Somehow, a few months back, I stumbled upon Kanji Clinic, a website featuring the writings of Mary Sisk Noguchi. She writes a piece for The Japan Times six times a year. All of her past essays for the paper are on her site. I started at #1 and am reading several a week. I’ll be sad when I catch up and then have to wait two months for the next installment. 

I’m up to #39 which I read yesterday. It included the following which I will share with you so you can get a taste:

“Back in 1930, Shojiro Ishibashi (石橋, Stone-Bridge) dubbed his new tire company “Bridgestone,” now also internationally known for its bicycles. Just think, if plugging English keywords into the names of Japanese companies had become a trend, millions of drivers the world over might be cruising around not in “Toyotas,” and “Mitsubishis,” but in “Richfields” (豊田, Toyota), and “Triple Diamonds”(三菱, Mitsubishi).”

Whether you are learning Kanji or just interested in them, there is much of interest in her fun little columns.

Posted on October 10th, 2008 under Japan. Tags: japanese language, Japanese Language Study Methods, japanese links. Comments: 1

I just discovered a site that, while not new or updated recently, provides some nice little Japanese reading practices. Check out http://www.geocities.com/easykanji.

The above site is worthwhile regardless of your current level in the language (assuming you know at least hiragana, katakana, and the most basic of kanji). There are passages for beginner through advanced levels. Don’t know a word in the reading? No problem. Just click on it and a reading and definition appear. It’s that easy.

Posted on September 22nd, 2008 under Japan. Tags: japanese language, Japanese Language Study Methods, japanese links. Comments Off on Free, online Japanese reading practice

I’ve been having a marvelous time reading Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets in Japanese (ハリー・ポッターと秘密の部屋). I’m more than halfway through it, and have found it most enjoyable (and useful in improving and refreshing my Japanese skills). In anticipation of finishing it soon, I just purchased a number of books in Japanese via eBay.

If you don’t live in a big city outside of Japan, you, too, probably have a hard time finding books in Japanese. There is an alternative I have recently found. Check out http://www.rikai.com/perl/Home.pl.

At the above link you can put in any Japanese webpage and actually read it in Japanese even if you don’t know all of the kanji readings or meanings. As you mouse over any unknown characters you will get the reading (sort of like furigana on the fly) and the meaning. So it is even better than furigana (since furigana doesn’t provide any meaning for unknown words).

If you are just beginning your Japanese studies the rikai site won’t be of much use, but those at the upper beginner, intermediate, or advanced levels of Japanese language ability should find it very helpful.

If you want to link to a page in Japanese and give it this mouse-over ability it isn’t difficult to do so. For instance, if you want to link to an online Japanese novel like this one: http://www.h5.dion.ne.jp/~pt_kloss/yamanoha/yamanoha.htm the “special” link is http://www.rikai.com/perl/LangMediator.En.pl?mediate_uri=http://www.h5.dion.ne.jp/~pt_kloss/yamanoha/yamanoha.htm.

Posted on September 15th, 2008 under Japan. Tags: japanese language, Japanese Language Study Methods, japanese links. Comments: 1

As I’ve previously mentioned, I really like “Nazotte…” for the Nintendo DS for Kanji review and practice. It’s mobile, and you can learn lots of new vocabulary in the process as well.

For a little different take, while I’m on the computer I’ve found this site to be very good:

http://www.manythings.org/kanji/q/

It’s especially useful for getting a kanji you are studying, or having problems remembering, to really stick in your head. What I really like is how it focuses on the most common vocabulary and jukugo.

If you aren’t quite at the kanji level yet, click on the “romaji” or “kana” link at the top of the page for Japanese learning more in line with your current abilities.

Happy studies!

Posted on September 8th, 2008 under Japan. Tags: japanese language, Japanese Language Study Methods, japanese links. Comments Off on Kanji quizzes

Continuing yesterday’s discussion of Japanese for beginners, I recently found this file: http://www.kanjicafe.com/Reading.pdf which looks pretty useful for those looking to learn katakana, hiragana, and some vocabulary along the way.

I stumbled on it rather by accident. As previously mentioned, I check in daily at Kanji-a-day to review four kanji. Recently the site has shown a neat little stroke order diagram underneath the kanji. Under the diagram is a kanjicafe.com copyright notice so I decided to check out kanjicafe.com.

The site is very confusing and difficult to follow, but if you don’t mind the learning curve there is some good stuff on it for improving any level of Japanese proficiency. I’ve been experimenting with the “Ice Mocha” the last few days and have found it useful (although not user friendly in the initial stages). Those studying for the JLPT exams will not want to miss it.

Posted on September 2nd, 2008 under Japan. Tags: japanese language, Japanese Language Study Methods, japanese links. Comments Off on Kanji Cafe