@ ginei_werewolf: Ok, I'll pm you when I find out! I think you might be right.

yep how do you guys study kanji? (still of hiragana lol)

@ ginei_werewolf: The Kanji Proficiency Test is based on the school years in Japan and it is recognized by Monbukagakusho. Level 10 is the lowest, representing the first grade of elementary school, and it includes 80 characters. Level 1 is the highest and it includes 6000 characters. Using these books lets students study the characters in a comprehensive, methodical, and logical way.

The student is expected to study one or two chapters per week and then come to class prepared for a quiz. To prepare, the student will need to supplement the information in the book with at least one good dictionary. (I recommend a new Wordtank and a good kanji dictionary with lots of compounds and examples.) The student is expected to learn how to write the character (including number of strokes), all readings (and whether the reading is on- or kun-yomi), the name and form of the radical, the basic meaning of the character, and the meanings of the compounds that are given in the textbook. Some students will prefer to keep a notebook with all of this information and others will just try to remember the information without writing it down. After studying the kanji, the student completes the three pages of exercises, making note of any difficult questions.

wow my study method is way more brutal

@ ginei_werewolf: Well we're in Japan and pretty much everybody knows Kanji already.

how to say in japanese "happy festeval"?
and what r the festevals in Japan?

@ mona_me: festeval in Japanese is Matsuri.

The Japanese New Year: What would you think is the most celebrated holiday in Japan? The Emperor's Birthday? The nation's foundation day? Groundhog Day?!? Nope -- it's Jan. 1st -- New Year's Day. And during the first few days of the new year you'll find EVERY SINGLE SHOP shut down tight. With Japan's economy heading straight down into the tarmac though, these days you see a few shops opening earlier trying to pull in more warm bodies. Are they succedding? Partly, yes. While in North America people spend Christams with their families and whoop it up New Year's, in Japan it's (just like for nearly everything else) exactly the opposite. TV is dull, dull, dull. Shops are closed. Videos rental shelves (for those that are open) are raped and empty. Streets are deserted. Until recently up to 10% of the whole population of Japan would celebrate the Japanese New Year by running like hell to the airport and getting out of the country. Millions still do though, since Japanese are given extremely few chances to go abroad in the year, the Japanese festivals are quiet and dull, and escaping the bitter cold of the season is a nice idea.

Seijin No Hi -- Coming of Age Day (January 8th): Seijin No Hi is the first holiday of the year after New Year's is all over. It is for all the women who have just become legal adults (age 20), and most families buy a kimono for their daughter. The typical kimono is 300-400 thousand yen, but much more extravagant kimono can be even as high as a million yen each. On the day the young lady will typically go to a nearby Shinto Shrine and pray for health, success, money, etc. It's one of the few times you will see anyone wear a kimono -- except for the grannies running around going to study or teach tea ceremony. The other occasions are graduation from a college, and once in a while at a wedding. And if you're one of those country oakies that eats roadkill for dinner and still thinks Japanese dress like this every day, WAKE UP!!

Valentine's Day: There's Valentine's Day here in Japan too. But not quite the same. In Japan, it's the GIRLS who give the boys chocolate on Feb. 14th. And not just to someone they like. There is a uniquely Japanese characteristic of giving "Giri-Choko" -- giving chocolate to the men one would rather see skydiving without a parachute -- the boss, namely. "Giri" means obligation, but in Japan it has a deep sense of long-term committment.
Since gift-giving is a common custom in Japan, many confectionary companies also try to push their own manufactured celebration, "White Day" on March 14th, where it's the boys turn to give the girls something. This attempt has been at best a limited success.

The Hina Matsuri: The Hina Matsuri or doll festival takes place on March 3rd every year. Its origins go back to China which had the custom of making a doll for the transferral of bad luck and impurities from the person, and then putting the doll in a river and forever ridding oneself of them. March 3rd celebrates Girls' Day in Japan, and from mid to late February families with daughters put out the dolls with the hopes their daughters will grow up healthy and happy. One superstition associated with this is that if they are late in putting away the dolls when the festival is over, their daughters will become old maids. Most displays consist of just a prince, (Odairi-sama) and a princess (Ohina-sama), but more elaborate displays include the dolls being part of a 5 or 7 tier diplay (hinadan), along with courtiers, candy, rice boiled with red beans (osekihan), white sake (shirozake), peach blossoms, diamond shaped rice cake (hishimochi), toys, and tiny furniture. Traditionally many parents or grandparents will begin their first display for their daughter, called hatsu zekku, when she is just a year old, but some families have passed their dolls down from generation to generation with the bride carrying her dolls with her to her new home. Aside from the displays, Japanese used to go view the peach blossoms coming out, drink sake with a blossom in it, and bathe in water with the blossoms. The blossoms represent desirable feminine qualities, including serenity, gentility, and equanimity.
The festival evolved into the form we can see today during the Edo Period (1603-1867), and it is still possible for people to buy Hina Matsuri dolls created during that time as well as the late 19th and early 20th centuries in antique shops during the season. Two areas that come alive with such displays and events like those above is Yoshimura and Yanagawa, both in Fukuoka Prefecture.

Cherry Blossoms: The coming of the cherry blossoms (sakura) is one of the happiest events in Japan. First and foremost it heralds the coming of spring, which is a delight since winters in Japan are bone-chilling cold. They also have a deeper cultural significance since they fall to the ground and disappear in only a couple of weeks (and even sooner if the frequent rains wash them all off the trees), which echoes an ancient cultural belief in the short, transitory nature of youth and life itself. These photos show the flowers and how Japanese celebrate -- the Hanami, or flower viewing. What this means of course is another bout of wild drinking parties under the trees, and karaoke going until the wee hours of the morning. Every city park with lots of sakura trees will be jammed with people, and finding a spot to even sit down may be impossible. The last photo as you can see is another example of Japanese "living in mystic harmony with nature" (be sure to pass this page's URL to all your goofy friends who view Japan with sakura-colored glasses). The aftermath of all this is more than just a pretty carpet of sakura petals on the ground. Nevertheless, the sakura are truly a delight to behold, it means the end (or nearly the end, as mother-nature sometimes jumps the gun) to those horrendously freezing winter winds, and you haven't seen Japan until you've seen the beginning of spring.

The Shichi Go San Matsuri:The Shichi Go San or 7-5-3 Festival is one of the uniquely Japanese festivals. Boys who are 3 and 5 years old, and girls who are 3 and 7 are taken to a shinto shrine, often in their first kimono, and the parents pray for their continuing good health and prosperity. The numbers, especially 3 and 7, are lucky numbers in Japan, and until the 20th century Japan was a thoroughly feudal nation with a higher childhood mortality rate. Since bacterial pathology was then unknown to them they often blamed death on evil spirits, and when the kids became 3, 5, and 7 years old they thanked the gods for their children's good health. A sweet candy called chitose-ame is also often bought for them, in a bag with cranes and turtles, 2 more symbols of long life. Other gifts are also given to them, as you can see some samples like the Japanese animation cat Doraemon.

Christmas: You might think in a country that's 99% non-Christian that Christmas would just blow on by and you'd never even realize it. But once again, you'd be completely wrong. Japanese department stores have decked-out trees as colourful as anything in the west, and many streets have colourful displays and wreathes all lined up for blocks. Still, it's time to set the record straight -- it's most certainly NOT as some dewey-eyed western writers put it "one day out of the year when all Japanese become Christians". Christmas in Japan has nothing to do with religion at all. Then why is it popular? For one, exchanging gifts is a well recognized cultural trait and Xmas fits in nicely here. For another, the lights and glitter are pretty. But behind that you'll find very little else. In fact, when it comes to celebration, think Valentine's Day. Christmas in Japan is more than anything a time to take an important date out to dinner, and for some even to book an expensive hotel room for the night.
Do you keep passing along to one of your "friends" those fossilized 15 year-old cakes in the mail every year? Well, they eat those "Christmas Cakes" in Japan. But there is no big Xmas feast. Turkey is nowhere to be found, unless you want to pay a fortune to a mail-order company or one of the few department stores that carry them. Not much you could do even if you did have one, since for nearly all Japanese the only oven they have is a microwave or a toaster. So given a choice of a turkey sandwich at Subway's in Tokyo or Osaka, many Japanese go to Kentucky Fried Chicken, where there are always some special Christmas chicken dishes. Expect to see a very long line into every KFC on Christmas Eve. Almost no Japanese have any Christmas trees either; their homes being cramped enough as it is.
December 25th is still a work day in Japan. There are quite a few parties though. Tis the season for the "Bo-nenkai", or "Forget the Year Party", where many Japanese drink and forget the year's problems (and more than a few drink enough to forget more than that). There is also writing Nenga-jo or New Year's Cards for Jan. 1st. And a few give chocolates or small gifts to boyfriends and such, however hark the herald angels sing won't be something you'll be feeling here. But if you like drinking a few glasses of Christmas cheer, Japan is certainly the place to be. The beer companies are extremely thankful for Christmas.
I hope this helped!

lol does new year suck that bad haha

hey does pan really mean bread in japanese? i saw that on a anime transition lol

wow! wow! i'll call u "ookamipedia" this helped? sure it helped! Aregatou Gozayamasa! it's so neat and interisting.

but u forgot a big festeval... it's on march 7th ! all the world celebrate with that day.. don't u know?!

haaay babe,
how are you pre bored my self, :) ?

@ ginei_werewolf: Yes, Pan is bread in japanese.
@mona_me: Lol! My birthday! Your so nice Mona!! ;3
@ sarahkerr95: Yeah, I'm pretty bored most of the time. :P

it is in spanish too :(
in i relied i am screwed lol

@ ginei_werewolf: So pan is also bread spanish too? I didn't know that. :P

yeah i learned this the same week as eachother lol

do guys wear kimonos too?

@ ginei_werewolf: Some people wear kimonos during the Kite festival other then that theres not many people wearing kimonos.

really men wear kimonos lol

what would you call the stereotype folr japan i only know it from americans point of view

@ ginei_werewolf: Japanese adults are ALL about work. Wile Japanese teens are also always thinking about school but they're also thinking about the free time they have. I think about school, anime, and drawing. I think Americans are nice but I don't think all the Japanese think this way. I hope this helped!

^_^ i don't know, sometimes i am nice and sometimes i am so mean, i don't think u can imagine me as a mean girl, but, i am a very different person with different people. i think cuz u r nice. anyway, i was watching ur drawings and i wonderd what kind of colours do u use? and by the way, u r late again.

thank you my viewpoint on americans is really mean lol

@ mona_me: You where watching my drawings? I mostly use any colored pencils I have. I like useing diffrent blues and reds. I told you on your wall why I won't be on today. I hope you understand.
@ ginei_werewolf: Lol! I think Americans are alright, I talk to them all the time.

i hate americans i wish i was born in japan lol i will never be able to pass the jap citizen test

what is the race ration there ( i want away from mexicans i am sick of them) yes i am kinda racist...

@ ginei_werewolf: I'm not really sure what the race ration is in Japan. I'll have to ask my sister the next time I see her. Your asking some hard questins.

sorry man lol

@ ginei_werewolf: Lol! its alright. Most of these questions I'm answering right. Ask away!

yeah, u r a great manga-ka, and i'll never stop saying that. and brother, do u know "hunter vs hunter"? it's anime, i know i told u i don't watch animes, and it's true, i really don't watch much, but the only 2 anime shows that i love r detective Conan and Hunter vs Hunter, and that's all, hardly animes i like but i don't remember their names, anyway, do u like this anime? Hijara told she'll make a fan club 4 "hunter vs hunter" cuz i don't know how to! sorry, i am a big talker, ha? my fav. charectar is "korabika" bye.

Uhm, I have a question. Could you post (if possible) the most basic and gentle stuff you say in Japan?
Like "Arigatou", "Sumimasen" and anything like it?
Thank you! :D
(Random Picture, from the anime Shugo Chara)

do u know a webbsite where i can learn Japanease?? I've always wanned to learn that language :D

@ mona_me:Yes, I do know Hunter vs Hunter but I think its called HunterxHunter. I watched HunterxHunter a long time ago and it was awesome! Now I watch Bleach, Naruto Shippuden, Death Note, Wolf's Rain, Code Geass, Blood+, and Kekkaishi. You should really look into some of these animes, they're pretty good!
@ Mushii: Well I really don't know what your asking for but I'll try.
Nice to meet you= Hajimemashite. (hah-jee-meh-MOSH-teh)
Thank you= Dōmo arigatō. (doh-moh ah-ree-GAH-toh)
Excuse me= Sumimasen. (soo-mee-mah-sen)
I'm sorry= Gomen-nasai. (goh-men-nah-sigh)
How are you= O-genki desu ka? (oh-GEN-kee dess-KAH?)
Your nice= Anata no subarashii [Thats all I can do now because I'm kinda busy. Gomen!]
@ borg3:Here is a website that is free -> link
Here is another website, you got to down load this one -> link
To find more type in 'learn Japanese' into Google.

do you still look at this forum lol

@ ginei_werewolf: Now and then. ;3

srry really am out of questions

1 are there really beware of perverts signs in some areas lol

2 akiba is in tokyo or is it another town

3 aren't most japanese at least partly otaku ,cause i am curious from anime it shows most people have a show or game series they like alot

@ ginei_werewolf: [Sorry it took awile]
I never seen 'beware of perverts' signs but they sound funny! XD
Akihabara(or akiba)is located less than five minutes by rail from Tokyo Station.
Well, my friends and I are all really hard core Otakus! I think hard core anime (blood, fighting,and killing)is liked by High schoolers more. I did a poll in school sometime ago.
Well there you go!!

thanks

1 did you survive the tsunami

@ ginei_werewolf: Yes I did! Sorry for taking a wile, The internet was down. The hardest hit area is where the earthquake hit, a small city called Sendai. Lets all pray for the many people who died and lived.

Will you teach me japanese? I know most of the basic greetings and (as far as I think....can count up to five)and other basic things...........but I would like to know more.....please?????

I hope Japan heals

What's your favorite anime's? Have you ever been to an anime convention such as Comiket?

Hi...I am new in Japan.I am here for my business trip.I want to know which are places we must visit in Japan...And also tell me the best place where kids can enjoy...
________________________________
You can know more about link and link

Hey everyone! Sorry for taking so long... I feel so bad for making you guys wait. Gomen!!
@ KorIMoriTsuki: I've been pretty busy these days but there're some websites and clubs on this site that can teach you Japanese! I hope I helped a bit. :P
@ ghost1: My fav animes... I'll name a few. Bleach, Naruto Shippuden, Kekkaishi, Durarara!!, Tegami Bachi, Bakuman, Code Geass R1 and R2, Wolf's Rain, Death Note, FullMetal Alchemist, FullMetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, and HellSing.
@ jewelmartin1: I travel a lot with my friends so this is easy! Here are the top 4 must see things in Japan!
Kyoto, Japan: One of the best places to visit in Japan, Kyoto is home to the Golden Pavilion, Nijo Castle, Kyoto Imperial Palace and Japanese Rock Gardens. Take the Shinkansen Bullet train to Kyoto, for a breathtaking ride. On the way you'll see Mt Fuji, Japan's highest mountain. Note that Kyoto sightseeing spots are so spread out, you'll need to take a Taxi to get from one point to the other. In this case taking a Kyoto tour will save you hips of time and money.

Mt Fuji is the highest mountain in Japan, with a beautifully symmetrical volcanic cone.
It goes without saying that Fuji Mountain is one of the Must see Places to Visit in Japan.
Mt Fuji scenery isn't the only view you can enjoy in the area.
The Fuji five lakes are the perfect reflecting pools for the mountain's beauty. Hakone is famous for its hot springs and it's majestic view of nearby Mt Fuji. (Me and my friends went to these hot springs before, they were really nice!)

Tokyo Cycling Tour- A Great way to discover this lovely city. Cycling the little back streets of the city provides an insight into the real Tokyo, which is difficult to explore otherwise, especially on a tight timetable. Samurai stables and the Imperial palace Tokyo are among the sites you visit on the way. The cycling itself is not too difficult, and is suitable for kids and adults.

Kabuki theater with Kabuki Makeup started during the Edo period, so this is Ancient Japanese Art at its Best.
A Kabuki play is usually about moral conflicts and love relationships, not very far from our favorite Reality show today…
The best place to see Japanese Kabuki Theater is in the Kabukiza Theater in Ginza Tokyo.
A Kabuki plays take 3 hours, but… you can buy tickets for just one act of Kabuki Theater, which takes about 30 minutes. You can also rent English headphones.

For the kids there are some awesome things to do! (Some of this might coast money, sorry)

Tokyo Disneyland wins as one of the best Things To Do with Kids in Tokyo. There are seven theme parks in Disneyland Tokyo, and if that isn't enough - Tokyo Disney Sea which is right next to it, is like no other park! Most of the attractions at Disney Sea Tokyo are unique to this park and have not been copied elsewhere. It is simply breathtaking!

Japanese love to shop and shopping is one of the best Japanese Attractions and Things To Do with Kids in Tokyo.
Here are just a few examples of why Tokyo is kid's fun paradise -
Kids will find in Tokyo the latest and the newest toys, long before they reach any other country.

Teenagers (and the young at heart too) will enjoy Sony Building in Ginza for Japan’s cutting-edge cameras, high definition TVs , the latest in computers and other gadgets.

Pokeman Center Tokyo – Chuo –ku-3-2-5 Nihonbashi – A shrine to Pokeman followers.

Kiddy-Land Tokyo is one of the Best stores in the world for stuff kid's like. Heaps of the stuff that Japanese girls love to call "kawai" - cute. Three floors of Hello Kitty, Puca and other brands on everything from lunch boxes and towels to mouse pads and notebooks. Kids fun is guaranteed.
It used to be on Omotesando Street, but they moved it to a nearby alley called Cat street which is just off Omotesando, opposite Omotesando hills.

All kids love trains, and the Shinkansen is the Bullet train that speeds at 200 km per hour across Japan !
As you stand at the platform you hear a sudden Woooosh…and you realize that the Shinkansen just passed by...you can hardly catch it with your eyes.
It's not only fast, it's also very comfortable. Use it to go for a day trip to Kyoto.

For a taste of traditional entertainment in Japan take the kids to a Kabuki Theatre Show with traditional Kabuki Makeup.
Kabuki is a traditional Japanese theater. The best place to see a Kabuki Theatre Show is in the Kabukiza Theater in Ginza.
It is possible to rent English headphones and see just one act of a play, which takes about 30 minutes – that’s a reasonable time for kid's concentration. It's one of the best Things To Do with Kids to introduce them to Japan's culture.

More Theme parks – Tokyo is just full of them.
Check out the following ones -
Puroland, is a 6-story amusement complex featuring fantasy robots, special effects and ultra-high tech rides. Purchase your tickets in advance.

Palatte City, located in Odaiba district has the world’s second tallest Ferris Wheel. Certainly one of the most fun things to do with kids in Tokyo.

Another one of the great kids attractions in Odaiba is Mega Web - Toyota’s Supersonic car simulation experience.

Studio Ghibli Museum - The Disney Of The East.
A Fun place for anyone into Animation movies, fans of Japanese Anime would love this!
The famous Studio Ghibli has created many of the world known Japanese animation movies.
Since Ghibli museum is very popular, it's better to purchase tickets at least a month in advance. You can do it yourself through their site, which makes things much easier.
Tokyo's gigantic Shinagawa Aquarium. The best Aquarium in Tokyo has an underwater tunnel, sharks, and great kids activities.
Adress: Shinagawa-Ku
Omori Kaigan subway station.

I hope this all helped!! さようなら!!!! (Sayōnara)^_^

How do you tell the difference when you combine hiragana or leave them separated? For example: How do you know when to call the character below "cha"(combined) or "chi ya" (separated)?

r u there?

Yo man how bad would I be visiting japan, not know but basic japanese. Me and my otaku friends plan to have akihabra visit when we get out of high school. Oh and do you know anything about the tokyo manga ban, it is really concerning me.

The way they make it sound any ecchii with lolis in it is banned. Is it just the disturbing hentai, or all the ecchi (with lolis in general)

@genei-werewolf i can answer that. yes you should be able to, my school went to Japan for exchange for 2 weeks it's amazing how much Japanese they picked up in only 2 weeks.

is saying ’あたし’ common among Young Females in Japan? i said...it once and got told off by my Japanese teacher XD

Lol I already got the answers to all of my questions.

Hello!
I just simply love Japan and I was wondering how is this top called:

And do you know any good mythis from japan (like yokai miths or anything like that)?

Thank you :)