A reply to Kosuke: Why I study for the Kanji Kentei

Hi Kosuke. Thanks for your concern. Sorry for the words that I wrote which are disturbing you. I only mean to show that I have no delusions that this kind of study is going to have a permanent effect.

By way of example, I had been preparing for the level 8 test last spring but I missed the registration deadline so I didn't take the test in June. At that time I was doing quite well on the past tests and could have passed the real one easily. After that time, I did not study any more. About 5 months later, I started to prepare again for the level 8 and my proficiency sunk to a failing level. I had to work my way back up.

Maybe the same thing will happen again. I don't know. I have a 日本語 journal over on Vox, and recently I have started writing in it. If I keep up this habit, then I won't forget how to write Kanji. Kanji is not something we can study once and learn, and then set aside, and expect it will be there for us forever. Kanji is much more like physical fitness. If you want to be able to write Kanji, you have to do it regularly. So that is the purpose of my Vox blog. To keep Kanji fit.

You ask, what's my purpose for taking the Kanji tests? The purpose is to have a certification that shows I have studied Kanji and can read and write Japanese. The certification is especially important for employment. Without it, you can talk all you want about your Kanji ability, but some interviewers will just doubt you anyway. I think all Japanese people know how difficult it is to keep up handwriting skills in this computerized era where we don't need to write by hand anymore. If Japanese people find it difficult, then of course they will have a hard time believing that you (whomever you are), a foreigner, finds writing Kanji easy. Why should they believe you? They have their own experience so they know it's not easy. But if you at least have passed Kanken tests, then you can prove that you have Kanji ability equal to a Japanese. Even if you've forgotten how a word is written, the certification backs up what you say. With no certification, if you've said you can write Japanese but then you get stuck on a word, you just look like a fool. Who will get more respect? The person who strongly said he can read and write Japanese but then gets stuck when he tries to show it, or worse, writes it wrong. Or the person who has passed the certification test and doesn't need to show that he can write.

Think about it? Why would any Japanese person believe that you can read and write Kanji? If they ask, how can a learner convincingly tell them, yes I can? Simply saying yes is not very convincing, so without some proof, you either have to talk big or show the money.  Just talking does nothing to rid the doubts. So, I think being able to say that you've passed the Kanken (level 2 or whatever) allows you to remain humble and satisfy the inquisition, as well as avoid being put on the spot to prove it.

If one is not taking the certification test for this purpose, then one does not need to take it at all. If you have the self-discipline to study Kanji for a short period every day, you can get quite far. If you don't, then probably the test is not going to really help, because after you finish getting the certifications, you probably will stop writing Kanji and they will slowly slip away. Being able to read does nothing to keep up the ability to write.

Everybody needs to realize that writing Kanji is a lifetime commitment. Are you willing to keep up with it? If not, then just save your time and stick to reading only and composing on the computer.