How To Speak Japanese When You Don’t Live In Japan

This article is by That Japan Girl. She's very knowledgeable about Japan and the Japanese language. Find her links at the bottom of this article! Enjoy!

                    

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When it comes to speaking Japanese, what makes the situation difficult is exactly the thing that makes it so exciting. Another person is there, listening to you speak, and responding to what you’re saying to them. They can interrupt you whenever they want, cut you off and talk over you. They can ask you to clarify something, to repeat what you just said or to start all over from the beginning. They can talk fast or slow, shout or whisper, speak in standard Japanese or hit you with that Kansai-ben.

Bottom line is: you’ll never know what flow a conversation takes.

And that’s what makes it so exciting to speak Japanese!

Why People Stop Learning Japanese

When you first start learning Japanese it can be fun and exciting. You're on your way to learning a new language! First you learn the alphabet, then start learning useful words and phrases. There's a lot of progress in the beginning and learning Japanese looks very promising. But then you hit a wall in your learning Japanese. Whether it's conscious or not, you start to find a reason to stop learning. If you find a good enough reason, it won't look like you failed in learning Japanese.

I'm going to go through these "reasons" why people stop learning Japanese and give you realizations that it can still be done. There is sadly no good excuse for not learning Japanese. If you just want to stop that is acceptable, but don't try to use one of these excuses because it will just make you look bad in the long run.

Not so Secret Secrets of Japanese Language

Learning Japanese is already hard enough with all the vocabulary memorization, the grammar rules and the thousands of kanji characters you'll need to study. But all those things are just what's on the surface of learning Japanese. There's more to the Japanese language that some people may not realize. I'll be talking about those not-so-secret secrets you may hear about that can help you understand Japanese a little better. Many of these are well known but I'm going to talk about them for the people who are studying the language and may not know, and for those who may need a refresher, or for those of you who may know nothing about the Japanese language but are interested in learning.

Survival Japanese

You don't need to know Japanese to travel in Japan, but it sure does help a lot if you do know some Japanese (and it would be appreciated by Japanese people since some are scared of foreigners due to the language barrier). Unless you are a linguistic genius, it'll usually take people years to learn Japanese.
But what if you have an opportunity to go travel in Japan soon than later? How will you be able to learn Japanese in that limited amount of time? You can't, and that's why I'm here to tell you the survival Japanese you should remember. I did a post on the Japanese you should know if you're trying to learn but this article is going to be talking specifically about Japanese that will make or break you in Japan.

Most Common Words You Hear in Japan

Whether you know Japanese or not you can tell when you start to hear the same words while walking the streets. I know a bit of Japanese so I recognized all the common words you hear in others' conversations, but my husband who knows no Japanese was able to pick up a few words just from observation.

Here are the most common words you'll hear in Japan.

So so so so so (そうそうそうそうそう)

The original phrase this came from is sodesu (そうです) which is used to agree or confirm with someone. In actual words it means "that's right." As you can imagine, repeating it several times in a casual way of saying "right, right, right, right." In English it may sound like you're trying to shut someone up fast but in Japanese it is more of a strong agreement. This phrase is used mostly by young adults, but it can also be used by older adults in a more casual setting with a friend. This phrase is never to be used in a formal situation.

Majide (まじで)

This is a simple one. "Seriously?" Used with young adults, you'll hear this word a lot in a conversation. Someone will say something and the other person will reply with majide, seriously? This is how you casually express surprise or shock at something someone has said. I've only heard this getting popular in the last two years, so I'm not sure how long this has actually been used.

Sumimasen (すみません)

The word sumimasen has many meanings and usages. You will hear it everywhere such as the station, a restaurant, and even at a store. Sumimasen initially means "excuse me" but can be used as a quick "I'm sorry." For the restaurant you'll hear it used to get a waiter's attention as in Japan they don't come check on you unless called upon. You'll hear it used at the store for the same reason. For the station there could be two scenarios. The first being if you need to pass through a crowd you can use it as an excuse me. The second being if you accidentally bump into a person while trying to catch a train, in that case it would be used as a sorry. It's a common word used in everyday life situations. It's an extremely useful word to know if you plan to travel to Japan.

If you're ready to learn Japanese, here's where to start on how.

Not looking to learn the language but would like to know important words for travel, here's material for that.

This was just a small post to get myself back into writing after being gone for three weeks after going to Japan. It's like playing an instrument. It takes a lot of practice and once you know how to do it you need to keep at it or the ability to do so will slowly disappear.

These are three words my husband noticed while in Japan. I used him as my source since he doesn't know Japanese. He knows no Japanese but picked out these three words from overhearing strangers' on the street. Once he kept on hearing these over and over again he began to actually learn these terms and how to use them.

Hope you enjoyed reading. There's bigger and better to come. To keep up with it all the greatness soon to come follow my blog for updates and also follow me on my social media where I'm most active!

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What I Always Look Forward to in Japan

I don't go to Japan as often as I'd like. If it was up to me I would go every year, but sometimes the wallet and life just doesn't allow something like that. I get to go every other year, and at different seasons too. All of my family, friends, and coworkers all know I'm very happy when I get to go to Japan. But there are still people in my life who just don't understand my love for Japan, and that's okay because they've probably never felt the need to visit other countries.

But I'd like to take this time to list what I always look forward to the most when going to Japan.

The Food

I don't feel guilty when I'm eating over in Japan, even if it's fast food. In America all of our fast food chains are very unhealthy, even the ones that are advertised as healthy. And for me especially, where I live everything is fried. It tastes delicious but it's greasy and makes you feel disgusting after. In Japan I don't really have to worry about that. I don't think I've ever eaten anything greasy in Japan. And I have the biggest sweet tooth in the world, so I love how Japan loves their sweets too. The food not only tastes great, but it always looks so beautiful. I love food guys, even if I'm a picky eater.

Chef at a Japanese restaurant.

Nature

Now, in no way am I a nature person. My favorite thing to do at home is to stay in the house, but in Japan it's a totally different story. Where I live we have to seasons, hot and cold (summer and winter). There's really no fall and spring. In Japan I look forward to nature because I get to see so much beauty surrounding me, and that beauty is heightened by the history of the country.

The People

Whether they know us or not, I've always had great experiences with the people. They are helpful and kind. Even other foreigners in Japan are nice. And I've mentioned this in another blog but their work ethic is a lot different than where I'm from. Japan takes pride in everything they do, so you'll have a good experience just about anywhere.

Using my Japanese

It's hard to practice a language when there's not a lot of opportunities to use it. I could practice with a friend or two but I get really shy about my Japanese because I end up comparing my Japanese to theirs which makes me think I just suck at speaking Japanese. In Japan, that's not the case at all! These people know Japanese as their first language, but they still get impressed when they see foreigners speaking their language. That kind of reaction is really encouraging for someone with a low self esteem. It makes me want to continue practicing.

Visiting my Japanese Hometown

Last, but not least, is my Japanese hometown. For those of you who don't follow my blog or follow me on social media, I've studied abroad in Kyoto, Japan. I lived in Kyoto for 5 weeks on a short-term study abroad with my college during the summer of 2010. It was a great experience and definitely grew my love for Japan even more. I consider Kyoto my second home. Every time I visit Japan I have to go visit Kyoto no matter what; it's a priority! I love the nostalgia, natsukashii in Japanese, of walking the streets of Kyoto, visiting the spots I frequented and passing the university I studied at. There is no city like Kyoto to me, so I look forward to always going back home for a while.

On the streets of Kyoto.

Thank you so much for reading my blog. I loved writing this one, as I'm preparing myself for my trip to Japan in the next few days. To follow my adventures in Japan follow me on social media where I'll be posting many pictures and videos and even keep you updated on where I am in Japan and what I'm doing.

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How to Memorize Japanese Vocabulary

I'm currently learning Japanese, as many of you may be learning too. I have mastered hiragana and katakana and have learned all the particles such as は、の、を、が、に、etc. Basically what I'm missing are the words. I don't know why, but I have the hardest time trying to remember vocabulary. And if I want to start speaking Japanese, I think it's pretty important to have some vocabulary down.

Well, lately, I've been studying like crazy (crazy meaning when I have the time which is like a hour a day). I think I've finally got the swing of things with learning the vocabulary and I'd like to share it with you. I'm pretty old school when it comes to studying so my method of studying involves flashcards.

So here's how I do it, in two easy steps.

Start Learning Japanese

I have a ton of ideas for blog posts in my head but I haven't done one on learning Japanese in a while. I know there are people who are trying to learn Japanese like myself. We're all doing what we can to learn in our own way whether it's taking formal classes, watching anime and dramas, or studying with friends. Each of these sadly has a flaw. Taking formal classes cost money and you learn in the order of the textbook being used. Watching anime doesn't get you far in your studies and you only pick up small words and phrases. Studying with friends can be a good idea, but at the same time you all are either distracting each other from actually studying or you all look to each other for guidance and get stuck. I did all of these things and still do some of them. Japanese is a hard language to learn and it will take years if you are not fully dedicated everyday, like myself.

To a Japanese person my level of Japanese is at the lower intermediate level. I can read and write hiragana and katakana and make basic sentences. A beginner is not knowing anything, a total beginner. The upper intermediate level is when you know the grammar but you can't understand conversations in Japanese. And finally, advanced is when you know how to converse in Japanese and can understand Japanese television and newspapers. I really hope one day I can get to the advanced level but I'll be lucky enough to just get to upper intermediate. The obvious way to learn fluent Japanese is to live there for a few years but me and most other people don't have that opportunity to do so (it's just not in our cards we've drawn). I'm in no way qualified to teach Japanese to others, but I don't mind helping out with giving tips and stuff like that.

Grammar/ Sentence structure

There is one thing that we should all focus on studying though and that's what we NEED to study. Open up a Japanese textbook, go ahead. The first introductory chapter is useful because of the hiragana, katakana, and helpful phrases but then the chapters start to teach you vocabulary you don't need to know. I find that a textbook doesn't challenge you enough like an actual person does. The one thing a textbook is good for is all the sentence structure and grammar rules in it. Collect all of those into one spot and study those each day to keep yourself refreshed. Even form the sentence, leaving out nouns, subject, time, adjective/adverbs, and verbs so you can practice making your own sentences.

Understanding the particles is a critical part of learning the sentence structure.

Vocabulary

In order to form sentences you need to know some vocabulary. Don't just learn random words. Be smart about what you learn. Ask yourself, "What am I going to Japan for? A job? A vacation?" If it's for school or a specific job learn the vocabulary related to those occupations. If it's for a vacation learn words for everyday conversation or what you think you would use like directions and asking questions. To study these vocabulary I suggest going back to the basics of studying and writing some flashcards. Learn 10 words at a time, adding 10 more everyday. Don't stop studying the flashcards for that day until you make no mistakes. If you miss a few days of studying you will have to start from the beginning because you won't remember anything, so make sure you study those flashcards everyday (it shouldn't take you any longer than a hour). 

Good old flashcards. They really do work.

Writing Hiragana, Katakana, and Kanji

Learning how to write Japanese is important so you can read signs and other important information. With hiragana and katakana you just need to practice once a day, tallying how many you've got wrong. The goal is to keep practicing until you can write each one without any mistakes. Kanji is a little more work. Each day study 5 kanji, adding the previous 5 to the mix. Make sure that the 5 you are studying that day you have memorized it's English and Japanese meaning and are able to write the kanji. The next day, your goal is to be able to regenerate the previous kanji and it's meaning. If it can;t be done you need to study those thoroughly again with the next additional kanji. This method has worked for me previous, letting me comprehend 80 kanji at once.

You will keep getting better with each day!

I hope these study tips help you reach closer to your goal of learning Japanese. If you have any tips to help others please leave a comment below on your methods.

Like always, thanks for reading. I appreciate it all the time.

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A Taste of Japan: Disney's Epcot

There are many circumstances that can keep people from travel such as health conditions, fear of flying, and just not having the finances. I still find these circumstances sad for those who really want to experience Japan but can't make it over there. It can be hard traveling to other countries, and I understand. That's why I'd like to help those in America (where I'm from). You'd be surprised at how many places in America have areas that resemble Japan. These places obviously aren't going to be exactly like Japan, but it'll give people a good taste of what Japan may be like.

I plan to talk about Disney World's Epcot located in Orlando, Florida in this segment of "A Taste of Japan." Disney World is a great family or friend vacation for all ages. There's literally something for everyone to enjoy. There are several parks to explore, but I'll be talking about Epcot. I will eventually do more blog posts like this as I have the finances and time to travel to places that resemble Japan. So expect this to be a long running series on my blog.

Let's get started! Epcot is a park in Disney World that let's you travel around the world with its World Showcase. As you circle the park you'll arrive in countries such as South Korea, Mexico, China, Ireland, France, Germany, and, of course, Japan. I've been to Epcot three times already and it's always my most look forward to moments when I'm in Disney World. Epcot Japan resembles the real Japan in many ways that can come to many as a surprise. When you first transition from leaving America to entering Japan you can hear taiko drums in the distance, welcoming you to Japan. In the lake that is in the middle of the park, there's a torii, or gate, that is sitting in the water just like you can find in Japan. Once you enter that Japan section of Epcot the scenery changes drastically from the previous America section. The buildings are designed like traditional Japanese architecture. These buildings house shops, an exhibit, and restaurants. Towards the back corner, a Japanese garden and a pond can be seen. There's a pathway you can follow to stroll through the small garden area, leading to a small restaurant and the shopping area.

In the middle of the Japan section of Epcot.

The pond in the small Japanese garden. Those are some big koi fish.

There are two dinning restaurants to enjoy Japanese food like sushi and tempura. Then there is a casual restaurant, perfect for lunch, that serves items such as curry, garlic shrimp, and chicken teriyaki. The last time I went to the casual restaurant they had okonomiyaki (cabbage pancakes) on the menu that was delicious, but I guess it was too foreign to visitors so they exchanged that item for curry. I got the chicken katsu curry for lunch. It tasted just like the ones I got in real Japan. The workers were super friendly. They had no problem starting a conversation with my husband and I about his Kokoichiban (a curry house franchise in Japan) t-shirt. We enjoyed the small talk and got to know the workers a bit. Every worker, even in the other countries of Epcot, had a name tag on that would give where they were from. So the cashier at the casual restaurant was from Tokyo, Japan. I loved looking at all the name tags to see where the Japanese workers were from.

The exhibit room, featuring Kawaii Culture.

The next thing I saw was the exhibit. These exhibits are long-term, about 4 to 5 years. In 2012, the exhibit was about Japanese folklore. I really loved that one because they had a life size statue of a tengu (crow/man) that was so cool. This year they had an exhibit on Japan's kawaii (cute) culture. The room had glass cases filled with cute plushies, accessories, and other little trinkets. As you look at the exhibit you can hear Kyary Pamyu Pamyu playing in the background. It's a fun little exhibit that always introduces an interesting part of Japanese culture.

One of the glass cases explaining how cute culture can be present at work and for play..

Once you exit the exhibit there's an entrance to the Mitsukoshi department store. The store is nicely organized, sectioning off parts of the store for different things. There was a section for sake, snacks and candy, food, kitchen, kimono, hobbies, clothing, beauty products, stationary, Miyazaki items, Japanese learning books, Pokemon, Hello Kitty, and anime.  All of these great things in one store. It was hard not to buy everything in sight. My very first time in the store I went crazy, buying a purse, stickers, Pokemon plushies, a kimono, and candy. This time I only bought mochi candy and an umbrella.

The hobby section of the Mitsukoshi department store.

So as you can see Epcot Japan is in the comfort of American soil but lets you experience tiny parts of Japan. You'll get to eat real Japanese food, learn about Japanese traditions, and learn about the Japanese culture. All of this without the worry of speaking Japanese, yet if you'd like you can practice your Japanese with the workers and they'll be thrilled to talk with you. Not only will going to Disney's Epcot be a vacation, but an opportunity to learn about Japan in a relaxed setting. I won't be fully immersed into the culture. You will get little taste of Japan from Disney's Epcot, but enough to understand the country better.

I hope you enjoyed this blog post. I'm looking forward to doing more like this in the future. Thank you for reading and giving me support. I have so much fun writing about Japan and sharing it with everyone.

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Manga in Japan

Manga are Japanese comics, referred to in America as graphic novels. Manga authors are the most populated authors in Japan, publishing many manga each year. When you go into any bookstore in Japan you can be sure there will be lots of manga on the shelves.

I will talk about manga's role in America at a later time but I'd like to first introduce manga from Japan's standpoint. 

Manga is a common type of book in Japan. Imagine a bookstore in your country. You have your common literature section and then the books start to branch out into sections like young adult, poetry, science, sports, etc. If you've taken notice, literature will most likely be the largest section of all the sections at the bookstore. Now think of that literature section and turn it into manga. That's how it is in Japan. Bookstores in Japan have sections too but manga is the biggest section.

Manga series called Tokyo Crazy Paradise.
Not licensed in America.

It is common to read manga in Japan. There are many Japanese people who read manga whether it be for enjoyment or passing time during their day. Manga is known as the original content to anime, so manga is a great way to get into anime. Nonetheless, in Japan, if you read manga it doesn't mean you like anime. The reason for this is because manga is the common literature in Japan. It is literally everywhere and easy to obtain. This makes manga a popular source for reading material. Anime is still considered a Japanese cartoon no matter its projected audience, so if a person has no interest in watching a cartoon they won't watch anime. Yet, that anime could be derived from a manga. So to restate, just because a person in Japan reads manga doesn't mean they like anime. The two don't equal up in Japan. They are two separate interests.

Manga is a great source of enjoyment in Japan. Of course a Japanese manga is written in Japanese, so you would need to know how to read Japanese. To read Japanese manga you can get by with knowing only hiragana which is the easiest form of reading, in my opinion. There are kanji used in manga but many manga have tiny hiragana next to the kanji so it's a great way to study the language. You'll also have to have a good vocabulary in order to understand the words. If not, you can always have a Japanese to English dictionary on hand to assist you when needed.

Japanese version of the manga Reimei no Arcana (Dawn of the Arcana).

If you ever get to go to Japan I suggest taking a stroll through a book store. It is a sight to see. Maybe even pick up a manga. Even if you may not understand the contents of a manga it can be a great souvenir to bring back with you. And yes, I own a few volumes of Japanese manga.

I hope you enjoyed this post. If you liked this one you should check out of few others I've done. Thanks for reading!

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The Best Ways to Learn Japanese Casually

There are three kinds of people learning Japanese. First, there are the hard core learners. These people have their heads in the books like crazy trying to learn the language. Some even take a big step forward and move to Japan in order to learn and surround themselves in the language. The second kind of people are the ones who took the introduction classes to Japanese in school but never pursued it further, so the only Japanese they know are the extreme basics. This also goes for the people who only watch anime and just retains the basics. And then there are people like me, the ones who casually learn Japanese. These people are not fluent in Japanese but they shouldn't claim to not know Japanese because they've retained and gained more out of the language than most people.

Today I'm going to be discussing my learning process in hopes to help those of you in my situation and for those who simply would like to learn some Japanese easily and with no stress.

Let me explain my situation first. I'm in my mid-twenties right now. I've graduated from college and have a full time job that has nothing to do with my major. I'm happily married and have a ton of friends I still keep up with from college. I've had the wonderful opportunity to study abroad in Japan for a summer and to go back to Japan for my honeymoon. So here's the question, how am I going to learn Japanese? I'm not planning to move to Japan because of my developing life here in America, so I won't learn that way. I can't take classes because it'll cost money that can be better used for life stuff and actual trips to Japan. There are my old textbooks from my Japanese classes I could use, but who has the time to sit down and focus on studying? I wake up, go to work, get home in the evening, blog (my life goal is to become a writer), take care of our dog, spend time with my husband, and then go to bed to do it all over again. One weekends we can substitute work with hanging out with friends since that's the only time I get to see them. I have no time to look at textbooks and learn Japanese that way. I have other ways of learning Japanese and I'd like to share it with you!

Japanese Dramas

Hana Yori Dango
"Boys Over Flowers"

I know what some people are already going to say. "What about anime!?!" There are two things wrong with anime. 1. Anime mostly has casual speaking that can be considered very rude, and if there is polite speaking in an anime it's a soldier of some sort speaking to a captain. This is not useful. 2. Anime is getting so imaginative lately that the vocabulary in them are useless to people wanting to speak Japanese. Now dramas on the other hand are great study guides. With dramas, you are watching real Japanese people speaking Japanese that you should be learning. Listen to their pronunciation and what they're saying. Pause the drama and try to repeat what they said. Watch the same episode of the drama again to get a feel for the vocabulary being used. You'll start to get a grasp of what the actors are saying and you'll be able to say it too.

Maiko Fujita, a J-pop singer.

Japanese Music

I love listening to Japanese music. Not only is it fun but you can learn Japanese this way too. Listen to the words and how the singer is naturally getting his/her words out. Repeatedly listen to the same song over and over again and try to sing along to the music. Then look up the lyrics to the song and sing along with the lyrics in hand. Once you've got the song memorized go back to the lyrics and try to translate them yourself. Look up the real translation and see how you did. Then you can go on to another song and start the process over again.

Phone Apps

Screenshot of the apps on my phone.
And yes, that's my doge.

I finally found an important use for my phone. There are phone apps available to teach you Japanese! Yeah, there are some that are not too good, but I found a few that are actually worth using and that are free!

AnkiDroid- this app is used like flash cards. there are a ton of downloadable flashcards to practice Japanese with. I use the flashcards titled "Human Japanese." These specific cards help me with vocabulary and sentence structure. And just like flashcards if you don't know the answer you can put the card back in the pile to try to answer it again later.

Obenkyo- This is another great app I use. It's a study guide app that let's you test on the material you studied. The tests are multiple choice. The app even takes your score and shows you your progress on the tests. You can test yourself on hiragana, katakana, kanji, numbers, vocabulary, and particles.

Japanese Manga

Japanese and English manga side by side.

This is definitely for the more advanced. To study this way you have to know how to read hiragana and katakana and you have to have a lot of vocabulary down. I have Japanese manga of manga that was translated already in English. What you do is you read the English manga first to get a feel for what kind of vocabulary you'll be using. Then grab a notebook and pen to write your translation of the Japanese manga. Once you're done translating, you can go check yourself using the English translation. I have used this way once so far. It's difficult so only study this way when you are confident about your Japanese reading skills.

I hope these methods help you study Japanese. They're fun and non-traditional ways to study and learn Japanese. These are the only ways I study due to my schedule and I find it helps me retain the Japanese I've learned so far and gain a little more. Remember, if you don't use it you'll lose it. So keep studying and have fun with it.

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Karaoke in Japan

In Japan, it is not common for young people to hang out at each other's houses. Young adults usually go out somewhere if they want to hang out. One of the most common places for people to hang out at are karaoke venues. Karaoke is not only a way to socialize but it is a way to experience night life without the bar hopping or club going.

Karaoke has everything you need. It has food, drinks, and good times.

The screen for a Japanese song at karaoke.

Of course you're in Japan so there are Japanese songs.

If you know Japanese or have a song from an anime or drama you already memorized then you're good to go.

If you are like me and know what the song is supposed to sound like and know hiragana, then you're also good to go.

If you don't know any Japanese songs or how to read Japanese, don't panic, there are English songs available to pick from. So you are also good to go! You can go back to the 80's or choose a more modern song. They'll have it.

My friend Kaji picking a song from the electronic menu.

When you first get to the karaoke venue you'll pay for your karaoke time (meaning you pay for hours). I found two hours to be sufficient enough. After you pay, the attendant will bring you to a karaoke room that is just for your group. Feeling thirsty? There's a button on the wall for you to press to call an attendant to take your order. Get the party started by grabbing the electronic menu to select the first song. The song will pop onto the monitor and you can begin singing into the mic that's provided in the room. Time goes by fast when you're having fun so make sure you're using the time wisely.

Hope you get the chance to experience karaoke in Japan. It's very fun and a great way to get out the house or hotel.

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Japanese Pop Culture

Japan is a country that's deeply rooted in their traditions, but they've developed an influential pop culture that has reached to many different countries. Whether you are familiar with the pop culture or new to the scene, there's always something to learn.

Fashion

Fashion is the biggest part of the Japanese pop culture. It's very important to the lifestyle they live by. In Japan it is important to look presentable and clean when going out. Not only that, but there are guidelines to their fashion. For men, properly fitted clothes are desirable. For women, you can show as much legs as you'd like but you should cover the chest area. To make the look complete women should wear heels. There are obvious circumstances that will allow these guidelines to bend such as weather and preferences. These are just the typically rule of thumb to Japanese fashion. One of the best stores to shop at is UNIQLO. This a well known store in Japan that has fashionable and cheap clothing.

College students.

Music

Just as America has various genres of music, so does Japan. The most common and talked about genres are J-pop (Japanese pop music), J-rock (Japanese rock music), and Visual Kei (a music and fashion associated with rock style but adds an elaborate sound and look). Japanese music lyrics are very poetic. The lyrics usually talk about nature or emotions. For those of you who may not be familiar with Japanese music here are examples of bands and artists I recommend you to check out:

Kyary Pamyu Pamyu- a popular and well known pop singer famous for her song "PonPonPon."

*Babymetal- a 3 member girl rock band that combines cuteness and the sound of rock into their music.

Stereopony- a girl rock band that has had songs featured in anime. 

Perfume- a pop/techno girl group who is recognized for their unique sound.

*AAA- a pop group of both genders who have been featured in anime and have came out with multiple cds over the years.

*Da-ice- a new boy pop group with great vocals and eye catching choreography. 

*Abingdon Boys School- an alternative boys rock group who is recognized for their iconic songs that are featured in various anime.

                                                                                           *These are my favorites to listen to.

Babymetal (got from an article on Rocketnews24)

Anime

Anime is Japanese animation. It is in fact for all ages, so make sure to check the show's maturity rating. Some of you may have seen anime before without even noticing such as Pokemon, Dragonball, Speed Racer, Astro Boy, Sailor Moon, and Cardcaptor Sakura. These examples are a part of many people's childhood. Anime has evolved since then and has become an art form, always trying to out do themselves. Anime comes in many genres. It is probably the most popular thing about Japanese pop culture. It has migrated to all parts of the world with voice acting in English, German, Spanish, Italian, French, Korean, Brazilian, and of course Japanese. Anime has a subculture called cosplay which will be for another post entirely. Here are examples of anime to watch:

Ages 4-12: Pokemon, Yokai Watch, Digimon, Kaleido Star, Tokyo Mew Mew, Glass Mask, Shugo Chara!

Ages 13-17: .hack//, Naruto, Fruits Basket, Full Moon, Inuyasha, D.Grayman, Ouran High School Host Club, Kimi Ni Todoke, Slayers, Trigun.

Ages 18 and older: Hellsing Ultimate, Ghost in the Shell, Elfen Lied, Death Note, Berserk, Ceres Celestial Legend, Attack on Titan, Paradise Kiss.

These anime are recommendations based off of age groups and do not reflect my taste of anime. I will be happy to post about my favorite anime at a later time.

Characters of the series .hack//Legend of the Twilight.

I hope you enjoyed this quick overview of Japanese pop culture. All of these topics can be discussed in more detail which will reappear in later posts.

Sorry for not posting lately! I've been super busy with my cosplay since anime convention season is approaching for me. I will probably be doing a blog post on that relatively soon. I will continue to post as much as I can. Until next time!

Follow me on Instagram: https://instagram.com/japantherapy/

Speak English?!? You Try Speaking a Difficult Language!

Hi everyone!

This post is going to be very controversial. I'm sorry if this makes some of you uncomfortable but it needs to be addressed. Now this is obviously my opinion on the situation and you have every right to think differently, but here it goes.

Let's start off with a story.

I work at a car dealership. Nothing I say has any reflection on the business itself or the professionalism of the workers, it's all their personal feelings I'll be telling. Anyway, we get a lot of different customers coming through our doors. Some are young, some are old, some are White, and some are Hispanic. They can be coming into the dealership to buy a car or to service their car. Well, a lot of my coworkers who deal with customers are older than me and are not as cultured as me. I'm not saying older people can't be cultured, but these coworkers of mine are into their own lives and definitely not interested in other cultures. They even find it weird and surprising when I talk about Japan. They just never had the desire to learn more than what they need to know. To get to the story, one day a customer came into the dealership. He supposedly had a really thick accent. My coworker claimed he was Chinese due to his name and passed the customer onto someone else because she couldn't understand him. Then I heard a comment from the spectators in the office that people should speak English if they come to America. What?!?!?! This guy was clearly speaking English, he just had a Chinese accent still which is normal.

Now let's get down to my opinion and morals of this story.

Why should anyone coming to America have to speak English? I thought America was a free country, and welcoming to all types of people. We even have Americans who speak different kinds of English like slang, or just not proper English at all. These foreigners coming to America are here for the opportunities and some even learned English so they could fit in. I rather these people living in America than the lazy people who just sit at home all day wondering why their life is so miserable and not doing anything to fix it themselves.

My Japanese notebook, plus some doodles.

It really bothers me when someone says something stupid like "they should speak English." Obviously the people who say this have never truly learned a language so they can't possibly understand. It's hard to learn a language! People always ask me if I can speak Japanese and it's the hardest thing to answer. I can't say no because I do know some Japanese. Yet if I say yes everyone thinks I know it fluently which is not true. I end up saying yes to their question but add that I know enough to get around. They are still impressed with me but then they turn around and say stupid stuff like speak English! Well then, since you are so adamant about people speaking English you should try speaking another language. See how that works out for you. You'll never be able to compare your speaking skills with others who are learning English because English is the hardest language to learn and you've grown up with it since birth. 

I'm studying Japanese.

So I dare those of you who've ever said that foreigners should speak English to actually learn a different language first before saying something that stupid. You just sound ignorant when you say it.

That's my life lesson I'm sharing with all of you. I hope it didn't get too intense for you but this is a serious subject that happens more often than you may think.

Check out my other blog posts for more Japan related topics!

Also, I'm on Instagram! Come follow me here: https://instagram.com/japantherapy/

I like to post Japan pictures from past trips and Japanese related things that I like.

Thank you for you're support! See you next time!

Japan Crate Review

I've recently obtained a Japan Crate. I got it as a birthday present from a friend. For those of you who don't know what a Japan Crate is, it's a subscription box of Japanese candy and snacks that's delivered to your house every month. It's candy that comes straight from Japan. There are three sizes to the Japan Crate. I got the premium box which is the biggest and comes with the most items. At first I was super excited about it because I'd get to relive Japan from the comfort of my home. That statement is half true and half false. Let me explain within the review.

When I opened the box I was blown away by all the colors and cute packaging. I felt the nostalgia when I saw Japanese writing on the wrappers. My friend and I made a video review, so we opened each individual candy. We took turns choosing a candy to open. The first few were great, but then it got worse. Not worse as in it all tasted bad but worse in the sense that I got bored with it towards the end.

There are several reasons why I got bored with it. My first problem was there seemed to be way more gum products than actual candy. If you're a big candy flavored gum person then you're good to go in getting a Japan Crate. The second problem I had was that there was only three things that I genuinely liked in the Japan Crate: the Banana Cream Chocolate flavored Pocky, the Ramune drink, and the chocolate bar that had a card of a dog in it. Everything else I could've done without. The third and final problem was the snacks that were bizarre. I understand the purpose of them being there as a wow factor and as a fun to try thing, but it ends up being a waste of space in the long run. There were two candies that I considered gag candy: the Big Bar Z that tasted like a popcorn churro and the soy sauce mochi bar. The sadder part about those two candies is that they're both part of the mini box which only contained five items total! I was lucky that my friends got me the premium box, but what about those people that subscribed to the mini box? I just didn't find the snacks to be well rounded.

Overall:
My overall recommendation is to definitely buy a box first before subscribing to the Japan Crate service. I feel the once a month subscription service is not worth it due to the fact that it's a lot of candy at once if you don't space it out and you simple don't get what you want. My friends told me he spent about $30 for the premium box. I feel that was way over priced. I rather go to my local Asian Market and buy exactly what I want when I want it.

That's my review of the Japan Crate. I'll be doing more crate/box reviews occasionally since I'm doing video reviews for an organization I'm involved in called Awesome Geeks. I run the Japan and anime section of the organization, along with the business aspect of it. I'll put the video link in later when I have the YouTube link up. Hope this was interesting and helpful for you.

See you next time!

What Could Give You Culture Shock

Culture shock doesn't happen to everyone, but when it happens it can be very hard to overcome. I never experienced culture shock myself or have had friends who experienced it, but I know it can really ruin a good trip and what was supposed to be a good time.

Culture shock is when someone goes into another culture they are not familiar with and is shocked about the differences from their own culture. You'll start to panic. This can be mentally painful and very stressful to someone.

Now, if I could've gotten culture shock I can think of four things that would cause it.

1. The People and Language

I live in America. More specifically, I live in New Orleans, Louisiana. We have a little nickname for the city of New Orleans called the gumbo bowl. Now the contents in a gumbo dish is a bunch of different seafood. That's what it's like in the city. It's a bunch a different people living in one city. So to go from this kind of life to Japan, where there's mostly going to be Japanese people speaking mostly Japanese, can be very intimidating and will cause reason for panic. Japan is not a diverse country and to Americans it can be stressful not seeing what's familiar to you.

2. Transportation

In America, we run on cars. Almost everyone owns a car. A car is essential for the way we live life. It takes us to work, let's us go on vacations, and overall, gets us where we want to go at any time. This may not apply to northern states who have subway systems, but down south it's a part of our daily lives. In Japan it's different. They run on public transportation. Yes, there are cars around but there are way more people using subways, trains, and buses than people using cars. And why not use good resources if it's given to you? So seeing Japan function through public transportation can cause culture shock. Go to a train station in Tokyo in the morning work hours. That alone could give you culture shock. It's pretty much a bunch of people crowding onto the train and train attendants pushing people in. It can be seen as chaotic and bizarre, but it works for them. Another thing you'll see are people walking and biking, the cheaper of all transportation. If you stay in one city at a time while in Japan you'll probably be walking or biking to places yourself.

3. Restaurants

What can go wrong with going to a restaurant in Japan? If you're familiar with Japanese culture you already know that the people working are polite and strive for the best strive they can give. There's even a no tipping policy! But what you may not know is that there's no such thing as leftovers. In America, New Orleans specifically, your meals are huge! The food is practically falling off the plate. You go out to eat already knowing you're not going to finish your meal unless you are super hungry that day. There's nothing to worry about though because you know the server will ask if you need a to-go box. In Japan there's no such thing as a to-go box. It is expected that you eat all your food. This is not a hard task because the meals you buy are perfectly portioned. The only way it can go wrong is if you purchase too much thinking you need more food. A way to avoid this is to order as you eat. If you're done your first dish and still hungry you can order more food. Another thing about restaurants that can be surprising is if you visit a more traditional restaurant. At these restaurants you are most likely going to be taking off your shoes and possibly sitting on the ground. This can be very uncomfortable for some people but it's not that bad if you just give it a try.

4. Going Up

What I mean by going up is that Japan works by floors. Japan is a tiny country with a big population, especially in the cities. It is not common for people to have their own house. Most people live in apartments that have many floors. The same can be said for business establishments. Say you went on your phone looking up nail salons in Tokyo, Japan. You found the address of one and decided to go check it out. You come to a tall building that houses many establishments. It can get pretty frustrating and difficult trying to find this place. There are even restaurants that are in these multi level buildings. Try not to get impatient, you'll be able to find where you want to go if you pay close attention to signs and advertisements.

Those are the ways I feel most people would get culture shock. I hope this helps some people. I would like to advice that the best way to overcome culture shock is to study up on the culture before traveling and to accept their way of life. That is the reason why I have never experienced culture shock. 

If you have experienced culture shock please share. I'd love to hear your stories. If you have any further questions on this subject please don't hesitate to ask. Until next time!

The Japanese You Should Know

In my last post I said Japanese was not needed in order to go to Japan. I still believe that statement, but it never hurts to know a little bit. Knowing even a bit of Japanese will be a great cushion for those of you who are nervous about visiting a country whose first language isn’t English. Some of you may be ambitious and determined enough to learn Japanese fluently, but for people who don’t have the time nor desire to learn may still want to know the essential words just to get by.

Pronunciation

The first thing you need to know is the sound/pronunciation of Japanese consonants and vowels. This is the easiest part about learning Japanese. The Japanese consonants sound exactly like English consonants. Vowels will be easy for people who have studied Spanish before. Japanese vowels sound exactly like Spanish vowels. Now knowing this, you can actually speak English to Japanese people by using Japanese pronunciation on English words. You will have a higher success rate in being understood.

Congratulations! You’ve taken the first steps into learning Japanese!

Numbers

You don’t really notice how much numbers are used on a daily basis until you go to another language speaking country. Yes, you will encounter the numbers in the form of 1 2 3, but you should definitely know the Japanese pronunciation. I say this because on signs outside of shops or on menus you’ll see actual numbers, but what happens if you ask a clerk how much something is and she understands you but doesn’t know how to answer in English so she says it in Japanese. This is why I said you should know how to pronounce numbers. Other incidents could be closing times or train arrivals. The list can go on. Below is a short list of the numbers you will need to know and its Japanese pronunciation.

0 – zero                                        11 – juu ichi

1 – ichi                                          12 – juu ni

2 – ni                                             13 – juu san

3 – san                                          20 – ni juu

4 – shi/yon                                   100 – hyaku

5 – go                                            123 – hyaku ni juu san

6 – roku                                        1000 – sen

7 – nana/shichi                            10000 - ichiman

8 – hachi

9 – kyu

10 – juu

Phrases

Phrases will be your life-line. They never change and are constantly used by both Japanese and foreigners. It’s helpful to know these phrases when traveling in Japan. They are great practice in speaking Japanese. The Japanese are usually impressed when a foreigner speaks Japanese. They are so impressed that they may mistake your little Japanese as knowing Japanese fluently. They will figure you out once you put on that blank stare and come back down to a lower level of Japanese or even go straight into English. The phrases I’m about to suggest will help you get around in Japan and to interact with the locals a little. Some of these phrases are round about translations because they may not have an exact English meaning and I’ve shortened some words for easier memorization. Remember to use Japanese pronunciation!

Nice to meet you – Hajimemashite

Hello – Konnichiwa

I don’t understand – Wakarimasen

Excuse me (to get someone’s attenetion or as a sorry) – Sumimasen

It’s ok – Daijobu

Here (after you) – Dozo

Thank you – Arigatou gozaimas

How much is this? – Ikura desu ka

Where is _______? – _______ wa doko desu ka

Yes – Hai

No – Iie

It’s cute – Kawaii

It’s delicious – Oishii

No thank you – Keko desu

Japanese classroom assignment.

And this is your survival Japanese. Unless you get super adventurous, which some of you will, you’ll only need this much for those unexpected encounters. This is a very beginner introduction to Japanese that is taught in the first 3-4 weeks in a Japanese class. It’s pretty hard to teach Japanese in a blog but if you need any advice about Japanese please don’t hesitate to ask. I will do my best to answer you. Due to its difficulty, this will be one of the last times I try to teach Japanese on here unless it’s requested. I hope you learned a lot and you get to use some of this in the future.

Until next time! Matta ne! That means see you. :)