Read and write kanji characters in our fun and inspiring online language group and discover their meanings, no language experience needed to take part, join simply with a pen or pencil

Eventbrite Tickets

Curious about Chinese and Japanese characters and their visual shapes and meanings, but don’t know how to start learning them? Interested in East Asia travel or culture and practices, but struggle to read Japanese or Mandarin writing? Keen to learn how to write your name in Japanese?

At our welcoming Kanji Club learn all about Japanese and Chinese characters, find out how to engage with them. Explore the fascinating history and evolution of styles of 漢字 kanji, or hanzi in Chinese, over thousands of years.

• read and practice writing kanji
• pronounce kanji and compound words (focus on Japanese sounds)
• learn radicals and their meanings and history in China
• learn about shapes and structure of kanji (improves reading and writing)
• vocabulary practice (Japanese words and sounds)
• practice reading and writing Japanese Hiragana and Katakana
• fun kanji quiz 🙂

At each Kanji Club meeting, we look at different kanji and words, often beginning with a single word and learning about the meaning of each character through each of its parts. Guided by the ancient Oracle shell and bone pictograms and tensho script, we find connection with present day kanji. We practice how to pronounce the sounds, writing in Kanji or Japanese Hiragana or Katakana scripts, and learn related vocabulary.

If you have an interest in Japanese or Chinese language and culture, from calligraphy to manga, learning kanji is a great way to connect deeply and feel more confident.

This is a relaxed yet supportive class on Zoom, you don’t need any Japanese or Chinese language experience to take part. You can take part simply with a pen or pencil and paper.

Blair Thomson is a friendly creative educator who has studied calligraphy in Japan over many years. He loves being immersed in Japanese culture and is a zen meditator (Zen name is Shogen 生現) and leads groups related to kanji such as Tenkoku stamp making, Shakyo Sutra tracing and Shodo calligraphy. ブレア (Blair in Katakana) will help guide you on your exciting kanji adventure!

Booking is through Eventbrite, after you book we will email you the Zoom link and details for the group. Sorry but tickets are non-refundable. Feel free to come early for a cuppa and settle in.