To be completely frank, when it comes to learning Japanese, my track record has been pretty dismal. Following a trip to Japan around September of 2009, I noted that "reading some manga like Yotsuba-to! by Kiyohiko Azuma, or maybe Doraemon, Chibi Mariko-chan, Sazae-san, Otoko Oidon, or Omusubi Kororin might be useful." Good advice, though I didn't follow through with that at the time. And more recently, about twelve years ago on 1/20/14, I set myself a goal to "learn about 2000 kanji, gain a working vocabulary of about 10000 words." I noted the differences between On-yomi (written in katakana) and Kun-yomi (written in hiragana) and even then noted that:
James Heisig recommends using the power of imaginative memory when learning. Create an imaginative alphabet (or "systemic mnemonic devices"), each element restricted to one basic value. He uses "keyword" definitions, associative stories (the more original the better), and writing kanji out. Use flashcards for random review. Though simple, this requires stamina, concentration, and imagination. Learn in groups of kanji/ vocab/ sentences. Use 原稿用紙 paper with squares of regular size so you avoid the bad habit of writing high stroke kanji larger than low stroke count kanji. It is probably true as a general rule when studying "volume trumps method and extensive reading and writing and sentence memorization for a few hours daily is the best practice."
The multiple different, context dependent readings of kanji have been noted as a source of frustration for some people. Can you imagine translating Chinese into Japanese? It was this process that produced "kanbun" (漢文), the early system for writing Japanese literature using Chinese characters. But because Chinese grammatical order is subject–verb–object (SVO), while Japanese uses subject-object-verb (SOV), it was not a straightforward process. Now consider an English speaker trying to understand this. In America, "one of the only people who possessed the extraordinary ability to translate equally well from both Chinese and Japanese" was Burton Watson (1925-2017). His many translations are well regarded to this day. I have enjoyed reading his work as well. A copy of Hsun Tzu: Basic Writings has been a necessary part of my personal library of Eastern philosophy books. Clearly, I am no Burton Watson. But perhaps there is still room for improvement.
