Katakana

Katakana is the syllable based writing system of the Japanese language.

I obviously can't read or write Japanese but I have been learning to write our names in Japanese, especially Rowen's.

Since Rowen attends Seika Yochien, everything, and I mean EVERYTHING is labeled with his name on it: his uniform (bowtie, shoes, shirt...), school stationary (crayons, paint, clay, books, paste...). If you can think of a school item, I betcha' it has his name on it!

As Rowen's school year comes to a close (the Japanese school year starts in April), he is starting to bring all his school supplies home. Everything I have labeled for him reads ROWEN and everything the school has labeled reads:

During spring break, all the Seika parents are required to attend 'Stationary Day' where we purchase and label the stationary for the coming school year. I would really like to label all of Rowen's belongings in Japanese, rather than in English.

So I have been learning how to write his Japanese name...but it still doesn't look right.
And...I can't imagine making I-don't-even-know-how-many labels of an English-written Rowen, in Japanese!!

SO!!! Guess what I found??? A Katakana font for Mac computer!!! I was SO HAPPY when I came across this font while Google searching the other day :)

There was even a keyboard guide that helped me search for the keys that represent the Katakana symbols for Rowen's name. And I also learned what each Japanese symbol stood for in his name.

After you sound it out, isn't the pronunciation in Japanese different?



Very interesting, what a different language will do to your name!

As for Seika stationary day, I am all set! I've used the Mac Katakana font to create a number of labels illustrating Rowen's name in Japanese!