Katakana is today considered Japan’s second native script, to be learned after hiragana.It is usually studied in the first grade of elementary school, although some children master it before then.

Amidst all of the controversy flaring up in Japan over “kirakira names,” the question has been raised concerning a rather peculiar name trait shared by many old Japanese women. A large number of aging ...

Katakana renderings of non-Japanese names can cause a raft of problems if spelling issues are allowed to fester. Subscribe . Digital Print . April 10, 2025 . Subscribe. Digital Print.