Customer Reviews

Kinki Japanese

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Though I was born and have lived in Tokyo more than 20 years,

Kansai region is the mysteriouse area for me even. As written by the book, the causes are the dialect and culture etc. What are said frequently in Japan is what Kansai dialect is the vulger dialect compared to Tokyo dialct(Hyoujun go}. I think so little bet. Off course in Kansai dialect many dialects exists, Oosaka dialect, Kyouto dialect, Koube dialect, Himeji dialect, and like Kyouto dialect the polite dialect exist too, but in general like Oosaka dialect the dialect is casual against the Tokyo dialect of the polite dialect.

For instance, when explain the meaning of [crazy] by Japanese, in Hyoujungo the meaning is Baka, and in Oosaka dialect is Aho.

To Tokyo people, Aho is a little heavy word because Aho imply the meaning of a little low intelligence. In casual scene Tokyo people say[ kimi ha baka janaino?] on the other hand, Oosaka say[omae wa aho ka?]. In Japan, the polite word is kimi rather than omae.

But the people that have such thinking exict in Kansai. They say that Kansai dialect is wonderful language, that is, they dare to talk such casual words, therefore they can comunicate with unfamiliar people friendly. I can agree such Kansai thinking.

And I am interested to Kansai culture. The best example is the professional baseball. Tokyo baseball team is Kyojin Giants, and Oosaka baseball team is Hanshin Tigers. Off course both teams is the fans is very hot. But the atomosphere is very different.

I watched the game of Boston Red Sox VS NY Yankees on TV,I think

the difference of the both fan's style is like the difference of Giants and Tigers.

Anyway, Hanshin region is very exciting and mysteriouse zone for Tokyo even.

Thank you for reading my poor writing.

If you are on your way to live in the Kansai area, you absolutely MUST buy this book. Kansai-ben is not hard, but it will completely throw you when you arrive if you are not prepared. Kansai-ben is also the language of comedy here so if you want to understand Japanese comedians, this book is also indispensible.

When you get there, show the book to all your new Japanese friends. You will instantly impress them with your effort to learn their local dialect, which i ASSURE you they take GREAT pride in.

Sure, walking around speaking Kansai-ben all the time will make you seem like a hen na gaijin if you overdo it, but you at least need to be understand what people are saying to you :)

This book is absolutely essential and the best of several Kansai-ben texts I have read. honma ya!

Any English speaker thinking of moving to, or currently living in the Kansai, this book is essential to help you realise why, even though you might know standard Japanese, you can't understand half of what they're saying.

I've shown the book to many of my Kansai friends, and they vouch for both the authenticity of the language and the humour in the sample conversations.

Throwing a few "-rahen"s and "-yaro"s breaks the ice wonderfully - omoro ya nen!

Like the hot fudge sundae that followes the dry main course of a meal, this book ought to follow the Japanese-fan's main course of standard Japanese! If you're a die-hard fan of Japan, and you've learned some regular Japanese, you'll probably enjoy the interesting change from standard Japanese to "Kansai-ben", where they seem to throw letters out of standard Japanese words like standard Japanese does with English (Wanna watch terebi anyone? How about a game of basuke? ^_^*). The only danger with this book, is that after reading it, you'll hesitate before returning to normal Japanese! A great and interesting guide to Kansai's interesting Japanese, written with a great sense of humor that will make you wish that there was a book II!

I got this book before I left to study in Osaka for a semester at Kansai Gaidai (where I currently am). It has been very helpful so far...I've been able to insert Kansai-ben phrases and words into my conversation and my conversation partners have been very impressed! Plus, the dialogues throughout the book, not to mention the detailed explanations on each Kansai-exclusive word or phrase are most helpful. Definitely worth it if you're heading to Osaka, Kyoto, and/or Kobe.

I own both this book and Kansai Japanese, and I liked them both even though they are structured differently. I will say that I liked the general structure of this book a little better overall, but I can't say it's a better book, just different. This book gives you several chapters titled "15 Words Needed To Survive" and "15 More Words Needed To Survive" etc. and gradually introduces you to the characteristic words and grammar you'll likely hear in this region. There are also sample conversations every so often, letting you see how this is used in the context of an actual conversation. The only thing this book lacked a little bit, compared to Kansai Japanese, was the section on some of the specific areas like Kyoto or Osaka. This book glossed over it more.

So I would recommend both books, because they both compliment each other and have something the other one doesn't. Give it a try!

I think this book gives a good view on the specifics of kansai-ben. The conversations in this book are suitable for intermediate students of the Japanese language. This book helped me recognising the dialect and sometimes even understanding it a bit, even though my knowledge of Japanese is still very limited. However if you want to be able to really sound like a person from Kansai you have to live up there for at least a couple of years I think.
So if you are interested in Japanese dialect I would definitely recommend this book.