Quickie: Sale at The Japan Shop

Just a quicky shopping link-fest here.

The Japan Shop is having a closeout sale on a few items, including everyone’s favorite textbook series Genki. They’ve also got Japanese for Busy people on sale at the moment, but personally, I would recommend Genki over the Busy People series any day of the week.

Also, you’ll see on The Japan Shop’s front page that they are having a weekend sale on 5 dollar downloads, including the Cut-tounge Sparrow Story.
The Japan Shop owner let me try a sample of these downloads, as I’m helping to advertise his product and all, and I must say it’s quality material. The owner’s wife is Japanese, so together they create this valuable content from scratch. Basically his wife reads a famous Japanese folktale, and he provides the English and explanations in the files that accompany it. It’s all put together using flash, so you can click vocab to get explanations and whatnot. Also, you can chose to listen to it in regular, or slow speed as well. It’s good stuff for learning.

Happy shopping for your brain!

- Harvey

Books for Trade/Sale/Giveaway

If you haven’t noticed the blurb in the upper right, I am trying to reduce the number of books in my room.

A mostly correct list of the books available is here.

If you’re interested in any, contact me via the Talk2Me form, but be SURE to include your replyto email address in the BODY of the form as well as in the email field. As noted on the page, for some reason this form  likes to drop the information in the email field, so I often receive nice comments with no way to reply to the sender.

So if you’ve ever tried to contact me and never heard back, that’s why.  (This means you Hamish! Please try again!)

I’m not trying to make money on  this, so I’ll sell cheap, and even give some away. In the case that I want to trade, I’m willing to give away 2 or 3 books for 1 of yours. I’m really just trying to reduce the amount of space taken up by my stash.

I can meet up in Umeda, Honmachi, or Namba, and other places in Osaka to deliver the goods.

Anyway, hope to hear from you!

- Harvey

Poket Monster Telegram

If you ever want to send a message to a friend in Japan in a unique and slightly ridiculous way, the ポケモン電報 (Pocket Monster Telegram), is the way to do it.

For just 2,100 yen it will be delivered to a friend in Japan with a custom message in Pikachu’s belly.

Someone sent it to us because they couldn’t attend our wedding party.

Comedy.

Though… What to do with the Pikachu “trophy” that we now have…

- Harvey

More Pokemon Telegraph Information

http://www.pokemon.co.jp/info/hotnews/n070803_02.html

Woman in the Dunes by Abe Kobo

I’m currently reading Woman in the Dunes by Abe Kobo in Japanese “with” a friend over the internet.

We kind of pace ourselves and discuss via email every few chapters or so. I have found that reading with other people is a good way to keep the momentum going, and also a great way to ensure you don’t just casually skip over the stuff you don’t understand immediately. The book is great. Very creepy. Very intense.

I without giving any of the plot away, it’s basically about a teacher from Tokyo who is a hobbyist bug-catcher. One weekend he takes a trip into the desert to look for a rare species and ends up getting stuck there – held against his will in a strange village. The story involves his battle with the elements, his relationship with the woman that he is forced to live with, and his attempts at escape.

I had seen the Woman in the Dunes movie from 1964 way back when, but had mostly forgotten the plot. I recently re-watched the movie and really enjoyed it. I don’t think it really could be classified as a horror flick, but it is certainly creepy and intense. I guess I would be tempted to give it the “Japanese English” title of “human drama”… With a rather psycho twist. I have heard of it being compared to Alfred Hitchcock films. I can see the similarities.

One last thought about the movie… It made me thirsty. I feel like I have sand in my mouth just thinking about it!

Has anyone read this in English? Did you enjoy it? Any other recommendations? Let’s hear it!

- Harvey

TheJapanShop.com Random Sale

Hey everyone, just a heads up. TheJapanShop.com is having another random sale good until February 20th. So if you are looking to buy that Kanji-geek-special-interest friend something useful for Valentines Day, now’s the time to shop.

You can use the TheJapanShop coupon code “cp108″ and get 5% off of pretty much anything except the MP3 files for JLPT study.

Note: Be sure that you enter the coupon code before you click the checkout button. The text field for the coupon code is down on the bottom of the shopping cart page. A little hard to spot, so keep your eyes peeled, like a kumquat.

The helpful Genki Textbook Series is available as always… If you’re beginner to intermediate level and can  have only  one Japanese textbook, this is the one to get.

…As is the always powerful GW-9600 Sharp electronic dictionary (I’m still lovin’ it. I’ve reached the point where I can write Kanji into the dictionary with my fingernail while standing on a semi-crowded train)…

Other than those two, I would also recommend taking a look at  the following JLPT prep-books.

These are the exact books (well, same series, these have been updated since I used them in 2003!) that I used to prepare for the  JLPT level 1.

JLPT Level 1 Grammar Complete Master 

The Same book series for Level 2 is also available: JLPT Level 2 Grammar Complete Master

This book covers the grammar on the JLPT exam. It eventually introduces you to all the patterns that are used on the exam, and plenty of example sentences and problems. Once you have taken your time to get through this book you’ll be ready for the grammar part of the exam for sure. It really works. There is no CD, but you won’t need one for grammar study. You can take a look at scans of the inside of the book on TheJapanShop page.

Note, I only used the Level 1 book, but I’m sure the Level 2 book is just as good.

The same 完全マスターseries also makes a Kanji book which I also used to prepare for the Kanji on the exam, but TheJapanShop doesn’t seem to have it at the moment. Keep an eye out for it, it was good as well. Really it was just a giant list of Kanji… But they -were- the Kanji that appear on the exam, so it’s valuable. I distinctly remember cramming the provided Kanji list down before the exam while waiting in the hallway…

This next book was great because it includes the actual JLPT test from the previous year right in the book, with answers.

2006 1,2 Levels Japanese Language Proficiency Test with CD

The JLPT exams are extremely similar from year to year, so if you can handle the sample test in this book, you’ll be able to handle the actual exam… Assuming of course that the pressure of the actual event doesn’t break you… That silent room… The clean white desk with nothing on it but an exam and a pencil… The tick of the clock… Scary.

Seriously though, what better way to study for the exam could there be? A CD is also included that has the listening portion. There is only one sample exam, so I would recommend taking it before you start studying anything at all to see how much work you need to do, and then taking it again maybe 1 month before the exam for a final check. Hopefully your preparation period will be long enough that you forget the actual test questions between the 1st and 2nd time you take it. Of course, if you have a memory like a vault you can always order other previous exams from the JapanShop as they have them stocked as well.

Anyway, happy sale shopping!

- Harvey

Kodansha Kanji Learner’s Dictionary at The Japan Shop

Just a quick heads up! To all you Kanji geeks out there.

The Kodansha Kanji Learner’s Dictionary is available on TheJapanShop.com now. Kanji whee!

In addition, for those of you who have the incredible GW9600 Sharp electronic dictionary (like me) you can get the same Kanji Learner’s Dictionary on an SD card to load into your electronic dictionary. Sure, the dictionary itself costs a lot more in digital format, but hey, it’s crazy convenient… and for something as laborious as learning Kanji, a little convenience goes a long way!

Not only that, but the expansion card for the GW9600 is specifically made for English speakers learning Kanji. Most other expansion cards for the GW9600 target the Japanese market, but not this one. This one is just for the gaijin! There is a video online explaining the dictionary and it’s features, so sure to check it out, it’s well done.

I was already at an extremely advanced level when I discovered the Kanji Learner’s Dictionary so I have only used it in passing, but my friends who are slogging their way through all 1900+ of the jyoyo Kanji right now swear by it.

Speaking of Kanji, did you guys know there is a application called ‘Kanji Box’ on Facebook that let’s you study Kanji for specific JLPT exams? I just found out this week. It’s fun when it’s not crashing!

Happy Kanji-ing!

- Harvey

TheJapanShop.com End-Year Book Sale

The JapanShop.com is having another sale, on top of their currently running 10% off sale (max savings at 15$ per product). It seems they need to clear out as much inventory by the end of the year as possible, and they have unsold books stacking up.

There are a total of 12 books covered by this “extra” sale that ends December 31st. I’ve listed a few that I would recommend taking a look at below.

A Dictionary of Basic Japanese Grammar ($42.50 to $32.50, save 24%)

A Dictionary of Intermediate Japanese Grammar ($49.98 to $38.98, 10 bucks off)

I have never used these particular Grammar books, but I did have a Grammar book when I was in high school first starting out, and I loved even more than my dictionary. I mean, it was easy to ask someone how to say “frog” in Japanese, “かえる”, done. But it wasn’t so easy to ask people the difference between grammar patterns like たべたら, たべれば and たべるなら, all of which could translate into “if you eat” in English, but are subtly different in Japanese. Dictionaries just don’t get into that. A Grammar dictionary can be your secret weapon when it comes to figuring out these nuances.

Japanese for Busy People (2nd Edition)* (Price Varies per Book, most are at least 50% off, this is $25.00 to $9.99, 60% off!)

I have never used the Busy People books, and frankly, if you’re busy, you probably don’t have enough time to learn Japanese… But! If you are busy and still have the motivation to learn, this might be a good way to get started.

Last but not least, some books in the excellent Genki series are on sale. Both Genki 1 and Genki 2 are 20% off.

If you bought any of these books earlier in December before this sale was announced you can contact the JapanShop for a  gift certificate for the difference!

In addition, if you order something before the 31st you’ll get a free print of one of Andou Hiroshige’s Fifty-Three Stages of the Tokaido with every book order. Bonus!

I still recommend the Genki textbook series over all of the other books available now, but the Dictionary of Basic Japanese Grammar looks interesting!

Happy holiday shopping!

I, on the other hand, need to shop for sweaters…

- Harvey

Japanese Tattoos and such

One of the most popular posts on this blog, quite surprisingly actually, is the Tattoo in the Onsen post.

No tattoos or drunks in the onsen please, the sign says.

Lots of people search for “kanji tattoo” or “chinese character tattoo” or “japanese tattoo” and such and end up on that page.

I guess people really want to get authentic Japanese tattoos, or tattoos with Chinese characters on them. Personally I have nothing against tattoos, though personally I’ll probably never get one, but if you’re to get one be careful!

You don’t want to end up like this! Girl’s Chinese Tattoo of Boyfriend’s Name Really Spells ‘Supermarket’. I don’t know how that could happen. I mean, wouldn’t her boyfriend tell her? Does anyone know Chinese well enough to explain this for me?

Anyway. For all those people looking for Japanese Tattoos, I ‘ll throw this link out there.

There is a magazine called Tattoo Lifestyle (Japanese Version) available with full color pictures of tattoos, in Japan. Hardcore full-back (ouch!) tattoos for all your inking needs.

Enjoy!

Does anyone out there reading this have a Japan or Chinese character related tattoo? What is it of? I’m curious.

I hope it doesn’t say “supermarket!”

- Harvey

Getting your feet wet with Japanese

I got a question from a reader the other day asking for suggestions on how to learn Japanese slowly and casually.

The reader was straight-forward and said that he didn’t have enough time to spend hours everyday learning Kanji, and isn’t looking to become fluent anytime soon either. The goal is just to make Japanese not so “foreign”. That probably describes most people who are first starting out… So here is how I would do it.

1. Get a good basic textbook.

You’ll want to have a good textbook that will walk you through essential vocabulary, grammar points, and hopefully includes a CD so you can catch the audio as well. A lot of information for language learning is available on the web, but having a textbook helps a lot because of it’s more structured and paced approach.

We did a recommended textbook post on JapanNewbie a while back, and my opinion still stands. With the TheJapanShop.com sale this month you might be able to get stuff cheaper than on Amazon, so be sure to shop around.

I still recommend the Genki Series. Remember though, the CD-set for Genki is sold separately. (Why!?)

You can also get flashcards and workbooks and a super 200$ plus CD-set for Genki, but I don’t think anyone really needs all that unless they’re using Genki to teach Japanese…

New years is coming up, great time to start new things (that hopefully will continue past February!), also, it’s a good time to take advantage of the 10% sale off everything at TheJapanShop.com.

2. Get a lot of media.

If you don’t have tons of time it will also probably be difficult to motivate yourself to put in the 30 min or so that you hope to daily. School, work, YouTube, and Scrabble on FaceBook will all be competing for those last few minutes of useful brainpower remaining before you go to sleep, so the Japanese study component of your day has got to be entertaining.

There are a lot of subtitled and fun, Japanese movies available that are a great supplement to a regular study scheme. Anime is OK, but anime alone is dangerous because conversations about fantasy worlds, magic, and space travel just don’t happen often enough in everyday Japanese conversation. I’ll bet it won’t show up in Genki either, so it’s best so spend your time watching something that uses more everyday vocabulary. Shall We Dance is a great starting place. It might make you cry.

 3. Find a language exchange partner

I thought twice about making this my 3rd recommendation… But やっぱり, I gotta list it. It’s not always easy to arrange a language exchange partner… But I think for the casual learner it will really help. You can not only exchange language tidbits, but cultural information as well. Even if you can’t find someone who lives in your area, try to get some kind of pen-pal online. If you can keep it up I think it will help a lot. For advanced speakers I actually wouldn’t always recommend the language exchange thing, because most native speakers don’t know how to teach Japanese… For a beginner though, the extra language and culture contact itself is worth it.

Extra stuff: Hardware! 

If you can afford it, a good electronic dictionary is also a good thing to have, even for (especially for?) beginners who are just slowly introducing themselves to the language. You all know what my dictionary of choice is (the GW9600, more power!), but for absolute beginners maybe the less expensive Canon G55 will suffice.

That’s a wrap. Get the books. Get the audio/visual. Get some native speaker time. If you can afford it, get some technology to back you up… Stir and repeat. After a while Japanese won’t seem like such a “foreign” language after all.

Actually recently I have been  casually studying Korean. I have a great textbook, I listen to KoreanClass101.com religiously, I have a Korean dictionary for my GW9600, and I meet with a language exchange dude weekly. (He’s a PhD student studying how Kansai-dialect remains with elderly Koreans who were forcibly taught Japanese under occupation by the Japanese military during WWII. Apparently most of the language teachers in Korea were from the Kansai area!)

The only thing I’m lacking is some good subtitled Korean media to watch or listen to. If anyone has any recommendations of Korean dramas or movies that I could watch over and over I appreciate any recommendations! Also, any Korean music with easy to understand lyrics would be great as well.

Happy learning!

- Harvey