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[BudokaiMR2]

I stayed for the miso ramen. Though I'm gonna have to go back to Hokkaido cause Osaka ramen sucks balls.

Osaka ramen does kinda suck, but tonkotsu is by far the best, and there is no room for debate.

 

[Dynamite Shikoku]

Osaka ramen does kinda suck, but tonkotsu is by far the best, and there is no room for debate.

Asahikawa has awesome tonkotsu based miso ramen

 

[tnw]

Other people have covered tips for learning Japanese, so I'll throw in a ":lol" cultural hint.

I didn't know this until I had been studying for a while and it was one of the odder bits I learned. You DO NOT put soy sauce on your steamed rice. But if you put a raw egg yoke on your steamed rice, it's ok to put soy sauce on that. :lol

It would seem like they would put tsuyu or something with an egg, but I could be wrong.

by the way, raw egg mixed into rice is delicious

And screw tonkatsu anything. Hokkaido has the better ramen.

 

[BudokaiMR2]

Asahikawa has awesome tonkotsu based miso ramen

Hmmm I might be going up to hokkaido this winter so I might try it out!

I used to think Osaka ramen was actually good before I came to Kurume. Hoooly shit it is so weak in comparison.

 

[Blackace]

by the way, raw egg mixed into rice is delicious

When I was broke.. a bag of rice, a dozen eggs, and kimchi was the dinner of champions

 

[BudokaiMR2]

When I was broke.. a bag of rice, a dozen eggs, and kimchi was the dinner of champions

Heh I just recently got a HUGE box of furikake from my boss and it is awesome. Adds some much needed variety to eating rice everyday!

 

[temjin]

i played and love shenmue. does that make me japanese?

 

[Blackace]

i played and love shenmue. does that make me japanese?

nope.. because they didn't like it..

 

[tnw]

When I was broke.. a bag of rice, a dozen eggs, and kimchi was the dinner of champions

good thing it's lunchtime. that sounds delicious! (although rice ain't cheap)

Heh I just recently got a HUGE box of furikake from my boss and it is awesome. Adds some much needed variety to eating rice everyday!

we have a big bottle of takoyaki 味 furikake in the department right now. I'm about to try it:lol

 

[Bebpo]

annoying? that would be awesome!

Seriously.

If you pick up various accents and use them around, people will get a good laugh out of it and become more sociable around you. I always liked the Japanese version of the surfer accent, which I learned from FFX Tidus where you end lots of stuff with ~su like iin'su yo, or sou'su yo.

 

[Blackace]

Seriously.

If you pick up various accents and use them around, people will get a good laugh out of it and become more sociable around you. I always liked the Japanese version of the surfer accent, which I learned from FFX Tidus where you end lots of stuff with ~su like iin'su yo, or sou'su yo.

using me--n instead of desu is the new hawtness.. Japanese B-boys do this now...

 

[tnw]

Seriously.

If you pick up various accents and use them around, people will get a good laugh out of it and become more sociable around you. I always liked the Japanese version of the surfer accent, which I learned from FFX Tidus where you end lots of stuff with ~su like iin'su yo, or sou'su yo.

the male 'hissing', as I call it, isn't really a surfer thing. It's more of a athelete/jock thing.

'ohayo gozaimasu' is just shortened to 'uuuhhsssssssss' for example.

 

[Dynamite Shikoku]

using me--n instead of desu is the new hawtness.. Japanese B-boys do this now...

:lol Did you see that Lincoln last week? Those dudes were so ridiculous. The best part was when the guy was (I think) trying to say 'spin that shit!' and the subtitles had 'spin now sit!'

 

[Dynamite Shikoku]

Hmmm I might be going up to hokkaido this winter so I might try it out!

I used to think Osaka ramen was actually good before I came to Kurume. Hoooly shit it is so weak in comparison.

Go check out Gojougen in Sapporo, its the best.

http://www.gojougen.co.jp/

 

[BolognaOni]

What's the problem with wanting to learn Japanese to watch anime or be Naruto?

As long as you work hard and respect the culture, any motivation is enough if it really motivates you. I think the bigger problem is people that just expect to waltz in and pick it up because they play Final Fantasy and own a kimono.

Nothing is "wrong" with it, but just don't expect Japanese people to think you're any less of a nerd than most Americans, or people from whatever your home country is would.

Also, people tend to pick up a lot of strange phrases from anime and games, and not realize they are weird. Not that this is "bad" either, just like those terrible singers who think they're really good going on American Idol is not "bad", it's just amusing and/or annoying.

You might have gathered, I have something of a beef with the anime/manga crowd. The reason is, that during my undergrad, I had a great Japanese conversation group at my school. Interesting people would show up every week, we would talk, go out to eat/drink afterwards, overall I made a lot of great friends. However, a lot of the Japanese people in particular were exchange students or visiting scholars, so they didn't hang around long. After a couple of years, the group became sort of co-oped by the anime crowd. EVERY DAMN CONVERSATION WITH THESE PEOPLE WAS ANIME ANIME ANIME. If you were in a group with them, you got to talk about fansubs, instead of this guy from Kyoto-dai's bio-statistical research or whatever. After a while, most of the people I found interesting also stopped coming (myself included).



Oh, and tonkotsu > all, especially with extra chashu (although miso does give it a run for it's money)

 

[tnw]

You might have gathered, I have something of a beef with the anime/manga crowd. The reason is, that during my undergrad, I had a great Japanese conversation group at my school. Interesting people would show up every week, we would talk, go out to eat/drink afterwards, overall I made a lot of great friends. However, a lot of the Japanese people in particular were exchange students or visiting scholars, so they didn't hang around long. After a couple of years, the group became sort of co-oped by the anime crowd. EVERY DAMN CONVERSATION WITH THESE PEOPLE WAS ANIME ANIME ANIME. If you were in a group with them, you got to talk about fansubs, instead of this guy from Kyoto-dai's bio-statistical research or whatever. After a while, most of the people I found interesting also stopped coming (myself included).

lol, yeah, I was actually talking to my bucho about this last night. my age group is the tail end of the 'Japan as No.1' group of students. My senior year, there was a lot of talk among staff who were trying to attract students to study Japanese now that the economy sucks/general malaise of the country, and the whole anime/manga bit was apparently a big draw then. I luckily missed out on most of that manga-mania in general; none of my classmates were really zealously into it.

I certainly can't deny that video games aren't part of the reason I ended up coming here. But it wasn't the first reason or even the main reason. But the only place I've EVER openly talked about games is on GAF, and I just signed up here last fall.

 

[Lelielle]

It's really important to study the culture and customs, it definitely helped me for the short time I was there. I also find getting background on social stuff over time gives you a much better understanding of the people there as a whole, and stuff won't seem as wacky if you know what peoples motivations are. The private/public (honne/tatamae) dichotomy is very ingrained in the culture and it's one of the areas that can cause a foreigner a lot of confusion in some cases. You people are making me nostalgic *dreams of roasted Hokkaido corn and Miso Ramen*

 

[BudokaiMR2]

Nothing is "wrong" with it, but just don't expect Japanese people to think you're any less of a nerd than most Americans, or people from whatever your home country is would.

Eh as long as you aren't some maniac/otaku about it there probably won't be a problem. I mean most japanese have read some sort of manga in their life and get a kick out of you knowing a little bit about it.

You do know what Jump's circulation numbers are right?

Heh I remember I picked up the kenshin manga when I found it cheap and my girlfriend ended up reading the whole thing before I got 2-3 books in.

 

[Hunter D]

I had to ask because the few Japanese people I know prefer the US (NYC). I've been told by some of them that Japanese people are even more shallow and fake than people in the US. They also tell me the society is more sexually repressed.

 

[sprsk]

using me--n instead of desu is the new hawtness.. Japanese B-boys do this now...

OMAE DISSTTENNO???

 

[BudokaiMR2]

I had to ask because the few Japanese people I know prefer the US (NYC). I've been told by some of them that Japanese people are even more shallow and fake than people in the US. They also tell me the society is more sexually repressed.

eh I don't have that opinion of the country, but of course there are going to be shallow people in any country. And I have noticed that Japanese people like to talk behind others back, but where is that not true?

And I don't know about the sexually repressed comment. PDA and such is frowned upon and you won't see it, but I still wouldn't call it repressed. I mean prostitution is pretty much legal ffs...

 

[Lelielle]

I had to ask because the few Japanese people I know prefer the US (NYC). I've been told by some of them that Japanese people are even more shallow and fake than people in the US. They also tell me the society is more sexually repressed.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honne

- this definitely explains the "fake' aspect your friend was complaining about, as for the shallow part, well they seem to have an obsession with concientious consumerism in Japan and the country is really into brand name goods (hermes,chanel,Gucci,LV) even junior high girls have really expensive brand goods and they have "brand bibles" to keep up with all the new luxury items on the market, its crazy. Outer appearances seem in general seem to be a bigger deal.

 

[tnw]

I see PDA all the time. I remember one of my first weeks here as a study abroad student, I saw this girl reach into her boyfriends pants while sitting on the train! And this was after I had been indoctrinated to believe what you're telling me, so imagine the shock.

I guess japan is sexually repressed. I mean there is an abundance of hentai and boobies are all over the newspapers and what not. But married life is not necesarily built around love or sex really.

Gays seem to just blend in like they would for any other feature they have that sticks out. I kind of like it actually. There isn't really a lot of steretypical western style gay people here in my experience.

 

[Deleted member 17706]

I stayed for the miso ramen. Though I'm gonna have to go back to Hokkaido cause Osaka ramen sucks balls.

Well I have never been to Hokkaido so I can't comment, but I definitely don't think all Ramen in Osaka "sucks balls". There is a lot of good Tonkotsu places. If you are ever in the Minami-area (Nanba's Dotonbori area to be specific) try to find a place called 四天王 (Shitennou). There are 4 stores in the area. They make some of the tastiest Tonkotsu-Miso Ramen I have ever had.

 

[BudokaiMR2]

Hmm really? I can't think of a single time where I saw some kissing or something in public.

Personally I don't really like PDA in the first place so it doesn't bother me. Some shit needs to stay in the hosue! ;p

 

[sprsk]

Hmm really? I can't think of a single time where I saw some kissing or something in public.

Personally I don't really like PDA in the first place so it doesn't bother me. Some shit needs to stay in the hosue! ;p

It doesn't happen often, but the one or two times I saw it, it was fuckin' hardcore.

 

[BudokaiMR2]

It doesn't happen often, but the one or two times I saw it, it was fuckin' hardcore.

Actually now that I think about it I have seen a picture, which was some girl in a club giving one of the KG students a handjob on the dance floor.

 

[Dynamite Shikoku]

Well I have never been to Hokkaido so I can't comment, but I definitely don't think all Ramen in Osaka "sucks balls". There is a lot of good Tonkotsu places. If you are ever in the Minami-area (Nanba's Dotonbori area to be specific) try to find a place called 四天王 (Shitennou). There are 4 stores in the area. They make some of the tastiest Tonkotsu-Miso Ramen I have ever had.

Theres one around the corner from my apartment. Its ok. The chashu there sucks though.

 

[PROOP]

using me--n instead of desu is the new hawtness.. Japanese B-boys do this now...

also, replacing とても with やばい is quite popular with the young (read; yankee) crowd.

I for one like the ~su ending.

oh yea fukuoka ramen FTMFW. and if you dont likey, we got ramen stadium, which hosts all of Japan`s regional ramen varieties. FYUTA

edit: at budokai`s statement. I though capturing the ellusive

Spoiler

Japenis

is impossible.

 

[BudokaiMR2]

also, replacing とても with やばい is quite popular with the young (read; yankee) crowd.

I for one like the ~su ending.

oh yea fukuoka ramen FTMFW. and if you dont likey, we got ramen stadium, which hosts all of Japan`s regional ramen varieties. FYUTA

edit: at budokai`s statement. I though capturing the ellusive

Spoiler

Japenis

is impossible.

Oh well it was Gaijin PEINS, I think he was from America. didn't actually know the guy but the picture made its way around school lol.

And yeah I am also a fan of the ~su ending. Not really sure why, but it ended up coming out naturally at Kansai. And it's not limited to just athletes and such, as I picked it up from this skinny guitar player friend at Kansai Gaidai.

 

[Synth_floyd]

I was studying Japanese on and off for a few years but it didn't really "click" for me until I lived in Japan and constantly heard native speakers and interacted with them. Also, studying kanji helped a ton for learning and remembering words.

 

[Rentahamster]

http://pepper.idge.net/japanese/

Basically all you need to know.

 

[Koshiro]

Also, you never know when Taiwan is going to say something stupid and piss off China.

:lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol
Well played, well played.

 

[Blackace]

:lol Did you see that Lincoln last week? Those dudes were so ridiculous. The best part was when the guy was (I think) trying to say 'spin that shit!' and the subtitles had 'spin now sit!'

yeah that was classic.. but real people say it now.. at the Japanese hip-hop club I bounce at.. it was crazy

 

[tnw]

that kind of reminds me when this Japanese girl in Toyama was trying to sing 'Free your Mind'

FLEA YO MOUN!!! AN ZA RESU FORO!!

 

[Blackace]

that kind of reminds me when this Japanese girl in Toyama was trying to sing 'Free your Mind'

FLEA YO MOUN!!! AN ZA RESU FORO!!

もうウルせーメーン

 

[john tv]

I guess japan is sexually repressed.

Heeere I come to save the daaaaaaaaay~~~

 

[Diatribe1974]

Have had a friend of mine that I went to school with that went to Japan to teach english about 7-8 years ago. He spent about 4-5 years in high school trying to "learn Japanese" before he went to college and got his degree. I remember the 1st time he came back to this area to visit and I asked him how things were going there, he laughed and said that all those years he thought he was learning the language wasn't crap to what he learned the 1st year he was there. So basically your best teacher will be others surrounding yourself with people that pretty much only speak the language you're wanting to learn and forces you to "Sink or Swim" if you want to survive.

But anyways, the last time I saw my friend was about this time last year and I remember him telling me that after all this time he's now up to "Okay, I guess" status in speaking in Japanese. He still is a retard when it comes down to much of the actual written language tho. heh.

 

[Dynamite Shikoku]

that kind of reminds me when this Japanese girl in Toyama was trying to sing 'Free your Mind'

FLEA YO MOUN!!! AN ZA RESU FORO!!

:lol

 

[Lyte Edge]

http://pepper.idge.net/japanese/

Basically all you need to know.

These pictures are fucking great :lol

 

[Holy Order Sol]

Somehow I think I couldn't learn Japanese even if I wanted to. Maybe I'm just being delusional or lazy, honestly I don't know, but I feel that my visual memory gets worse as I get older.

 

[HolyStar]

Why is it okay to say that nothing is funnier than a Gaijin trying to learn Japanese?

I mean we don't laugh and poke fun for people trying to learn english? And if they did the would be regarded as a douche.

 

[Blackace]

Why is it okay to say that nothing is funnier than a Gaijin trying to learn Japanese?

I mean we don't laugh and poke fun for people trying to learn english? And if they did the would be regarded as a douche.

it is only gaijin who are close to fluent who outright laugh at a gaijin trying to speak Japanese

most the time it is the otherway around "wow!!! you said 'please wait' your Japanese is soooooo great!! wow!!!"

 

[Dynamite Shikoku]

Yeah, I'd rather get laughed at then: 'Wow, you are so good at Japanese! Can you use chopsticks and eat natto?'

 

[noonche]

Yeah, I'd rather get laughed at then: 'Wow, you are so good at Japanese! Can you use chopsticks and eat natto?'

Yeah, I always loved those conversations with blissfully ignorant Japanese students. "Can you take the subway?" "Do you do your own laundry?" "Can you use your phone?"

 

[Synth_floyd]

Eh that humorous article on learning Japanese really isn't that accurate, except for the "everyone in your Japanese language class will be a nerd or loser" part. If you take a Japanese language class at a U.S. college or university that's sadly pretty true. Otherwise the language isn't particularly more difficult than any other language that English has no roots to (i.e. not German or a Romance language).

 

[XiaNaphryz]

so you want to learn Japanese do you?

Bah, I was gonna post that link.

 

[YakiSOBA]

Different reasons for everyone, but aside from from the obvious reasons of being a fan of Japanese videogames, I like their rich sense of respect, exquisite cuisine, and high technology.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=o0PiemnmESU&mode=related&search=

 

[BolognaOni]

Eh as long as you aren't some maniac/otaku about it there probably won't be a problem. I mean most japanese have read some sort of manga in their life and get a kick out of you knowing a little bit about it.

You do know what Jump's circulation numbers are right?

Heh I remember I picked up the kenshin manga when I found it cheap and my girlfriend ended up reading the whole thing before I got 2-3 books in.

Oh, certainly, but just reading manga doesn't make you a nerd in most countries, but if that's what half of your conversations revolve around... and I have met plenty of those kinds of people.

I had to ask because the few Japanese people I know prefer the US (NYC). I've been told by some of them that Japanese people are even more shallow and fake than people in the US. They also tell me the society is more sexually repressed.

I can certainly understand how people would feel this way, I also think these kinds of people are more likely to want to come and live in the US.

I guess japan is sexually repressed. I mean there is an abundance of hentai and boobies are all over the newspapers and what not. But married life is not necesarily built around love or sex really.

Well, obviously the "correct" answer for why to study Japanese is thus: to provide sexual liberation to the repressed people!

I suppose it really depends on what you think "repression" is, I found them to be less repressed, and more obsessed myself, (hence the boobies and hentai everywhere) but neither one is particularly healthy, I guess.

 

[Rentahamster]

Bah, I was gonna post that link.

Wow, I didn't even realize that I got beaten, heh. As for the OP, books and software are OK, but you really should try and talk to, or communicate in some way with actual native Japanese speaking people. Is there a Japanese club or something at your local University?