a special feeling. (You probably love it.)

故郷に思いをはせる : to think of your home town with a special feeling (verb)

ロシアに思いをはせる : to think of Russia with a special feeling (verb)

彼女は、しばしば、ロシアにある川に思いをはせた。: She often thought of a river in Russia.

彼女は、故郷にある川に思いをはせた。: She thought of a river in her hometown. 

彼女は、毎週日曜日になると、仁淀川までドライブし、二、三時間を川沿いで過ごした。

She drove to Niyodo-River every Sunday and spent two or three hours by the riverside.

毎週 (まいしゅう) : every week

日曜日 (にちようび) : Sunday

毎週日曜日 : every Sunday

日曜日になる : It becomes Sunday. Sunday comes.

........ : 何々 (なになに) : literally "something, something"

日曜日になると、.... : As Sunday comes, ..... When it is on Sunday, ......

毎週日曜日になると、.....  。: ........ every Sunday.

仁淀川 (によどがわ) : Niyodo-River

ドライブ : driving a car (noun)

ドライブする : to drive a car (verb)

仁淀川までドライブする : to drive to Niyodo-River (verb)

仁淀川までドライブし、..... : to drive a Niyodo-River and/then/so .....

二、三時間 (にさんじかん): two or three hours

川沿い (かわぞい) : by the riverside

過ごす (すごす) : to spend your time somewhere (verb)

二、三時間を過ごす : to spend two or three hours somewhere (verb)

川沿いで過ごす : to spend your time by the riverside (verb)

二、三時間を川沿いで過ごす : to spend two or three hours by the riverside (verb)

彼女は、川沿いで過ごした。: She spent her time by the river.

彼女は、仁淀川までドライブした。: She drove to Niyodo-River.

彼女は、日曜日に、仁淀川までドライブした。: She drove to Niyodo-River on Sunday.

彼女は、日曜日に、川沿いで過ごした。: She spent her time by the river on Sunday.

彼女は、毎週日曜日になると、仁淀川までドライブした。: She drove to Niyodo-River every Sunday.

彼女は、毎週日曜日になると、川沿いで過ごした。: She spent her time by the riverside every Sunday.

彼女は、いつも、弁当 (和式のランチボックス)と、仁淀川地域産の特別な風味のお茶を持参した。

She always brought her bento, a Japanese style lunch box, and a special flavor tea made in the Niyodo-River area. 

彼女 (かのじょ) : she / her

いつも : always, usually

弁当 (べんとう) : bento, a Japanese style lunch box

和式 (わしき) : Japanese style

ランチボックス : a lunch box

弁当 (和式のランチボックス) : bento, a Japanese style lunch box, .... (We often use parentheses in this way to explain a word for the readers. However, it is not a strict rule. )

仁淀川 (によどがわ) : Niyodo-River

地域 (ちいき) : an area

仁淀川地域 : an area around Niyodo-River, one of the most beautiful area in Japan

産 (さん) : made in a certain are, state, prefecture, country, etc. (This kanji is not used by itself.)

生産 (せいさん) : production, manufacture (noun)

産業 (さんぎょう) : an industry

仁淀川地域産 : made in the Niyodo-River area

特別  (とくべつ) : special, excelent

風味 (ふうみ) : flavor

お茶 (おちゃ) : tea

仁淀川地域産のお茶 : tea made in the Niyodo-River area.

特別な風味のお茶 : a special flavor tea

持参 (じさん) : bringing something with you (noun)

持参する : to bring something with you (verb)

持参した。: You brought something with you.

彼女は、弁当を持参した。: She brought her bento.

彼女は、お茶を持参した。: She brought her tea.

彼女は、弁当とお茶を持参した。: She brought her bento and tea.

彼女はまた、川沿いでスケッチをするのも好きだった。
She also loved drawing sketches while at the riverside.

また、......も : also .......

川沿い (かわぞい) : by the river, the riverside

スケッチ : a sketch(es) (a thing(s)), drawing sketches (activity)

スケッチする / スケッチをする : to draw a sketch(es) (verb)

川沿いでスケッチをする : to draw sketches while at the riverside

好き (すき) : You like it. You love it. (depends on the context and situation)

するのが好き : You like doing it. You love doing it.

スケッチをするのが好き : You love drawing sketches.

好きだった。(すきだった。) : You liked it. You loved it.

彼女はまた、..... も好きだった。 : She also loved ...............

スケッチをするのも好き : You also love drawing sketches.

彼女は、スケッチをするのが好きだった。: She loved drawing sketches.

彼女がよく描いたのは、自らのイマジネーションによる、一軒のカフェだった。

She often drew a cafe from her imagination. 

彼女 (かのじょ) : she / her

描く (かく / えがく) : to draw, to paint (verb)

...... : 何々 (なになに) : literally "something, something"

彼女が描くのは、.... : What she draws is .....

彼女が描いたのは、.... : What she drew was .....

よく : often, nicely, in a good manner (adverb)

彼女がよく描くのは、.... : What she often draws is .....

彼女がよく描いたのは、.... : What she often drew was .....

自らの (みずからの) : one's, my/your/his/her (depends on the context)

イマジネーション : your imagination

自らのイマジネーション : one's imagination, her imagination (in this context)

自らのイマジネーションによる : from one's imagination, from her imagination (in this context)

一軒 (いっけん) : one (when counting a building)

一匹 (いっぴき) : one (when counting an animal)

一冊 (いっさつ) : one (when counting a book or notebook)

一分 (いっぷん) : one (when counting a minute)

一本 (いっぽん) : one (when counting a pen, rope, cable, wire, stick, etc.)

カフェ (かふぇ) :  a cafe(s)

一軒のカフェ : a cafe, a specific cafe, a certain cafe (more poetic, romantic or fantastic expression than "カフェ".)

カフェだった。: It was a cafe.

一軒のカフェだった。: It was a (specific/certain) cafe. (more poetic, romantic or fantastic expression)

*When you read Japanese expressions, please pay more attention to the contexts, situations, emotions and feelings instead of trying to analyze the sentences grammatically with any grammar charts or formulas. Do not try to assemble sentences from charts or formulas. Just memorize the phrases just as they are by reading each sentence aloud a million times.

残念ながら、仁淀川の川辺で彼女が時間を過ごしていた場所には、カフェが無かった。Unfortunately, there was no cafe in the place where she spent her time at Niyodo riverside.

残念ながら (ざんねんながら) : unfortunately

仁淀川 (によどがわ) : Niyodo-River

川辺 (かわべ) : by the river, riverside

彼女 (かのじょ) : she / her

時間 (じかん) : the time, a time

場所 (ばしょ) : a place

カフェ (かふぇ) : a cafe

無い (ない) : There is not a thing/things.

仁淀川の川辺で : at Niyodo riverside

時間を過ごす : to spend your time

時間を過ごしていた場所 : a place you spent your time

彼女が時間を過ごす場所 : a place where she (usually/often) spend her time

彼女が時間を過ごしていた場所 : a place where she (usually/often) spent her time

カフェが無い。: There is no cafe.

カフェが無かった。: There was no cafe.

彼女は、自分が大学生だった頃に、故郷で、毎週日曜日に通っていた川沿いの美しいカフェを思い出していた。
She remembered a beautiful cafe by the riverside which she went to every Sunday in her home town when she was a university student. 

彼女 (かのじょ) : she / her

自分 (じぶん) : oneself, she (in this context, The meaning of "自分" depends on who the sentence is telling about.)

大学生 (だいがくせい) : a university student

頃 (ころ) : at the time the sentence is telling about, at a period of time which you have just mentioned (This kanji is not used by itself.)

大学生だった : You were a university student

大学生だった頃 : at the time when you were a university student (noun clause)

自分が大学生だった頃 : when one was a university student, when she was a university student (in this context)

故郷 (こきょう) : your home town which you love

祖国 (そこく) : your mother country which you love

毎週 (まいしゅう) : every week

日曜日 (にちようび) : Sunday

毎週日曜日 : every Sunday

通う (かよう) : to go to the same place regularly/often/usually (activity)

通っていた。(かよっていた) : You went to the same place regularly/often/usually (past activity)

彼女は、毎週日曜日に通っていた。: She went there every Sunday.

川沿い (かわぞい) : by the river, the riverside

美しい (うつくしい) : beautiful

カフェ (かふぇ) : a cafe

川沿いのカフェ : a riverside cafe

美しいカフェ : a beautiful cafe

思い出す (おもいだす) : to remember (verb, situation), to recall (verb, action)

彼女はカフェを思い出している。: She remembers the cafe now. (current situation)

彼女はカフェを思い出していた。: She remembered the cafe. (past situation, when she spent her time by the Niyodo-River)

故郷で、毎週日曜日に通っていたカフェ : a cafe which you went to every Sunday in your home town (noun clause)

そう言う訳で、彼女は、弁当を食べた後は、あのカフェを頭に思い浮かべ、アイパッドに描いた。
So, she viewed that cafe in her head and drew it on her iPad after having bento.

訳 (わけ) : a reason

そう言う訳で、.... : That's why, ..... For that reason, ..... So, .... Therefore, ....

彼女 (かのじょ) : she / her

弁当 (べんとう) : bento, a Japanese style lunch box, a meal in a bento box

食べる (たべる) : to eat food, to have a meal (verb)

弁当を食べる : to eat bento (verb)

後 (あと) : after, later

食べた後 (たべたあと) : after eating food, after the meal

あのカフェ : that cafe, the cafe which has laready been mentioned

頭 (あたま) : head, your mind

思う (おもう) : to think of something (verb)

浮かべる (うかべる) : to float something on water, to imagine, to recall (verb)

思い浮かべる (おもいうかべる) : to recall, to picture in your mind (verb)

カフェを頭に思い浮かべる : to picture a cafe in your mind (verb)

アップルペンシル : an Apple Pencil

アイパッド : an iPad

描く (えがく) : to draw, to paint an art (verb)

彼女は描いた。: She drew it.

彼女はアイパッドに描いた。: She drew it on her iPad.

彼女はアップルペンシルで描いた。: She drew it with an Apple Pencil.

高知に来てから、彼女は自分のアイクラウドドライブに、多くの絵が有った。

Since she came to Kochi, she had many drawings in her iCloud Drive. 

高知 (こうち) : Kochi city, Kochi Prefecture, Kochi area

来る (くる) : to come

高知に来てから、..... (こうちにきてから) : Since you came to Kochi, ..... Since she came to Kochi (in this context)

彼女 (かのじょ) : she / her

自分 (じぶん) : oneself (depends on who the sentence is telling about)

アイクラウドドライブ : an iCloud Drive

自分のアイクラウドドライブ : her iCloud Drive (in this context)

多く (おおく) : many

絵 (え) : a drawing(s), a picture(s) (not a photo)

多くの絵 : many drawings

有る (ある) : There is a thing. There are things. You have it.

絵が有った。(えがあった。) : There was a drawing. There were drawings. You had a drawing(s).

彼女は、多くの絵が有った。: She had many drawings. (literally, "At her, there were many drawings." "彼女は" is not the subject of this sentence. So, please do not be confused by "～は". Do not try to analize this sentence with grammar charts or formulas. Just pay attenstion to the context and situation, use your common sense, then, try to guess the main idea. We speak from our feelings.)

彼女は、自分の描いた絵に有るようなカフェが有ったら良いのにと思っていた。

She wished that there could be a cafe which would look like the cafe of her drawing.

描く (かく / えがく) : to draw an art

絵 (え) : a drawing(s)

描いた : You drew it.

描いた絵 : a drawing which you drew. your drawing

自分の描いた絵 : one's drawing, her drawing (in this context)

有る (ある) : There is a thing. There are things. You have it.

絵にある。 : It is on the drawing.

カフェ (かふぇ) : a cafe

絵に有るカフェ : a cafe which is on the drawing

ような : looks like, sounds like, simillar

絵に有るようなカフェ : a cafe which looks like the one of the drawing

有ったら (あったら) : if it is here/there, if you have it

良い (よい) : good, fine, well, nice

有ったら良い : It will be nice if there can be something.

思う (おもう) : to think, to wish

有ったら良いのにと思う。: I wish there could be something.

カフェが有ったら良いのにと思う。: I wish there could be a cafe.

彼女は、思っていた。(かのじょは、おもっていた。): She thought of it. (This expression is in the past progres tense in Japanese.)

良いのにと思っていた。: You wished something. 

彼女は、カフェが有ったら良いのにと思っていた。: She wished there could be a cafe.

2015年の夏、女は、川沿いでよく散歩をしている男が居ることに気づき始めた。彼はまた、いつも決まったベンチで弁当を食べていた。

In the summer of 2015, the woman began to notice that there was a man who often took a walk by the riverside and also had his bento on the same bench. 

2015年 (にせんじゅうごねん) : the year 2015

夏 (なつ) : summer

2015年の夏 : in the summer of 2015

女 (おんな) : the woman

川沿い (かわぞい) : by the river, riverside

散歩 (さんぽ) : taking a walk (noun)

散歩をする : to take a walk (verb)

川沿いで散歩をする : to take a walk by the riverside (verb)

よく散歩をする : to take a walk often (verb)

散歩をしている : You are taking a walk now. (progress)

よく散歩をしている : You often take a walk. (regular activity)

男 (おとこ) : a man, the man

よく散歩をしている男 : a man who often take a walk (noun clause)

居る (いる) : There is a person(s), Someone is there/here.

男が居ること : the situation that there is a man there/here

気づく (きづく) : to notice (verb)

男が居ることに気づく : to notice that there is a man there/here (verb)

始める (はじめる) : to begin, to start (verb)

気づき始める : to begin to notice something (verb)

女は気づいた。: The woman noticed something.

女は気づき始めた。: The woman began to notice something.

女は、川沿いでよく散歩をしている男が居ることに気づいた。: The woman noticed that there is a man who often takes a walk by the riverside.

彼 (かれ) : he / his / him

また : also, and

いつも : always

決める (きめる) : to decide, to choose, to make something a rule (verb)

ベンチ (べんち) : a bench

決まった : It has been decided.

いつも決まったベンチで (いつもきまったべんちで) : on the same bench which you usually/always/often/regularly use

弁当 (べんとう) : a bento, a Japanese style lunch box, the food in the bento

箱 (はこ) : a box

弁当箱 (べんとうばこ) : a bento container

食べる (たべる) : to eat, to have a meal (verb)

弁当を食べる : to eat the meal from the bento box (verb)

ベンチで食べる : to have a meal on a bench (verb)

いつもベンチで弁当を食べている。: You always have your bento on a bench. (current or recent situation)

いつもベンチで弁当を食べていた。: You always had your bento on a bench. (past situation)

いつも決まったベンチで食べていた。: You always had your meal on the same bench. (past situation)

彼は、いつも弁当を食べていた。: He always had his bento. (past situation)

都会の生活に疲れ果て、男は仕事を辞めて高知に移住していた。

Having grown tired of his life in the city, the man had quit his job and moved to Kochi. 

都会 (とかい) : a city, a metropolis

生活 (せいかつ) : your daily life in your area

都会の生活 : your life in the city

疲れる (つかれる) : to get tired (verb)

生活に疲れる : to get tired of your life (verb)

果てる (はてる) : to end, to come to an end, to end up (verb)

疲れ果てる : to be exhausted (verb)

疲れ果て、.....  : to be exhausted and/so/then .....

男 (おとこ) : the man

仕事 (しごと) : a job, a work, a task

止める (やめる) : to stop doing something which you are doing now (verb)

辞める (やめる) : to quit your job, to leave your school (verb)

仕事を辞める : to quit your job (verb)

会社を辞める : to leave your company (verb)

学校を辞める : to leave your school (verb)

高知 (こうち) : Kochi City, Kochi Prefecture, Kochi area

移住 (いじゅう) : moving to far place such as another state, prefecture or country (noun)

移住する  : to move to far place such as another state, prefecture or country and begin your new life there (verb)

高知に移住する : to move to Kochi Prefecture from another prefecture or country (verb)

男は、高知に移住した。: He moved to Kochi Prefecture.

男は、高知に移住していた。: He had moved to Kochi Prefecture and lived there.

男は仕事を辞めた。: He quit his job at a certain time in the past.

男は仕事を辞めていた。: He had already quit his job.

男は疲れた。: The man got tired.

男は疲れていた。: The man had already been tired.

彼は仕事に燃え尽き、塞ぎ込んでいた。

He had become burned out from his job and now suffered from depression.

彼 (かれ) : he/ his / him

仕事 (しごと) : a job

燃え尽きる (もえつきる) : to be burned out (verb)

仕事に燃え尽きる : to be burned out from your job (verb)

仕事に燃え尽き、....... : to be burned out from your job and ......

彼は仕事に燃え尽きた。: He became burned out from his job.

塞ぎ込む (ふさぎこむ) : to suffer from depression (verb)

彼は仕事に燃え尽きている。: He has become burned out from his job. (current or recent situation)

彼は仕事に燃え尽きていた。: He had become burned out from his job. (past situation)

彼は塞ぎ込んでいた。: He suffered from depression. (past situation)

ある日、彼女も、彼の近くのベンチで昼食を取った。

One day, she had lunch on a bench near to him. 

ある日  (あるひ) : one day

彼女 (かのじょ) : she / her

彼女も  : she also

彼 (かれ) : he / his / him

近く (ちかく) : near someone or something

彼の近く : near to him

ベンチ (べんち) : a bench

近くのベンチ : a bench near someone or something (noun clause)

彼の近くのベンチ : a bench near to him (noun clause)

昼食 (ちゅうしょく) : lunch

取る (とる) : to take, to get, to have, to earn, and many meanings (verb)

ベンチで昼食を取る : to have lunch on a bench (verb)

取った (とった) : You took. You got.

昼食を取る : to have lunch (verb)

昼食を取った : You had lunch.

朝食 (ちょうしょく) : breakfast

彼女は、朝食を取った。: She had breakfast.

夕食 (ゆうしょく) : supper

彼女は、ベンチで夕食も取った。: She had supper at the same bench. (not only breakfast but also supper)

彼女も、ベンチで夕食を取った。: She also had supper on the bench. (Someone had supper on a bench, and she also did the same thing.)

彼女も、ベンチで昼食を取った。: She also had lunch on the bench.

ある日、彼女も、昼食を取った。: One day, she also had lunch.

男が彼女に挨拶した。そして彼は、彼女の絵について尋ねた。
The man said hello to her. He asked about her drawing. 

男 (おとこ) : a/the man

挨拶 (あいさつ) : greeting, saying hello to someone

挨拶する : to say hello to someone (verb)

男が挨拶した。: He said hello to someone.

彼女に挨拶した。: Someone said hello to her.

そして : and/then/so

絵 (え) : a drawing(s), a picture(s) (but not a photo)

写真 (しゃしん) : a photo(s)

尋ねる (たずねる) : to ask someone a question (verb)

彼女の絵 : her drawing

絵について : about the drawings

絵について尋ねる : to ask someone about a drawing.

彼は、尋ねた。: He asked someone a question.

そして彼は、彼女の絵について尋ねた。: Then he asked her about her drawing.

二人は川沿いで、たくさん話し込み、男は、それを幸せに感じた。
They talked a lot by the riverside. The man felt happy talking with her. 

二人 (ふたり) : two people, they (as two people)

三人 (さんにん) : three people, they (as three people)

川沿い (かわぞい) : by the riverside

たくさん : many, much, a lot of things, a lot of people (depends on the context)

話し込む (はなしこむ) : to have a long talk with someone (verb)

川沿いで、話し込む : to have a long talk with someone by the riverside (verb)

二人は話し込んだ : They talked a lot. (two people)

たくさん話し込み、..... : to have a long talk with someone and/then/so .......

男 (おとこ) : the man

それ : it, talking with her (in this context)

幸せ (しあわせ) : happiness (noun), happy (adjective)

感じる (かんじる) : to feel

幸せに感じる : to feel happy (verb)

男は幸せに感じた。: The man felt happy.

彼はやがて、あるアイデアについて考え始めていた。
He eventually began thinking about some idea.

やがて : eventually

あるアイデア : some idea, a certain idea

あるアイデアについて : about some idea

考える (かんがえる) : to think, to make a plan in your mind (verb)

始める (はじめる) : to begin, to start (verb)

考え始める : to begin thinking about something (verb)

あるアイデアについて考え始める : to begin thinking about some idea (verb)

考え始めた。: You began thinking about something. (simple past tense.)

考え始めている。: You have just began thinking about something. (current situation)

考え始めていた。: You began thinking about something. (past situation)

彼は、考え始めていた。: He began thinking about something.

彼は、あるアイデアについて考え始めていた。: He began thinking about some idea.

彼はやがて、考え始めていた。: He eventually began thinking about something.

その後、二人は、毎週日曜日には、その川沿いでのひと時を満喫した。

The man and woman continued to meet and enjoyed spending their time by the riverside every Sunday. 

その後 (そのご) : after that

二人 (ふたり) : two people, they (as two people), a couple, a man and woman

毎週 (まいしゅう) : every week

日曜日 (にちようび) : Sunday

毎週日曜日 : every Sunday

日曜日には : when it is/was on Sunday

川沿い (かわぞい) : by the riverside

その川沿い (そのかわぞい) : that riverside, the riverside which has already been mentioned

ひと時 (ひととき) : a short time, a while, during the time, the time you are spending doing something

川沿いでのひと時 : a short time that you spend by the riverside (noun clause)

満喫 (まんきつ) : fully enjoying (noun)

満喫する : to fully enjoy something (verb)

ひと時を満喫する : to enjoy spending your time (verb)

やがて二人は恋に落ちた。
Eventually, they fell in love.

やがて : eventually

恋 (こい) : love

落ちる (おちる) : to fall, to drop (verb)

恋に落ちる : to fall in love (verb)

二人は恋に落ちた。: They fell in love.

2017年の年、男は川沿いに、可愛らしい山小屋を作った。

In the year 2017, the man built a small, cute lodge by the riverside. 

2017年 (にせんじゅうななねん) : in 2017

年 (とし) : a year, the year

2017年の年、..... : In the year 2017, ..... (poetic expression, literally "the year of the year 2017", This expression is redundant. )

男 (おとこ) : a/the man

川沿い (かわぞい) : riverside, by the river

可愛らしい (かわいらしい) : cute, lovely

小屋 (こや) : a hut (literally "a small building")

山小屋 (やまごや) : a small lodge (We don't say "やまこや".)

犬小屋 (いぬごや) : a dog house (We don't say "いぬこや".)

馬小屋 (うまごや) : a stable (We don't say "うまこや".)

可愛らしい山小屋 : a cute lodge which is probably small

作る (つくる) : to make, to create, to build, to cook (verb)

作った。(つくった。) : You made something.

男は山小屋を作った。: The man built a lodge.

男は川沿いに作った。: The man made something on the riverside.

彼には、山小屋を作るのには十分な貯金が有った。
He had enough savings to build a small lodge. 

彼 (かれ) : he / his / him

彼には : at/to/with/for him ( "彼には" is not the subject of the sentence.)

山小屋 (やまごや) : a lodge

作る (つくる) : to make, to build, to construct, to assemble (depends on the context)

山小屋を作る : to build a lodge

十分 (じゅうぶん) : enough

作るのには十分 : enough for making something

貯金 (ちょきん) : savings

十分な貯金 : savings which is enough for your purpose

有る (ある) : There is a thing. There are things. You have it.

有った (あった) : There was a thing. You had it.

彼には、貯金が有った。: He had savings. (literally "At him, there are savings." Again, "彼には" is not the subject of the sentence. )

その山小屋は、女がアイパッドに描いていたカフェに似ていた。
The lodge looked like the cafe which the woman drew on her iPad.

その山小屋 (そのやまごや) : that lodge, the lodge which has already been mentioned

女 (おんな) : a/the woman

アイパッド : an/the iPad, her iPad (in this context)

描く (えがく) : to draw (verb)

描いていた (えがいていた) : Someone was drawing something. (progress), Someone usually/often/regularly drew something. (habit, regular activities)

していた : You were doing it. (progress), You did it (every Sunday, etc., regular activity, habit, hobby, daily activity, etc.)

アイパッドに描いていた。: Someone was drawing something on his or her iPad. (progress) Someone drew something on his or her iPad. (regular activity)

カフェ : a/the cafe

描いていたカフェ : a cafe which you drew

アイパッドに描いていたカフェ : a cafe you drew on your iPad.

似る (にる) : to look like someone or something (basic form, dictionary form)

似ている。 (にている) : Someone looks like someone else. Something looks like something else. (current situation)

似ていた。 (にていた) : Someone looked like someone else. Something looked like something else. (past situation)

カフェに似ている。: It looks like a cafe. (current situation)

女が描いていたカフェ : a cafe which the woman drew

その山小屋は、カフェに似ていた。: The lodge looked like a cafe.

山小屋での、二人の新しい生活が始まった。

They began their new lives in the lodge. 

山小屋 (やまごや) : a /the lodge

山小屋での : in a lodge

二人 (ふたり) : two people, they (as two people)

新しい (あたらしい) : new

生活 (せいかつ) : your daily life

始まる (はじまる) : Something begins.

山小屋での生活 : your life in a lodge

二人の生活 : their lives (two people)

三人の生活 : their lives (three people)

新しい生活 : your new life

始まった。: Something began.

山小屋での生活が始まった。: Your life in the lodge began.

二人の生活が始まった。: Their lives began. (two people)

新しい生活が始まった。: Your new life began.

山小屋には、空き部屋が有った。そこで、二人は、カフェを営む事にした。
The lodge had extra rooms. So, they decided to open their own cafe.

山小屋には、: in the lodge, .... (This is not the subject of the sentence.)

空き (あき) : an open space, which is not occupied, a vacant seat, unoccupied

部屋 (へや) : a room(s)

空き部屋 (あきべや) : an extra room(s) (We don't say "あきへや".)

勉強部屋 (べんきょうべや) : a study room(s) (We don't say "べんきょうへや".)

有る (ある) : There is a thing. There are things. You have it.

有った。(あった) : There was a thing. There were things. You had it.

空き部屋が有る。 : There is an extra room. There are extra rooms.

空き部屋が有った。: There was an extra room. THere were extra rooms.

そこで : So/Then/Therefore

カフェ : a cafe

経営する (けいえいする) : to run a company, to operate a business ( business term.)

営む (いとなむ) : to run/open a business, restaurant, a shop, a store, etc. ( I feel that this word sounds a small business which often owned by an individual. This is also a poetic expression.)

カフェを営む : to run/open your own cafe (verb)

事 (こと) : an event, an issue, the fact, a situation, something which you have just mentioned

カフェを営む事 : opening your own cafe (noun clause)

事にする。: You will decide it.

事にした。: You have already decided it.

カフェを営む事にした。: You decided that you would open your own cafe.

2018年3月17日、二人のカフェがオープンした。
On March 17, 2018, their cafe was open. 

2018年 (にせんじゅうはちねん) : the year 2018

3月17日 (さんがつじゅうななにち) : March 17

二人 (ふたり) : two people, they (as two people), the couple

カフェ : a cafe, the cafe

二人のカフェ : their cafe (two people)

オープン : opening (noun)

オープンする : to open (verb)

オープンした。: You opened it.

カフェがオープンした。: A cafe was open. You opened a cafe.

三人 (さんにん) : three people, they (as three people)

三人のカフェがオープンした。: Their cafe was open. (three people)

カフェの名前は、「リバーサイド・カフェ」だった。
The name of the cafe was “The Riverside Cafe.” 

名前 (なまえ) : the name

カフェの名前 : the name of the cafe

「リバーサイド・カフェ」: "The Riverside Cafe"

「リバーサイド・カフェ」だった。: It was "The Riverside Cafe."

その後、二人は、残された人生を川沿いで、幸せに暮らしたとさ、めでたし、めでたし！
They lived happily on the riverside for the rest of their lives.

その後 (そのご / そののち) : after that

残る (のこる) : to remain, to stay (verb)

残す (のこす) : to leave something somewhere, to save something, to set something aside (verb)

残される (のこされる) : to be kept, to be left (verb)

人生 (じんせい) : your life

残された人生 : the rest of your life

川沿い (かわぞい) : on the riverside

幸せ (しあわせ) : happiness (noun)

幸せに : happily (adverb)

暮らす (くらす) : to live your daily life (verb)

川沿いで暮らす : to live on the riverside (verb)

残された人生を川沿いで暮らす : to live on the riverside for the rest of your life (verb)

幸せに暮らす : to live happily (verb)

残された人生を幸せに暮らす : to live happily for the rest of your life (verb)

暮らした。: You lived your life.

二人は、幸せに暮らした : They lived happily.

..... とさ : It was said that .... People say that ....... It seemed that ......

二人は、幸せに暮らしたとさ : It was said that they lived happily.

めでたし、めでたし！: literally "Happy, happy!"

..........とさ、めでたし、めでたし！: This expression is often used at the end of a happy ending story in Japanese.

(Thanks, Brandy and Andrew for the corrections!)

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