ようこそ、令和元年へ！

[dorchadas]

Just past midnight in Japan, so it's officially the Reiwa era!

Microsoft better update their IME--it still doesn't provide 令和 as a possible output of れいわ.

When the Heisei era began, I'm pretty sure I was playing through the original Legend of Zelda on my newly-acquired NES. Now as it ends, I'm finishing up Breath of the Wild. What a lovely symmetry.

令和時代は日本と全世界のために繁栄の元号になりますように

Comments

[helvetica]

Ah, very cool info! I had no idea :)

[acoustic_sister]

Do you speak Japanese along with writing it? I've been trying to teach myself how and it's kind of hard. I can only write some of the hiragana, pronounce the syllables correctly (I hope), and say common phrases like 'thank-you' and 'good-evening'. I have books and printouts as my 'teachers'.

Do you know of any good, free software/websites that might help?

Can you explain to me about the eras?

[dorchadas]

"I get by" is how I always answer that question, though it annoys my Japanese tutor when I do. I lived in Japan for three years (2008-2011) and I've been taking private lessons for three and a half years now.

The lessons are just my tutor and talking about whatever, so I have that going for me, but with a lot of me speaking kind of slowly and haltingly and occasionally forgetting common words (I forgot "salary" yesterday when we were discussing investment advice).

Do you know of any good, free software/websites that might help?

Not for spoken Japanese, unfortunately. I used to use Rosetta Stone but I wasn't very impressed with it, and I haven't used any software with an audio component since then. I have a high-enough basic level now that I can listen to anime or dramas or podcasts for listening practice (though not enough to perfectly understand them without subtitles).

Can you explain to me about the eras?

Currently there's one era for each emperor's reign (it used to be different, but I'm not sure exactly how). So, when the Shōwa emperor died in 1989, it ended the Shōwa era and the Heisei era began. The Heisei emperor, Emperor Akihito, just retired on April 30th, and so now that his son has taken the Chrysanthemum Throne, it's the Reiwa era, which will last until Emperor Naruhito dies or retires.

Japan generally uses Western dating, but Imperial dating is still required on government forms and some other official documents. I'll remember for the rest of my life that I was born in Shōwa 57 because of that.

[acoustic_sister]

I downloaded this program Human Japanese once...illegally,so I ended-up deleting it, but anyway, I loved it. It's the reason that I know how to speak the vowel sounds properly. It's a lot better than Rosetta Stone, according to online reviews.

This whole era thing is very interesting! I must look further into this.

Oh! Do you know of a good Japanese history book? I've been looking around on Amazon, but I'm not sure what to look for.

Heisei era

I was born in 1990, so would that mean that I was born in Heisei 1?

[dorchadas]

Heisei 2. Since the Shōwa emperor died partway through 1989, the part of 1989 before he died is Shōwa 64, and the part after he died is Heisei 1.

(Stuff like this is why the Western calendar is generally used in daily conversation)

Oh! Do you know of a good Japanese history book?

Is there a particular era of history you're interested in? I know some excellent WWII and post-WWII Japanese history books, but I'd have to dig harder for earlier periods.

If you like podcasts, I highly recommend both the Samurai Archives podcast and the History of Japan podcast!

[acoustic_sister]

Since the Shōwa emperor died partway through 1989, the part of 1989 before he died is Shōwa 64, and the part after he died is Heisei 1.

That makes sense. So, my birth year is Heisei ni. I think I'm going to have fun with this. :P And I can clearly see why they've adopted the Western calendar.

I was thinking along the lines of a complete history of Japan. I read part of one that found its way on my Nook once(I hate reading on nooks/kindles). It was published before any world wars. Also, I am interested in the Edo period, and if you know of any books on how geishas became a thing, that would make my week. I read a wonderful memoir of a retired geisha a couple months back named Mineko Iwasake, and I just want to know more.

I've had a list of podcasts to check out for ages, and now I get to add to that list! :D

[dorchadas]

Written complete histories I'm not sure about, I'm afraid. Though the History of Japan podcast covers, well, the whole history of Japan, so it's next best thing!

[acoustic_sister]

Though the History of Japan podcast covers, well, the whole history of Japan, so it's next best thing!

Yay! *i am such a history geek*