Studying Japanese
Hello!
I missed posting yesterday. Sorry about that. We're updating the listings on Fudocom and it's left us a little busy.
Now onto my post:
Are you happy with your current level of Japanese? Not being able to speak is cool if you're happy not ever being picky, asking a question, making a complaint or exploring the smaller parts of Japan. It takes motivation, practice and money. But totally worth it if this is your chosen homeland. And even if it's not, being linguistic does look good on the resume/cv....
So how to do it? Well firsthand from Cee, she studied Japanese in school before arriving in Japan. And most say, if possible, this is the best way to go. If you can learn at least the basics in your home country, then learning natural Japanese when you arrive may be a bit easier. It certainly won't be as overwhelming. If you are here already then it's not too late. Assuming you work a full time job, why not have an hour or two on the weekend to learn the basics with a tutor? It's not as expensive as you think.
Here are 10 suggestions to better your Japanese from Celina and I:
1. Constantly read. Manga are 3-500 yen each in Tokyo. Buy one and read it. Even if you don't understand the words (the pictures can help you to understand the nuance of what's going on in the story). This will quicken your reading pace. Often these manga have furigana (hiragana written over the kanji) so you'll get used to seeing the kanji in context.
2. Use kanji flashcards on the train. Why not? This will help you to get used to the kanji so when you see them when reading manga you might recognize them.
3. Read advertisements on the train. There's tons of reading practice just waiting to be unlocked.
4. Don't hesitate to ask a Japanese person what that darn kanji is. They are happy to help. Really. Like a swell of pride. And, if you're an advanced kanji learner you might encounter that some Japanese people can't read that darn kanji either.
5. Do use your Japanese in public. At every excuse. Even if they speak their broken English to you. Practice makes perfect. Look at it this way, is your Japanese better than their broken English? If so, give them a break! They will be relieved and go slowly to ensure you understand.
6. Don't do as Japanese do and say "hai! (yes)" when you don't understand them. It'll be better for you in the end, trust me.
7. Do help other lost foreigners out. If you see them with a map in the street, try and help them. If it's a place you don't know, you can ask for directions in Japanese for them.
8. Watch tv. You might recognize more words than you thought.
9. Watch Japanese movies. Same reason. But if it has English subtitles and you can pay attention to what you hear and what you read at the same time, you'll find you might learn something.
10. And finally, make Japanese friends (like me!). If your friend speaks Japanese only, then you'll quickly learn, especially if you're sending text messages. If they're bilingual, then you can help each other.
It's not easy! I know, I'm still a student too. But please challenge yourself and don't get frustrated. Please post your study woes or questions. Perhaps even a Japanese learning strategy!
Who is your favorite female Japanese singer?
Utada Hikaru
Koda Kumi and AI
Hamasaki Ayumi, Amuro Namie and
BoA
The above 6 are either obvious or random selections. When it comes to Japanese music, there seems to be tons of new artists popping up every week. How does one stand out from the rest? It isn't necessarily always about talent or look (this is true in any country). The real question is who has the best marketing technique. Tell us your thoughts. Who's your fave? It doesn't have to be one of the ones we mention. Please tell us why you like them too!Some basic information about the singer's pictured above:Utada Hikaru:Alias - Queen Utada. She seems to have much of the Japanese world in the palm of her hand. Her persona doesn't spit commercialism or ads, though she does a few. She is one of the seldom few who have a raw natural talent for singing, writing, producing and playing a multitude of instruments. She recently had a Japan-wide tour where she even sang a few of her English Songs from her recent U.S. cd release. Style is a variety, perhaps Pop, Rock and R&B.Official Site: (English available)Hikki VideoKoda Kumi:Had a few misses. Became quite popular after being asked to sing the theme songs of Square Enix's Final Fantasy X-2 video game in 2003. Style is mainly R&B and Pop. Has a fierce rivalry with current new upcomer Otsuka Ai and has been referred to as the Japanese Christina Aguilera.Official SiteKuu-chan VideoAI:Pronounced "I" as in me. Her style is R&B. She speaks perfect English as she was born in L.A. Half Italian-half Japanese, she continues to rock the charts with her Japanese flavor on R&B. Newest album "What's Goin' On" to be released at the end of September, 2006.Official SiteAI VideoHamasaki Ayumi:Often referred to as Utada Hikaru's rival, though their styles are quite different. In the media, Ayumi tries a bit more. So it's interesting that the rivalry remains with the absence of Utada's face on every magazine, poster or commercial. Ayu (nicknamed) has been dubbed the pop princess of Japan. Though she does not write her music, she does dabble in lyric writing. Her recent album "(Miss)understood" was produced by Sweetbox (English) and most of the songs on Ayumi's album were also displayed on Sweetbox's "Addicted" album.Official SiteAyu CommercialAmuro Namie:Long-time rivalry and Pop Queen prior to Hamasaki Ayumi. Her westernized flavor skyrocketed her success. From 1998-2001 she fell from the charts as several events led her to take a break from her career. She has recently resurfaced in the R&B genre with large success with her new album "Queen of Hip Hop". Apparently it was Ayumi's unbridled success that led her to jump back in the ring. Rivalry's are good sometimes aren't they?Official SiteNamie VideoZeebra, AI, Namie VideoBoA:Last, but definitely not least, BoA (Beat of Angel), the Korean-born international star. She rose in Korea with songs like "ID; Peace B", "No. 1" and "Valenti". Managers then decided to market her internationally to countries like Japan, Taiwan/China and eventually America. She began tough language lessons and became fluent in Japanese and I would say...average in English and Mandarin Chinese, last time I heard. Her persona began as "cool" with extrodinary dance cheorgraphy. Recently, she seems to dance less and has gone a little more sexy. Lesson: BoA's grown up.Official SiteBoA Video
Congratulations to new Prime Minister Abe. It's about time we get a new flavor on Japanese politics. Although...admittedly....it's not really a topic I pay much attention to. As a foreigner in a very Japanese Japan, we really have no say on what, who, where, why and how. The great thing about Mr. Abe is that he seems almost...dare I say it...foreigner friendly?
