characters copied down with your favorite pen
the vibrant green of high-quality matcha
writing hiragana, katakana, and kanji until the symbols are familiar
strolling through a botanical garden
practicing suffixes, learning the social contexts that determine when different honorifics should be used
the satisfaction of seeing your grasp on the language improve
studying ancient poetry, reading pages of the manâyĹshĹŤ
a scattering of cherry blossom petals in your hair
watching your favorite shows, recognizing the words and phrases youâve learned and picking up new ones
recognizing the global influences of japanese culture
busy city streets and neon lights
picking up takeout from your local sushi restaurant
learning to cook authentic dishes
a stack of manga paperbacks with beaten-up corners and broken spines from each re-read
coming up with mnemonics to improve memorizationÂ
relishing the challenge of talking with a native speaker
the gently curved roofs of traditional architecture
organized notes, the title written at the top of the page in multiple alphabets
celebrating the theater traditions of noh and kyĹgen
analyzing the intersections of japanese culture and contemporary western influences
studying various periods of history, from the Heian to the Meiji