Because of this Ialso challenged myself WMAIIIOOIIADIIIIINo.14, 2023［ Summer Special Issue ］example, when accepting a customer's order, Japanese people use polite phrases such as “wakarimashita” and “shochishimashita.” I wanted to enjoy having conversations with Japanese tourists and Japanese staff in Japanese while having a good understanding of honorifics. I wanted to be able to speak proper Japanese in everyday life, so I focused on learning honorifi cs.―That's a wonderful story. What is your honest impression of the intensive study?nce I started learning, the month was over very quickly. I was not very good at studying alone at a desk, so I was very grateful for the detailed guidance on general overview, pronunciation, and sometimes study methods.f I had studied on my own, it would probably have been diffi cult for me to improve so much. I wish there was a Japanese language school in Hawaii that I could go to whenever I felt the need to learn, whether while attending school or after graduation.―How did you preview/review your lessons?even used the very little free time I had ―How did you learn Japanese in high school?The exchange program in Hiroshima Prefecture is a particularly memorable experience.Mr. Ryota Katayama (center)The Shinro Shimbun Hawaii Edition7Ryota Katayama was born in Japan and raised in Hawaii. He says that in high school, he was studying Japanese daily with the aspiration of mastering the language, which had been around since he was a child. He is currently working at a plate lunch restaurant in Hawaii called Pioneer Saloon, and says that he is studying to acquire more practical Japanese language skills.We asked him about how he became interested in Japanese language and culture, as well as his Japanese language studies at the Honolulu Center.was born in the Shonan area of Kanagawa Prefecture and moved to Hawaii when I was 3 years old. I don't remember much about my life in Japan before moving, but since my parents are Japanese, I used Japanese as much as possible among family members and visited Japan every year when I was in elementary school, so I was around the Japanese language and culture. was also interested in Japanese animation and manga, so after entering Kalani High School (Hawaii, USA), I chose to take Japanese language classes for three years and studied hard. However, because I had lived in Hawaii since kindergarten, I only had opportunities to speak Japanese among family members, and English was the main language in my life.environment, it was not surprising that I often forgot Japanese phrases and vocabulary. I was very happy and lucky to be able to study Japanese at the school. I had a strong desire to further improve my Japanese and not forget what I had learned so far.hen I first started learning, I learned Japanese in English. As my level gradually advanced, all classes were conducted in Japanese, which gave me more opportunities to speak Japanese. Looking back, the teachers' teaching style was very easy to understand. I worked very hard to memorize kanji.y experience in the exchange program with a high school in Hiroshima Prefecture was also impressive. In particular, learning about the Atomic Bomb Dome was a great experience for A month-long intensive Japanese language study experienceApplying the language in daily life helped me to realize my growth.―I heard that you studied Japanese intensively for about a month.fter graduating from university, I had fewer opportunities to use Japanese, and I wanted to relearn Japanese through customer service at work. It was at this time that I learned about the “Yu Language Honolulu Center” and decided to study Japanese again, intensively me to learn about the war. It was a precious experience for me to be exposed to Japanese culture and history.―What was your major in college?went to Kapiolani Community College (Hawaii, USA) and studied Culinary Arts. I had a part-time job at the Pioneer Saloon, a plate lunch restaurant in Hawaii, and I wanted to study culinary in depth. I am still working at the Pioneer Saloon today, this is my sixth year. The Pioneer Saloon attracts many Japanese tourists. Since there are also Japanese staff working there, I am fortunate to have opportunities to speak Japanese, such as taking orders and communicating with the staff in Japanese.for a month. It may seem surprising, but unfortunately, there are almost no Japanese language schools in Hawaii for students after graduating from high school or university, and many people give up studying Japanese. That is why I felt this was my chance and immediately took action.―What did you learn? focused on Kanji and honorifics. The reason why I decided to study kanji was because I saw kanji in various places when I visited Japan. I had the impression that it would be difficult to understand if I only used hiragana and katakana. I also wanted to be able to read Japanese manga smoothly since I read it a lot as a hobby.consider honorific expressions as something I will need especially at my work. For before and after the next class. I think I was able to master what I learned in class by using drills and writing over and over again on the same day.f course, there were some things that I could not remember or forgot, so I tried reviewing again the day before the next class. I tried to make sure that I remembered what I learned in class.―I was surprised that your Japanese was so good. After completing the course, did you feel any growth in your Japanese?fter completing the course, I had a chance to visit Japan, and I noticed my growth there. For example, when traveling by train, I was happy to be able to read the name of the next station I would arrive at.to go to Fuji Speedway in Shizuoka Prefecture to watch an event called Formula Drift, a drifting competition. It took two and a half hours one way by train, but I was thrilled when I arrived safely.uring the trip, I visited various places, including restaurants, and there were many situations where I had to use ●Profi leBorn in Kanagawa, Japan, in 2000, Ryota moved to Hawaii at the age of 3, where he studied Japanese while attending a local educational institution. While at Kalani High School, he chose to take Japanese language classes and came to Japan as part of an exchange program to Hiroshima Prefecture. After graduation, he attended Kapiolani Community College and majored in Culinary Arts. He is currently working at the Pioneer Saloon, a popular plate lunch restaurant in Hawaii while working to further improve his Japanese. He participated in a one-month intensive Japanese language program at the Yu Language Honolulu Center, a Japanese language education facility owned by Licensing Academy. His Japanese language skills are rapidly improving, and receiving high praise.honorifics. I was able to converse without fear, which gave me confidence. I think it is important to speak Japanese actively without being shy and to practice what you have learned in your daily life. Once again, it was an experience that made me feel glad that I had studied Japanese.―Please share a message to young people in Hawaii who are thinking about studying abroad in Japan.think it is important to identify why you want to study Japanese. I was able to study seriously and diligently by always keeping my goal in mind.also think that having a hobby that involves using Japanese will help you learn better. Some of my hobbies are reading Japanese books, manga, watching TV, and animations. By enjoying my hobbies while studying, I was able to continue my studies without losing my motivation.believe that starting to learn Japanese is something that you can do regardless of your age or background. If you feel that you want to study, I encourage you to start with something simple.I am always aware that my roots are in JapanI decided to learn Japanese upon entering high school―Please tell us about how you became interested in Japan.Written in two languagesWritten in two languagesJapanese language and culture is something I have grown up with, I have been achieving my dream of learning Japanese while working.Mr. Ryota Katayama
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