Nihongo Pera Pera (Fluent Japanese)

I just wrote a brief mini review of Business Japanese, published by Tuttle, available here:
http://www.nihongoperapera.com/reviews/business-japanese-tuttle.html

I've started a new textbook reviews section, initially with two brief reviews of four textbooks-
http://www.nihongoperapera.com/reviews/textbooks.html

I'll be adding a lot to this section in the coming days as I get time.

Also, I have began to catalog my schedule of 1kyuu preparation here-
http://www.nihongoperapera.com/jlpt/1kyuu-my-study-schedule.html

Finally, the site has a new look. I hope you like it!

Just a friendly reminder: the postmark deadline submission for the JLPT in Japan this year is Friday, September 12.

Many stores have sold out of packets and are not replacing them, so if you haven't already applied, now is the time.

Other countries are different so I recommend you check the JLPT home page for additional information:
http://www.jees.or.jp/jlpt/

I'll be posting a massive JLPT prep update in the next week.

I've enjoyed good success carrying a notebook around, so I thought I'd share this technique with you:
http://www.nihongoperapera.com/power-of-little-notebooks.html

Also, a reader informed me that the JLPT group has now decided on 2009 and 2010 revisions to the test, so I have updated the page outlining the changes:
http://www.nihongoperapera.com/jlpt/2009changes.html

First, I was in one of the big bookstores in Tokyo last week, and I found a real gem, A Dictionary of Advanced Japanese Grammar. Details are on the 1kyuu page:
http://www.nihongoperapera.com/jlpt/1kyuu.html

Second, I've been increasingly worried about posts I've read online suggesting that software like Mnemosyne is sufficient for learning. While it's indisputably a great asset, it is definitely not the be all and end all. More of my thoughts on this here:
http://www.nihongoperapera.com/flashcards-insufficient.html

I recently came across an excellent forum thread that features about 30 Japanese audiobooks of wildly varying quality. The translations of European works aren't very good for the most part, but the Japanese literary classics are a real steal.

http://www.nihongoperapera.com/free-nihongo-audiobooks.html

Today I made some slight updates to the 1kyuu preparation page:
http://www.nihongoperapera.com/jlpt/1kyuu.html

Also, TBS Radio comes highly recommended as listening practice from one of our visitors: "Nichiyo tengoku is entertaining and good conversational material
and quite funny from time to time." Check it out at:
http://www.tbs.co.jp/radio/

This week I've got a few notes on upcoming changes to the JLPT for the 2009 year. Nothing major, but worth considering if you're still wondering to take 1kyuu or 2kyuu this year or not:
http://www.nihongoperapera.com/jlpt/2009changes.html

Second, I'll be taking a slight vacation from this site, due to the imminent release of Metal Gear 4:
http://www.nihongoperapera.com/videogames/purchasing-ps3-in-japan.html

Regular updates will return shortly, however.

Since I imagine many of the visitors to this site are preparing for the JLPT, I've expanded the JLPT section a bit today.

First, on the 2kyuu page, I've added some hints for passing the exam:
http://www.nihongoperapera.com/jlpt/2kyuu.html

Second, on the 1kyuu page, I've begun to outline the ways in which I am preparing for the 1kyuu:
http://www.nihongoperapera.com/jlpt/1kyuu.html

Also, Damien Elmes, Anki's developer, wrote a lengthy response to my review of Mnemosyne, Anki, and SuperMemo:
http://www.nihongoperapera.com/node/83

Today I posted my review of the Kanji calligraphy training game for Nintendo DS:
http://www.nihongoperapera.com/reviews/kanji-calligraphy-training-ninten...

I really enjoy this one, and since it's focused on writing the kanji well, rather than writing them from memory, perhaps it's a lot easier for beginners to get started with than some of the other kanji games.

Of course, I'm preparing for 1kyuu, and it's a great help to me as well.

Also, Skype is offering some terrific phone rates between the US and Japan, so I added some information about that in the forum as well.