emoji – Calligraphy by Vicky

How many writing systems does the Japanese language use?

kanji (left side), hiragana (top right) and katakana (bottom right) When you begin learning Japanese, chances are you’ll find yourself coming up against not only one writing system, but multiple. Each of these writing systems has its own purpose and place within the written Japanese language. In this article I give a very brief overviewContinueContinue reading “How many writing systems does the Japanese language use?”

Do you Know the Meaning of these 10 Emojis?

What emojis can reveal about Japanese history, language and culture Quick question: what does this emoji mean? ♨️ As everyone who has been to Japan will know, it’s a hot spring. Even before emojis were created, this symbol was commonly used in Japan on maps and tourist guides to represent the relaxing hot water facilitiesContinueContinue reading “Do you Know the Meaning of these 10 Emojis?”