Learn kanji with my Kanji Kanban(漢字看板) Japanese street and shop sign series, an ever expanding database of kanji, hiragana and katakana characters in natural contexts. The word ‘kanban’ refers to shop signs in Japanese. This series focuses on the joyo kanji (常用漢字), the most frequently used characters. It includes various reference tools that make this … Read more
Rikaichan is a pop-up Japanese dictionary add-on that can really turbo charge your online Japanese reading practice. If I had to give up all but one of my printed and online Japanese language learning resources, rikaichan would be the keeper. And it happens to be free! You can download it and get more info here. … Read more
おまつり How do you say ‘festival’ in Japanese? If you’re learning hiragana, try reading this poster advertising an upcoming event. I noticed it on a community message board in my neighborhood in Kyoto. The お at the beginning is an honorific and is often omitted. Use the rikaichan popup dictionary or your favorite reference tool … Read more
勝手ながら （日）は お休みさせて 頂きます。 Use the rikaichan popup dictionary or your favorite reference tool with my transcription below the photo if you need help reading this Okayama restaurant’s sign. Thanks for the photo, Ricky! The numbers below refer to the kanji I’ve transcribed below the photo, and correspond to their order of appearance in both … Read more
梅林 Use the rikaichan popup dictionary or your favorite reference tool with my transcription below the photo if you need help reading this sign. The numbers below refer to the kanji I’ve transcribed below the photo, and correspond to their order of appearance in both Heisig’s Remembering the Kanji and Kanji in Context. To learn … Read more
なぜ咳をまわりにとばしちゃうの？ まわりのお客様にご配慮ください。 Use the rikaichan popup dictionary or your favorite reference tool with my transcription below the photo if you need help reading this poster that I saw when I went to Tokyo earlier this month. Click on the photo to enlarge it and see the characters more clearly. The numbers below refer to the … Read more
立飲み Use the rikaichan popup dictionary or your favorite reference tool with my transcription below the photo if you need help reading this noren that I saw when I went to Tokyo earlier this month. The numbers below refer to the kanji I’ve transcribed below the photo, and correspond to their order of appearance in … Read more
富士氷屋 ドライアイス 氷 おしぼり Use the rikaichan popup dictionary or your favorite reference tool with my transcription below the photo if you need help reading the characters on this truck that I saw when I went to Tokyo earlier this month. Click on the photo to enlarge it and see the characters more clearly. おしぼり are wet hand … Read more
献血 実施日 ４月８日（月） 場所 鳳徳小学校 時間 午後１時３０−３時３０分 主催 鳳徳献血推進会 Use the rikaichan popup dictionary or your favorite reference tool with my transcription below the photo if you need help reading this poster. The characters 鳳徳（ほうとく）are the name of the neighborhood where this event is to be held, and therefore I haven’t included them in the kanji referenced for further … Read more