Nihongo - Writing Your Name in Japanese

So, you want to learn to write your name in Japanese? Well, unlucky for you there are different ways to do so. The first is to use the Katakana syllabary. This is done for foreign names and objects. Your name would most likely be written in Katakana. This syllabary is very angular.

The second way to write a name is using Hiragana. This syllabary is the standard for “spelling” out words, as long as they are not foreign, or as additional characters added on to Kanji that give a different meaning to the Kanji. Hiragana has the same sounds as Katakana, but is more of a rounded, fluid-looking syllabary.

The third way, and the way most native Japanese write their name, is by using the meaning of your name to select the Kanji. This is the most difficult means of writing a name, as it requires knowledge of the Kanji to accurately select the correct characters. Since a Kanji can have more than one meaning, and most words have more than one Kanji, parents often select Kanji with a good second meaning when selecting the name for their child. If you would like to try this, I recommend using your favorite search engine to find the meaning of your name. Then, go to Nihongo Resources and search for the Kanji.

Shinai vs Bokken - Why I Chose Shinkendo

Almost 3 years ago, my wife (then fiancee), and I decided we would like to learn Japanese sword.  This desire stemmed from our frequent renting of anime from the local video store.  We became enamored with the stories of feudal Japan, the brave Samurai who fought for honor and their daimyo, and the cool sword moves that are often shown in the movies, such as Kill Bill.  We realized that movies and anime tend to over exaggerate sword technique, but nonetheless we were still interested in learning.  We were feeling that we needed something active to do together, and I, being a former student of Tae Kwon Do, thought martial arts would be the best way to go.  Not only would we be exercising, but we would be learning something new, and learning it together.