Alan Watts on making mistakes

Alan Watts observes the problem that Japanese people have with making mistakes. Later he says that playing the piano you shouldn't mind the mistakes but keep the rhythm. Don't block. Freedom equals the freedom to make mistakes.

Best Japanese Vines!

The fastest way to master . . . nothing.

Tune in

This looks like a site allowing access to radio around the world.

Here's a channel I discovered searching for "Japanese podcast" .

All manga

I started collecting manga in the first half of 2014. I'm using them to learn to read Japanese, and as motivation. I look forward to the day that I'll read them for fun. Most are available second hand for 100 yen, but most of mine I have obtained in 10-copies-for-200-yen lots.

First, a confession. I have accumulated literally cartons of various manga. Far too many to discuss individually. But I'll try to keep some sort of track here. A good source of information about manga is baka-manga updates.

Here, I'll list what I have, and I'll link to where they can be found online (in English). Sites like Kissmanga (perhaps the best), Mangapark, Citymanga, Mangareader, .Mangachapter .Mangasee .Mangago Mangahere There, that will keep me busy!

100 Oku no Otoku 2, 6-9

20th Century Boys 1-15
2001 Nights 1 - 3
Aa Harimanada 1
Addicted to Curry 2
Akane chan to okyakusan no papa
Angel Heart 2
Arakawa Under the Bridge 1film also on Kissasian.com
Are you LUCKY?
Azumi 1, 3 + wide 1 (ch 1-25)
Baby Steps 1-7, 10
Baron 1,2
Battle Royale 1
Battle Royale: Angels' Border
Be Dash 1
Big Waver 1, 2
Billy Bat 1, 2, 3
Black Jack 2 volumes
Blue Drop 1
Blue Edge
Boku no Marie 1-2
Boku no shokibo na seikatsu (not sure what I have - there seem to be different versions)
Breakdown 1, 4
Cage of Eden1
Darren Shan 1-4
Death Note 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8(need 2, 7)
Detective Conan (Wide 8)
Dogesen 1
Don’t Disturb him and me please 1
Doraemon 1, (Enlish + Japanese)
Neurologist Dr. Irabu1
Dr Koto 1(wide)
Dr Kumahige 1
Drifting Classroom (Hyouryuu Kyoushitsu) Wide 2 - 4
Emerging Wide complete
Eternal Sabbath 1-6
Family Compo 14
'Fierce Gold Country' 1
Futari Ecchi 1
Futatsu no Spica (and in anime) 1-4, 6, 9, 10
Fuufu Seigatsu 1-2
Gabai 1, 3-5 (movie)
Gaku 1-13
Gallery Fake 1, 3
Gantz 1-4, 6-9, 11-14 (+ wide 13(319-341) 12(282-304) 14(319-341)). . .
Gate Runner 1, 2
Gekikara Curry Ouji 1 links to video (manga)
Gokusen 1, 2
Gorogo 13: 2 wide volumes
Gun Lady
Gunbari 1
Guruguru 1
Hadakanokusuriyubi
Hajime no Ippo 1-2
Hakuhei Musha 1
Hakaiju Wide (up&down)
Hanada Shounen-shi 1
Happy! 1-10 (incl. 1, 2 wide)
Happy People 2
Haro hari nezumi 1, 2
Hatsukoi (one-off)
Hatsumitsu 2
Heads 1
Help Man 1
Hetakoi 1-2
Hikarinomachi (one-off)
Hi no Tori (Firebird, Phoenix) 2, 5 (wide)
Hideout one-off?
Homunculus 1-10
Human Scramble 1 Wide
Hyouryuu net cafe
Ibitsu 7
Ike 3
Inochi dake wa . . . (nonfiction, vol I of II)
Ikigami 1-7
Inuyashiki 1
IO 2, 6, 8
Iwamal 1-9 (complete)
Jackie Chan bio
Jin 1-20 
Jipangu Boy 7
Joshuu Rei
Kaijuu no Kodomo 1-5 (Sea Monster's Children)
Kamichu 1-2
Kanojo ga shinjatta 1,2
Katsu 1
Kekkon Shiyouyo 1-6
Keroro Gunsou 1
Kimi no Kazoku
Kirakira 1, 4-6
Kiseiju (Parasyte) 1-2, Wide 1 (ch 1-23)
Kono Sekai no Katasumini 
Kuu no sekai 1-2
Kyokutoukitan 1
Kyoshiro 2030 1-3
Life of Genius Profesor Yanagisawa 2 (best selection)
Luna Heights1
Maiwai 1
Manhole 1-3
Marathon Man wide 1-3
Maybe Amber Life 1-2
Me~ Teru no Kimochi 1-3
Mitsu no Shima 1
Miyuki 1
Momonchi 1
Monster 1-3, 8, 10, 12 (need 4-7, 9, 11, 13 . . .)
Moyashimon (?)
Muromi-san 1
My Name is Shingo (complete: wide 1-4)
My …Princess
Nachun 1
Naoko 20 volumes, including 1-17
Nostradamus 3
On Sight! 1
Onaji Tsuki wo Miteiru 1
Ookami kodomo no Ame to Yuki 1-2
Oyasumi Punpun 1
Parasyte (Kiseiju) 1, 2 & Wide 1
Passport Blue 1
Pi 1-9
Please Jeeves 1-2
Pluto 1-3 (and 1-8 BIG size)
Poo-neko 2
Ranma 1/2 1, 12, 15
Ressentiment 1
Reversibleman 1
Rough 9, 4(wide)
Saint Young Men 1-3
Salaryman 1,2
Say Hello to Black Jack 1-12
New Say Hello to Black 1
Scatter 1
Seventeen Memory
Sekkai de ichiban tsuyoku naritai 1-3
Self 1
Shakariki 1W (19 chapters)
Shamo 1-3
Sherlock Holmes (2 wide volumes)
Sherlock (BBC)
Shindo 1
Shuukan Ishikawa Masayuki (one-off)
Skin (All Need is Beauty) 1
Snoopy 1
Soil 1, 3, 4, 5, 9
Suicide Island (Jisatsuto) 1
Sumo (2 wide volumes)
Super Radical Gag Family  3, Wide 4 (ch 30-42)
Survival 1-7 (in one form or another), xtra
Sylvester Stallone story
Takeki Ougon no Kuni 1 
Teishu genki de inu ga ii 1, 5
Tenjou Tenge 1
Tensai Yanagisawa Kyoujuno Seikatsu
Tenurara 1
Teyaredei Baby
The Climber 1-3
The Life of a Man who Headed Toward Stradivari 1
The Prince of Tennis 1
Therumae Romae 1-5
Toki o Kakeru Shoujo (The Girl Who Leaped Through Time) 1 (of 2)
Tokyo Kaido 1
Tokyo Tabi Sanpo 1
Tomehane 1-3
Tonari no Misaki-san
Tonari no Seki-kun 1
Toukyou Daigaku Monogatari 1
Translucent 2-3
Triathlon in Hawaii
Tsuki ni Hoeran nee 1
Uchi uchi Nyan Nyan 1
Uchuu Kyoudai 1 + Wide 1&2
Umi no Misaki 1
Umizaru 1-12
Usausa Nyan nyan
Vagabond 1
Video Girl Ai 1 (Denei Shoujo)
Watashi wa Shingo 1-4 (complete, wide)
Watanabe 1 and Wide
Weed 9
Yankee-kun to Megane-chan 1
Yawara 1, 28
Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou 1-8
Yotsuba to! 1-7

Begiragons

Enough crazy viewing here . .. https://www.youtube.com/user/begiragons Lots of talking and language in the clip below.

Gacha Bike!

A lot of silly bloke talk. Ideal!

Characterize

This looks great. It's a plugin that replaces the first part of an English word with a kanji to give you reading practice in Japanese while you're reading in English!

You get text that looks like this:

We started up the 段tairs. “Do you get a lot of 徒eople here from 外utside the Lakeland Republic?”

FluentU

Here's a useful-looking site from links to useful Japanese learning sites from Benny's Fluent in 3 Months.

Trick

Something else to take a look at . . . on Kissasian

Need good music

Even better is the Flower Travellin' Band

Random sites for Japanese listening

Maremoreo

Pingbacks

Never knew what Pingbacks were until a couple of minutes ago.

They occur frequently in the comments section of AJATT posts.

It seems that they are when other sites link back to AJATT. WHen you click them, they may lead to other useful sites - such as this one. (42 hacks for learning Japanese)

Ken Takakura

I believe that I could get into speaking by emulating Ken Takakura. He did a lot of films and a lot of music.

The Mops!

Here's a radio program to listen to too.

Kanji Review

Learning languages like Japanese and Chinese requires a certain degree of application. You need to get the writing system under control first. And for that an SRS (Spaced Review System) is recommended.

I've had mixed results with them. I tried Anki, but I couldn't easily figure out how to 'drive' the thing. I seemed to be driving blind when I used it.

Then someone recommended Reviewing the Kanji to me, and it works much better.

I still get into backlog situations from time to time. But that's my own doing.

(Write about the human need to get small wins rather than be daunted by large goals [see AJATT])

Izumi Pinko

I had a link below to the movie Granny Gabai with Izumi Pinko on the leading role, but that account was closed.

Instead, I've embedded a playlist from another movie of the same story.

Day 18

Last night I got into old Japanese music on Youtube. Enka, I suppose. It's good to have on in the background.

Hey, check out the album cover that turned up when I did an Enka image search!

Day 17

 It's Sachi's 6th birthday today. My treat was to view Saints Young Men. It's really very funny.

Day 16

Read the following book from Jonan library.

Day 15

Powerful listening:



 Follows on from a pdf of the autobiography of the author author of Hadashi no Gen that I discovered.

Day 14

I'll just post a few useful links.
First is News in Slow Japanese
Second, I discovered a useful-looking kanji site.
Third, here's a kanji quizz
Finally, it's useful to search Youtube for 映画
p.s. might this be a way to find Japanese Vlogs?
Sentence reading practice

Day 13

Following on from yesterday, you get used to another language through exposure. And exposure involves, intensity, duration, acceptance and type of exposure. And so you try to optimize those factors.

I don't think that you can do this by a formula. It is more of an art. You need to use to use your intuition as to how to go about it. Which is on a day-by-day, case-by-case. Individualized too, it goes without saying.

I like the AJATT (All Japanese All the Time) quote:

You don't know learn a language, you live it. You don't learn a language, you get used to it.

Day 12

Let's talk about reading. Let's talk about books.

I've always loved to read much more than listen. That was may portal into Dutch, and later back into English. Children's stories, Fairy Tales, the Narnian Chronicles, Science Fiction . . .

I firmly agree with Stephen Krashen's ideas on compulsive reading.

That said, I find myself not enjoying reading as much as I used to. No doubt tastes change. Naturaly I'm not as interested in children's stories. Diminishing eyesight pays a role. It's a nuisance to have to use reading glasses. You get out of the habit too.

So what are the considerations as regards reading Japanese material?

At present, I like the idea of completing a book, so it needs to be quite short. I quickly get frustrated when I don't understand enough (not everything) or when the font is too small.

I'm Going Camping by Akiko Hayashi, 1984

The content needs to be interesting. The plot and the sentences ought to be straightforward. Five lines of text on a page feels just right. Illustrations every alternate page are useful. The above book worked well for me yesterday. If I want to be succeeding in 'reading' a book in the conventional manner, then this is the level it needs to be at for me.

Other books can work too, but it requires more care and attention. Books at a higher level need to be tackled appropriately. You need to have a doable task in mind for each one, depending on the book itself. You need scanning and skimming tasks, i+1word and sentence extraction, underlining of known content etc.

Tackle each book on a case by case basis, it seems to me. Take a look at it and decide: How can I use this to improve my language knowledge most quickly and most enjoyably by using this?

Days 10 & 11

I'm no longer sticking rigidly to my initial system. I'll just try and do Japanese as often as possible. (I think I've already mentioned that . . .)

I learned that you can find all sorts of interesting material on Youtube - and possibly elsewhere - by searching with 朗読. Here's YouTube's page.

What else? I learned that Khatzumoto is really very ishoukenmei with his listening advice. I really can't see myself pursuing Japanese to that extent.

And finally, I picked up a useful Snoopy paperback that has both English and Japanese. It only cost 88 yen. And there are plenty more where that came from.

Day 9

Let's look at the Lingq site today.
Specifically, I'd like to list all the video clips in Japanese that Steve Kaufmann has made.
I can refer my students to them, and I can listen to them myself!

言葉の勉強の７つ秘密

多読多聴。言葉の勉強の近道

効果的言葉の勉強。まず苦労しないこと！

なぜ英語が難しいか？

どう勉強する？

どうして英語を流暢に話せないでしょうか?

  Update

This exercise was taking up too much time, so I sent a message to Mr Kaufmann asking him to create a Japanese playlist. He has promised to do so!

 

 

 

 

 

Day 8

As expected, I forgot to write about Harry Potter yesterday. I'll do so now.
The Harry Potter series is easily available in Japan (in Japanese). At BookOff I have seen brand new copies still in their original wrapping in hardback for as little as 100 yen.

But I only have the first volume. I have it in English too. But the best thing is that I have on my computer the Japanese audio. Together they make up what I call my 3 Sacred Treasures!

To date, I've tried several things with them:

• Copy out the sentences of one chapter, the simplest sentence from each page
• Highlighted the sentences that I understood until the whole page/chapter is highlighted
• Listen to the Japanese while I follow the English text by eye

Day 7

I won't record each 11-minute activity element so compulsively. I'll just expose myself to as much Japanese as possible, in as many different ways as I like, while having fun.

Today, I discovered an entire drama (2) on the Lingq site. And I can see it on YouTube too.

Day 6

And it's still Day 6 as I write (in the evening). That's good, because tomorrow I won't remember what I did today!

So what did I do of significance? At Kumamoto Library (in the middle of the city opposite the Indian restaurant) I discovered that they have a whole section of listening material--CDs and tape casettes--not only of music but of stories/books. I had never seen an audiobook in a Japanese library before this day, so this was a real find. I was so exited that I lingered there too long and Sachi grew frightened that I had abandoned her!

I even noticed a CD set of the first Harry Potter novel. Luckily I already have those on my computer. Tomorrow I'll tell you how I'm going about using that resource.

(If I remember . . .)

Day 5

Today I've gotten more into my program of varied Japanese exposure. YouTube is a great resource for learning Japanese too. Here's a documentary about the Hawaiian Grand Champion, Akebono.

Day 4

Yesterday I added TV, radio  and podcasts to my chosen activities. Perhaps instead of adding another category, I'll combine these with Vlogs & Blogs.

Oh yes, I discovered a great drama series that I began watching on www.kissasian.com It is called Platonic.

Day 3

Day 3 was yesterday. It went well.

I'm not studying the language. No grammar etc. I'm just trying to expose myself to Japanese, as often as I can, a little at a time. I'm trying to get into the habit of doing a number of things that I've been meaning to but haven't as yet.

My philosophy is the closest to Khatzumoto. This is his site: AJATT. Its approach is similar to Antimoon.

I am also impressed with Steve Kaufmann at Lingq (which is how I come to be following this challenge). The academic I most admire in this field is Stephen Krashen.

Day 2

It's only morning as I write this. Therefore, I have not yet completed my second day of the 90-day Japanese challenge. So I must be keen!

Anyway, yesterday I did 6 of the 11 activities. But I did double doses of some of them. So today I make sure to kick off with the activities that I missed. Gotta get them all up and running. Thereafter, I'll explain each of them in turn, and link to their resources.

That's all for now I need to rush . . .

Day 1

I'm starting with 11 activities that I'll try and average 11 minutes per day on. They are:

1. Reviewing the Kanji according to Heisig
2. Reading Manga
3. Watching Anime
4. Browsing Lingq
5. Doing Slow Radio
6. Reading from 'top' books (will describe these in a future post)
7. Shadow Japanese mp3s (starting out with Mami reading HNT)
8. Collecting i+1 sentences on a 30-day revolving calendar (explanation in the future)
9. Harry Potter audiobook
10. Berlitz tapes
11. Explore Japanese Blogs and Vlogs online

Taking up the challenge

Starting September 1, 2015, I'm going to join in Steve Kaufmann's 90-day challenge (see below). My Japanese could do with a serious boost, so this is a golden opportunity. Mr Kaufmann has done challenges of this nature before. I still regret not taking part at the time of his Korean challenge, so this time I'm committing myself (no jokes about institutions here, please!).

First, I need a plan. Here it is:

I like variety, so I'm going to be engaging in 11 different activities an average of 11 minutes per day. Why that format? Well, it totals just over 2 hours in total. Eleven by eleven just appeals to my mathematical brain.

100 Manga ranked

MANGA LIST

I've looked at 100 manga. This is how I rank them for interest. 

1.                     Gaku p10 and film and on youtube and here

2.                     Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou p12

3.                     Inuyashiki p66

4.                     Suicide Island p16 OK

5.                     Yotsuba to! p13

6.                     Gantz p74 OK

7.                     Kiseiju (Parasyte) p1OK

8.                     Rusanchiman p94

9.                     Me~ Teru no Kimochi (Love Laughs at Locksmiths) p44

10.                 Heads p86

11.                 Homunculus p60

12.                 Nozokiya p78

13.                 Futatsu no Spica p14

14.                 Space Brothers p2

15.                 Kaze no Jin p3

16.                 Cage of Eden p17

17.                 Soil p70

18.                 Gyo p62

19.                 Hikari no Machi p83

20.                 The Climber p89

21.                 Kaijuu no Kodomo (Sea Monster's Children) p98

22.                 Kuu no sekai p15

23.                 Wildlife p32

24.                 20^th Century Boys p9

25.                 New ‘Say Hello to Black Jack’ p91

26.                 Say Hello to Black Jack p92

27.                 Baby Steps p8

28.                 Ikigami p4

29.                 Shamo p52

30.                 Monster p5

31.                 Azumi p53

32.                 Inudousadao p61

33.                 Help Man p72

34.                 Jin p11

35.                 Kamisama de Chugakusei p54

36.                 Noririn p36

37.                 17 Years p67

38.                 Vagabond p41OK

39.                 Reversible Man p31

40.                 Glaucos p58

41.                 Umizaru (The Sea Monkey) p64

42.                 Umi no Misaki p50

43.                 Death Note p98

44.                 Manburi p39

45.                 Therumae Romae p100

46.                 Hajime no Ippo p25

47.                 Salaryman p55

48.                 Neurologist Dr Irabu p69

49.                 Hetakoi p45

50.                 Hikari no Shima p80

51.                 Honey Island p82

52.                 Owari to Hajimari . . . p95

53.                 Naoko p7

54.                 Survival p34

55.                 Mokke p76

56.                 Shibao p77

57.                 Ookami Kodomo no Ame to Yuki p33

58.                 Happy! p19

59.                 School of Water Business p71

60.                 Moonlight Mile p88

61.                 Luna Heights p65

62.                 Fuufu p37

63.                 Yawara p26

64.                 Gallery Fake p20

65.                 The Life of a Man who Headed Toward Stradivari p51

66.                 Mizcov p42

67.                 Eternal Sabbath p73

68.                 Gabai p35

69.                 Pluto p97

70.                 Arakawa Under the Bridge p84

71.                 Saint Young Men p46

72.                 Beck 75

73.                 Darren Shan p6

74.                 Team Medical Doctor p27

75.                 Billy Bat p56

76.                 I Am a Hero p93 OK

77.                 Moteki p87

78.                 Dr Kumahige p57

79.                 Haro hari nezumi p40

80.                 Nagun p48

81.                 Tomehane p49

82.                 Ten Urara p68

83.                 Ranma ½ p21

84.                 The Prince of Tennis p29

85.                 Kyokutoukitan p90

86.                 Watanabe p63

87.                 Miracle Planet p38

88.                 Oyasumi PunPun p85

89.                 Katsu p28

90.                 Seventeen Memory p47

91.                 Himeno~ru p81

92.                 Naoko’s Runway to the World’s Best p43

93.                 Momonchi p96

94.                 Gate p79

95.                 Heaven Up Hell Down p23

96.                 Please Jeeves p59

97.                 Yankee-kun to Megane-chan p24

98.                 Doraemon p18

99.                 Super Radical Gag Family p30

100.             Boku no Shokibo no Seikatsu p22