The Japanese writing system is complicated. Yeah, pronouncing Japanese is simple. Even having casual conversations is pretty easy, honestly. But reading and writing will test you.

This doesn’t have to be a bad thing. For many (myself included), the characters used to represent Japanese words and sentences are fun to learn. They’re different. They look cool. They make you look cool being able to read them. And with a little bit of effort, you can enjoy—even, perhaps, come to love--studying the Japanese writing system. Or you can hate it and cry yourself to sleep every night. Both are viable options.

Let’s take a look at what we’re dealing with…