Language Studying Tips

Kanji Many Japanese teachers and language texts advise learners to hold off on studying kanji. There are a few reasons for this: they believe that kanji are too difficult for foreigners to learn. they think that the learning of kanji will take away from the time needed to study grammar, vocabulary, etc. many of their […]

Proficiency Tests

There are a number of proficiency tests for Japanese. The most well-known is the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (日本語能力試験 nihongo noryoku shiken), called the JLPT for short. There is also the Business Japanese Proficiency Test. The Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) The JLPT is held twice a year, in summer and winter. You can take […]

Japanese Classes

The Hyogo International Association in Kobe offers evening Japanese classes for foreign residents for a nominal price of 2,000 yen per semester: Hyogo International Association. (Find the English PDF at the middle of the page.) Sign-up is on a quarterly basis and first-come first-served. There are a number of other places in Hyogo Prefecture that […]

Trains: Vocab and Tips

Useful Train Vocabulary General Vocab Ticket Gate – 改札口 (kai-satsu-guchi) One way – 片道 (kata-michi) Round Trip – 往復 (ou-fuku) First Class Car – グリーン車 (green-sha) Non-smoking Car – 禁煙車 (kin-en-sha)Smoking Car – 喫煙車 (kitsu-en-sha) Non-reserved Seat – 自由席 (ji-yuu-seki) Reserved Seat – 指定席 (shi-tei-seki) Window (Seat) – 窓側 (mado-gawa) Aisle (Seat) – 通路側 (tsuu-ro-gawa) […]

Typing in Japanese

Windows Vista, 7 Start > “Control Panel” > “Clock, Language, and Region”. Click “Change keyboards.” Check “Add” and select Japanese. Mac users Go to “System Preferences”. Choose “International”. Click the “input method” tab. Check “Kotoeri” (the name of the Japanese input method). Check the “hiragana” box. (You may check the other boxes if you wish, […]

English Speaking Lawyers

AKAGI, Fumio Phone: 078-321-5558 Fax: 078-392-1424 Address: Shinko Bldg., 2F 8 Kaigan-dori, Chuo-ku, Kobe 650-0024 Specialty: maritime law and banking law Education: Ritsumeikan University, 1954, LL.B Memberships: Hyogo Bar Association NISHI, Masaru Phone: 078-994-3497 Fax: 078-994-3497 Address: Nishi Law Office 1-10-21 Akibadai Nishi-ku, Kobe 651-2224 Specialty: private international law and international transaction Education: Kyoto University, […]

Study Leave

CLAIR (who set the guidelines for contracting organizations like your BOE) has no official policy on Study Leave. AJET is pushing them to establish guidelines, rules such as “JETs should be allowed to apply for study leave under these conditions…” but nothing has been made yet. This means that it is completely up to your […]