Category Archives: Obentō 01-001

Obentō おべんとう lunchbox





obentō おべんとう lunchbox


obentō おべんとう lunchbox


obentō おべんとう lunchbox


obentō おべんとう lunchbox


obentō おべんとう lunchbox


obentō おべんとう lunchbox

noren  のれん


Restaurant decorations:

knickknacks                 けしごむ
風鈴 ふうりん     さかな  


mainly hashi-oki    はしおき
There are different styles of lunchboxes:

Green tea   お茶 おちゃ ocha

Soya sauce     しょう油 しょうゆ shōyu

kid’s drink    こどもののみもの   kodomo no nomimono

Origin of kana in Chinese kanji

The information on this page is based on the correct historical data. Modern hiragana and katakana have been derived from the kanji shown. Our other page shows how hiragana and katakana can be more easy remembered and it is only partially based on factual knowledge. That page’s purpose is to help students who have no knowledge of kanji memorise the new kana scripts. If you want to memorise hiragana/katakana, then here is the link to that page:


Good luck!

Here is the factual knowledge page:


























































































































































































Handwriting

Here we have reproduced five of the same hiragana syllabary sets. Each time we chose a different font, so as to show you what different styles of handwriting look like. 



The first two are clearly designed for children. They are straightforward and do not have too many added flicks. Closely compare the yellow kana boxes and you can see the differences.

The next one is similar, but showing a different style. It is more compact and ‘so’ and ‘fu’ are in the most original form with separate dots, yet ‘ki’ is still joined.


The next one is already showing more curves and more flicks. It is more adult-like and more stylish (a matter of taste).


The last one clearly is a style of writing that an adult would aspire to. The added flicks make the handwriting more flowing and also show that older people tend to not lift their pen or brush as they keep writing by linking every word. It is obviously not a problem, if you are an experienced reader, but children find it stressful having to “read grandma’s handwriting”. 


We suspect that is the case in all languages and types of writing. Of course, here we have shown only hiragana, but if one adds kanji to it, it becomes really difficult to read for youngsters.

The most advanced forms of handwriting styles are called calligraphy. It is very difficult and one has to train for that. It has become an art form all of its own.

Hiragana Katakana

If you are looking for the page where you can find factual information about the origin of hiragana and katakana as it is derived from kanji, then you need to follow this link:

http://www.lamijapan.com/2011/11/origin-of-kana-in-chinese-kanji.html


If you just want an easy way to remember them (without kanji) then just read on.  Good luck!





Here are two sets of syllabaries overwritten to show an easy link to help you remember the shape of the katakana.


a あ ア



i い イ




u う ウ




e え エ



o お オ



ka か カ



ki  き キ



ku く ク 



ke け ケ 



ko こ コ 



 sa さ サ



 shi し シ



su す ス 




se せ セ



 
so そ ソ



ta た タ 




 chi ち チ



tsu つ ツ 



 te て テ



 to と ト



na な ナ 



 ni に ニ



nu ぬ ヌ 



ne ね ネ 



no の ノ 



ha は ハ 



hi ひ ヒ 



fu ふ フ



he へ ヘ 



ho ほ ホ 



ma ま マ 



 mi み ミ



mu む ム 



me め メ



mo も モ



ya や ヤ 



yu ゆ ユ 



yo よ ヨ



ra ら ラ 



ri り リ 



ru る ル 




re れ レ 




ro ろ ロ 



wa わ ワ 



 v う ヴ



n ん ン


Hiragana Practice ひらがなの れんしゅう

Here is an easy-to-use hiragana chart. 
You may print it off and use it for your practice. 
First click on the image to enlarge it.





Here are your hiragana flash cards. Click on the images and enlarge them before you print them off. (Notice that has been left off. This makes sense, if you want to get 45 kana on three cards. Also を is not used in a word; only as the direct object marker in a sentence).










Here are all the hiragana symbols 
with the correct stroke order:







































































































































































































































































































And now the repeated hiragana with dots and circle:


GA


GI


GU


GE


GO


ZA

JI-ZI

ZU


ZE


ZO


DA


JI-DI


ZU-DU


DE


DO


BA


BI


BU


BE


BO


PA


PI


PU


PE


PO

Hiragana Railways
















You mean: ‘Silk Worm Shrine-station’ ?



Capital of the East



































What?!?!   ‘Chuck-out Grandma’ – station?!
And then go left to pray on ‘Shrine Mountain’ – station?!
That’s rough!











































Sendaira        Nanjai        Kanohara
‘What the …?!’- station
(Appropriate?!)




















































































This is an amusing name for a station: usually the word ‘Gomen’ means apology/excuse (different kanji). Japanese usually smile when they see this sign.
















































(Disneyland station)























































































‘Small skewer’ -station
Yeah… right…








And here is another one: 
‘Matsue’ to the left and ‘Yuck‘ to the right