Genki?

jp*butterfly

Hey guys.

I'm japanese living in Dublin for past 10 years now. It is nice to see people are interested in Japan and our language Nihongo!

If you would need any help, post questions here and little by little when I have time, I will do my best to answer them!

ganbare!

sayonara

Cake Fiend

Hello, thanks for stopping by! Unfortunately this board is pretty slow these days...

I'm trying to find some children's books to practice my Japanese reading (I picked up some manga last time I was in Japan, but a lot of it is still over my head!). Do you have any favourites from when you were a child that you can recommend?

jp*butterfly

Hello Cake Fiend

Glad to hear from you.

In Japan, there are so many original stories called Mukashi Banashi (direct translation = old tale story) and we all grow up reading them. All different Legendary stories telling the old life, traditional Japanese monsters, treasure hunting, etc etc.

A lot of those stories always has something to teach and we all grow up learning and building up traditional Japanese mentality from them - respecting elderly, customs, karma, good/bad, gods (not only one but many), etc etc.

Most of books of Mukashi banashi are for children and used to teach them hiragana and katakana (some book even has some easy Kanji with sub. Hiragana ) so it is the best way to learn both writing and reading of Japanese character as well as learning the traditional Japanese old tales.

As I said, there are so many stories but I just give you a few famous one that every Japanese kids knows.

- Momotarou
- Urashima Tarou
- Kaguya hime
- Warashibe Chouja


Check out breaf storis of Mukashi Banashi both in English & Japanese in this site and find your favourite one before purchasing any books: http://www.geocities.co.jp/HeartLand-Gaien/7211/

Their Japanese version seems to be using some difficult Kanji but most of the book version will have Hiragana on the Kanji so don't worry.

Have Fun!

tampopo

Jp* good to see you on the boards. I have just had a look at the link you provided and been told that in story 25, it should be Moon Princess, not Bamboo Princess. What do you think?


Anyway, I wanted to ask you if it was true that the sonogram for checking babies in women's wombs was invented by a Japanese person. Is that right?

And another thing, maybe this should go in the Films thread, but I was watching "Dolls" the other night, late at night, and had to go to bed 20 mins from the end. What happened in the end of the film?

domo arigato

Tampopo

kawaii

Tampopo! I love that movie!

(...seeing as we're talking about films and all...)

Dont be at yourself

Tampopo! I love that movie!

Yeah, forget Kitano or Miike, that film is the bee's knees!