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Overview

A overview of the events in Minna no Nihongo

For convenience and familiarity (and laziness) characters may be addressed by their family name without -san. Spoilers ahead for 小説ミラーさん! A novelisation of Minna no Nihongo.

Osaka Arc

(L1) Mike Miller's first day in IMC (Osaka). Yamada Ichiro introduces him to Satou Keiko, and Miller puts his hand out for a handshake instead of bowing.
(Novel 1 Chapter 1) A detailed chapter of Millers's first day at the office
(Novel 1 Chapter 2) Miller has trouble with keeping on time. Mr. Matsumoto appears early in the novel.
(L2) Hose Santos, a Brazil Air employee, goes to the door to Yamada's apartment, introduces himself, and gives Yamada some coffee as a gift.
(Novel 1 Chapter 3) Mike visit's the Yamada's home.
(L3) Maria Santos (Hose's wife, a housewife) goes to the wine section at the basement of the department store. Goes to buy a ¥2500 Japanese bottle.
(L4) Miller asks Satou for Asuka's phone number. Then calls Asuka and inquires about their opening days and time.
(L5) Santos is trying to take a train to Koushien. Asks how much it costs, which platform, and learns that the next train is an express train that does not go to Koshien.
(L6) Satou asks Miller out to go for a Hanami party with her friend. It's at Osaka castle and they settle to meet at Osaka station at 10 o'clock.
(Novel 1 Chapter 5) Turns out that friend is Kimura Izumi, announcer.
(L7) Hose and Maria Santos visit Yamada Ichiro and his wife, Yamada Tomoko's (a bank clerk) house. Tomoko offers coffee (most likely the Brazilian coffee Hose gave in L2) and Maria comments on Tomoko's cool looking spoon. Turns out it's a colleague's souvenir from Mexico. (I wonder who?)
(L8) For what seems like a continuation of L7, Ichiro asks Hose and Maria about life. Maria finds life in Japan enjoyable, while Hose says work is busy but interesting. Tomoko asks if they'd like more coffee, but they declined, saying that had enough. Hose announces it's time to leave when it hits 6pm.
(L9) (Novel 1 Chapter 7) Miller asks Kimura out for a classicial concert date but Kimura is not really interested.
(L10) Miller is trying to find Asia Store, which located at a white building. In the store he wants to buy nampla, located at the most bottom level of one of the shelves at the Thai Cuisine Section.
(L11) We first meet Wang Xue, doctor at Kobe Hospital, who, at the inquiry of the janitor, we find out is heading to the post office. He wants to send a package to Australia. Between ¥7600, 7 days shipping by airr and ¥3450, 2 months by sea, he opts for the sea option. Guess it isn't urgent.
(L12) Miller returns back from Kyoto, having been at Gion Matsuri, Kyoto's most famous festival. He gives the janitor a souvenir from Kyoto, and shows him photos from there. Miller is quite tired from the trip.
(L13) Miller and Yamada have lunch at noon at Tsuruya. Miller orders a Tempura set (¥980), while Yamada orders the cheaper Beef Don (¥700).
(Novel 1 Chapter 10) We have a more detailed version of Miller and Yamada's lunch. We learn more about Yamada in this chapter.
(L14) We first meet Karina (her name's just Karina), a student at Fuji University, who is heading to Midoricho (Green Street, I guess?). Taking the taxi, she tells the driver to turn right at the intersection, and go straight, and soon after stop by a flower shop. Paying ¥5000 for the ¥1800 taxi ride, she receives ¥3200 change.
(Novel 1 Chapter 11) After a party of drinks, Miller settles a date with Kimura to watch a movie.
(L15) After what was apparently a good movie, Miller and Kimura are at a cafe. Miller is reminded of his family and they go on talking about their families. Miller has a family for 4 with an older sister. His parents live near New York and his sister works at London. Meanwhile, Kimura is an only child, her father works at the bank and her mother teaches English at high school.
(Novel 1 Chapter 13) We learn more about Miller and Kimura's movie date and their post movie cafe conversation. They have a talk after leaving the cafe.
(Novel 1 Chapter 14) We learn why Satou is best girl.
(L16) Maria's first time at the ATM, trying to make a withdrawal of ¥50000. A bank employee helps her.
(L17) Our first introduction to Matsumoto, chief of the department Miller, Yamada and Keiko is in, who's visting the doctor. He has a sore throat and slight fever. He's wants to get well as soon as possible because he must go on a work trip to Kyoto the next day. Originally, the doctor suggested he rest for 2, 3 days. But the he then said Matsumoto could take medicine, and rest early for the night. And also one more thing, no hot baths.
(L18) Yamada learns about Santos's animal photography hobby, especially on horses. Ever since coming to Japan, Santos hasn't taken much horse photos, saying there isn't many horses to see in the country. Yamada recommends him to visit Hokkaido as there are many horses. After learning this, Santos hopes to visit there during summer break.
(Novel 1 Chapter 15) We learn more about the Hokkaido trip.
(L19) At a party, we have our first appareance of Matsumoto-buchou's wife, Matsumoto Yoshiko, a housewife. Yoshiko asks Maria why she isn't eating alot. We then learn that Maria is on a diet, and Yoshiko has gone on a diet before as well. Yoshiko's diet consisted of only eating apples and drinking alot of water. But too much of dieting is bad, Yoshiko says. Maria agrees, but after hearing Yoshiko's comment that the ice cream is good, she decides to forget about dieting. She'll start tomorrow (or so she says).
(L20) Kobayashi (who is never introduced in the Characters section) asks Thawaphon, a student at a Japanese language school, if he's heading back to Thailand during summer break. After learning that Thawaphon can't even though he wants to, asks him if climbed a mountain before. They make initial plans to go a climbing trip at the beginning of August.
(L21) Matsumoto sees Santos outside, it's been a long time since they saw each other. He invites him for day drinks. There will be a soccer match at 10pm between Japan and Brazil. Santos thinks Brazil will surely win but Matsumoto thinks Japan is getting stronger lately. Santos seems uncomfortable and makes an excuse to leave. Matusmoto takes the hint.
(L22) Wang is buying a new house. What seems to be a good candidate for Wang is a place 10 minutes from the station and have ¥83000 rent. Seems to be a traditional Japanese home with a 和室 and an 押入れ.
(L23) Karina is now going to Midori Library (which I bet is at Midoricho), a white building located inside park, which is 3 stops from Honda Station when taking 3 stops. She asks for directions.
(L24) Wang is moving (I guess he got his new place!) on a Sunday morning. Miller, Yamada and Karina is helping him during his move. Yamada is offering his car, and Karina is bringing some lunch bentos.
(L25) Miller is relocated to IMC Tokyo, so they're having a farewell party. Everyone is there, Satou, Kimura, Yamada, Matusmoto (and his wife), etc, you know it. Kimura teases that Miller will get lonely in Tokyo, and tells Miller not to forget his time in Kyoto. Miller asks them to visit Tokyo when they're free, and Santos tells him to call him up for drinks whenever he drops by Kyoto. Satou tells Miller to do his best and take care. Miller wishes the best for everyone.

Characters

Mike Miller

American
IMC Employee
Previously worked at IMC America, and then went to IMC Osaka to work there for a year.
Later relocated to IMC Tokyo.
Was interested in seeing the 和室 at Mr. Yamada's house, but most of his time was taken up by Mrs. Yamada's conversation about movies.

Hose Santos

Lives beside Yamada
Gave Yamada a bag of coffee as a gift for being a new neighbour.

Yamada Ichiro

Japanese
IMC Employee
Ichiro went IMC America for a work trip, where he first met Mike
Plays golf and does fishing. The 和室 in his house is messy with his hobby tools, to his wife's dissaproval.
His cool spoon that was a Mexico souvenior was a gift by Mr Matsumoto
Friends with Wang and Karina
Submissive to Tomoko

Yamada Tomoko

Loves American films
Especially films with her favourite actor Marlon Brando, like Godfather and Apocalypse Now

Karina

Indonesian
Student at Fuji Univeristy
Studying Art

Locations

IMC Osaka Building

10 mins walk from the station

Yamada's Residence

A doll in their house was gifted by Wang
A painting in their house was painted by Karina