Reviews
Warning – some of these books are obscenely expensive for what you get. Japanese prices are usually half (yes, that's right, half) of the Amazon prices, particularly for the exercise and floppy texts. But there isn't much you can do about it, since if you buy it in a US or Canadian bookstore you'll end up paying even more. The texts which are used as textbooks in university situations or reference manuals are usually cheaper. Specialized materials are unfortunately on the expensive side due to any number of factors. My most damning criticism is the publishers that still use romaji in the belief that either people won't buy books without it, or that Japanese is too difficult to learn without that crutch. Romaji is completely unnecessary even for beginners and should burn in a hell reserved for the vilest filth ever invented by humanity.
Jump rope competition at the Junior High School in Nagoya, Japan where I taught from 2000-2002.
About Japan
Charisma Man – 1998-2002: The Complete Collection
Neil Garscadden, ed. (Tokyo: AKNG Press, 2002) ISBN 4-9901469-0-5
Basically a book for white men who have lived in Japan, gaijin women need not apply although they may get a giggle out of it too. You will never fully understand the amazingly funny material inside this collection of cartoons unless you are a Caucasian male who has lived the charisma man lifestyle in a major city in Japan. The quality of the jokes declines as the book moves along, and the different drawing styles (the first writer/artist was the best in my opinion) will appeal to different types. But, the heart of the matter is the same; overall this book is very funny indeed. Anyone who can't laugh at this book is probably a real charisma man… all of us who live in Japan have seen you and you know who you are!
Score: 10
Advantages: Every situation you've been in, and a few you haven't.
Disadvantages: None. It may be the best book ever written for those in Japan. OK, it's a bit on the expensive side considering the size, but I wanted to give it a 10 anyway.
Learning to Bow: Inside the Heart of Japan
Bruce Feiler (Boston: Mariner Books, 1992)
This book should be read before leaving for Japan and then once again by all expats after a few years in Japan. It's screamingly funny. It makes every mistake a book about Japan can make. I came to Japan. I was ignorant and proud. I learned about Japan. I became humble and wise. I returned to my country a better man. And I didn't even have to learn Japanese! It utilizes the tired and hackneyed assumptions that the Japanese are a mystical race of super-beings who cannot be understood by mere mortals. One day I will write my own myth-busting book (specifically aimed at such general myths as Japanese people being well-organized, they are hard-working, and they are not racist but ignorant) but for now I will confine myself to this review.
This book describes the experiences of a participant in the JET program (a program initiated by MEXT (formerly Monkagobusho) to "internationalize" Japan). The usual fluff follows; foreigner makes comic error with chopsticks, foreigner cannot speak Japanese properly, foreigner does not understand Japanese ways etc. etc. The unintentional comedic value of a lot of this stuff unfortunately cannot be understood without a reasonable amount of experience of living in Japan. If you have a fairly simple sense of humour, you will probably find a lot of this book genuinely amusing in the sense of "Look, the Japanese bow to each other a lot! Isn't that funny?" (OK, it's not quite that low… but the chopstick and shoes shticks just have to die) If you need a bit more, ah, complexity in your humour, you may want to look elsewhere. Still, it is a well-intentioned book and definitely will appeal to people considering teaching in Japan and of course the target market of the JET participants.
There is some analysis of character and gender roles learned by students in the Japanese educational system, but as always, everyone's experience is different in Japan.
Score: 5 for unintentional comic value. If you are actually taking it seriously… maybe a 3?
Dictionaries
The Kodansha Kanji Learner's Dictionary
chief ed. Jack Halpern (Tokyo: Kodansha International, 2001)
This is probably the tool that I use the most. Halpern invented a new system of looking up kanji called SKIP (System of Kanji Indexing by Patterns). It's not perfect, and requires some studying, but it's better than any other kanji dictionary I have used. It works by categorizing kanji into four basic groups: 1) left-right 2) up-down 3) enclosed 4) solid. Only then does it separate them by stroke order. Once you have learned how to count strokes properly and recognize the patterns (it shouldn't take more than a few hours practice to settle in) you should be able to quickly and easily look up any kanji. There is a wealth of information available, the most useful of which is all the compounds which are listed. Unfortunately romaji is used for the pronunciations. This dictionary is comprehensive and of a reasonable size. I think that this dictionary is a useful tool for any serious student of Japanese.
Score: 8
Advantages: The SKIP system makes looking up kanji a lot faster than conventional kanji dictionaries which use only stroke order. The initial tutorial on the SKIP system makes looking up 90% of kanji easy. Indexing information given for Kuten number, Unicodes for computers (!) , and also indexed with Halpern's earlier dictionary, the New Japanese-English Character Dictionary. All kanji stroke orders are shown, and not with annoying numbers, but with step by step diagrams. Fonts are easy on the eyes, even after many hours of use. Nice sized book, not too big.
Disadvantages: cheap glue binding. Expensive. The initial learning curve for the dictionary SKIP system is high and may frustrate some, but practice alleviates this. Romaji everywhere. Some kanji are difficult to place in the four categories, particularly the subcategories of solid patterns.
Kodansha's Furigana Japanese-English dictionary
Yoshida et al. (Tokyo: Kodansha International, 2001)
I use this book in conjunction with manga (Japanese comics) for studying Japanese (OK, I like comics, so shoot me). There is also an English-Japanese one, or one which combines both. I didn't need that, so I got this one. This dictionary quickly let's you look up furigana (kanji compounds with hiragana on top) and is faster than using a kanji dictionary and looking each up kanji by kanji. This is probably not necessary for someone who is only interested in speaking Japanese. As a writing tool it's helpful but not absolutely necessary, there are other more useful books you could buy.
Score: 6
Advantages: speed, ease-of-use, great for people learning Japanese by using manga or other mid-level texts.
Disadvantages: Expensive for what you get. Cheap floppy binding construction is not acceptable for a reference book which will presumably be used many, many times.
Langenscheidt Pocket Dictionary: Japanese
(Tokyo: Langenscheidt Publisher, 2001)
I like this dictionary for its small size, but I don't like because it contains romaji. It is the best dictionary of its size that I have found, and I love the old fashioned sturdy binding (as opposed to cheap glue) and tough plastic cover. I take it everywhere with me. Not as valuable as an electronic dictionary, but it served me well. The price is very good, especially considering the quality of its construction.
Score: 8
Advantages: Tough sturdy construction, lots of useful entries. Great price!
Disadvantages: A trifle expensive, and romaji entries.
The Learner's Kanji Dictionary
Spahn and Hadamitzky (Boston: Tuttle Publishing, Paperback ed. 2003)
This is a very useful tool for those really interested in reading. If you are unable to identify a given kanji compound you can look up the kanji that you do know and find the compound in a list. After the initial learning curve of the system, you should be able to find compounds quickly enough not become tired if you are reading a text with a lot of unknown compounds. In my opinion this kind of dictionary is essential for someone with intermediate level reading skills.
Score: 8
Advantages: A very useful learning tool, the paper back edition is also reasonably priced.
Disadvantages: I can see this book falling apart quickly, the binding is very cheaply produced.
Grammar
Understanding Basic Japanese Grammar
Koichi Nishiguchi (Tokyo: ALC Press, 2000) ISBN4-7574-0168-X
I love this book. It contains no romaji. You can look up any almost any grammar point which would come up in speech (for example, you need to know how to write in the conditional form, or maybe you want to know how to use question forms in Japanese). It contains loads of examples, and all English is translated well. Best of all the plain, polite and honorific forms are also covered. And if that wasn't enough, all kanji are also in furigana form so you don't have to go scrambling for your kanji dictionary. A student with no knowledge at all of Japanese grammar could write something in good Japanese with the aid of this text. If there was an exercise book to go with this, I would be in heaven (there might be, I haven't had a chance to look for one yet.)
Score: 9
Advantages: An excellent resource. No knowledge of kanji required since there is plenty of furigana all over the place.
Disadvantages: Not as useful for the casual student, since it contains no romaji. You must learn hiragana and katakana. The only thing that prevents it from being a ten is that it's fairly cheaply printed in the floppy textbook format. I can see it falling apart in years to come.
Japanese verbs at a glance
Naoko Chino (Tokyo: Kodansha, 2002)
I used this book a lot in my beginning study, it was nice to have a comprehensive list of conjugations for dictionary form, plain form and so on. I was a bit confused because my lessons were all in Japanese, and sometimes I had to do a fair amount of research to confirm what I thought I had learned in class. This book definitely filled that gap. Unfortunately this book is filled with romaji.
A dictionary of Japanese particles
Sue A. Kawashima (Tokyo: Kodansha, 1999)
A healthy list of particles which also contains loads of examples on how each one is used. The book is sensibly organized and contains some exercises at the back to test your knowledge. A useful resource, but probably not essential.
Score: 7
Advantages: This will definitely help you if the meaning of a sentence is vague or clear due to particles.
Disadvantages: Cheaply produced and over-priced as so many Japanese materials are.
How to tell the difference between Japanese Particles
Naoko Chino (Tokyo: Kodansha, 2005)
I consider this book essential to my own studies, it really cleared up the intricacies of particles. All particles which have similar meanings are grouped together, and loads of examples given. You are then tested at the end of each chapter. The subtleties of each particle are carefully explained, along with other words to watch for which may help in determining the precise meaning of what is being said or written.
Score: 7
Advantages: Bags of examples and quizzes.
Disadvantages: Expensive, cheaply constructed, and full of romaji. Ugh.
Kanji study
A word on learning kanji: it's basically a self-oriented task. You will need to be disciplined and determined if you want to crack it. A teacher is useful as a support, but you bear the brunt of your studies, and if you are not willing to do the grunt work, you will never be able to read and write in Japanese.
Basic Kanji Book, vol. 1
Kano et al. (Tokyo: Bonjinsha Co. Ltd, 1989)
Basically an exercise book which begins at the lowest level and works its way upwards. You need to use this book in conjunction with a grammar book. The exercises do their best to use only what you've learned, but it's not always possible. This book is probably suitable for those who already have some introductory Japanese under their belt; maybe a couple of weeks of classes, but no more than that is necessary. There are more volumes in the series taking you all the way through the Joyo kanji, so you aren't left hanging.
Score: 8
Advantages: use this together with the Heisig system for excellent results. Lots of reading passages make you use what you've learned. Real reading (restaurant menus makes you feel like you've accomplished something. I liked the way they did their best to ensure that all the readings used as many as possible of the kanji that you've learned. Hiragana and katakana throughout.
Disadvantages: Initial learning curve is simple, but takes off like a rocket after the first few lessons. Each lesson is dense. The initial pictograms become useless as the kanji get more complicated (which is why the Heisig system becomes more and more useful). Proofreading was pretty bad, there are a lot of elementary English errors in the text. Also, sometimes you really have to hunt for a particular kanji compound that you think you might have learned but you're not sure.
Basic Kanji Book, vol. 2
Kano et al. (Tokyo: Bonjinsha Co. Ltd, 1989)
Continues from where the last book left off. I like these books because they are full of reading extracts which use the kanji you just learned. Fabulous stuff.
Remembering the Kanji, vol. I, 4th ed.
James W. Heisig (Tokyo: Japan Publications Trading Co., Ltd., 2001)
This book is the subject of some controversy among students of Japanese. The reason for this is simple. Most people criticize it without actually having read it. I have often asked critics "Have you actually tried it?" The silence which follows is answer enough.
This book works. It will teach you to remember every kanji on the Joyo kanji list, and a few that aren't. That's 2042 kanji, for the record. If you study according to Heisig's method and practice regularly, you will be able to remember all of them.
How does it work? A mnemonic (key word) is assigned to each kanji. Starting with simple elements, and by slowly adding more to them, you will be able to build each kanji from scratch. By building a story out of the elements, you will remember which elements are present, and thus be able to write them. At present, I can write about 1200 kanji (I have been using the book for about 2 months now) , and despite not using them regularly I can still remember and write them all. At one point I was cramming back 25 kanji a day until I had to slow down due to job related responsibilities. If you do 10 kanji a day for 20 minutes, review regularly with the aid of flashcards, you could learn all of the kanji in about 7 months. Heisig says if you studied full time, about 8 hours a day, you could do it in 4-6 weeks depending on your ability. I am dubious of anybody's ability to focus for that length of time, but I believe it could be done.
What this book will not do is teach you the meanings and pronunciations of the kanji. Let me repeat that again, since many of you don't actually pay attention when you are reading something or are just skimming: what this book will not do is teach you the meanings and pronunciations of the kanji. That is the subject of volume 2.
Many people who study by rote memorization are able to memorize at best a few hundred kanji. I guarantee they can't write them. Heisig's method of breaking the kanji up into smaller pieces works.
There are pros and cons to the system. The pro is that you can remember and write everything. The con is that you will not learn kanji in the order they are taught in Japanese schools. Thus you will learn the kanji for "gall bladder" long before you learn the kanji for "drink." You actually have to make and use flashcards. Too many people think they can do everything by just reading the book. Think again.
Score: 7
Advantages: it works, and it works well. Anyone can do it, since it doesn't rely on rote memorization.
Disadvantages: Pretty expensive. Later on you have to write your own stories, but by then you'll have the hang of that. Cheap glue binding. You'll probably end up buying the flash cards, too. Learning "gall bladder" before "drink" is probably not the most practical of methods during the short term.
Heisig study cards, 6th printing
prepared by James Heisig (Tokyo: Japan Publications Trading Co., Ltd, 2002)
Hideously expensive and heavy, this collection of study cards is designed to do one thing: bull your way through Heisig's brilliant kanji memorization system. If you have these cards, you will eliminate all the work of making your own. To make them more useful, they are cross referenced with other systems, including Nelson and O'Neill's respective kanji dictionaries. Most importantly of course, they are numbered according to his study system; books I and II. Each card contains an easy to read picture of the kanji, the Japanese and Chinese readings, the English keyword, and some of the most commonly used compounds of the character.
Score: 7
Advantages: Does the job it was designed to do, and how.
Disadvantages: You pay big money for your laziness, and the whole box is very heavy indeed.