Looking for answer way!

Today's list is JAPANESE TEXT BOOKS!
Want to learn Japanese? Can't afford a class? This list is for you. You can pick up these text books at a local book store or even on amazon.

Here is what I have judged the books on.
Functionality
Accuracy
Interest
Price


4. NAKAMA
The Nakama series spans two books and is used by many schools in the US. Even so I find many flaws with it. It can be very confusing at times and can be very dry. The culture lessons are brief one to two page paragraphs and doesn't elaborate on kanji. The format of the chapters I find confusing and overly detailed on unimportant things. An example is that for the explanation of transitive and intransitive verbs the Nakama book only uses one paragraph with very little examples but, in depth explanation of　ている. Putting the vocab list at the end of that chapter works for some subjects but not for language. You need to be able to familiarize yourself with words in the chapter especially if they are going to be used in the grammatical examples. Unfortunately, Nakama also puts the vocab list in the back and usually goes 5 - 6 pages. The final blow to bring it to the bottom of my list is the price. The text book without the workbook rings up as $70 - $100 USD. The workbook at $50 - 80. Though if purchased through a school the set can be bought at $100
NO WEB PAGE AVAILABLE.

3. Minna no Nihongo
The number one text used in Japan, Minna no Nihongo is a strange twist of events. The reason it appears low on my list is also the reason I love the book. Completely in Japanese. Now I KNOW that defeats the purpose of learning a language if you don't understand it but, I do feel comfortable with it. You can purchase a second book with explanations. The beauty of it is that regardless of what you native language is you can buy the corresponding core book in Japanese and then the translation & grammar notes book in your native language. Currently the book is offered in these versions: English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Chinese, Korean, Thai, Russian, German and Indonesian. The Japanese book gives you the grammar point and how its used. The explanation book gives you the grammar point and in depth explanation using two to five examples. The vocabulary list is one to two pages. While no formal kanji instruction in the book, the user will learn to read many kanji. The price I would say is fare. The core book goes for $25 - $28 USD, The translation and grammar book for another $20 - $23 USD and the workbook for $8 - $12 USD. Having three books is annoying but combined they weigh what one Nakama book weighs. A romaji version is available for those who can't read Kana. (book I only)
HOME PAGE: http://www.3anet.co.jp/english/books/books_01.html

2Japanese for busy people:
When I first came across this book I was disgusted with it. It lacked direction and any sort of functionality. But, times have changed and so has the book. Now it actually resembles something of a textbook. The lessons are VERY clear and there isn't a specific grammar list at the end or beginning of the chapter. The vocabulary list is continuous at the bottom of each page. I was so surprised at the new change to the book that I almost bought the first level book for myself. Kanji is not formally taught in the first book but is introduced into the second book. Its very un-attached however not really ingrained into the user. Despite that the book's attention to detail from the perspective someone who's never learned anything outside of English brings a sense of relief to those intimidated by the language. An excellent book for people just starting out. Unlike the other books in the list this one comes with the audio CD if you wish to do the listening exercises. The book sells for $17 - $25 USD the workbook from $15 - $22 USD. Romaji version available for those who can't read Kana (book I only)
HOME PAGE: http://www.ajalt.org/e/publications/textbooks1.html

Genki
So here we are the #1 book. Genki. This book is steadily growing popular amongst US colleges and universities. Genki offers many things that other books don't have. Consistency. The truth behind GENKI is that the actual name is "An integrated course in elementary Japanese" Called "Genki" for short. This is important to know because the Intermediate version of the book is called this. Anyways. What is really amazing about the Genki series is how it simply teaches you what many other books try. In an interesting and almost ... fun way. Many of the other books have group or pair activities. Both Genki and Intermediate Approach to blah blah blah Japanese, have solo, pair and group activities. Remember the transitive/intransitive whine I had? In Genki they take a page and a half to explain it in layman's terms. Then in the activities section they use pictures to help explain how it works as well as a suggestion to use a game of charades to explain if a verb is transitive or intransitive. Each lesson follows the same pattern as the previous one. Another plus is that it utilizes the internet and has an extensive resource page called "Genki Online" with video lessons from the book as well as quizzes. The back of Genki also has a whole kanji book in it. The kanji coincides with the kanji that appear in each lesson. It includes reading print font and written font. Each textbook runs about $30 - $40 USD. The workbook at $15 - $20 USD
HOME PAGE: http://genki.japantimes.co.jp/index.en.html
http://ij.japantimes.co.jp/en/about.jsp

Well of course this is all my personal opinion and stuff. Anyways
That's it for today.

See you next round!

Like a hard rain, like a night train

Hello there again readers!!! It is I Lala posting again from Japanlands. Today I`m going to talk about buses.

There are a few rules about transportation in Tokyo.

1. The trains go everywhere.
2. Where the trains don`t go the subways go
3. Where the subways don`t go the trains go.
4. You walk anywhere else.

Japanese buses are usually designed to seat about 30 people. That may seem like a lot but most American buses can seat 60 people. This isn`t to say that Japanese buses can`t hold 60 people. Japanese buses use most of its space to hold people standing up. The proceedure to ride buses doesn`t change. You get on in the front, pay, then get off in the back.

Now I would like to talk a little about long distance buses.

Much like greyhound Japan has buses that travel all over. I recently rode a bus from Tokyo to Osaka. JR (Japan Railways) owns a series of "highway buses" The most popularly ridden ones are the night buses. Since traveling by auto is very lengthy people often take the night bus to a distant location. The trip from Tokyo to Osaka lasts about 8 hours (by bullet train it is 3). The seats recline really far back and the lights are dimmed giving for a perfect relaxing aura. Its great to fall asleep in Tokyo and wake up in Osaka. Plus the buses don`t smell of angry bum urine.

These buses are usually double deckers and can hold lose to 70 people. This method is great for people who arn`t in a hurry and don`t want to worry about a place to stay for the night! Another advantage to the Highway bus is that it is half of the cost of a bullet train ticket.

Well it appears I am almost out of time at this manga kissa again. I might travel to temple town (AKA Kyoto) today.

See you next round!
~Lala~

JR Highway bus information http://www.jrbuskanto.co.jp/bus_route_e/ (English)

Fire shadow

Hey everyone its me again!

How are you?

I only have one week left in Japan!　；＿；
Its been really fun so far. I`m going to miss it again but I also miss my kitty. ;_;

Today I`m going to teach you some words to remember for when you are having fun!

盛り上がれ（もりあがれ）－moriagare
やり過ぎる　（やりすぎる）- yarisugiru

These are both words that don`t really translate well but I will make an attempt to explain them.

moriagare littlerally means "To Swell" but when you hear this at a concert it means "GET EXCITED!! access often use this term.

yarisugi is a more commonplace word so I`m going to spend a little more time on this one.
sugi at the end of yarisugi means "too much" yarisugi means "to go overboard" but sugi can be added to almost verb. It turns the word into a ru word. Like adding -suru to a word.
example:
tabesugi - to eat too much
nomisugi - to drink too much (usually referrs to liquor)
nesugi - to sleep too much (usually means overslept)
kaisugi - to buy too much

To make this compound simply take a verb in its masu form and drop the masu and add sugi.
Try it out!

yari in yarisugi is the inpolite form of to do - suru you are saying I did too much litterally.

Well thats all for today. I better stop before I kakisugi!

See you next round!!!!

Melt

Its been a long time since I've wrote here. I learned a lot in Japan. Not only Japanese but life lessons. So what have I been doing since then? Many things. Looking for work and now I am taking care of my father who has unfortunately been diagnosed with cancer. I have more hobbies now! I've gotten back into Gundam and my new love is Vocaloid.

For those unfamiliar with Vocaloid let me give you a quick run down.

Vocaloid (ボカロイド) is a synthesized vocal program created by Yamaha. At first the program wasn't very popular amongst the public but it quickly grew an audience after the creation of Miku Hatsune. Miku's character design gained a following and became more popular after a video on Nico Nico Douga (Japan's answer to youtube) displayed Miku waving a Leek to the song "Ievan Polkka" Miku and other Vocaloids such as Kaito and Meiko (who were the first character Vocaloids) became popular. Since the rise in the Vocaloid's popularity more character Vocaloids have been released. Rin and Len Kagamine, (Len is rumored to be designed after Daisuke Asakura) Gakupo Kamui (the voice is sampled from J-pop singer Gackt) and the newist addition Luka Megurine. There are officially seven character vocaloids. However there exsists upwards of 30 fanmade vocaloids. only three of those are reconized by the devloping company Crypton which devolped the character vocaloid series.
Hachune Miku
Yowane Haku
Akita Neru
and Kasane Teto.

Hachune Miku was the one who starred in the video that made Miku famous. She is an SD version of Miku Hatsune.

Yowane Haku devolped by 2chan users, represents the "not so well made" songs. Haku instead of Miku sings these. She will appear as a costume for Miku in Project Diva the PSP game.

Akita Neru also devolped by 2chan users, represents people who like vocaloid but give up using it. She will also appear as a costume for Miku in Project Diva.

Kasane Teto, While not reconized by Crypton is reconized by KEI the artist who created the Vocaloid character designs. Teto appears in his manga "Hatsune Mix" which is a collection of stories about the vocaloids. Teto was created in 2chan to be an April fool's day prank for Vocaloid fans. The prank blew up in their face as Teto became popular and people wished to save her from dissapearing. The video "uso no utahime" (The fake Diva) tells the story of Teto. She sings with a rival software called "Utau" (which means "Sing")

Well that concludes today's post. I leave with you with a few Vocaloid videos.

Dancing Samurai - Gakupo's song. Features all official as well as Neru and Haku


Honey - Vocaloid Allstars. A song released before the creation of Gakupo and Luka. Features Haku, Neru, and Teto.


and Triple Baka - Miku, Neru, Teto. A cute song


See you next round!