Nyepi: The Day of Silence in Bali

2026.03.06
Writer / 記事を書いた人
Andrew
インドネシア共和国(Republic of Indonesia)

Hi! I’m Andrew. I was born in a Chinese family in Indonesia, but I studied in Singapore from Junior High School to University, and worked in New Zealand. I’ve been to over 15 countries, and I’m currently enjoying living in Japan. I love singing, playing soccer, and hiking.

Article

Nyepi: The Day of Silence in Bali

▼ 記事の音声を再生

<Let's learn!>
・believe it or not
・take place
・encourage A to B
・allow A to B

=====================================

Can you imagine a day when you have to be completely silent? No talking, no smartphones, and no computers. To avoid making noise, you cannot even cook or eat! Does it sound impossible? Does it feel strange to you? Believe it or not, people in Bali do this once a year. It is called Nyepi, or the Day of Silence, and it usually takes place in March.

Nyepi is a day for self-reflection. This means thinking quietly about yourself. From 6 AM, everyone on the island must follow these rules for 24 hours. They do not work, travel, talk, or eat.
This tradition is not new. For a long time, many religions have encouraged people to meditate. They do this to free their minds from worries and troubles. In Japan, people practice Zen meditation for the same reason. People often say, "Silence is golden." Meditating in silence allows our minds and hearts to settle down. It gives us the chance to start with a fresh feeling and to start anew.

When Nyepi ends, families and friends gather to apologize and forgive each other. They also celebrate other festivals together.

Many tourists visit Bali because it is beautiful and has a unique culture. They come to enjoy the beaches, the delicious food, and the unique, peaceful atmosphere of Nyepi. Why don't you visit Bali in March? I am sure you will enjoy it!  

日本語訳を見る

Key Points

Repeat each word(s) and example sentence(s) after your teacher/tutor.

Key Phrases 重要表現

believe it or not

信じられないかもしれませんが

Believe it or not, he is 80 years old.

take place

行われる、開催される

The festival takes place every summer.

encourage A to B

AにBするように勧める、奨励する、励ます

My teacher encouraged me to read more books.

allow A to B

AがBするのを可能にする、許す

The internet allows us to get information quickly.

Key Vocabulary 重要単語・熟語

completely

kəmˈpliːt.li

完全に、まったく、すっかり

副詞

in every way or as much as possible

She is completely different from her sister.

avoid

əˈvɔɪd

避ける、よける、回避する

動詞

to stay away from someone or something

You should avoid eating too much sugar.

religion

rɪˈlɪdʒ.ən

宗教、信仰

名詞

the belief in a god or gods, or a particular system of belief in a god or gods

There are many religions in the world.

free

friː

解放する、自由にする

動詞

to release someone from something restrictive or unpleasant

Music frees me from stress.

settle down

ˈset.əl daʊn

落ち着く、静まる

句動詞

to become quieter

It took a long time for the class to settle down.

gather

ˈɡæð.ɚ

集まる、集合する

動詞

to come together in one place

Students gathered in the gym for the ceremony.

apologize

əˈpɑː.lə.dʒaɪz

謝る、わびる、謝罪する

動詞

to tell someone that you are sorry for having done something that has caused problems or unhappiness

He apologized for being late.

forgive

fɚˈɡɪv

許す、容赦する

動詞

to stop blaming or being angry with someone for something that person has done

She forgave him for breaking the cup.

atmosphere

ˈæt.mə.sfɪr

雰囲気、空気

名詞

the character, feeling, or mood of a place or situation

This cafe has a nice atmosphere.

Others その他

self-reflection

ˌself.rɪˈflek.ʃən

自己反省、内省

名詞

serious thought about one's own character, actions, and motives

Writing a diary is a way of self-reflection.

meditate

ˈmed.ə.teɪt

瞑想する、黙想する

動詞

to think calm thoughts in order to relax or as a religious activity

I like to meditate in the morning.

Practice

Fill in the blanks to complete the sentence.

(___)(___)(___)(___), I passed the test.

ヒント:believe it or not

回答を見る

(Believe) (it) (or) (not), I passed the test.

The party will (___)(___) next Sunday.

ヒント:take place

回答を見る

The party will (take) (place) next Sunday.

Yesterday, my teacher (___)(___)(___) take the university entrance exam.

ヒント:encourage A to B (me)

回答を見る

Yesterday, my teacher (encouraged) (me) (to) take the university entrance exam.

The new bridge (___)(___)(___) cross the river.

ヒント:allow A to B (cars)

回答を見る

The new bridge (allows) (cars) (to) cross the river.

Article

Read the article aloud on your own or repeat each paragraph after your teacher/tutor.

Nyepi: The Day of Silence in Bali

<Let's learn!>
・believe it or not
・take place
・encourage A to B
・allow A to B

=====================================

Can you imagine a day when you have to be completely silent? No talking, no smartphones, and no computers. To avoid making noise, you cannot even cook or eat! Does it sound impossible? Does it feel strange to you? Believe it or not, people in Bali do this once a year. It is called Nyepi, or the Day of Silence, and it usually takes place in March.

Nyepi is a day for self-reflection. This means thinking quietly about yourself. From 6 AM, everyone on the island must follow these rules for 24 hours. They do not work, travel, talk, or eat.
This tradition is not new. For a long time, many religions have encouraged people to meditate. They do this to free their minds from worries and troubles. In Japan, people practice Zen meditation for the same reason. People often say, "Silence is golden." Meditating in silence allows our minds and hearts to settle down. It gives us the chance to start with a fresh feeling and to start anew.

When Nyepi ends, families and friends gather to apologize and forgive each other. They also celebrate other festivals together.

Many tourists visit Bali because it is beautiful and has a unique culture. They come to enjoy the beaches, the delicious food, and the unique, peaceful atmosphere of Nyepi. Why don't you visit Bali in March? I am sure you will enjoy it!  

Questions

Answer the questions based on the article.

When does Nyepi usually take place?

ヒント:It usually ~.

回答を見る

It usually takes place in March.

What can’t people do during Nyepi?

ヒント:They do not ~.

回答を見る

They cannot work, travel, talk, or eat.

According to the text, why is silence important for our minds?

ヒント:Meditating in silence ~.

回答を見る

Meditating in silence allows our minds and hearts to settle down. It gives us the chance to start with a fresh feeling and to start anew.

Discussion

Let’s have a discussion about the theme with your teacher/tutor or classmates.

With your teacher/tutor 先生とのディスカッション

If you go to Bali, do you want to experience "Nyepi Day”? And why?

Yes, I do./ No, I don't. Because ~.

The text says, "Silence is golden." Do you agree with this idea? And why?

Yes, I do./ No, I don't. Because ~.

Do you think we need a "Day of Silence" in our lives? And why?

Yes, I do./ No, I don't. Because ~.

With your classmates クラスメートとのディスカッション

Do you think you can live without your smartphone for a whole day? And why?

Yes, I can./ No, I can't. Because ~.

Which rule of Nyepi is the most difficult for you: no talking, no smartphones, or no eating?

~ is the most difficult.

When you feel tired or stressed, what do you usually do to refresh yourself?

I usually ~.