creative writing in japanese

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9 Japanese Writing Exercises for Creative Language Practice

Writing is one of the most important skills you can learn in Japanese.

It involves creating your own sentences with all the Japanese words and grammar you’ve learned so far.

So how can you practice your writing skills in a way that’s fun, stimulating and rewarding ?

The best answer I’ve found so far is doing unique Japanese writing exercises, especially if you do so in a journal specifically for that purpose.

Read on for my nine favorite Japanese writing practice activities !

1. The New Character Challenge

2. the daily journal entry challenge, 3. the character count challenge, 4. the show and tell challenge, 5. the letter challenge, 6. the review challenge, 7. the recipe challenge, 8. the diary challenge, 9. the memory challenge, why use a journal for japanese writing exercises, how to practice japanese handwriting, and one more thing....

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Chances are that you have a reasonably concrete study schedule set in place by now. (If not, start here !) That means you should be learning new characters—or at least seeing them pop up in your study materials—quite frequently.

What better way is there to reinforce your character studies than to practice using them?

Try keeping a record of this week’s (or this month’s) new characters. These could be hiragana, katakana or kanji, depending on your current level.

Then, use each new character at least once , in context, in your Japanese notebook or journal. The more you use them, the better!

Have you found some great words but aren’t sure how to use the new characters yet? Or do you need a little help finding new characters in the first place? FluentU is a learning program that can help you discover new characters and their proper use through Japanese videos.

Write a journal entry every day for a week .

This could be about anything. Something you did that day, something you learned in Japanese class, something you want to do in the future, a conversation you had with a friend… the possibilities are endless!

Even if things are pretty routine and dull during the week, keep track of what you do, think, feel, see or even dream.

Then, knuckle down and write seven entries in seven days. Try writing at the same time every day to get into the habit of doing it.

If you’re feeling up to an extra challenge, try to keep this going for an additional week, for a whole month or indefinitely.

Set yourself a character minimum for your journal entry for that day.

Decide how many characters you’re going to write. This will vary depending on your current Japanese skill level and your quantity of available time.

Start with 100 (yes! It’s supposed to be a challenge). If you plan on writing in mostly hiragana and katakana , increase your character count a little. One kanji character is sometimes equal to two or even three kana letters.

Then, increase your character minimum the next time to 200, then 250, then 300… You get the picture. You’ll get to know your own limits as you go.

This challenge is extremely difficult for some—particularly anyone who would say they’re shy or a perfectionist. You’ve got to show your journal (or at least an entry or two) to your Japanese friends for proofreading and checking.

Try not to be shy! Find a native or fluent Japanese speaker who would be willing to read your writing. Their feedback will help you figure out and improve on any mistakes you’ve made.

Not only will your reader point you in the right direction with things you’re struggling with, but they’ll most likely be very impressed with your effort and praise you on your strengths, too!

If you don’t have any Japanese friends or acquaintances, you can check out some online platforms where you’ll likely find some people who would be more than happy to check for you.

You can also use italki to find a Japanese tutor and ask them to go through your writing and offer constructive criticism .

Maybe you’re all on board to try the above challenges, but there’s one little problem—you have no clue what to write!

If that’s the case, this challenge (and the next ones) will help give you more guidance and spark your creativity.

In the letter challenge, the idea is to try writing a heartfelt letter in Japanese to one of your friends (or family members, if applicable). This could be a great way to practice using Japanese honorifics .

You can also practice writing formal letters (perhaps to practice for applying to Japanese-speaking jobs) and using keigo , the most polite form of Japanese.

Or, you can simply write a casual letter to a friend who can speak Japanese. It’ll be motivating knowing that they’ll be able to read it when you’re done.

Think about a recent book , manga , movie  or anime you’ve watched recently, then write about what you thought of it .

If you choose to write about something from your home country, bear in mind your review might be one of just a few in Japanese—perhaps even the very first!

Do you write a personal blog? Reviews are great blogging content. You might end up with a huge Japanese following!

Need more things to review? Treat yourself to a one-time   Kawaii Box , or sign up for a monthly subscription. You’ll get ten adorable Japanese items in each box, ranging from yummy little snacks to toys and pencil cases, which gives you ample things to write about.

This Japanese writing exercise will give you the chance to practice descriptive adjectives . You should aim to use a good number of these in your writing—try setting a personal goal before you start.

It’s always nice when your Japanese studies can link you with delicious food .

So, choose your favorite dish—it’s totally fine to pick one native to your own country. Now, in your Japanese notebook, describe the flavors and ingredients of the dish . Talk about any customs surrounding it or seasonal consumption, if applicable.

Write out a recipe for how to prepare your dish in Japanese. It can be as complicated or as simple as you like, depending on the dish and your language level.

This is a great way to practice using imperatives and the ～てください / ～でください form.

This is a good challenge to combine with the daily writing challenge in #2. Write a simple diary entry of your day or an event you recently went to. 

The diary challenge is especially good if you’re an intermediate level learner and you’re doing something exciting that week that you can write about, such as going on vacation.

However, there’s no problem with choosing a fairly normal event (going to school, work, etc.). Those are things you probably talk about often, anyway, which means you’ll get good practice with useful vocabulary and common grammar points .

In fact, this is a great way to get grammar practice or review in: You can practice tenses, adjectives, prepositions and anything else you learned recently.

Up for a chance to test yourself?

Open two blank pages of your notebook, preferably side by side. On the left page, write a journal entry by yourself, with no assistance —no using a dictionary and no asking for help. If you’re writing kanji, don’t check the shape or stroke order!

When you’ve finished, check it yourself or with a friend. Then, on the right-hand page, rewrite it neatly with any corrections. Essentially, the left page is your “draft” piece, and the right page is your “final” piece.

In this format, it will be easier to see where there’s room for improvement. Beyond meaning and usage, pay special attention to any mistakes you’ve made in the shape or size of the characters.

This exercise will get you used to writing from memory and will also improve your writing confidence . If you do this practice more than once (which you should!), you’ll eventually be able to see a clear line of your progress.

First of all, the best way to improve your writing is by writing. A lot.

Keeping a journal gives you a designated place to store your writing . You don’t have to hunt for spare paper or take up precious space in your actual learning notebook.

Any notebook can be a writing journal, but a high quality one with lots of pages will work especially well. I recommend buying something you’d be proud to show off to people, so you can get native speaker feedback on your work.

Having a specific notebook can also help you get into the habit of doing Japanese writing exercises every day . Practicing your writing often will improve your writing speed, as well as your grammar and  vocabulary , too.

What’s more, a writing journal is a wonderful tool for tracking language learning progress . By keeping a notebook and writing in it consistently, you’ll be able to actually see improvement in your writing skills as time goes on.

Eventually, your journal will also become a resource for you to reference . Have you forgotten some old kanji? Do you need to brush up on a certain grammar concept? No worries. You just have to flip back and have a look at previous entries.

So, once you have your ideal notebook, you should:

• Decide how much time you’re going to dedicate to journal-writing. Start with 30 minutes a week, and expand on it later.
• Decide on a topic, or a certain type of writing. Use any or all of the ideas above for guidance!
• Keep it simple at the beginning. Use grammar and vocabulary you know well—perhaps fill the first page with a self-introduction. Build up your confidence.
• Keep at it! Practice using hiragana and katakana, then work yourself up to kanji. Start covering more complex topics as well.

Whatever you do, just keep writing !

Writing in a physical journal, as suggested, is a great way to improve your Japanese handwriting.

It can especially help you learn kanji and stroke order , if you’re at that level, but you can also use kanji apps to get more guided practice in.

You can do further Japanese writing exercises right on your device (using your finger, mouse or digital pen) with the guided lessons on Kakimashou . You can also use a physical resource such as this writing practice book , which includes how-to information and grid sheets for you to practice hiragana, katakana and kanji.

Even if you don’t want to use something so specific, just writing in your notebook often will help you refine your Japanese handwriting abilities. You can check over previous entries for places you can improve, or have your native reviewer give you some feedback and tips.

Either way, you’ll have a deeper understanding of the characters and you’ll remember them better when you need them in other situations.

So what are you waiting for?

Try out the above nine challenges to really bring your Japanese writing practice to its best possible level—but remember that you can make them your own as well. Allow yourself to be inspired.

Have fun, and good luck!

If you love learning Japanese with authentic materials, then I should also tell you more about FluentU .

FluentU naturally and gradually eases you into learning Japanese language and culture. You'll learn real Japanese as it's spoken in real life.

FluentU has a broad range of contemporary videos as you'll see below:

FluentU makes these native Japanese videos approachable through interactive transcripts. Tap on any word to look it up instantly.

All definitions have multiple examples, and they're written for Japanese learners like you. Tap to add words you'd like to review to a vocab list.

And FluentU has a learn mode which turns every video into a language learning lesson. You can always swipe left or right to see more examples.

The best part? FluentU keeps track of your vocabulary, and gives you extra practice with difficult words. It'll even remind you when it’s time to review what you’ve learned. You'll have a 100% personalized experience.

Start using the FluentU website on your computer or tablet or, better yet, download the FluentU app from the iTunes or Google Play store. Click here to take advantage of our current sale! (Expires at the end of this month.)

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"What I Use To Study Japanese" - Dogen Japanese resources used by a phonetics expert

May 23, 2017 • words written by Dogen • Art by Aya Francisco

Viewing under What I Use to Study Japanese

In this series , Tofugu asks learners what Japanese learning resources and methods they use to study and why. Today, we talk to Dogen, a Kyushu-based YouTuber who creates comedic content mostly about Japan.

Dogen, while proficient in kanji and formal Japanese, specializes in speaking and creative writing. We hope you will be able to use his recommended tools and techniques to improve your Japanese. Take it away, Dogen!

Bodybuilders lift weights to get big, marathoners run cross country to develop endurance, and martial artists stretch to improve their kicks. What about you? Take a minute to think about the following:

What are your Japanese language goals and what are you doing to achieve them?

Much like an athlete, the language learner benefits from a regimen tailored to their personal goals . When I began taking Japanese classes at university, my goal was to develop a native-like accent. That said, I unwittingly studied in a counterproductive way; I spent the majority of my study time in the library, concentrating on kanji and grammar. "As long as I study long enough, one day I'll speak like a Japanese native," I thought. It wasn't until I began taking linguistics classes that I realized this was not true.

You don't want to be lifting weights if your ultimate goal is developing a strong crescent kick. Use tools that suit your language goals.

Some linguists say the human brain's ability to perfectly mimic foreign language stops at around 16 years old. My professor claimed 13. When I began researching this claim, I was 19. Needless to say, I felt a sudden sense of urgency, and consciously shifted my focus from kanji and reading comprehension to phonetics, which I studied intensely for the next two years. I strongly believe this decision is what brought my spoken Japanese to its current level; studying phonetics allowed me to nip dozens of bad speaking habits in the bud. Naturally, my kanji and advanced grammar abilities were comparatively weak for a long time, but I was able to supplement these later with grammar specific resources and SRS applications like WaniKani .

Below, I introduce the various resources I use to develop my Japanese speaking and creative writing abilities. While I strongly endorse these tools, I encourage all readers to assess their language goals before changing their Japanese learning plans and/or making any impulse purchases. Are you trying to get N1 certification ? Are you working towards becoming a game translator ? Is your dream to become a voice actor? Taking a couple days to step back and analyze your end game is a great way to determine which tools best suit your goals. Remember – you don't want to be lifting weights if your ultimate goal is developing a strong crescent kick!

TL;DR: use tools that suit your language goals.

Japanese Speaking Resources

The best way to improve your speaking abilities is to immerse yourself in a Japanese language environment while at the same time consciously striving to improve your phonetic awareness. The second part of this equation is critical; if you consume Japanese media without scrutinizing pronunciation and pitch-accent, you're likely to miss many of the sounds and pitch-accent patterns unique to Japanese. For example:

The Japanese word for mountain, 山 （ やま ） is romanized as "yama." The majority of native English speakers have no problem with the pronunciation of this word, as the "y," "a," and "m" sounds all exist in English. However, when it comes to pitch-accent, most English natives will unknowingly make a mistake, as 山 （ やま ） has a pitch-accent pattern unique to Japanese.

To elaborate, や has a low pitch, ま has a high pitch, and an attaching particle has a low pitch. Japanese natives and Japanese learners who have studied pitch-accent will hear "yaMA ga," because they are aware of it. On the other hand, Japanese learners who have never studied pitch-accent will only hear – and subsequently mimic – "yama ga." Most popular language programs don't cover this, however, because Japanese is usually comprehensible even if the pitch-accent is off; context does a great job of filling the gaps. But what about the learners who want to be more than comprehensible? What is the most effective way to study pitch-accent? Are there any resources that can help us develop phonetic awareness?

Fortunately, yes! Several extremely useful Japanese pitch-accent resources do exist – they're just not part of any larger, holistic program. The three main tools I use to study pitch-accent are:

• The macOS dictionary
• Prosody Tutor Suzuki-Kun

In the following video, I break down exactly how I use each of these sources to quickly (emphasis on quickly ) check pitch-accent.

As you can see, these are truly fantastic phonetic resources. That said, they aren't without their limitations. While these tools are great for looking up the pitch-accent and pronunciation of individual words, they don't offer insight into truly practical information such as pattern frequency or conjugation-based pitch-accent change. There are resources that do cover this information, such as the Japanese Shinmeikai Accent Dictionary or the NHK Accent Dictionary , but they are unfortunately Japanese-based, which makes them inaccessible for beginner and intermediate learners.

This leaves the average Japanese learner with few options when trying to study Japanese phonetics – particularly pitch-accent – in detail. To combat this status quo, I created Japanese Phonetics , an online video series that teaches Japanese pitch-accent and pronunciation in simple English, with audio cues and visual graphs.

While not yet finished (I'm currently 18 episodes in, expecting to finish around 30-35), I can say with confidence that Japanese Phonetics is the Internet's most comprehensive – and more importantly, practical – Japanese phonetic resource. If you have never studied pitch-accent, I can guarantee that the first ten episodes will fundamentally change the way you hear, and consequently, speak Japanese. It's the information in this series, particularly the pitch-accent rules, that enabled me to reach my current level.

If you're not interested in Japanese phonetics but still want to improve your spoken Japanese, my number one piece of advice is to record yourself. You will, without fail, pick up on mistakes. There have been dozens of times I've been 100% convinced I was saying a word with one pitch-accent pattern (to the point I would fight with my Japanese friends) only to find out it was a different pattern after hearing a recording.

Mac users: you can simplify the recording process by using the following keyboard shortcuts:

• Command + Spacebar (launch Spotlight)
• Type: "quick" and press enter (launch QuickTime)
• Control + Option + Command + N (Create New Audio Recording)

This may seem like trivial advice but it makes a big difference. If you can be up and running in two seconds, you're much more likely to record yourself regularly. Naturally, these exercises aren't limited to Mac users. If you use a PC, you can download Audacity and add a shortcut to your desktop. For your phone, you can move the voice memo app to your homescreen.

The important thing is to create an environment that enables you to start recording yourself at a moment's notice.

If you want to improve your spoken Japanese, my number one piece of advice is to record yourself. You will, without fail, pick up on mistakes.

Once you've become comfortable with self-analysis, try having Japanese natives listen to your recordings through services such as Lang-8 and HiNative . Though these tools work best for grammar, if you're explicit about your intentions, users will be more than happy to provide pronunciation/pitch-accent feedback (keep in mind, not many natives can give in-depth feedback with regards to pitch-accent, though).

Useful tip: if you upload a recording of yourself to YouTube you can embed the video directly into a Lang-8 post. This is a truly great practice for getting out of your comfort zone. It's easy to be a big fish in a classroom of 25 Japanese learners – not the case when you're in an ocean of unbiased natives!

Speaking summary: If you're interested in developing a native-like accent, strive to be in a constant state of phonetic awareness. Pay as much attention to pronunciation and pitch-accent as you do to meaning. Use the macOS Dictionary, Prosody Tutor Suzuki-Kun , and Forvo to look up the pitch-accent for individual words, and consider signing up for Japanese Phonetics if you're interested in developing a strong understanding of useful phonetics rules and patterns. Record yourself if you've never tried, and use services like Lang-8 and HiNative to have your recordings checked by natives.

Japanese Creative Writing Resources

During my last year of university I became interested in creative writing. I enrolled in several courses, read novels I cliff-noted in high school, and started writing on a regular basis. After a few months, however, things began feeling counterproductive. I was majoring in Japanese linguistics, but spending most of my free time writing in English – not a model of efficiency.

Fortunately, I wasn't so much interested in English as I was in creative writing and literature as a whole. Thus, after a few weeks of deliberation I decided to switch my writing language to Japanese.

I spent essentially the entirety of my free time on the JET Program writing in Japanese. Let me rephrase that. I spent essentially the entirety of my free time on the JET Program trying to write in Japanese. For a long time, most of what I wrote was complete nonsense. That said, I did feel myself improving, and after three solid years of practice, I had an elementary, but readable voice. Toward the end of my contract I self-published a collection of short stories and a novella, the latter of which reached number one in the entertainment section of the Japanese Kindle Store.

Below I'd like to introduce the methods and resources I used to develop my Japanese creative writing abilities. I've purposely included the word "creative" here, as these exercises and tools aren't effective for something like business e-mail or LINE communication. They will, however, greatly refine your eloquence and sensitivity, both highly influential traits in an age of memes and Google Analytics.

At this point, the advice "read Japanese literature" is a given, so I'd like to instead suggest the following: go beyond Murakami Haruki. While Haruki is undoubtedly a bungou 文豪 （ ぶんごう ） (great writer), it's important to realize his highly readable prose is extremely idiosyncratic – especially when compared to that of other contemporary Japanese authors. Haruki, though extremely engaging, isn't as good for Japanese literature comprehension as he is for Haruki comprehension.

For learners looking to expand their literary lexicon, the authors I recommend most are the eccentric Kanehara Hitomi ( Snakes and Earrings, Trip Trap ), and the often-bleak, often-surreal Murakami Ryu ( 69, Audition ). In terms of older literature, I'm fond of Mishima Yukio ( The Sound of Waves, The Golden Pavilion ), the literary genius often cited as the greatest Japanese writer of the 20th century. It wasn't until I began reading these authors that I was able to start appreciating the breadth of Japanese literature, as well as Murakami Haruki's unique position within said sphere. Exposure to a variety of styles and themes leads to perspective, which is critical for developing a unique voice.

When I began reading Japanese novels, I used an electronic dictionary to look up words. After a few months of reading in this way, however, I realized most words were going in one ear and out the other. Thus, I did what most learners do when trying to increase their vocabulary : I began making flashcards. As I became more interested in writing, words became clauses, and clauses became sentences. Naturally, many of these first entries were metaphors and similes. Here is an example from Murakami Ryu's 69 :

• 仔馬 （ こうま ） のバンビ みたい な 目 （ め ） だ。
• Her eyes are like Bambi's.

My notebook quickly expanded, however, to include "broken prose" – redundant phrases or fragments intentionally used to add variety and impact. Here is a brilliant example of broken prose from Kanehara Hitomi's Trip Trap :

• 胃 （ い ） が 痙攣 （ けいれん ） していて、 体中 （ からだじゅう ） が 震えて （ ふる　　 ） 、 落ち着く （ お　つ　 ） 間もなく （ ま　　　 ） 襲ってくる （ おそ　　　　 ） 吐き気 （ は　け ） に、 本気で （ ほんき　 ） 死期 （ しき ） を 感じていた （ かん　　　　 ） 。 次 （ つぎ ） の 波 （ なみ ） に 怯えている （ おび　　　　 ） 内 （ うち ） に、ああこんな 思い （ おも　 ） をするくらいならパーティーなんてドタキャンすれば 良かった （ よ　　　 ） 、 というよりも 以前に （ いぜん　 ） フランスなんて 来なければ （ こ　　　　 ） 良かった （ よ　　　 ） 、 というよりも 生まれて （ う　　　 ） こなければ 良かった （ よ　　　 ） と 思う （ おも　 ） 。
• I trembled in fear knowing the next wave of nausea was only seconds away. If I had known things would turn out this way I never would have come to the party. No, I never would have come to Paris. Cancel that, I would have aborted myself in the womb.

And another example, the opening line of Kanehara Hitomi's Mink :

• 大声 （ おおごえ ） で 叫 （ さけ ） びながら、 目 （ め ） の 前 （ まえ ） の 男 （ おとこ ） に 体当 （ たいあ ） たりをする 私 （ わたし ） 。
• Me , screaming at the top of my lungs as I smash into the man.

This second example is a fragment. An incomplete or grammatically incorrect phrase – like this. That said, it's an intentional fragment – a taigendome 体言止め （ たいげんど　 ） , or phrase that ends with a noun instead of a verb. Despite showing up fairly often in Japanese literature and copy, 体言止め （ たいげんど　 ） are almost never taught in grammar textbooks or Japanese classrooms, as they usually don't show up in Japanese proficiency tests (or a lot of Murakami Haruki's works, for that matter). If you're interested in writing try to memorize this one today; when used properly, 体言止め （ たいげんど　 ） can immediately add weight and variety to your prose.

Despite showing up fairly often in Japanese literature and copy, taigendome 体言止め are almost never taught in grammar textbooks or Japanese classrooms, as they usually don't show up in Japanese proficiency tests.

And so my notebook filled with quips, imaginative metaphors, and rhythmic fragments. Naturally, this notebook proved to be an extremely useful reference tool for my own writing, but over time it began to lose its effectiveness. By the time I started Mayonnaise (my novella), I actually had three notebooks, which made it near impossible to locate phrases in a pinch. To solve this problem, I took a weekend off and transcribed my notebooks into a search-ready Word file.

Later on, I began adding in my own native-checked essays. This eventually resulted in my「 万事 （ ばんじ ） ノート」(almighty note), a 207-page document filled with interesting phrases I can immediately reference while writing. The act of manually inputting long passages into Word may seem daunting, but this task itself is very effective for memorizing complicated phrases and sentence structure. I encourage anyone studying Japanese to create their own 万事 （ ばんじ ） ノート and leverage the search functionality of software such as Word and Pages; it's by far the most effective method I've found for learning to recreate "broken prose." Read, rewrite, reference, repeat.

Audiobooks are also a great resource for exposing yourself to Japanese prose. Find a short story (or single chapter from a longer work), perhaps 20-30 minutes long, and listen to it until you can recite the lines as they're said. During my time on the JET program I spent approximately three months listening to Natsume Soseki's 夢十夜 （ ゆめじゅうじゃ ） every day during my commute, and by the end of the third month I could talk along with almost the entire first chapter. The practice can get dull at times, but it's incredibly effective for learning new words and phrases without putting in too much effort. My one suggestion would be to incorporate some kind of active motion (such as driving, walking, cleaning, etc.) while listening. Though it may seem counterintuitive, engaging multiple areas of the mind through movement helps a lot with focus.

Of course, if your ultimate goal is to develop your writing abilities, you'll need to do a lot of writing. Don't be too concerned about your initial work; the purpose of establishing writing habits isn't to produce quality prose, but to find your voice. When I began writing I initially tried to mimic the styles of romantic greats such as Mishima – it was the crashing and burning that ultimately jump started my journey into comedy.

Rather than swinging for the fences your first time at the plate, concentrate on developing a strong batting stance. If you don't have any subjects in mind for your first pieces, try writing a daily journal or blog; these are just as effective for developing voice.

Finally, you'll want to get as much feedback from native speakers as possible. Lang-8 is the ultimate tool for this. If you're truly passionate about developing your writing abilities, consider signing up for a premium account. I've been a premium user for six years now and stand by the value 100%.

I will say, however, there is variety in the quality of the corrections you receive on Lang-8 (or similar services). Try searching for someone who seems to have a good command of both Japanese and your native language and contacting them directly. A language partner who knows your writing style (as well as the prose you're trying to develop) can provide much more effective feedback than someone who's checking your writing for the first time.

Creative writing summary: Read a variety of Japanese authors, and analyze the different ways they bend and break the rules. Combine audiobooks and movement to quickly saturate yourself with rich Japanese prose. Write often. Use Lang-8 to get your writing checked by native Japanese speakers and try to find an educated, reliable language partner.

These are the tools and practices I used, and continue to use, to improve my Japanese speaking and writing abilities. If you'd like to develop your accent and/or plan on getting involved with creative work such as game or anime translation (or scripting, for that matter), consider implementing some of these resources and techniques in your Japanese study plan. Finally, if you have any questions, feel free to contact me directly on Twitter @dogen .

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StoryLearning

Learn A Language Through Stories

How To Write In Japanese – A Beginner’s Guide

Do you want to learn how to write in Japanese , but feel confused or intimidated by the script?

This post will break it all down for you, in a step-by-step guide to reading and writing skills this beautiful language.

I remember when I first started learning Japanese and how daunting the writing system seemed. I even wondered whether I could get away without learning the script altogether and just sticking with romaji (writing Japanese with the roman letters).

I’m glad I didn’t.

If you’re serious about learning Japanese, you have to get to grips with the script sooner or later. If you don’t, you won’t be able to read or write anything useful, and that’s no way to learn a language.

The good news is that it isn’t as hard as you think. And I’ve teamed up with my friend Luca Toma (who’s also a Japanese coach ) to bring you this comprehensive guide to reading and writing Japanese.

By the way, if you want to learn Japanese fast and have fun while doing it, my top recommendation is  Japanese Uncovered  which teaches you through StoryLearning®. 

With  Japanese Uncovered  you’ll use my unique StoryLearning® method to learn Japanese naturally through story… not rules. It’s as fun as it is effective.

If you’re ready to get started,  click here for a 7-day FREE trial.

If you have a friend who’s learning Japanese, you might like to share it with them. Now, let’s get stuck in…

One Language, Two Systems, Three Scripts

If you are a complete beginner, Japanese writing may appear just like Chinese.

But if you look at it more carefully you'll notice that it doesn’t just contain complex Chinese characters… there are lots of simpler ones too.

Take a look.

それでも、 日本人 の 食生活 も 急速 に 変化 してきています 。 ハンバーグ や カレーライス は 子供に人気 がありますし 、都会 では 、 イタリア 料理、東南 アジア 料理、多国籍料理 などを 出 す エスニック 料理店 がどんどん 増 えています 。

Nevertheless, the eating habits of Japanese people are also rapid ly chang ing . Hamburgers and curry rice are popular with children . In cities , ethnic   restaurants serv ing Italian cuisine , Southeast Asian cuisine and multi-national cuisine keep increas ing more and more .

(Source: “Japan: Then and Now”, 2001, p. 62-63)

As you can see from this sample, within one Japanese text there are actually three different scripts intertwined. We’ve colour coded them to help you tell them apart.

(What’s really interesting is the different types of words – parts of speech – represented by each colour – it tells you a lot about what you use each of the three scripts for.)

Can you see the contrast between complex characters (orange) and simpler ones (blue and green)?

The complex characters are called kanji (漢字 lit. Chinese characters) and were borrowed from Chinese. They are what’s called a ‘logographic system' in which each symbol corresponds to a block of meaning (食 ‘to eat', 南 ‘south', 国 ‘country').

Each kanji also has its own pronunciation, which has to be learnt – you can’t “read” an unknown kanji like you could an unknown word in English.

Luckily, the other two sets of characters are simpler!

Those in blue above are called hiragana and those in green are called katakana . Katakana and hiragana are both examples of ‘syllabic systems', and unlike the kanji , each character corresponds to single sound. For example, そ= so, れ= re; イ= i, タ = ta.

Hiragana and katakana are a godsend for Japanese learners because the pronunciation isn’t a problem. If you see it, you can say it!

So, at this point, you’re probably wondering:

“What’s the point of using three different types of script? How could that have come about?”

In fact, all these scripts have a very specific role to play in a piece of Japanese writing, and you’ll find that they all work together in harmony in representing the Japanese language in a written form.

So let’s check them out in more detail.

First up, the two syllabic systems: hiragana and katakana (known collectively as kana ).

The ‘Kana' – One Symbol, One Sound

Both hiragana and katakana have a fixed number of symbols: 46 characters in each, to be precise.

Each of these corresponds to a combination of the 5 Japanese vowels (a, i, u, e o) and the 9 consonants (k, s, t, n, h, m, y, r, w).

(Source: Wikipedia Commons )

Hiragana  (the blue characters in our sample text) are recognizable for their roundish shape and you’ll find them being used for three functions in Japanese writing:

1. Particles (used to indicate the grammatical function of a word)

は     wa     topic marker

が     ga      subject marker

を     wo      direct object marker

2. To change the meaning of verbs, adverbs or adjectives, which generally have a root written in kanji. (“Inflectional endings”)

急速 に     kyuusoku ni        rapid ly

増 えています       fu ete imasu     are increas ing

3. Native Japanese words not covered by the other two scripts

それでも     soredemo     nevertheless

どんどん     dondon     more and more

Katakana  (the green characters in our sample text) are recognisable for their straight lines and sharp corners. They are generally reserved for:

1. Loanwords from other languages. See what you can spot!

ハンバーグ     hanbaagu     hamburger

カレーライス     karee raisu     curry rice

エスニック     esunikku     ethnic

2. Transcribing foreign names

イタリア     itaria     Italy

アジア     ajia     Asia

They are also used for emphasis (the equivalent of italics or underlining in English), and for scientific terms (plants, animals, minerals, etc.).

So where did hiragana and katakana come from?

In fact, they were both derived from kanji which had a particular pronunciation; Hiragana took from the Chinese cursive script  (安 an →あ a), whereas katakana developed from single components of the regular Chinese script (阿 a →ア a ).

So that covers the origins the two kana scripts in Japanese, and how we use them.

Now let’s get on to the fun stuff… kanji !

The Kanji – One Symbol, One Meaning

Kanji  – the most formidable hurdle for learners of Japanese!

We said earlier that kanji is a logographic system, in which each symbol corresponds to a “block of meaning”.

食     eating

生     life, birth

活     vivid, lively

“Block of meaning” is the best phrase, because one kanji is not necessarily a “word” on its own.

You might have to combine one kanji with another in order to make an actual word, and also to express more complex concepts:

生 + 活   =   生活     lifestyle

食 + 生活   =  食生活     eating habits

If that sounds complicated, remember that you see the same principle in other languages.

Think about the word ‘telephone' in English – you can break it down into two main components derived from Greek:

‘tele' (far)  +  ‘phone' (sound)  = telephone

Neither of them are words in their own right.

So there are lots and lots of kanji , but in order to make more sense of them we can start by categorising them.

There are several categories of kanji , starting with the ‘pictographs' (象形文字 sh ōkei moji), which look like the objects they represent:

(Source: Wikipedia Commons )

In fact, there aren’t too many of these pictographs.

Around 90% of the kanji in fact come from six other categories, in which several basic elements (called ‘radicals') are combined to form new concepts.

For example:

人 (‘man' as a radical)   +   木 (‘tree')    =  休 (‘to rest')

These are known as 形声文字 keisei moji or ‘radical-phonetic compounds'.

You can think of these characters as being made up of two parts:

• A radical that tells you what category of word it is: animals, plants, metals, etc.)
• A second component that completes the character and give it its pronunciation (a sort of Japanese approximation from Chinese).

So that’s the story behind the kanji , but what are they used for in Japanese writing?

Typically, they are used to represent concrete concepts.

When you look at a piece of Japanese writing, you’ll see kanji being used for nouns, and in the stem of verbs, adjectives and adverbs.

Here are some of them from our sample text at the start of the article:

日本人     Japanese people 多国籍料理     multinational cuisine 東南     Southeast

Now, here’s the big question!

Once you’ve learnt to read or write a kanji , how do you pronounce it?

If you took the character from the original Chinese, it would usually only have one pronunciation.

However, by the time these characters leave China and reach Japan, they usually have two or sometimes even more pronunciations.

How or why does this happen?

Let's look at an example.

To say ‘mountain', the Chinese use the pictograph 山 which depicts a mountain with three peaks. The pronunciation of this character in Chinese is sh ā n (in the first tone).

Now, in Japanese the word for ‘mountain' is ‘yama'.

So in this case, the Japanese decided to borrow the character山from Chinese, but to pronounce it differently: yama .

However, this isn’t the end of the story!

The Japanese did decide to borrow the pronunciation from the original Chinese, but only to use it when that character is used in compound words.

So, in this case, when the character 山 is part of a compound word, it is pronounced as san/zan – clearly an approximation to the original Chinese pronunciation.

Here’s the kanji on its own:

山は…      Yama wa…     The mountain….

And here’s the kanji when it appears in compound words:

火山は…     Ka zan wa     The volcano…

富士山は…     Fuji san wa…     Mount Fuji….

To recap, every kanji has at least two pronunciations.

The first one (the so-called訓読み kun'yomi or ‘meaning reading') has an original Japanese pronunciation, and is used with one kanji on it’s own.

The second one (called音読み  on'yomi or ‘sound-based reading') is used in compound words, and comes from the original Chinese.

Makes sense, right? 😉

In Japan, there’s an official number of kanji that are classified for “daily use” (常用漢字 joy ō kanji ) by the Japanese Ministry of Education – currently 2,136.

(Although remember that the number of actual words that you can form using these characters is much higher.)

So now… if you wanted to actually learn all these kanji , how should you go about it?

To answer this question, Luca’s going to give us an insight into how he did it.  

How I Learnt Kanji

I started to learn kanji more than 10 years ago at a time when you couldn't find all the great resources that are available nowadays. I only had paper kanji dictionary and simple lists from my textbook.

What I did have, however, was the memory of a fantastic teacher.

I studied Chinese for two years in college, and this teacher taught us characters in two helpful ways:

• He would analyse them in terms of their radicals and other components
• He kept us motivated and interested in the process by using fascinating stories based on etymology (the origin of the characters)

Once I’d learnt to recognise the 214 radicals which make up all characters – the building blocks of Chinese characters – it was then much easier to go on and learn the characters and the words themselves.

It’s back to the earlier analogy of dividing the word ‘telephone' into tele and phone .

But here’s the thing – knowing the characters alone isn’t enough. There are too many, and they’re all very similar to one another.

If you want to get really good at the language, and really know how to read and how to write in Japanese, you need a higher-order strategy.

The number one strategy that I used to reach a near-native ability in reading and writing in Japanese was to learn the kanji within the context of dialogues or other texts .

I never studied them as individual characters or words.

Now, I could give you a few dozen ninja tricks for how to learn Japanese kanji. B ut the one secret that blows everything else out of the water and guarantees real success in the long-term, is extensive reading and massive exposure.

This is the foundation of the StoryLearning® method , where you immerse yourself in language through story.

In the meantime, there are a lot of resources both online and offline to learn kanji , each of which is based on a particular method or approach (from flashcards to mnemonic and so on).

The decision of which approach to use can be made easier by understanding the way you learn best.

Do you have a photographic memory or prefer working with images? Do you prefer to listen to audio? Or perhaps you prefer to write things by hands?

You can and should try more than one method, in order to figure out which works best for you.

( Note : You should get a copy of this excellent guide by John Fotheringham, which has all the resources you’ll ever need to learn kanji )

Summary Of How To Write In Japanese

So you’ve made it to the end!

See – I told you it wasn’t that bad! Let’s recap what we’ve covered.

Ordinary written Japanese employs a mixture of three scripts:

• Kanji, or Chinese characters, of which there are officially 2,136 in daily use (more in practice)
• 2 syllabic alphabets called hiragana and katakana, containing 42 symbols each

In special cases, such as children’s books or simplified materials for language learners, you might find everything written using only hiragana or katakana .

But apart from those materials, everything in Japanese is written by employing the three scripts together. And it’s the kanji which represent the cultural and linguistic challenge in the Japanese language.

If you want to become proficient in Japanese you have to learn all three!

Although it seems like a daunting task, remember that there are many people before you who have found themselves right at the beginning of their journey in learning Japanese.

And every journey begins with a single step.

So what are you waiting for?

The best place to start is to enrol in  Japanese Uncovered . The course includes a series of lessons that teach you hiragana, katakana and kanji. It also includes an exciting Japanese story which comes in different formats (romaji, hiragana, kana and kanji) so you can practice reading Japanese, no matter what level you're at right now.

– – –

It’s been a pleasure for me to work on this article with Luca Toma, and I’ve learnt a lot in the process.

Now he didn’t ask me to write this, but if you’re serious about learning Japanese, you should consider hiring Luca as a coach. The reasons are many, and you can find out more on his website: JapaneseCoaching.it

Do you know anyone learning Japanese? Why not send them this article, or click here to send a tweet .

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Home » Articles » How to Write in Japanese — A Beginner’s Guide to Japanese Writing

Full disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. ?

written by Caitlin Sacasas

Language: Japanese

Reading time: 13 minutes

Published: Apr 2, 2021

Updated: Oct 18, 2021

How to Write in Japanese — A Beginner’s Guide to Japanese Writing

Does the Japanese writing system intimidate you?

For most people, this seems like the hardest part of learning Japanese. How to write in Japanese is a bit more complex than some other languages. But there are ways to make it easier so you can master it!

Here at Fluent in 3 Months , we encourage actually speaking over intensive studying, reading, and listening. But writing is an active form of learning too, and crucial for Japanese. Japanese culture is deeply ingrained in its writing systems. If you can’t read or write it, you’ll struggle as you go along in your studies.

Some of the best Japanese textbooks expect you to master these writing systems… fast . For instance, the popular college textbook Genki , published by the Japan Times, expects you to master the basics in as little as a week. After that, they start to phase out the romanized versions of the word.

It’s also easy to mispronounce words when they’re romanized into English instead of the original writing system. If you have any experience learning how to write in Korean , then you know that romanization can vary and the way it reads isn’t often how it’s spoken.

Despite having three writing systems, there are benefits to it. Kanji, the “most difficult,” actually makes memorizing vocabulary easier!

So, learning to write in Japanese will go a long way in your language studies and help you to speak Japanese fast .

Why Does Japanese Have Three Writing Systems? A Brief Explainer

Japanese has three writing systems: hiragana, katakana, and kanji. The first two are collectively called kana and are the basics of writing in Japanese.

Writing Kana

If you think about English, we have two writing systems — print and cursive. Both print and cursive write out the same letters, but they look “sharp” and “curvy.” The same is true for kana. Hiragana is “curvy” and katakana is “sharp,” but they both represent the same Japanese alphabet (which is actually called a syllabary). They both represent sounds, or syllables, rather than single letters (except for vowels and “n”, hiragana ん or katakana ン). Hiragana and katakana serve two different purposes.

Hiragana is the most common, and the first taught to Japanese children. If this is all you learn, you would be understood (although you’d come across child-like). Hiragana is used for grammar functions, like changing conjugation or marking the subject of a sentence. Because of this, hiragana helps break up a sentence when combined with kanji. It makes it easier to tell where a word begins and ends, especially since Japanese doesn’t use spaces. It’s also used for furigana, which are small hiragana written next to kanji to help with the reading. You see furigana often in manga , Japanese comics, for younger audiences who haven’t yet learned to read all the kanji. (Or learners like us!)

Katakana serves to mark foreign words. When words from other languages are imported into Japanese, they’re often written in Japanese as close as possible to the original word. (Like how you can romanize Japanese into English, called romaji). For example, パン ( pan ) comes from Spanish, and means “bread.” Or from English, “smartphone” is スマートフォン ( suma-tofon ) or shortened, slang form スマホ ( sumaho ). Katakana can also be used to stylistically write a Japanese name, to write your own foreign name in Japanese, or to add emphasis to a word when writing.

Writing Kanji

Then there’s kanji. Kanji was imported from Chinese, and each character means a word, instead of a syllable or letter. 犬, read inu , means “dog.” And 食, read ta or shoku , means “food” or “to eat.” They combine with hiragana or other kanji to complete their meaning and define how you pronounce them.

So if you wanted to say “I’m eating,” you would say 食べます ( tabemasu ), where -bemasu completes the verb and puts it in grammatical tense using hiragana. If you wanted to say “Japanese food,” it would be 日本食 ( nipponshoku ), where it’s connected to other kanji.

If you didn’t have these three forms, it would make reading Japanese very difficult. The sentences would run together and it would be confusing. Like in this famous Japanese tongue twister: にわにはにわにわとりがいる, or romanized niwa ni wa niwa niwatori ga iru . But in kanji, it looks like 庭には二羽鶏がいる. The meaning? “There are chickens in the garden.” Thanks to the different writing systems, we know that the first niwa means garden, the second ni wa are the grammatical particles, the third niwa is to say there are at least two, and niwatori is “chickens.”

Japanese Pronunciation

Japanese has fewer sounds than English, and except for “r,” most of them are in the English language. So you should find most of the sounds easy to pick up!

Japanese has the same 5 vowels, but only 16 consonants. For the most part, all syllables consist of only a vowel, or a consonant plus a vowel. But there is the single “n,” and “sh,” “ts,” and “ch” sounds, as well as consonant + -ya/-yu/-yo sounds. I’ll explain this more in a minute.

Although Japanese has the same 5 vowel sounds, they only have one sound . Unlike English, there is no “long A” and “short A” sound. This makes it easy when reading kana because the sound never changes . So, once you learn how to write kana, you will always know how to pronounce it.

Here’s how the 5 vowels sound in Japanese:

• あ / ア: “ah” as in “latte”
• い / イ: “ee” as in “bee”
• う / ウ: “oo” as in “tooth”
• え / エ: “eh” as in “echo”
• お / オ: “oh” as in “open”

Even when combined with consonants, the sound of the vowel stays the same. Look at these examples:

• か / カ: “kah” as in “copy”
• ち / チ: “chi” as in “cheap”
• む / ム: “mu” as in “move”
• せ / セ: “se” as in “set”
• の / ノ: “no” as in “note”

Take a look at the entire syllabary chart:

Based on learning how to pronounce the vowels, can you pronounce the rest of the syllables? The hardest ones will be the R-row of sounds, “tsu,” “fu,” and “n.”

For “r” it sounds between an “r” and an “l” sound in English. Almost like the Spanish, actually. First, try saying “la, la, la.” Your tongue should push off of the back of your teeth to make this sound. Now say “rah, rah, rah.” Notice how your tongue pulls back to touch your back teeth. Now, say “dah, dah, dah.” That placement of your tongue to make the “d” sound is actually where you make the Japanese “r” sound. You gently push off of this spot on the roof of your mouth as you pull back your tongue like an English “r.”

“Tsu” blends together “t” and “s” in a way we don’t quite have in English. You push off the “t” sound, and should almost sound like the “s” is drawn out. The sound “fu” is so soft, and like a breath of air coming out. Think like a sigh, “phew.” It doesn’t sound like “who,” but a soft “f.” As for our lone consonant, “n” can sound like “n” or “m,” depending on the word.

Special Japanese Character Readings and How to Write Them

There are a few Japanese characters that combine with others to create more sounds. You’ll often see dakuten , which are double accent marks above the character on the right side ( ﾞ), and handakuten , which is a small circle on the right side ( ﾟ).

Here’s how dakuten affect the characters:

And handakuten are only used with the H-row characters, changing it from “h” to “p.” So か ( ka ) becomes が ( ga ), and ひ ( hi ) becomes either び ( bi ) or ぴ ( pi ).

A sokuon adds a small っ between two characters to double the consonant that follows it and make a “stop” in the word. In the saying いらっしゃいませ ( irasshaimase , “Welcome!”), the “rahs-shai” has a slight glottal pause where the “tsu” emphasizes the double “s.”

One of the special readings that tend to be mispronounced are the yoon characters. These characters add a small “y” row character to the other rows to blend the sounds together. These look like ちゃ ( cha ), きょ ( kyo ), and しゅ ( shu ). They’re added to the “i” column of kana characters.

An example of a common mispronunciation is “Tokyo.” It’s often said “Toh-key-yo,” but it’s actually only two syllables: “Toh-kyo.” The k and y are blended; there is no “ee” sound in the middle.

How to Read, Write, and Pronounce Kanji Characters

Here’s where things get tricky. Kanji, since it represents a whole word or idea, and combines with hiragana… It almost always has more than one way to read and pronounce it. And when it comes to writing them, they have a lot more to them.

Let’s start by breaking down the kanji a bit, shall we?

Most kanji consist of radicals, the basic elements or building blocks. For instance, 日 (“sun” or “day”) is a radical. So is 言 (“words” or “to say”) and 心 (“heart”). So when we see the kanji 曜, we see that “day” has been squished in this complex kanji. This kanji means “day of the week.” It’s in every weekday’s name: 月曜日 ( getsuyoubi , “Monday”), 火曜日 ( kayoubi , “Tuesday”), 水曜日 ( suiyoubi , “Wednesday”), etc.

When the kanji for “words” is mixed into another kanji, it usually has something to do with conversation or language. 日本語 ( nihongo ) is the word for “Japanese” and the final kanji 語 includes 言. And as for 心, it’s often in kanji related to expressing emotions and feelings, like 怒る ( okoru , “angry”) and 思う ( omou , “to think”).

In this way, some kanji make a lot of sense when we break them down like this. A good example is 妹 ( imouto ), the kanji for “little sister.” It’s made up of two radicals: 女, “woman,” and 未, “not yet.” She’s “not yet a woman,” because she’s your kid sister.

So why learn radicals? Because radicals make it easier to memorize, read, and write the kanji. By learning radicals, you can break the kanji down using mnemonics (like “not yet a woman” to remember imouto ). If you know each “part,” you’ll remember how to write it. 妹 has 7 strokes to it, but only 2 radicals. So instead of memorizing tons of tiny lines, memorize the parts.

As for pronouncing them, this is largely a memorization game. But here’s a pro-tip. Each kanji has “common” readings — often only one or two. Memorize how to read the kanji with common words that use them, and you’ll know how to read that kanji more often than not.

Japanese Writing: Stroke Order

So, I mentioned stroke order with kanji. But what is that? Stroke order is the proper sequence you use to write Japanese characters.

The rule of stroke order is you go from top to bottom, left to right.

This can still be confusing with some complex kanji, but again, radicals play a part here. You would break down each radical top left-most stroke to bottom right stroke, then move on to the next radical. A helpful resource is Jisho.org , which shows you how to properly write all the characters. Check out how to write the kanji for “kanji” as a perfect example of breaking down radicals.

When it comes to kana, stroke order still matters. Even though they’re simpler, proper stroke order makes your characters easier to read. And some characters rely on stroke order to tell them apart. Take シ and ツ:

[Shi and Tsu example]

If you didn’t use proper stroke order, these two katakana characters would look the same!

How to Memorize Japanese Kanji and Kana

When it comes to Japanese writing, practice makes perfect. Practice writing your sentences down in Japanese, every day. Practice filling in the kana syllabary chart for hiragana and katakana, until there are no blank boxes and you’ve got them all right.

Create mnemonics for both kanji and kana. Heisig’s method is one of the best ways to memorize how to write kanji with mnemonics. Using spaced repetition helps too, like Anki. Then you’re regularly seeing each character, and you can input your mnemonics into the note of the card so you have it as a reminder.

Another great way to practice is to write out words you already know. If you know mizu means “water,” then learn the kanji 水 and write it with the kanji every time from here on out. If you know the phrase おはようございます means “good morning,” practice writing in in kana every morning. That phrase alone gives you practice with 9 characters and two with dakuten! And try looking up loan words to practice katakana.

Tools to Help You with Japanese Writing

There are some fantastic resources out there to help you practice writing in Japanese. Here are a few to help you learn it fast:

• JapanesePod101 : Yes, JapanesePod101 is a podcast. But they often feature YouTube videos and have helpful PDFs that teach you kanji and kana! Plus, you’ll pick up all kinds of helpful cultural insights and grammar tips.
• LingQ : LingQ is chock full of reading material in Japanese, giving you plenty of exposure to kana, new kanji, and words. It uses spaced repetition to help you review.
• Skritter : Skritter is one of the best apps for Japanese writing. You can practice writing kanji on the app, and review them periodically so you don’t forget. It’s an incredible resource to keep up with your Japanese writing practice on the go.
• Scripts : From the creator of Drops, this app was designed specifically for learning languages with a different script from your own.

How to Type in Japanese

It’s actually quite simple to type in Japanese! On a PC, you can go to “Language Settings” and click “Add a preferred language.” Download Japanese — 日本語 — and make sure to move it below English. (Otherwise, it will change your laptop’s language to Japanese… Which can be an effective study tool , though!)

To start typing in Japanese, you would press the Windows key + space. Your keyboard will now be set to Japanese! You can type the romanized script, and it will show you the suggestions for kanji and kana. To easily change back and forth between Japanese and English, use the alt key + “~” key.

For Mac, you can go to “System Preferences”, then “Keyboard” and then click the “+” button to add and set Japanese. To toggle between languages, use the command key and space bar.

For mobile devices, it’s very similar. You’ll go to your settings, then language and input settings. Add the Japanese keyboard, and then you’ll be able to toggle back and forth when your typing from the keyboard!

Japanese Writing Isn’t Scary!

Japanese writing isn’t that bad. It does take practice, but it’s fun to write! It’s a beautiful script. So, don’t believe the old ideology that “three different writing systems will take thousands of hours to learn!” A different writing system shouldn’t scare you off. Each writing system has a purpose and makes sense once you start learning. They build on each other, so learning it gets easier as you go. Realistically, you could read a Japanese newspaper after only about two months of consistent studying and practice with kanji!

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Creative Writing In Japanese

Recently I’ve been wanting to get into creative writing in Japanese in order to give myself more practice with creating more complex sentences, and using more of my vocabulary. I looked, and there doesn’t seem to be any talk about this, so I’m curious if anyone has tried it before and what it was like. I’m not looking to write a novel or anything, just short writing practice or exercises.

Dogen talks a little about creative writing in his article for Tofugu “What I Use To Study Japanese” - Dogen —scroll to third section. He mentions Lang-8, but I think that was shutdown in favour of HiNative, but I saw LangCorrect recommended recently—looks pretty much just like what Lang-8 was.

Also, I’ve heard the Tobira workbooks contain writing prompts with the grammar you learned, at the end of each chapter, if you’re looking for something like that.

Thanks, that’s really helpful! I have the tobira textbook but I’ve been meaning to look into the workbooks for some time now so I may pick them up. It’s interesting to hear Dogen’s perspective on it!

I am doing writing exercises once in a while. Stuff like essays and short stories.

I am usually writing something and then reviewing it with an iTalki tutor.

I mean this is a pretty broad topic. In the ensuing years since I’ve learned Japanese I’ve done some writing and poetry classes. But a little more to your point, back when I was using textbooks, any time there was an open ended question, I’d use that as a writing prompt.

You can check out this site that allows you to share your writing to create and create a collection of easy text that could make good reading practice for beginners. From what I read they even have teachers that correct you. I have never really used it but I think that is a genuinely good idea.

https://honbun.bg/en

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How to Say “Writing” in Japanese: Formal and Informal Ways

Gaining proficiency in the Japanese language involves not only spoken communication but also a thorough understanding of written language. Whether you are interested in literature, handwriting, or simply want to expand your Japanese abilities, learning how to express the concept of “writing” in Japanese is crucial. In this guide, we will explore the various ways to express “writing” in both formal and informal contexts, while also providing tips, examples, and insights along the way.

Formal Ways to Say “Writing” in Japanese

1. 書く (Kaku) – This is the most basic and common way to express “writing” in Japanese. It is the verb form and can function as a standalone word or used as a verb in a sentence. For example:

Example: 本を書く (Hon o kaku) – Write a book.

2. 書写する (Shosha suru) – This is a more formal way to express “writing” in the context of transcription or copying a text. It is often used in academic or professional settings. Example:

Example: 文章を書写する (Bunsho o shosha suru) – To transcribe a document.

3. 手紙を書く (Tegami o kaku) – This is a specific form of “writing” that refers to composing a letter. It conveys a sense of formality and is often used in correspondence or business communication.

Informal Ways to Say “Writing” in Japanese

1. ライティング (Raitingu) – This English loanword is commonly used in informal contexts to refer to “writing.” It is often seen in situations where English terms are casually adopted into the Japanese language.

2. 書き込む (Kakikomu) – This verb expresses “writing” in a more casual manner. It can be used in various contexts, such as jotting down notes or filling in information. Example:

Example: 宿題に書き込む (Shukudai ni kakikomu) – Write (something) in your homework.

3. ペンを走らせる (Pen o hashiraseru) – Literally meaning “to make the pen run,” this phrase implies a more fluid and expressive style of writing. It is often associated with creative writing or calligraphy.

Regional Variations

When it comes to regional variations, it’s important to note that the standard Japanese variants mentioned above are widely used throughout the country. However, some dialects or local colloquialisms may introduce slight variations in how “writing” is expressed. For instance, in Kansai dialect, you may come across the word “書きうたう” (Kakiutau), which means “to write.”

Despite these regional variations, it’s generally recommended to focus on the standard variants mentioned earlier, as they are universally understood and accepted in formal and informal contexts across Japan.

Tips and Considerations

1. Context Matters: Remember that the appropriate word for “writing” may change depending on the specific context. Consider the formality level, the medium of writing, or whether it involves correspondence or creative expression.

2. Politeness Levels: Japanese culture places significant emphasis on politeness. When in doubt, it’s better to err on the side of formality, especially in professional or polite settings. Understanding the level of politeness required will help you choose the appropriate term for “writing.”

3. Reading and Listening Practice: To enhance your overall language skills, it’s essential to practice reading and listening to Japanese materials. This exposure will help you familiarize yourself with the usage and nuances of different terms for “writing” in various contexts.

4. Seek Native Speakers’ Assistance: If you have native Japanese speakers in your network, don’t hesitate to ask for guidance. They can provide valuable insights and assist you in understanding the subtleties associated with the word “writing” in Japanese.

Mastering the different ways to say “writing” in Japanese is an important step toward expanding your language skills. By understanding the formal and informal ways to express this concept, along with regional variations and key considerations, you can effectively communicate in various contexts and adapt your language usage to suit the situation. Remember to practice regularly, seek guidance when needed, and enjoy your journey of learning the Japanese language!

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The Collection of Creative Writing By Learners of Japanese リレー小説集

• Editor(s): Takakura, Asako Hayashi

Editor's Preface: This project aims to promote creative writing skills among Japanese language learners and provide them with opportunities to publish their work to benefit future learners. The project targets undergraduate students in their third and fourth years of Japanese language studies, taking courses designed to develop their reading skills to allow them to read a novel without external support. To this end, students were encouraged to participate in significant reading activities outside class. However, students indicated that they could not find attractive and appropriate reading options among the extensive Japanese reading collections. This project seeks to address the gap by encouraging students to create their own fictional works. Working in groups of three or four, students wrote a fictional work together. The students in the third-year Japanese class read Spirited Away and watched the original anime as course assignments. Their creative writing was inspired by the story and used various words that are not found in commercial Japanese language textbooks. Fourth-year students wrote a story relating to the main theme of the course: Tokyo. They successfully differentiated writing styles andapplied these to their creative writing. Upon completing these assignments, students were motivated to publish their own work for future students of the Japanese language, expressing hope that their worksmight encourage others to write in various genres to improve their language proficiency.

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The Experience of Writing a Co-Narrative: Story-Building in Japanese Language Teaching

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Part of the book series: Multilingual Education ((MULT,volume 27))

The current chapter is the output of an interactive workshop on story-building in Japanese language, called Monogatari o tsukurō (Let’s make up a story). The main purpose of the workshop was to produce a co-narrative revolving around a set of symbolic words by correctly translating from the source language (Romanian) into the target language (Japanese) in an exciting and interactive manner. Instead of focusing on competition, this classroom activity emphasized participation and engagement through games and story-building. From this respect, the chapter explores issues related to the design of a collective narrative game and it investigates new modes of co-narrating the story by combining key elements such as creativity, curiosity, and engagement as parts of the language learning process in general, and of acquiring writing skills, in particular. Moreover, the chapter tries to draw a line between sakubun (composition) and co-narrative, a story which is or, at least, tends to be the result of the participational efforts of all the students in the classroom as collaborative writing solicits immediate feedback from the peers.

• Co-narrative
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More details about N3 level can be found in the following Sect. 3 . Writing skills in the Japanese language classes

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Nicolae, R. (2018). The Experience of Writing a Co-Narrative: Story-Building in Japanese Language Teaching. In: Grosu-Rădulescu, LM. (eds) Foreign Language Teaching in Romanian Higher Education. Multilingual Education, vol 27. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-93329-0_9

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The Japanese poetic form “tanka” has existed for over a thousand years. The tanka is the form of the Japanese anthem and it birthed the haiku poem. This workshop series showcases many haiku and tanka written or translated into English. We will take a walk down the path of Japanese history, punctuated with columns of short form poetry. We will inquire about and unfold the workings of the tiny poetic space, making discoveries to enliven your own writing along the way.

The tanka’s aesthetics have shifted in many directions over the years, within the extreme limitation of 31 sounds (not syllables, a distinction we explore in the workshop). Even this number, and the similar restriction to 17 sounds for haiku, are not inviolable, as we shall see.

But first, we will learn the rules of these forms. Only then can we challenge the rules.  Finally, you will reach for freedom in your own creative writing based on our conversations about Japanese poetry.

After these two workshops, the instructor will comment and offer suggestions via email, and will send the PDFs of presentations and reference information to further your adventures in form and language.

Learning and Writing Goals

In these two workshops, participants will learn:

• The short poetic forms as categories: waka/tanka, haikai/haiku, renga/renku, senryu, kyoka, and others!
• The basic rules of sounds (syllables/on), and the use of kigo.
• An overview of the history of Japanese poetry forms, from 800 AD to the present.
• Haiku from outside Japan.
• Compact expression: learning from American Haiku poets.
• The range of subject matter, vocabulary expansion, and variations in tanka.
• Associations: Basho and contemporary tanka.
• Applications: Collaboration, hybrid forms.

We will write four short poems during the first workshop. After this, please email Miho a series of 3 haiku, with a title and short commentary for each.

During the second workshop, we will write 2 haiku or tanka poems, and 2 sets of linked poems. Within 4 days, please email Miho one of the following:

1) A sequence of 5 haiku (three-line poems). 2) A sequence of 3 tanka (five-line poems). 3) A free verse up to 15 lines. 4) A haibun with a haiku, and prose up to 150 words. 5) A haiga (drawing or photograph) with a haiku.

In both emails, please place your work in the body of the email—please no attachments, except for the haiga.

Workshop Schedule

These two workshops will run on Zoom for two hours each. Each call will run from 7-9 P.M. U.S. Eastern Time. 

First Workshop (April 18) 15 Introduction and writing. 15 Haiku by Americans. 15 Modern Japanese Haiku and Lorca, Syllable, Season. 15 A Quick Glance at History in Poetry, Up to Basho. 20 Writing and break. 15 A Quick Glance at History, After Basho. 15 Modern and contemporary Japanese tanka. 10 Wrap-up, and writing suggestions.

Second Workshop (April 25) 10 Quick writing. 15 Lenard Moore’s tanka. 15 Jazz and blues haiku. 15 Renku. 10 Quick writing and break. 15 Haibun, Zuihitsu Haiga, Photohaiku. 10 Senryu and Kyoka. 15 Q&A. 15 Wrap-up and writing suggestions.

Student Feedback for Miho Kinnas:

Miho is awesome. She is wise in her teaching, knows the history of her poetry, and offers great feedback.  Amy Smith

The explanation of form and the survey of how Japanese poetic forms have been written and interpreted was eye-opening. Miho is very perceptive.  Verena Tay

As a teacher really enjoyed Ms. Kinnas’ constructive critiques of the haikus my students created about flowers. Her suggestion were insightful and useful. I appreciate her comments so much that we dedicated our ocean haikus students drafted at Creative Arts to present for BRAVO night 5/24/22.  Michelle Howard

what is she like?

like moonlit snow – quiet

strong radiant presence

I was very fortunate to attend the workshop Miho Kinnas held during Shanghai Literary Festival at M on the Bund several years ago. It was a short, intense, warm, and greatly empowering workshop. Karolina Pawlik, Ph.D

I have had the pleasure of being a participant in Milo’s HAIKU classes at LIFELONG  LEARNING  and the PAT CONROY LITERARY CENTER in Beaufort County S.C. She is an interesting and exceptional teacher; skilled in the introduction of Japanese verse to audiences that are mostly unfamiliar with these poetic forms. Miho is a well regarded author of several books of HAIKU. She has participated in forums on the subject in the US and internationally. Most important is that her creative work is inspiring and of the highest quality – providing a sense of authenticity and enthusiasm to her innate teaching skills.” Norman Levy 

I took a haiku class last winter through Lifelong Learning of Hilton Head Island. It was taught by Miho Kinnas. I have usually avoided haiku, but this class was delightful. Miho bent the rules and encouraged us to be creative in writing about a wide variety of experiences. We had a couple of elderly women in class who insisted they had no talent and couldn’t write their own haiku. Even they left the class with poems they were proud of.  I loved her leadership. Miho is a marvelous teacher.  Jim Riggs

Miho takes the mystery out of writing haiku while also creating a fun atmosphere. I came away from her workshop with new work that surprised me in the best possible way.  Frances J. Pearce

“Miho is awesome. She is wise in her teaching, knows the history of her poetry, and offers great feedback.” —Amy Smith

About Miho Kinnas

Miho Kinnas, a 2019 & 2023 Pushcart Prize nominee, is a Japanese poet, author, and translator. In 2023, a poetry collaboration with E. Ethelbert Miller,  We Eclipse into The Other Side,  was published by Pinyon Publishing, Best American Poetry 2023 selected her poem,  Three Shrimp Boats On The Horizon,  initially published in Wet Cement Magazine. Her translation appeared in Tokyo Poetry Journal Vol. 12. She is the author of two poetry collections: Today, Fish Only and Move Over, Bird (Math Paper Press). Kinnas serves as Artist in Residence or conducts various haiku/poetry workshops at, including Pat Conroy Literary Center, Life-Long Learning, Heritage Library, Richland Library, Island Writers Network, Reischauer Institute of Japanese Studies at Harvard University, local schools, and Shanghai Literary Festival. She teaches translation at Tender Leaf Translation ( https://courses.tenderleavestranslation.com .) She holds an MFA in creative writing (poetry) from the City University of Hong Kong.

Miho's Courses

Twoness Poems Poems of All Sizes: Haiku, Tanka, and Japanese Poetic Forms

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Creative Writing Course - Japan

• Improve your skills with Creative Writing Course
• Learn how to handle creative writing challenges
• Understand the concepts of literary fiction and storymaking

Creative Writing Course Overview

• Course syllabus
• Who it’s for
• What’s included
• Why choose this course

Creative Writing Training Course Outline

Module 1: Introduction to Creative Writing

What is Creative Writing?

• Main Elements of Creative Writing
• Types of Creative Writing
• Techniques Used in Creative Writing

Module 2: Challenges for Translation

• Challenges to Writers
• Challenges for Translation
• Experiment Challenges
• Design and Quality Challenges

Module 3: Composition and Creative Writing

• Introduction to Composition Writing
• Types of Composition Writing

Module 4: Seven Processes of Creative Writing

• Planning or Prewriting
• Drafting (or Writing the First Draft)
• Sharing Your First Draft
• Evaluating Your Draft
• Revising Your Content
• Publishing Your Final Product

Module 5: Writing Fiction

• Literary Fiction
• Form and Structure
• Finding Characters
• Basics of Story Making

Module 6: Creative Nonfiction

• Meaning of Creative Nonfiction
• Characteristics of Creative Nonfiction
• Tips for Creative Nonfiction Writing
• Common Literary Nonfiction Subgenres

Module 7: Basics of Writing Poetry

• Listening to Language
• Finding Language
• Awakening and Shaping Language
• Playing with Language

Module 8: Performing Writing

• Introduction to Performing Writing

Module 9: Writing in the Academy and Community

• Introduction

Module 10: Tips to Improve Creative Writing

• Do Not Underestimate the Reader
• Give Your Characters Life
• Utilise Strong Words
• Check Your Commas
• Grab Attention from the Start
• Give the Reader a Satisfactory Ending

Who should attend this Creative Writing Training Course?

The Creative Writing Training Course is designed for individuals eager to refine their creative writing skills. This course is ideal for aspiring writers, professionals in content creation, and anyone seeking to enhance their storytelling abilities. The following individuals can greatly benefit from attending this course:

• Journalists
• Content Creators
• Copywriters
• Teachers and Educators
• Public Relations Professionals
• Content Marketers

Prerequisites of the Creative Writing Training Course

There are no formal prerequisites for this Creative Writing Course.

Creative Writing Training Course Overview

Creative Writing is an art form that enables expression, storytelling, and communication in unique and imaginative ways. Among the Personal Development Courses, this course offers an introduction to the diverse world of creative writing, highlighting its importance in personal expression and professional communication. Understanding and developing creative writing skills can enhance one’s ability to engage and captivate audiences.

Professionals in fields such as marketing, advertising, journalism, and education will find this course particularly beneficial. It’s also ideal for aspiring writers and those in any role requiring narrative skills. Creative writing enhances one’s ability to convey messages compellingly and creatively, making it a valuable skill in many professions.

The Knowledge Academy’s 1-day Creative Writing Training Course is designed to unlock creativity and improve writing skills. The training covers various aspects of creative writing, from character development to plot structuring, providing delegates with the tools to express themselves more effectively through writing.

Course Objectives:

• To explore the fundamentals of Creative Writing
• To develop skills in character creation and development
• To learn the art of crafting engaging narratives and plots
• To enhance descriptive and expressive writing abilities
• To understand various genres and styles in creative writing
• To practice writing with feedback and guidance

Upon completion, delegates will have honed their creative writing skills, enabling them to craft more engaging and imaginative works. They will leave with a deeper understanding of storytelling techniques and the confidence to apply these skills in both personal and professional contexts.

What’s included in this Creative Writing Training Course?

• World-Class Training Sessions from Experienced Instructors
• Creative Writing Certificate
• Digital Delegate Pack

Why choose us

Ways to take this course.

Online Self-paced

Online Instructor-led

Experience live, interactive learning from home with The Knowledge Academy's Online Instructor-led Creative Writing Course. Engage directly with expert instructors, mirroring the classroom schedule for a comprehensive learning journey. Enjoy the convenience of virtual learning without compromising on the quality of interaction.

• See trainer’s screen
• Recording & transcripts
• Virtual whiteboard
• Share documents
• Works on all devices

Unlock your potential with The Knowledge Academy's Creative Writing Course, accessible anytime, anywhere on any device. Enjoy 90 days of online course access, extendable upon request, and benefit from the support of our expert trainers. Elevate your skills at your own pace with our Online Self-paced sessions.

• Certificates provided online
• Get immediate access on purchase

Experience the most sought-after learning style with The Knowledge Academy's Creative Writing Course. Available in 490+ locations across 190+ countries, our hand-picked Classroom venues offer an invaluable human touch. Immerse yourself in a comprehensive, interactive experience with our expert-led Creative Writing Course sessions.

Highly experienced trainers

Boost your skills with our expert trainers, boasting 10+ years of real-world experience, ensuring an engaging and informative training experience

State of the art training venues

We only use the highest standard of learning facilities to make sure your experience is as comfortable and distraction-free as possible

Small class sizes

Our Classroom courses with limited class sizes foster discussions and provide a personalised, interactive learning environment

Great value for money

Achieve certification without breaking the bank. Find a lower price elsewhere? We'll match it to guarantee you the best value

Streamline large-scale training requirements with The Knowledge Academy’s In-house/Onsite Creative Writing Course at your business premises. Experience expert-led classroom learning from the comfort of your workplace and engage professional development.

Tailored learning experience

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Maximise your training budget

Cut unnecessary costs and focus your entire budget on what really matters, the training.

Team building opportunity

Our Creative Writing Course offers a unique chance for your team to bond and engage in discussions, enriching the learning experience beyond traditional classroom settings

Monitor employees progress

The course know-how will help you track and evaluate your employees' progression and performance with relative ease

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"Really good course and well organised. Trainer was great with a sense of humour - his experience allowed a free flowing course, structured to help you gain as much information & relevant experience whilst helping prepare you for the exam"

Joshua Davies, Thames Water

"...the trainer for this course was excellent. I would definitely recommend (and already have) this course to others."

Diane Gray, Shell

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13 Best universities for Creative Writing in Japan

Updated: February 29, 2024

• Art & Design
• Computer Science
• Engineering
• Environmental Science
• Liberal Arts & Social Sciences
• Mathematics

Below is a list of best universities in Japan ranked based on their research performance in Creative Writing. A graph of 13.9K citations received by 3.53K academic papers made by 13 universities in Japan was used to calculate publications' ratings, which then were adjusted for release dates and added to final scores.

We don't distinguish between undergraduate and graduate programs nor do we adjust for current majors offered. You can find information about granted degrees on a university page but always double-check with the university website.

Please note that our approach to subject rankings is based on scientific outputs and heavily biased on art-related topics towards institutions with computer science research profiles.

1. University of Tokyo

For Creative Writing

2. Kyoto University

3. Iwate Prefectural University

4. University of Tsukuba

5. Osaka University

6. Waseda University

7. Ritsumeikan University

8. Kyushu University

9. Nagoya University

10. Keio University

11. Sophia University

12. Tohoku University

13. Doshisha University

The best cities to study Creative Writing in Japan based on the number of universities and their ranks are Tokyo , Kyoto , Iwate , and Tsukuba .

Art & Design subfields in Japan

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Write down your thoughts and shred them to relieve anger, researchers say

Writing negative reactions on paper and shredding it or scrunching and throwing in the bin eliminates angry feelings, study finds

Since time immemorial humans have tried to devise anger management techniques.

In ancient Rome, the Stoic philosopher Seneca believed “my anger is likely to do me more harm than your wrong” and offered avoidance tips in his AD45 work De Ira (On Anger).

More modern methods include a workout on the gym punchbag or exercise bike. But the humble paper shredder may be a more effective – and accessible – way to decompress, according to research.

A study in Japan has found that writing down your reaction to a negative incident on a piece of paper and then shredding it, or scrunching it into a ball and throwing it in the bin, gets rid of anger.

“We expected that our method would suppress anger to some extent,” said Nobuyuki Kawai, lead researcher of the study at Nagoya University. “However, we were amazed that anger was eliminated almost entirely.”

The study, published in Scientific Reports on Nature , builds on research on the association between the written word and anger reduction as well as studies showing how interactions with physical objects can control a person’s mood. For instance, those wanting revenge on an ex-partner may burn letters or destroy gifts.

Researchers believe the shredder results may be related to the phenomenon of “backward magical contagion”, which is the belief that actions taken on an object associated with a person can affect the individuals themselves. In this case, getting rid of the negative physical entity, the piece of paper, causes the original emotion to also disappear.

This is a reversal of “magical contagion” or “celebrity contagion” – the belief that the “essence” of an individual can be transferred through their physical possessions.

Fifty student participants were asked to write brief opinions about an important social problem, such as whether smoking in public should be outlawed. Evaluators then deliberately scored the papers low on intelligence, interest, friendliness, logic, and rationality. For good measure, evaluators added insulting comments such as: “I cannot believe an educated person would think like this. I hope this person learns something while at the university.”

The wound-up participants then wrote down their angry thoughts on the negative feedback on a piece of paper. One group was told to either roll up the paper and throw it in a bin or keep it in a file on their desk. A second group was told to shred the paper, or put it in a plastic box.

Anger levels of the individuals who discarded their paper in the bin or shredded it returned to their initial state, while those who retained a hard copy of the paper experienced only a small decrease in their overall anger.

Researchers concluded that “the meaning (interpretation) of disposal plays a critical role” in reducing anger.

“This technique could be applied in the moment by writing down the source of anger as if taking a memo and then throwing it away,” said Kawai.

Along with its practical benefits, this discovery may shed light on the origins of the Japanese cultural tradition known as hakidashisara ( hakidashi sara refers to a dish or plate) at the Hiyoshi shrine in Kiyosu, just outside Nagoya. Hakidashisara is an annual festival where people smash small discs representing things that make them angry. The study’s findings may explain the feeling of relief that participants report after leaving the festival, the paper concluded.

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