Japanese genre

Japanese comes next. I've a lot to say about this language, but for now less is more. All that I wish to establish at this point is where I am with it now, and how I mean to move ahead.

In Japanese there is a wealth of material available. Libraries in that country are crammed with children's literature. I don't know how many of the kids actually read it these days, but I for one am at the stage where I'm able to enjoy it.

If my English is at 99% (as it ought to be, given that I'm supposed to be able to teach it), my Dutch is at 80%, and my German is at 50%, then my Japanese - ranked third- is surely at the 60% level. That's what it feels like to me. But it has been a long haul to get there!

Along with children's books, Japanese boasts an entire genre of material not commonly available in other languages. I refer, of course, to Japanese comics: manga and anime. They constitute an extremely valuable resource. And so, from a  Book.Off (the name of a chain of second-hand bookstores) there is plenty to spend your money on.

But I was limited in terms of how much luggage I could bring home with me 3 weeks ago . . .