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Using the internet to dig up some basics in Japanese

Bilingual Apr 30, 2018

Using the internet to dig up some basics in Japanese

by Mark Schreiber

Once, many, many years ago, I found a rail pass someone left behind next to a public pay phone in Hamamatsucho Station in Tokyo's Minato Ward. Before handing in the pass into the stationmaster's office for deposit in the お忘れ物承り所 (o-wasuremono uketamawari-jo, lost-and-found department), I ...

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Twice the value: What may look like a mild-mannered "W" spells extra savings for the Japanese.

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You still need to know your ABCs if you’re living in Japan

by Hannah Kunert

Written Japanese has three different scripts — hiragana, katakana and kanji — so you wouldn't think there'd be room for any more. But you'd be wrong. ローマ字 (rōmaji, the Roman alphabet) is often considered the fourth Japanese script, and has carved out a space for itself in everyday life. Fo...