BSP
Blue Sea Press
Japanese Learning Systems
Blue Sea Press
Blue Sea Press provides products to assist in learning of the Japanese language.
Product Access
Some products are offered free of charge while others require a subscription.
Access to a product is provided by a link on the Member page.
The following images illustrate the flow for using Kanji Learning Today: Online 1.
Kanji Learning Today
Kanji Learning Today is a system that helps a learner remember many kanji within a relatively short period of time.
The system includes three online volumes and three corresponding workbooks.
A feature of the system is that it presents 20 kanji on each page. The user can complete several pages in a single study session. After a few sessions, the user remembers the kanji and builds a reading level.
Kanji Learning Today — Online
Study kanji on a phone, tablet, or computer.
Each page is interactive — tap to study.
Kanji Learning Today: Online 1 is offered free of charge and will be present on the Member page after login.
A new user can start an account at the Signup page.
Coverage of the Kanji Learning Today Volumes
Online 1 covers the 1026 “Education Kanji” (教育漢字). The Ministry of Education specifies that these characters be taught at the Japanese elementary school level. Kanji Learning Today presents the kanji at the same grade levels as the schools, thereby helping the second language learner develop reading ability.
Online 2 presents the 1110 “Graduation Kanji”, a term selected by the editor. The Ministry of Education says these characters will be taught in middle school and high school but does not mandate which characters be taught at a particular grade. The volume, along with the Education Kanji, completes the Joyo Kanji List, which forms a baseline for literacy and circumscribes the characters allowed in official government documents.
Online 3 offers the 863 “Name Kanji” (人名用漢字). These are characters not on the Joyo Kanji List but were deemed important to be allowed to be used in the official registration of people’s names, and are for that reason approved for name use by the Ministry of Justice. For clarity’s sake, it should also be noted that the Joyo Kanji can also be used in people’s names.
Online 1 is offered free of charge and will be present on the Member page after login.
Online 2 and Online 3 are available in the Shopping Cart and will appear on the Member page after purchase.
Kanji Learning Today — Workbook
The Kanji Learning Today system includes three workbooks.
Writing the kanji boosts recognition.
Each Workbook presents the kanji with the same sequence as the corresponding Online volume. The reinforcing effect helps the user learn faster.
The workbook pages are printed on thicker-than-standard paper for easy writing.
Within the workbook, each Practice Page is accompanied by a Stroke Order Page so that the user can quickly glance at a diagram to note the correct stroke order for writing a particular kanji.
A Stroke Order Page is given directly opposite each Practice Page for easy reference.
Another feature of the workbooks is the appearance of “kanji-in-kanji” entries for many kanji.
When the kanji being studied includes another kanji within its structure, the entry shows the other kanji and gives its location within the Kanji Learning Today system.
For additional information, see Kanji Learning Today.
Availability of the Workbooks
Each Kanji Learning Today workbook is available as a print-on-demand version at Amazon.com.
A print-your-own STARTER workbook is available for Year 1 kanji. After Login, go to the Shopping Cart and select the STARTER workbook. It is free-of-charge, and the user can complete Checkout without payment. Download from the provided link.
Kanji Learning Today: Workbook 1
Kanji Learning Today: Workbook 2
Kanji Learning Today: Workbook 3
Japanese Accent: Penult Standard
Japanese Accent: Penult Standard is a comprehensive yet easy-to-understand explanation of how Japanese words are accented. This helps proper pronunciation and boosts learning.
Each lesson is presented with an online video and webpage text.
Japanese Accent: Penult Standard STARTER
Japanese Accent: Penult Standard STARTER is offered free of charge and will be present on the Member page after login.
Lessons 1~3 of Japanese Accent: Penult Standard STARTER will introduce the user to a few of the main concepts of the accent system.
A new user can start an account at the Signup page.
Japanese Accent: Penult Standard FULL
Japanese Accent: Penult Standard FULL presents Lessons 1~12. A subscription is required and can be purchased in the Shopping Cart.
A link to Japanese Accent: Penult Standard FULL will appear on the Member page after purchase.
Japanese Accent: Penult Standard FULL explains all of the concepts of the accent system, helping the user understand how to pronounce Japanese correctly. This eliminates misunderstandings about accent in Japanese and provides a solid foundation for the user.
For additional information, see Japanese Accent.
Accent Format
The lessons of Japanese Accent: Penult Standard STARTER provide an online video. This allows the user to see and hear examples of Japanese pronunciation. The web page also includes the text so that the user can study at his or her own pace.
Accent Examples
The lessons explain accent by word categories, such as verbs and nouns. The lessons include 317 word examples and 155 sentence examples. The examples are given in specially constructed blocks that show the accent in hiragana, then again as furigana when using kanji to represent the word.
Example Word
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Example Sentence
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Non-Intuitive Details Explained
While the central premise is clearly explained starting in Lesson 1, there are many non-intuitive details that are carefully described throughout the series. These details concern topics such as the following.
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Other Information
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