The Reading / Listening - Japanese Walking - Level 1

Japan often has the longest life expectancy – an average age of 84. People say this is because of a healthy diet. Another reason is that Japanese people walk a lot. This started a new trend on TikTok, called "Japanese Walking". This is walking quickly five times for three minutes and then slowly five times for three minutes. Experts say it is good for posture, lowering blood pressure, and reducing stress. Doctors say it can help people live longer.

Japanese people might not know about the term "Japanese Walking". Researchers at Shinshu University thought of it in 2007. They conducted a study on fast and slow walking. An Australian fitness coach and social media content creator made many videos on Japanese walking. They have had 10 million views on TikTok. The coach said he wanted to make fitness advice easier for people to understand and access.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Japanese Walking - Level 0 Japanese Walking - Level 2   or  Japanese Walking - Level 3

Sources
  • https://www.msn.com/en-in/health/other/japanese-walking-experts-say-wellness-trend-can-boost-strength-fitness-and-heart-health/ar-AA1Jyeuh
  • https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/japanese-walking-method-benefits_uk_68873afbe4b0b306e5bb55da
  • https://www.latimes.com/lifestyle/story/2025-07-31/japanese-walking-wellness-trend


Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice activities, drag and drop activities, sentence jumbles, which word activities, text reconstructions, spelling, gap fills and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

Phrase Matching

Paragraph 1

  1. the longest life
  2. an average age
  3. this is because of a healthy
  4. Japanese people walk
  5. walking quickly five times
  6. Experts say it is good
  7. lowering blood
  8. reducing
  1. for posture
  2. a lot
  3. of 84
  4. stress
  5. expectancy
  6. pressure
  7. diet
  8. for three minutes

Paragraph 2

  1. people might not know about
  2. thought of it
  3. a study on fast
  4. fitness
  5. social media content
  6. They have had 10 million
  7. fitness
  8. easier for people
  1. views on TikTok
  2. advice
  3. coach
  4. to understand
  5. in 2007
  6. the term
  7. creator
  8. and slow walking

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Japan often (1) _________________________________________________ life expectancy - an average age of 84. People say this is because of (2) _________________________________________________. Another reason is that Japanese people walk a lot. This started (3) _________________________________________________ on TikTok, called "Japanese Walking". This is (4) _________________________________________________ times for three minutes and then slowly five times for three minutes. Experts say it is good for posture, (5) _________________________________________________, and reducing stress. Doctors say it can (6) _________________________________________________ longer.

Japanese people might not know (7) _________________________________________________ "Japanese Walking". Researchers at Shinshu University thought of it in 2007. They (8) _________________________________________________ on fast and slow walking. An Australian (9) _________________________________________________ social media content (10) _________________________________________________ videos on Japanese walking. They have had (11) _________________________________________________ on TikTok. The coach said he wanted to make fitness advice easier for people to (12) _________________________________________________.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

Japanoftenhasthelongestlifeexpectancy-anaverageageof84.Peop
lesaythisisbecauseofahealthydiet.AnotherreasonisthatJapanesepe
oplewalkalot.ThisstartedanewtrendonTikTok,called"JapaneseWalki
ng".Thisiswalkingquicklyfivetimesforthreeminutesandthenslowlyfiv
etimesforthreeminutes.Expertssayitisgoodforposture,loweringbloo
dpressure,andreducingstress.Doctorssayitcanhelppeoplelivelonger
.Japanesepeoplemightnotknowabouttheterm"JapaneseWalking".R
esearchersatShinshuUniversitythoughtofitin2007.Theyconducteda
studyonfastandslowwalking.AnAustralianfitnesscoachandsocialme
diacontentcreatormademanyvideosonJapanesewalking.Theyhaveh
ad10millionviewsonTikTok.Thecoachsaidhewantedtomakefitnessad
viceeasierforpeopletounderstandandaccess.

Student survey

Write five GOOD questions about this topic in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper. When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

(Please look at page 12 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

Discussion — Write your own questions

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

(a) ________________

(b) ________________

(c) ________________

(d) ________________

(e) ________________

(f) ________________

(g) ________________

(h) ________________

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

(i) ________________

(j) ________________

(k) ________________

(l) ________________

(m) ________________

(n) ________________

(o) ________________

(p) ________________

Free writing

Write about this topic for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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