「日本人の知らない日本語」 Mangaka Hebizô and teacher Umino in Vienna - Part One

 The Comic Essay 「日本人の知らない日本語」 (Japanese that Japanese don't know) is created by the Japanese language teacher Umino and the mangaka (漫画家) Hebizô. Umino's experience as a Japanese language teacher for foreigners in Japan are the basic for the Comic Essay, which contains short and funny episodes with her students.
Currently, 2 Volumes of 日本人の知らない日本語 were released and teacher Umino and mangaka Hebizô traveled to Europe for some inspiration for the 3rd Volume. They visited Japanese language students in Belgium, Germany, Swiss - and Austria!
Here are my memories of the events with Hebizô and Umino ミ☆

Japanese Language Exchange Extra
The mangaka Hebizô and the Japanese language teacher Umino came to the Japanese Studies Division of the University of Vienna on to join the Japanese Language Exchange Extra. At the Japanese Studies Division University of Vienna, out students council organized the Sprachaustausch, a language exchange for Japanese and Austrian students. Eventhough last thursday was a national holiday, a lot of people - about 20 Japanese and Non-Japanese students or alumni - came to join a colloquial talk about Japanese language and so on with Umino and Hebizô. First, we all sat in a big circle and made a short 自己紹介, a self introduction and Hebizô took notes and asked every student some short questions. Those who weren't (yet) able to speak Japanese, talked in English. Then we made little groups with five or six people and Japanese and Non-Japanese talked about various things. I sat on a table with a Japanese alumni (although not from University of Vienna :D) and a girl, who was born and raised in Japan, but their parents are from Venezuela. I was really impressed!

The students council doesn't only organize the Japanese Language Exchange, but also a Japanologie Stammtisch (regulars' table) every two weeks following the language exchange. This was the first time I was able to join and of course I'm still quite happy that Hebizô and Umino also joined! :D We moved from the study room to the Korean restaurant IEGA vis à vis the Japanese Studies Departement, and I guess it was the first time that the Stammtisch was really really crowed! I was surrounded by Umino and some Japanese and Austrian students and had really great talks with all of the people! We ate and talked late into the night, but unfortunatelly I was the first one who had to leave, because I almost live outside of Vienna and my way home at night is much longer than during the day. (I really miss Tôkyô, not only at this point...)

Artist Talk at the Japanese Studies Division
The next day, Friday 4th of June, University of Vienna presented an Artist Talk with Hebizô and Umino. It was said, that this Künstlergespräch (artist talk) with Hebizô and Umino was part of the JAPANORAMA, a "special week" with presentations, artist talkes and workshops, for 45th anniversary of the Japanese Studies Division of University of Vienna. The Artist Talk was presented by a fellow student of mine, who lived as child in Japan for 7 years and also attended the school in Japan. His tasks were presenting the Artist Talk, asking some questions and simulanteous interpreting. I was quite puzzled, he did it very well, but that's obviously! :D I was puzzled, because I understood everything and when my fellow made some mistakes or didn't now the correct translation ad hoc, I also didn't know it. So now I could say, my Japanese skills are about his level and that makes me proud! :D
But now let's change to the Artist Talk!
Unfortunatelly, I didn't bring my camera with  me, so I have no pictures. But as an Artist Talk is about talking, I think we don't need pictures either!
The most interesting and amusing parts where how Umino and Hebizô met each other. Umino and Hebizô have a mutual friend and one day all three of them meet together. Hebizô, working in a Game-company and as a illustrator, was interessted in Umino's work as a Japanese language teacher and so they came up with the idea for the Comic Essay 日本人の知らない日本語. It took about one and a half year from the idea to the published book.
Umino told Hebizô about funny or interesting situations and mistakes of Japanese language students and Hebizô draw some sketches. When she showed the sketches to Umino, Umino often used so say "that's not so funny.... and by the way, you've used a wrong kanji.." But somehow they were able to collect so many interesting sketches that they got up 2 Volumes of 日本人の知らない日本語. Hebizô also said, she isn't good at writing kanji, so kanji mistakes are not only in the sketches for Umino, but also Hebizô also mentioned (while laughing loudly), that she also happend to write the wrong kanji for her name at a signature session once.
Umino told us, that currently books - and also manga! - don't sell very well in Japan, but their Comic Essay does. So their publisher wants them to make another, the 3rd Volume of 日本人の知らない日本語 and that's why they came to Europe. But the 3rd Volume isn't only going to contain episodes of Japanese language students in Europe, but also episodes of foreign Japanese language students in Japan. I personally think, that's a good mix and I'm quite looking forward for the 3rd Volume! ^_^
Books don't sell very well. Hebizô told, she sometimes happens to hide in a book store and watches the people who are checking out her book. Once, there was a person who read her book while standing (立ち読み) in the book store and laughed and smiled - s/he seemed to like the book very much! Hebizô hid behind a column and only thought "Buy it! Buy it!", but that person put the book back and left the shop without buying it.
Umino said, that nowadays many people want to work as Japanese language teacher for foreigners in Japan, but the salary is very low. Many foreigners in Japan are from other Asian countries and they don't have a lot of money, but contrary, Japanese who want to learn English have to pay a lot!

I think the Artist Talk was quite interesting, but as I'm not a big fan of manga and so on, I was more interested in the Japanese language part of the book. However, most of the questions were about manga, who to draw a manga (Hebizô showed also some basic rules for drawing faces or bodies) and how manga sell in Japan. I really missed the "Japanese language" part of 日本人の知らない日本語, e.g., what kind of mistakes often occur, which mistakes do Japanese often make and so on. I asked some questions about that, but I guess you could talk all the evening about that topic. Better to read the Comic Essay! :D

Hebizô's and Umino's card, I really love the background and everything! (^_^)

(artist's mailadresses were blurred by me)

>>Go to Part Two