日本 Nihon

I have always been fascinated about Japan and its people. While in India, I surprised, how Japanese people made and now maintaining such a wonderful culture and attitude towards life. I heard Japanese people are the most intelligent human race in the world. After coming here, I realized how and why it is so. Nihonjin are open minded to other cultural groups. Compared to many other cultures, with which I had chances to interact and experience, Nihonjin are fairly better in attitude and helping mentality.

When I first encountered with Japanese language, I thought it will take many years for me to understand Nihongo and started worrying about the communication with Nihonjin in my office.But after attending four sessions of Language training classes, 3 hours on every saturday, I could read and write Hiragana and Katakana. Learning Kanji still remains mysterious for me. I feel Kanji learning will consume major part of our brain. But if we know the origin of Kanji, it will be very interesting to remember the meaning and writing.

I learned the first Kanji 木 (ki, moku, boku etc). This means tree. By seeing itself we can identify it is a tree only !!!. And a river is 川 (kawa, gawa). Then Kanji must be the universal language, I thought. But as we go deep, it is a bit tough and need much visualization and trick to remember. See this Kanji 藤 (to). It will take the veins out of our brain??? This is a combination of many small Kanji, commonly used in popular Japanese names like 'Sato' ' Kato'.

But I admire the way Japan is represented in Kanji. 日本 Nihon, Nippon. The meaning of first Kanji is Sun (or a day, pronounced as Hi, Ni, ka, Nichi ...... I know only this much). The second Kanji - an extra line put under the stem of a tree- must be a root !!!!!!! GUESSED CORRECT ??? If YES you can master Kanji in a short time. The meaning of the second Kanji is root, Origin or Book, since book is the root or origin of knowledge, and knowledge is the origin of life and then the whole society. Putting all together the meaning could be The land of the Rising Sun, The root of sun, The origin of a day, The origin of Sun...........and thereby the Origin of Book (Knowledge). Think, I am not exaggerating....

............What a brilliant imagination !!!

Sorry, I can not proceed much with Kanji. I really feel myself a little bit pity of not able to learn Kanji in one day !!!

But to our advantage, there are lot of Japanese learning books and Software packages available, which we can purchase through on line, and they are not really costly, but cheaper, compared to the advantage they will bring to your life and career.

Now, coming to one of most beautiful side of Japan.

The beauty of Japanese women are to be commented. The beauty combined with politeness makes them extra ordinary in the world. We can see the feminine characteristics in its fullest version mingled with wisdom in a typical Japanese woman.

Japanese women are the most Westernized Asian women in the sense that they live in the most economically advanced country in Asia. But, in terms of culture and national character, Japanese women are probably the most Oriental women in Asia. Despite importing many Western ways of doing things, they remain a unique. Western influence on other Asian women is more visible.

Whatever the modern cosmetics can bring beauty to the face, I will like to see Japanese women, in their traditional dress. I had some occassions while travelling in trains, just forgotten for a moment about myself, by seeing a Japanese women in Traditional Japanese dress. I repeat, I like to see all Japanese women in that dress and costume.