japanes abc

ABC Bookof Japanese Culture

Click on each picture to see a video or a game.

A is for Asia.The earth has 7 continents including Asia. Japan is part of the continent of Asia. Match up the islands in the Japan Puzzle.

B is for bamboo.

Bamboo grows in the forests of Japan.

is for chopsticks.

Most Japanese eat with chopsticks.

C

is for dragonfly,

the Japanese symbol for success, strength

and happiness.

D

is for Emperor.

Emperor Akihito is the leader of Japan. He lives with his wife, Empress Michiko, and his family in a beautiful palace in Tokyo.

E

F is for flag.

The flag of Japan is easy to draw. The red circle represents

the rising sun.

G is for Geisha.A Geisha is an entertainer. She sings, plays instruments, and serves meals to her guests. She wears white makeup and a traditionalkimono.

H is for Hanami.

It celebrates the blooming of the Cherry Blossom trees.

I is for islands.

Japan has many islands.

J is for Jinja.

A Jinja is a Japanese shrine.

K is for koi fish.Japanese koi fish are symbols of strength and power because they often lift their entire body up and jump out of the water.

L is for lantern.

Paper lanterns are hung outside a store.

M is for Mount Fuji.

It is the tallest mountain in Japan.

N is for New Year’s Celebration.

To celebrate the New Year, the Japanese give gifts like this hand-made card.

O is for origami.

It is the Japanese art of folding paper.

P is for pagoda.There are many beautiful pagodas in Japan. They have three or more levels and were built close to Buddhist temples.

is for quince.

A quince is a Japanese flower.

Q

R is for religion.

Buddhism is the major religion in Japan.

S is Sumo Wrestler.

Sumo is a Japanese style of wrestling and Japan's national sport. Each wrestling match lasts only a few seconds.

T is for Tokyo.

Tokyo is Japan’s largest city.

U is for uniforms.

Most Japanese students wear uniforms. Their school day is

much longer than ours.

V is for volcano.

The islands were formed by volcanoes.

W is for wooden dolls.

Kokeshi dolls are carved from bamboo wood.

X is not a letter in Japanese. The Japanese

use characters instead of letters. Each one makes a different sound. These characters are called the Kanji. Students must learn 1,945 characters, but we learn only 26 letters.

is for yen.

Japanese money is called yen.

Y

is for zen garden.

The Japanese use the gardens to relax and meditate.

Z

ABC Bookof Japanese Culture

Click on each picture to see a video.