March 2002 QUESTIONS
- (Ashley)
When do Japanese use katakana?
Katakana is one of two syllabaries used in Japanese writing, the other being hiragana. Katakana symbols are used to write foreign names, place names, and "loan words." (Loan words are words from English or other languages that are used in Japanese.) They are also used to write animal noises like wan-wan (dog) or nyaa-nyaa (cat). Katakana is also sometimes used to stress ordinary Japanese words, for example in adverts or magazine headlines. You can learn how to write and pronounce katakana and hiragana in our Language Lab section.
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(Brittney)
What is the tallest building in Japan? How tall is it?
The tallest building in Japan is Landmark Tower in the city of Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture. Landmark Tower is 296 meters tall and has 70 floors. It houses offices, shops, and a hotel. At the top there is an observation deck, from which on clear days you can see Mount Fuji.
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(Samuel)
What is teppanyaki?
A teppan is an iron hotplate on which food is cooked. Yaki means "fry," so teppanyaki means "fried on a hotplate." This style of cooking is one of the most popular forms of Japanese food around the world. At teppanyaki restaurants, specially trained chefs cook meat, vegetables, seafood, and other foods on a teppan in front of customers. This means you can watch your dinner being prepared.
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