Simple Pleasures

When you're a foreigner living in Japan, the three questions you are probably most asked are: Where are you from?, How long have you been in Japan? and Why do you study Japanese/like Japan?

Now, the first two questions are answered easily enough. I'm from Canada. I've been here four months. but the third question is always a tough one to answer.

Why do I like Japan? Why do I study Japanese?

Sometimes I wish there was a simple answer to this, just so I don't have to go into petty details and life stories.

Well, boys and girls, this book here (and books like it) is the reason I study Japanese.

It's called 振仮名の歴史, or The History of Furigana. A professor back at McGill lent me this book back in University while I was writing a paper on stuff like this. Unfortunately my Japanese was not at a high enough level to make enough sense out of this book, so I couldn't really use it for anything. Well, today while poking around a bookstore I had never been to, I accidentally stumbled upon it, and after reading (and understand!) parts of the forward, I said 'what the hell', and bought it. Then I sat in the cafe right next to the bookstore and just drank tea and read. Happiness.

I love this kind of stuff. Most people, Japanese or foreign, probably don't give a shit about furigana, or think twice about where it comes from or why it's used. But it's one of the coolest things ever when you think about it. Depending on how much I get out of this comprehension-wise, I might try to see if I can start reading Nihonjinron books. That's another thing I find fascinating. Aah knowledge :3

Coincidentally, I met up with the aforementioned professor last week. He's currently teaching at the university right next to my place. I love how small the world is sometimes :)