Motorcycle Japan Blog

Book review - A Dictionary of Basic Japanese Sentence Patterns - Self Study Japanese

2009-12-03T16:29:00.000+09:00

Book Review – A Dictionary of Basic Japanese Sentence Patterns

Reviewed by Peter Hanami, CEO, JapaneseCustomer.com

Author: Naoko Chino
Publisher: Kodansha, Tokyo, Japan.
Published: 2000.
ISBN: 4-7700-2608-0
Pages: 309.
Rating: 4/5　

Tags: Naoko Chino, Japanese sentence patterns, studying Japaneseself study japanese, japanese grammar, japanese reference book, book review japanese language, peter hanami, japanese customer

Concise, structured & practical

This book is primarily a sentence dictionary for native English speakers learning Japanese and is aimed at the JLPT level 4 and 3 student. It is based on a formula approach that aims to get students on completing the book to be able to speak in a range of situations using the patterns used which is an important and useful skill in gaining competence and confidence.

Sentences appear as entries & are written as they appear in full Japanese script with an English equivalent, so students get the full benefit of being able to see, and read sentences as they normally appear without the aid of romaji.

Positives

The reader gets a lot of useful side benefits while studying, for example, throughout the book a wide range of Japanese names are provided male, female and family names which allows the student a cultural insight. The content is excellent and well balanced and shows a wide range of situations in which polite, informal sentences used by male and female speakers and those between adults and children. The use of single sentences, question and answer, descriptions, conversations and a variety of locations provide a wide scope for the student to learn and understand the use of different patterns. The cultural insights the book provides are clearly its strongest points.

The book will help with reading skill; add new vocabulary, including verbs, adjectives and phrases used in everyday speech. From a grammar perspective the sentences show the correct usage and application of common particles. The book can be used as a stand alone guide or in combination with a course of study as a reference book.

Could be improved

The book starts out by showing three basic sentence patterns, noun sentences, adjective sentences and verb sentences patterns but quickly jumps into a structure that is not clearly explained and that mixes forms and patterns together. The grammar can be followed but the goal and direction are not clear.

A number of conjugation tables are given at the end of the book for verbs and adjectives but how to best use them is not explained. Unfortunately, from the student’s perspective, the book falls short on how to gain maximum advantage. For example: the student is left wondering how to best learn the sentences (i.e., read them allowed, cover and guess endings or memorize and repeat aloud?), how to best review them, how to practice them, how the sentences fit into the English grammar patterns already known and where does the student go after the book has been studied.

Summary

Japanese study self study books are hard to find so this book is a useful reference and provides important cultural insights into sentence structure and usage by sharing a range of situations by gender. However, the student will have to devise their own study plan on how to best use the book for their own study goals.

Rating: 4/5 ****

Reviewed by Peter Hanami, CEO, JapaneseCustomer.com

See Japan in 2010

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Motorcycle Japan Blog - Coin operated motorycle parking to begin in Tokyo on November 30, 2009

2009-11-21T14:15:00.000+09:00

See the real Japan by Motorcycle

"Coin-operated parking zones for motorcycles will open for the first time in the nation along Omotesando in Tokyo on Nov. 30.

Under the 2006 revision to the Road Traffic Law, punishments for parking offenses have become stricter, with the result that greater attention has been paid to the maintenance of parking lots for passenger cars. But to date, almost no parking zones have been provided for motorcycles.

The number of parking violations by motorcyclists has increased about fivefold since the law was revised, prompting the Metropolitan Police Department to decide to provide motorcycle parking areas on a trial basis. If the experiment is a success, the MPD plans to expand coin-operated parking areas for motorcycles.

According to the MPD, under the revised law, detection of parking offenses has improved with the introduction of private traffic wardens, and car parks managed by private companies have opened one after another in places including busy shopping districts.

On the other hand, there has been no progress in providing parking lots for motorcycles, even after the law was revised.

Resource for riding in Japan:

Although in central Tokyo there are an estimated 500,000 motorcycles with engines above 50cc, there are only parking spaces, including those at residences, for about 10,000, an MPD official said.

This has led to a surge in the number of cases of illegal parking of motorcycles. There were 521,400 such cases in 2007--a huge leap from the 109,500 cases in 2005, before the law was revised.

The shortage of parking lots has been a cause of concern since the law was revised. An official of the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association Inc., to which motorcycle makers are affiliated, said, "The lack of parking areas is a contributing factor for the decreasing number of motorcyclists in recent years."

The MPD has also received complaints from motorcyclists, with some pointing out the inconvenience caused by the lack of parking spaces and others saying they had given up going out on their bikes because there was nowhere to park.

The coin-operated parking zones will be established on both sides of Omotesando avenue, extending about 160 meters from the Omotesando traffic junction in Minato Ward. Each parking space will be about 2.5 meters long and 1.3 meters wide, about half the size of a single car parking lot and big enough to accommodate large motorcycles.

The MPD said up to 34 motorcycles will be able to park in the Omotesando zones, which can be used from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. for 300 yen an hour.

Early Tuesday morning, a 28-year-old male office worker of Shibuya Ward who was visiting Omotesando on his motorcycle said: "I come here to shop on my motorcycle on my days off, but because there aren't any parking spaces, I have to park on the sidewalk, and I feel guilty about doing that. I'd be happy if there were more parking spaces."

The senior MPD official in charge of the coin-operated parking zone trial said: "It won't be easy to solve the problem of the shortage of parking lots. Now that we've set up the new coin-operated zone, we'd like to give private companies the opportunity to operate such parking zones.""

Resource for riding in Japan:

Source: Coin-operated parking zones for motorbikes to open
The Yomiuri Shimbun
Nov. 20, 2009
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/20091120TDY04303.htm

Motorcycle Japan blog - Book review - A Diplomat in Japan

2009-11-07T23:01:00.000+09:00

Book Review – A Diplomat in Japan

Author: Sir Ernest Satow
Publisher: ICG MUSE, Tokyo, JAPAN. First published 1921
ISBN: 4-925080-28-8
Pages: 424.
Rating: 5/5　

An armchair view of Japan in 1862

Ernest Satow first arrived in Japan on September 8, 1862 aboard a steamship bound from Shanghai, China. Over the next twenty years he saw first hand the events of the period and recorded them in his diary. All in all he spent over twenty years in Japan and this time is covered by this book.The period in question covers the period 1862 to 1882. Spread over thirty six page turning chapters, a glossary of Japanese words and an index of people, places and events he shares his studies and life in Japan.

Satow documents the day of his arrival, his life in Yokohama, how he studied Japanese, the physical conditions of the country and the people, the political conditions, the relationships with other foreign embassies, daily life and the meetings with the government. All are mixed into a narrative that puts you there in the room as he talks with officials, Shoguns and Emperors as he translates and interprets treaties, documents and conversations to allow Great Britain to trade with Japan.

Highlights include his first visit to Osaka, the bombing of Kagoshima, meeting with the Shogun, the Emperor and the negotiation of reparations for murdered foreigners. The book is best read with a map handy so you can follow his steps as he travels throughout the mainland by palanquin, horse and steamer.

For the current Japanese language student he details how he started learning the language, discusses his teachers, the resources he had available, the techniques he used and the joy he gained living and speaking the language.

For the traveler, the book will surely light a spark that yearns for seeing the places he visited. To see for yourself the places, experience the lifestyle (food, baths, sake, etc) and to visit the temples and to meet the people, cities and places mentioned.

For the businessmen, Satows book details some of the first business negotiations foreigners had with the Japanese government and the practical duties of implementing trading.

The only weakness the book has is that it ends too soon.

Reviewed by Peter Hanami, CEO , JapaneseCustomer.com

Rating: 5/5 *****

A Diplomat in Japan - Sir Ernest Satow

See Japan by motorcycle at Motorcycle Japan

Review of Canon Wordtank V90 Japanese dictionary for Motorcyle Japan blog

2009-07-03T22:43:00.005+09:00

Review – Canon V90 Wordtank
Japanese Dictionary

Native English speakers studying Japanese are always looking for the best tools to help them study Japanese. In this article we review the Canon V90 Wordtank Japanese dictionary and discuss the pro’s and cons.

Where to buy

These days you are best looking for electrical products on the Internet as you can search fast and get a range of prices but it still pays to visit the shop, learn more about the company selling the item and to see the product first hand. When buying online make sure to ask if the model is new or used, some companies sell new but used dictionaries with short warranties. If you have a Japanese friend ask them to help by searching for the product in Japan on Japanese websites such as Amazon Japan and Yahoo Japan to find the lowest price.

Whats in the box

Inside the box is :

A manual but it only has a few pages in English. For a better explanation in English contact Canon for a copy of the V80 Wordtank manual which has a more detailed English explanation of the basic functions.

A pair of headphones, 2 x AAA sized batteries

Using the dictionary

First step is to put the batteries in the rear and to set up the menu.You can have either Japanese or English which is handy. For native English speakers the Genius Japanese – English dictionary is a good place to start for looking up words. The dictionary allows you to input in romaji and as you type the letters appear at the top of the screen and a list of close words appear until there is a word match. For example: to look up the word "tekito" (measurable) you just touch the Genius Japanese –English blue menu button and it takes you directly to the dictionary, then type in the word. It provides the word in hiragana, kanji and an English definition. Under the definition you have a symbol in the shape of a pencil. If you touch it with the stylus it expands to show the sentence written in Japanese and with an English translation below.

Features for native English speakers

Stylus – that allows you to write characters on the screen as you see them written.

Jump button that allows you to jump to other dictionaries

Word memo - Memory for saving words you have looked up

Example sentences of how to use the word in Japanese script

Japanese – English, English Japanese (Genius) English dictionary and thesaurus (Oxford), Katakana dictionary, Kanji dictionary, Super Daijirin dictionary, Four Kanji Phrases and Proverbs and sayings.

Approximately 90 hours battery life and sturdy construction.

Road Test

Things we liked:

The stylus is very accurate when you write a kanji on the screen

The Word Memo is a handy way to review what you have studied at the end of a session

Stylish design in matt black

Allows you to enlarge the size of the characters on the screen

Jump function and wild card are useful

If your partner is Japanese they can also use the dictionary

Genius, Japanese - English, Concise Katakana, Kanjigen for word classification

word classification (noun, verb, adjective adverb)

has a lot of Japanese grammar definitions

low price compared to other alternatives & can be easily carried.

Could be improved in future models

large compared to other models and heavy (but sturdy)

screen not back lit & slow to start up.

when you enter basic kanji words, eg, two kanji using the stylus pen the dictionary of words is limited.

Instruction book in English doesn’t fully explain all functions and symbols used on the screen

When looking up kanji by on and kun, kanji is limited

Overall summary

This model has 21 dictionaries included and is advertised to Japanese customers as a dictionary for learning Chinese.

It is not built for native English speakers learning Japanese but if you can bare the limitations it can still be of use to your learning goals.

This dictionary is really suitable for intermediate and advanced students of Japanese (level 2 & level 1 , JLPT ) who can read hiragana, katakana, have an understanding of grammar and can read full Japanese sentences. It is not really suitable for beginners with little language experience.

It is not the perfect tool but a tool that will improve your ability to look up vocabularly, grammar, and reading over time. As with all new items you need to allow up to a month of daily use to really get use to it. It is cheap for a Japanese electronic dictionary and can be easily carried compared to paper dictionaries. So it is ideal for use outside of home or the office

Weblinks

See the full specifications of the dictionary here English & Japanese

CNNMoney.com review here

Forum review of V90 here

Japan Shop Review here

Want to study in Japan? Visit Study Abroad Japan

Motorcycle Touring in Japan - A study of Chinese characters can help students of Japanese

2009-11-01T14:45:00.001+09:00

"I thought then, and still think, that though an acquaintance
with Chinese characters may be found
useful by the student of Japanese"

Source: A Diplomat in Japan,

By Sir Ernest Satow,
ICG Muse Inc, USA page 14.

Further Reading:

Japan by Motorcycle?

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Motorcycle Japan - Tokyo Motorshow 2009 opens tomorrow learn more here

2009-10-23T16:19:00.000+09:00

The Tokyo Motor Show will open to the public on October 24th, and will run until the 4th of November, 2009.

If your in Tokyo, tickets are reasonable at 1300 yen or cheaper if you pre buy at 1100 yen.
XE currency converter. To get to the event by train check the Jorudan train timetable.Just put in your starting station the station you want to get off at .Makuhari has three stations

1. JR Kaihin Makuhari, 2. JR / Keisei Kaihin Makuhari 3. JR Makuhari Hongo

Official Website here in English.

Highlights of the show

According to Leo Lewis's column,

* Yamaha will unveil their first bike aimed at the older rider

* Honda has made a large automatic bike and

* Kawasaki have redesigned the Ninja line

Held in Makuhari in Chiba, just outside of Tokyo the event is sure to be a big crowd puller as usual.Makuhari Messe is a great venue and is easily reached by train, has plenty of parking is spread out over a number of buildings.

The official highlights as specified by the organizers of the show are here

Either way it will be a great event to see the new models from each of the bike makers, see the presenter girls, eat some great food and get caught up in the buzz of a big show and the huge crowds.

Best day to go would be a Tuesday or Wednesday if you want to avoid the big crowds.

While your in Makuhari stop by Starbucks for a coffee or at Carrefour supermarket for some great international foods (same building) and only a short five minute walk from the event.

Tokyo Motorshow 2007 video by Nipponnews

Want to study Japanese? Visit Study Abroad Japan

Motorcycle Japan - Mature riders are new market for motorcycle makers in Japan

2009-10-19T16:14:00.003+09:00

“mature riders”; the creaking ex-salarymen — and their molls — who built the Japanese economic miracle. Retired, bored, pushing 70 and with a hankering for the wayward youth they probably never had, they are the last hope for Japan’s motorcycle market.

Source: Japanese bike makers pin their hopes on wheezy riders as sales plummet
Hideo Miura on his colorful Harley-Davidson
The Times Online, Leo Lewis in Tokyo
October 10, 2009
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article6868855.ece

Want to study Japanese?
Visit Study Abroad Japan

Motorcycle Japan - Japan by motorcycle touring video by MrZRX

2009-10-18T10:16:00.004+09:00

Here is a great video of what Japan looks like from a bike by MrZRX. The roads, the scenery, catching a ferry, tunnels, bridges and more. Add some kickass music and you have one excellent video.

Source:MrZRX You Tube

Want to study Japanese in Japan?
Visit Study Abroad Japan

Motorcycle Japan - A riders experiences of riding a motorcycle in Japan - Kamil Gamański

2009-10-12T15:58:00.003+09:00

"The Japanese culture. The cities might resemble any other metropolis around the world, but the people are from a different planet! Their traditions, eating habits and honesty unmatched by any other nation."

Kamil Gamański

Source:A Long and Winding Road Trip
Wojciech Galon | 6th October 2009
http://www.krakowpost.com/article/1613

Further reading:
Read the full article here

Want to study Japanese?
Visit Study abroad Japan

Book Review - Who's who of Japan - 100 historical personages - reviewed by Peter Hanami

2009-10-03T20:52:00.001+09:00

Book Review – Illustrated - Who’s who of Japan

Publisher: JTB, 1999, 8th Edition.Translated by Dick Belcher
ISBN: 4-533-00798-8
Pages: 191.　

A pocket guide to 100 historical personages of Japan

Spread out over four distinct historical time periods, this pocket book covers ancient times, middle ages, pre-modern and the modern age. Focused on detailing the impact of one hundred figures that shaped Japan it details ninety five men and five women. Women pre-dominately played a key role in ancient times as the lives of Himiko, Sei Shonagan, Murasaki Shikibu reveal.

Each person profiled has their own page which shows an illustration, details who they were, what they did, where they lived and their legacy which makes it easy to visit a location in Japan and to visit the same locations & learn more. A rear glossary provides more information about the time periods each person lived in. A historical table also details the sequence of historical affairs and how they unfolded. An index of family names allows the reader to find a particular person quickly and a detailed index covers all parts of the book.

As you read this book you will get a brief insight into each person through their profile and the time period in which they lived. Profiles cover wives, mother’s, writers, poets, military leaders, religious leaders, academics, entrepreneurs, sportsman, politicians, fishermen, rich, poor, criminals & story tellers.

The book is easy to read, light and informative with many illustrations that help convey the main themes. Easily read in a few hours, you will find it hard to put down once you start. Moving through time periods & different locations it is easy to become absorbed and taken away. The profiles really help you to imagine and understand the historical progression of Japan over 1500 years.

What I liked best about this book was it allowed you to quickly get up to speed with key periods, people and events.

Some stand out profiles include Ono no Kamachi, a poet and beauty of the Heian period who resided in Kyoto & whose life is shrouded in mystery. Kinokuniya Bunzaemon an entrepreneur from the 17th century who made a fortune shipping mandarin oranges to Tokyo for New Years Day celebrations and investing in timber when all the houses were made of wood. Nezumi Kozo was a thief who robbed only the rich, dressed in black & eluded capture by striking at night and escaping by roof jumping.

Overall, this small book leaves a big impression and introduces Japanese historical figures in an informative way with illustrations and stories about their lives.

Illustrated - Who’s who of Japan

Rating: *****

See Japan by motorcycle at Motorcycle Japan

Book Review - Complete guide to Japanese verbs reviewed by Peter Hanami

2009-09-14T00:07:00.001+09:00

Book Review – Complete Japanese Verb Guide - reviewed by Peter Hanami

Publisher: Hiroo Japanese Centre, Tokyo.Japan.
Published by: Charles Tuttle, 1999 (13 edition)
ISBN: 0-8048-1564-X, Pages, 352
Dimensions: 13cm wide, 18cm high, 2cm deep, Weight 339 grams

A reference guide to 600 Japanese verbs

The book is split into five sections, 1. Acknowledgements, 2. An Introduction, 3.A guide to Japanese verbs, 4. A list of compounds and 5. A list of Suru verbs

A number of sections that relate to verb groupings, an explanation of verb forms, polite language, transitive and intransitive and a key to symbols and abbreviations are provided.

The book is a stand alone guide to Japanese verbs that explores 600 verbs in great detail. Each verb is given one page. The verb is then shown in a range of various forms including the present form, masu form, imperative, te form, conditional, presumptive, volitional, potential, passive, causative, causative passive and the affirmative and negative contexts for each form. What group it is in 1, 2 or 3 and whether it is transitive or intransitive. The different meanings for the verb are then shown in practical sentences (in romaji and English). The sentence examples provide a range of everyday phrases that are very useful and a wide range of new vocabulary is presented throughout the book.

The content presented is excellent but unfortunately from a self study perspective, no guide is given on how to best use the book and in this respect the book is but a reference.

The book doesn’t provide the Japanese name for each verb form presented, making it hard for you to ask a teacher or study partner for any help you may need. Romaji is used throughout the book which is good for pronunciation but the kanji is missing for each form and sentences examples. The books biggest weakness is when it provides a verb with four different kanji and the reader has no way to discover which form of the verb is being used in the example sentences.

From a students perspective the book is good to gain the context of verbs through practical examples and the various forms. Added to this are the chance to gain new vocabulary as you read each page and drill the different verb forms.

The book is a reference for verbs but unfortunately is not a complete guide.

Rating: ****

Complete Japanese Verb Guide

Motrorcycle Japan Blog - Japanese robots expanding in the workforce

2009-08-23T10:20:00.000+09:00

"Japan already employs over a quarter of a million industrial robot workers —more than any other nation"

Source:What's Behind Japan's Love Affair with Robots?
By Lisa Thomas Monday, Aug. 03, 2009
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1913913,00.html

Further Reading:

Study Japanese in Japan? Visit Study Abroad Japan

What are the toll road service areas like when you ride a motorcycle in Japan?

2009-08-16T08:55:00.000+09:00

What is it really like to ride in Japan?

Study Japanese in Japan and meet your dream woman?

Visit Study Abroad Japan

Motorcycle Japan: Book review - Motorcycle Japan

2009-06-29T15:55:00.005+09:00

Reviews

Motorcycle Japan: A Rider's Diary

" A handy guide that helps you pull together all the basics for riding in Japan"

" I have been looking for a book to help me plan a bike trip to Japan"

" The videos are great as they give you a real feel of what to expect.The packing video was excellent"

" ..trip guides are very detailed and helpful as it is hard to know what to take and pack for each season of riding unless you live in Japan like Peter Hanami does"

" Always wanted to go to Japan and now that I have retired the wife and I want to ride a Goldwing around Japan. This guide helps us as "baby boomers" understand the culture, language and process for trip planning"

" There are no books on bike travel in Japan making this a rare find!"

"Peter is a rider and writes like a rider, clear, simple and to the point. The trip guides share how to save money and get the most out of riding in Japan"

" 8 days in Hokkaido, 2 people leaving from Tokyo for only 79,000 yen total, all accommodation, gasoline, food and expenses..that's just amazing!"

"The Hokkaido guide looks fantastic and I can't wait to ride the roads in summer"

"The thing I liked the best were the bilingual route guides showing you the Japanese and the English together. I don't speak Japanese so they were really practical"

Motorcycle Japan: A Rider's Diary

* 11 chapters
* 247 pages
* 22 videos
* Over 400 web links

Buy a copy at Bike Japan

Learn more about Japan at Study Abroad Japan

Motorcycle Japan: A Rider's Diary - New book by Peter Hanami

2008-06-30T00:00:00.016+09:00

Motorcycle Japan: A Rider's Diary

● Provides a detailed checklist for buying or hiring a bike in Japan.

● Discover how to plan a trip, what gear to take and when to ride.

● Includes: Sample trips and expenses for rides to Kyushu, Shikoku and Hokkaido.

● Introduces accommodation options, foods to try and a comprehensive resource guide to help to you plan and prepare for the trip of a lifetime.

● Includes: Twenty two practical videos, direct website links and full colour photographs.

● Informative route guides for your own adventures.

Peter Hanami, CEO of Japanese Customer.com shares his experiences riding in Japan.

Chapters cover

Sample trips - Kyushu, Hokkaido, Kyoto, Tokyo and Shikoku
Food to try
Accommodation
Trip Planning
Gear
On the road
How to get to Japan
Buying a bike
Hiring a bike
Japanese language
Why ride in Japan
Joys of riding in Japan
Ferries
Road rules
Insurance
Safety
Night riding
Each sample trip has a detailed expense breakdown
and much much more

Reviews

"a Japan road trip, what a great adventure"

" Great gift for a "baby boomer" looking for their next goal"

"Practical guide for independent bike travel in Japan"

Insights, tips and resources for riders

wanting to explore the land of the rising sun.

Details:

Format: E - Book

ISBN: 978-09805509-0-0

247 pages with over 400 links
22 practical video links
Instruction guide
Bonus: Guide to the Seikan tunnel
(One of the world's longest underwater tunnel)

Special Features

Sample trips - day by day breakdown of places visited, route numbers, expenses and sites.
Over 400 links to websites to help you plan a trip of a lifetime
Checklist for hiring a bike
Checklist for buying a bike
Checklist for booking a ferry
Checklist for trip planning
How to prepare a trip
Resource guide
Twenty two video links covering topics including riding at night, riding in a tunnel, bridge crossing, accommodation on the road, buying a bike, gear, packing, buying gasoline, essential tools for riding in Japan and more.

Order Information:

Visit Japanese Customer.com to buy a copy today!

Pay with PayPal

Terms & Conditions:

* Pay with Paypal

* Delivered by email

* You will need Acrobat Reader on your computer to read

* All purchases are in Japanese yen.

* We will not sell your personal details to third parties

Yamaha launches new Vmax in Japan for the first time in ten years

2009-08-12T10:30:00.000+09:00

Yamaha will sell the remodelled Vmax in Japan from April 20th,
the new bike will retail for approximately 2.31 million yen

Source: Yamaha wheels out remodelled Vmax
Mainichi Daily News
March 12, 2009
http://mdn.mainichi.jp/photospecials/graph/vmax/

Further reading:

Book - Yamaha VMX 1200 Vmax

Learn more about study in Japan at Study Abroad Japan

Motorcycle Japan Blog - Book Review: Collins Shubun English Japanese Dictionary

2009-08-05T22:45:00.001+09:00

Book – Review – Collins Shubun – English Japanese dictionary by Peter Hanami
Publisher: Harper Collins, Shubun International Co.Ltd, 1995, Glasgow, United Kingdom
ISBN: 0004708237, Pages, 585
Width:8cm, Height 11.5cm, Depth 3cm, Weight 135 grams

Ideal pocket sized English – Japanese dictionary for travelling in Japan

The Collins Shubun contains over 38,000 translations from English to Japanese and provides the user with access to the full pronunciation of Japanese words in Romanized format using the Hepburn system.

You start by looking up a word you know in English, for example: abdomen. The entry indicates the word in English, its English pronunciation, defines the word as a noun, shows the Japanese kanji used to write the word (腹部) and details the romanized pronunciation of the word, in this case, fukubu (pronounced fu – ku – bu) .

The great things about this dictionary are:
1. It is very small, light and doesn’t take up much space in a bag, making it ideal for everyday travel.
2. As a native English speaker you want to know quickly the equivalent word meaning in Japanese and the easy reference system lets you find out fast.

The entries in the dictionary cover both British and American English words and a handy table of abbreviations is given at the front that provides a wide range of classifications to give context to words. There is also a romanization chart that explains consonants, vowels and Japanese accents.

The only possible downside of the dictionary would possibly be the size of the type but this has been done to maximize the total number of entries. If your eyesight is fading it would be best to always carry your glasses or a small magnifying glass.

The Collins Shubun dictionary is perfectly suited for travelers, business people & language students who are keen to start speaking Japanese.

Peter Hanami, CEO, JapaneseCustomer.com, August 3rd, 2009

Save money when you travel in Japan, visit Motorcycle Japan

Japanese Manga a $4.2 billion dollar industry and cultural icon to the world

2009-08-01T15:56:00.000+09:00

Manga in Japan a "$4.2 billion-a-year industry"

Source:Japan, Ink: Inside the Manga Industrial Complex,
Daniel.H.Pink, 10/22/07
http://www.wired.com/techbiz/media/magazine/15-11/ff_manga?currentPage=all

See the real Japan at Motorcycle Japan

Motorcycle Japan: Filling the tank

2009-07-22T11:30:00.003+09:00

Motorcycle Japan: A Rider's Guide

Gasoline

We outline:

* Major gasoline brands

* We show you how to buy, benefits and what to expect

* How to apply for point cards

* How to order in Japanese

* and much more

Motorcycle Japan: A Rider's Diary

* 11 chapters
* 247 pages
* 22 videos
* Over 400 web links

Buy a copy at Bike Japan

Learn more about Japan at Study Abroad Japan

Motorcycle Japan: What are the steps in taking a Japanese bath?

2009-06-28T14:56:00.003+09:00

Motorcycle Japan: A Rider's Guide

Bathing

We outline:

* How to find a bath

* Types of baths you can visit

* Entering and storing your gear

* How to take a Japanese bath (in detail)

* Equipment needed

* and much more

Motorcycle Japan: A Rider's Diary

* 11 chapters
* 247 pages
* 22 videos
* Over 400 web links

Buy a copy at Bike Japan

Learn more about Japan at Study Abroad Japan

Motorcycle Japan article by Derek Leong about his motorcycle riding adventures in Hokkaido, Japan

2008-01-04T00:45:00.004+09:00

"By the end of day one, I had managed to get lost in the maze of spaghetti Tokyo roads, before finally finding the north-bound Tohoku expressway"

Source:Derek's northern adventure by Derek Leong
Pages 10 -12
http://melbourne.jetalumni.org/newsletter/2008summer.pdf

Study Japanese in Japan and meet the woman of your dreams?

Visit Study Abroad Japan

Motorcycle Japan: Filling up with gas

2009-06-22T11:29:00.003+09:00

Motorcycle Japan: A Rider's Guide

Gasoline

We outline:

* Major gasoline brands

* We show you how to buy, benefits and what to expect

* How to apply for point cards

* How to order in Japanese

* and much more

Motorcycle Japan: A Rider's Diary

* 11 chapters
* 247 pages
* 18 videos
* Over 400 web links

Buy a copy at Bike Japan

Learn more about Japan at Study Abroad Japan

Motorcycle Japan: Joys of riding at night in Japan

2009-06-23T11:40:00.002+09:00

Motorcycle Japan: A Rider's Guide

Riding at night

We outline:

* What to expect

* Common hazards

* View from the road

* and much more

Motorcycle Japan: A Rider's Diary

* 11 chapters
* 247 pages
* 22 videos
* Over 400 web links

Buy a copy at Bike Japan

Learn more about Japan at Study Abroad Japan

Motorcycle Japan: What happens if you have to stop in a tunnel - we tell you what to do

2009-06-24T11:58:00.003+09:00

Motorcycle Japan: A Rider's Guide

Riding in tunnels

We outline:

* How to ride in tunnels and common hazards

* Types of tunnels you will encounter

* Joys of tunnel riding

* and much more

Motorcycle Japan: A Rider's Diary

* 11 chapters
* 247 pages
* 22 videos
* Over 400 web links

Buy a copy at Bike Japan

Learn more about Japan at Study Abroad Japan

Motorcycle Japan: Visiting a local travel agent in Japan

2009-06-25T14:32:00.003+09:00

Motorcycle Japan: A Rider's Guide

Ferries in Japan

We outline:

* How to book and a handy checklist

* How to prepare for a trip

* Sleeping, eating and resources

* Travelling with a bike

* and much more

Motorcycle Japan: A Rider's Diary

* 11 chapters
* 247 pages
* 22 videos
* Over 400 web links

Buy a copy at Bike Japan

Learn more about Japan at Study Abroad Japan