Helpful Links
Included here are links to websites that should be of use to Japanese-language learners and residents of Tokyo. If you know of any others you think should be included, drop me a line at sharris@asij.ac.jp.
|
Dictionaries
Of the many dictionaries available online, this one has a roomaji-based interface. Click on Search for Words in the Dictionary and then select "Japanese Keyword in Romaji" and enter the word you want to look up.
|
Japanese Learning This is the best online tool for learning how to write hiragana and katakana. The kanji section is also worth a look. This is neither quick nor dirty but actually a pretty good guide to the mechanics of Japanese grammar. It is more suited to mature learners and assumes the ability to read at least hiragana and katakana. This features lots of reviews of books that can assist learners of Japanese. There are also informative columns, including ones on kanji. |
|
Life in Tokyo This is the English version of "Ekisupaato," an ingenious program that tells you how to get from one place to another by train and subway. For example, enter "Roppongi" into the "origin" field and "Tama" into the "destination" field, and click on "search." You will be asked for confirmation of the exact stations, and then you click on "search" again. The result is five different routes for getting from Roppongi to Tama (the closest station to ASIJ), each with the cost, duration, and distance included. ("Ekisupaato" is a pun that means both "expert" and "eki (station)" + "spurt (sprint). There is a Japanese version here. Calls itself "Japan's No. 1 English Magazine" and is a pretty good read. Another of the three best guides in English to what's happening in town. This is another online magazine to keep you up-to-date with what is going on in this great city. The ultimate guide to eating well in Tokyo. The online version of the yellow pages (in English). |
Japanese Culture This is as good a place as any to get basic info on Japan. A little bit of everything on Japan! Straight answers to basic questions on Japan. Makes for an interesting browse. Some good pointers about how to prevent embarrassment. There are several comprehensive guides in this treasure trove of information. Japan Atlas, Trends in Japan, and many others are all fantastic resources. They comb very diverse sources on the Web for lots and lots of news on Japan. Subscribe to their newsletter, a monthly report on the best Japan-related articles found on the web. A must-read! A great index for finding places in Japan. Irasshai is a Japanese language and culture distance learning course. |
|
Websites in Japanese This is a kids' version of the popular Japanese search engine Goo. It's all in Japanese but geared for kids due to its content and use of "furigana" above all kanji. This is a clever site that teaches about why hiragana, katakana, and kanji (the kanji for first- through third-grade in Japanese elementary school) look the way they do. An online map of Japan like Yahoo Maps and Mapquest. A unique concept. Cut and paste some Japanese text into the message field and click on "go." When you touch words with your mouse, you will be shown a translation. Try to cut and paste the following as an experiment: 私はアメリカン・スクール・イン・ジャパンの学生です。日本と日本語が大好きです。 |
|