Learn Japanese Language - Did You Know That There Are 3 Different Japanese Symbols?

Especially for those who have started to learn Japanese, you should know the difference between three different Japanese symbols or writing form called:

1. Kanji
2. Hiragana
3. Katakana

Japanese people use 3 different Japanese Symbols

About Kanji Symbols: Normally, many Westerners think that kanji symbol is the only writing form we use in Japanese. It is true that we use kanji symbols more than hiragana or katakana symbols when writing something in Japanese. However, unlike Chinese people who use only Kanji symbols, we mix up all Japanese scripts.

About Hiragana symbols: Hiragana symbols are normally used by supporting Kanji symbols' meaning. For example, if you write "I love You" in Japanese, you would use the kanji symbol for Love, but the rest of characters are written with Hiragana symbols. Of course, we just use only Hiragana symbols to write a word or phrase in Japanese as well.

About Katakana symbol: Finally, Katakana symbol is often used to represent foreign words, or names which have adopted into the Japanese writing system. Therefore, if you can read the Katakana symbols, you can normally work out what a word or phrase means in English. Nowadays, the majority of companies write their names both in English and Katakana symbols.

Each Japanese symbols are used something like this in Japan.

If you travel to Japan, you would see how each Japanese Kanji Symbols, Hiragana and Katakana symbols are used.

For example, Japanese Magazine normally use 80% of Kanji symbols, and 10% of Hiragana and Katakana symbols.

This picture is a part of a Japanese Magazine. In this case, they use Kanji symbols and Katakana symbls for the title. But, otherwise, they used all 3 Japanese symbols.

Because this page of the Japanese magazine is talking something about the name of the company in Unites States which is foreign name, they used the Katakana symbols for its name.

Takanori Tomita, a Japanese translator who is specializing in Japanese symbols. He lives in Tokyo, Japan. This article is (c) Takanori Tomita 2006. Permission is given to reproduce this article in whole with the URLs correctly hyperlinked.

For more information about Japanese symbols, please check Learn Japanese Language and Symbols

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Takanori_Tomita

Japanese Landscape Design

The Japanese have been fond of gardens as far as more than 500 years ago, especially when it comes to Zen, a Buddhist practice. One of the main aspects of Zen is all about creating landscape into an art, and thus were the earlier Japanese landscape design.

In today's world there are about a few dozen Japanese gardens located all over the world, which some are famous, aside from Japan. Of course, the Japanese have their own gardens, whether it's big or small, but it's all about the essence of having a small world in their own backyard. For most Americans, it's mostly just bonsai and bamboo trees, but there are more things to consider when having their own Japanese garden. Japanese landscape design is an art form like brush calligraphy or painting in Japan, and to treat the garden should be a devotion unlike any other.

Most contractors in Japanese landscape design have specialized in creating Japanese gardens, and there are several varieties, which would definitely have its own cost considering the complexity of having such a garden. Some variety of gardens, called dry or rock gardens, utilize hauling over huge rocks, a pump to pour water over the rocks and some clever landscaping to create a small waterfall. Others uses sand in order to represent water, which surrounds huge rocks to represent a country. And to make sure that the Japanese landscape feel would be genuine is a total amount of tranquility, which would likely mean away from noisy neighbors.

It also applies with gates and walls, which uses bamboo that is found in most countries in Asia. Flora such as bonsai, sakura (Japanese cherry blossom tree), and pine trees are also part of Japanese gardens and landscapes. Other piece of decoration involves the usage of stone lanterns and steps, a koi (Japanese carp) pond, and even a small bridge.

Japanese landscape design is a lot more costly, considering the amount of rocks, sand and even effects like a bamboo water pendulum, that strikes the rock in a timely manner once water has been empty out by its weight. To begin with having a Japanese landscape is to have a sizeable piece of land required, usually best if starting from scratch for any homeowner. The cost may seem half as expensive as building a second house, but the ambience and the pleasing effect it brings would definitely make the investment worth it.

For landscape design ideas, visit http://www.landscapingideas101.com. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tim_Lee