The Hentaigana App 1.0.26

The Hentaigana App is a user-friendly introduction to Japanese variant kana calligraphy. In the past, Japanese syllables were represented by a variety of hiragana based on kanji, known as hentaigana. This app simplifies the tedious process of learning hentaigana by transforming it into an addictive and interactive experience.The app functions like a stack of flashcards, where users can practice recognizing kana, their corresponding kanji, and modern readings. Users can track their progress, select specific sets of syllables to practice, and explore an interactive dictionary containing hentaigana and jibo. Developed through a collaboration between UCLA and Waseda University, this app is a pioneering tool in globalizing Japanese humanities and is set to be the first of many similar educational apps.

Overview:

Today, each syllable in Japanese is represented by a single hiragana. But this wasn't always the case: for more than a millennium, individual syllables were written using a variety of hiragana, each based on the cursive form of a different kanji. In modern times, these traditional kana came to be known as hentaigana, or "variant kana." The kanji from which hentaigana were derived are called jibo, "parent characters."

Teaching yourself to read hentaigana has always had a reputation for being tedious and difficult, because it involved a lot of poring over charts and dictionaries. But the truth is that with the right app to help you out, it isn't difficult at all - far from being tedious, it's addictive. All you have to do is learn to recognize which kanji each kana is based on, and how that kanji is read. This app will help you do that.

Basically, it's a sort of Matrix-style riff on a stack of flashcards. The app presents you with a kana. If you nudge it a bit with your finger, it will flip over and turn into the kanji from which the kana was derived. You will also see the modern kana that tells you how to read the kanji. You can throw a kana out of the stack or toss it back in so it will keep appearing. Then, once you have learned it, you throw it out, too.

The app has a function that lets you track your progress and select particular sets of syllables to practice, and an interactive dictionary that shows all the hentaigana and jibo the app contains. You can choose how many kana to display, and how often to have the readings appear. We have even included a tab where you can read about the precious manuscripts, all housed in the special collections of Waseda University Library, from which the kana were taken. And soon we will be switching on a bonus feature that lets you practice reading a string of syllables forming words and phrases, rather than just individual kana.

Developed as a collaboration between UCLA and Waseda University as a project of the Tadashi Yanai Initiative for Globalizing Japanese Humanities, this pioneering app - the first of its kind! - is expected to be the first in a series of similar apps, so keep an eye out for future releases!

Features:

And soon we will be switching on a bonus feature that lets you practice reading a string of syllables forming words and phrases, rather than just individual kana.

But this wasn't always the case: for more than a millennium, individual syllables were written using a variety of hiragana, each based on the cursive form of a different kanji.

We have even included a tab where you can read about the precious manuscripts, all housed in the special collections of Waseda University Library, from which the kana were taken.

All you have to do is learn to recognize which kanji each kana is based on, and how that kanji is read.

The app has a function that lets you track your progress and select particular sets of syllables to practice, and an interactive dictionary that shows all the hentaigana and jibo the app contains.

You will also see the modern kana that tells you how to read the kanji.

Teaching yourself to read hentaigana has always had a reputation for being tedious and difficult, because it involved a lot of poring over charts and dictionaries.

If you nudge it a bit with your finger, it will flip over and turn into the kanji from which the kana was derived.

You can throw a kana out of the stack or toss it back in so it will keep appearing.

But the truth is that with the right app to help you out, it isn’t difficult at all—far from being tedious, it's addictive.

You can choose how many kana to display, and how often to have the readings appear.

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Reviews:

Definitely a treasured gift for those interested in old writings of Japan. There's no ads & it's free. Would like to see tutorials, but I have a feeling unlike regular kana taught&graded, everything here is done by the heart&distinct character by each author. Would be wonderful to have old Japanese poems to read as well, with hidden translations. I would love to see an app of this magnitude for different Japanese scripts such as Chochin&Sumo, etc. for kanji. Would rate highly for that as well.

One of the few ways to systematically learn alternative readings commonly used in Japanese poems. The fact that any resource exists at all is amazing.

Really good. Interface isn't the most intuitive but it wasn't overtly unfriendly and I learnt how to deal with it fairly quick. Has both a study and lookup mode. Study mode is obviously the spearhead of the app but I used the lookup much more. Still, great work.

Summary:

This free app is designed to help users learn to read hentaigana, a classical precursor of hiragana which is now obsolete. The app is the fruit of a collaboration between The University of California (UCLA) and Waseda University as part of the Tadashi Yanai Initiative for Globalising Japanese Studies.