Learning Japanese Sign Language (shuwa) in Beppu

I love learning sign languages because of how diverse they are. Sign languages also use facial expressions, gestures and body movement. Although I am not an expert and nowhere near the interpreter level, I am always interested in learning more and more words in sign language. Since I am now in Japan, I have been very lucky to have several opportunities to learn about Japanese Sign Language (JSL) or 手話 (literally means ‘hand talk’!) while also shared my story about Fingertalk with local communities!

1. Hirumachi Nihongo in Beppu

“Hirumachi Nihongo” is a monthly activity in Beppu to bring people of Beppu together. It creates a place where people, especially international students, can practice their Japanese language skill with the local citizen of this hot spring city. The gathering has different theme every month, and last year’s December theme was “shuwa” or Japanese sign language. I was invited by my Japanese sensei to come and share my story with Fingertalk. Of course, I did not want to miss the chance to know more about Japanese sign language, especially about the way of finger spelling.

The participants of Hirumachi Nihongo

Japanese finger spelling is called “yubi-moji” (or finger letters) and follows the hiragana/katakana syllables. Signs in JSL consist not just of a manual gesture, but also mouthing (口話 kōwa, "mouth talk", pronouncing a standard Japanese word with or without making a sound.

During hirumachi nihongo, I also learned basic Japanese greetings and self-introduction, which will be very helpful when I meet Deaf person in the street!

One interesting part of the event was that one Japanese sensei signed a simple Japanese sentence to us and we had to guess what it was! Not only that we have to guess each sign, we also have to make sure the words make sense as a sentence, haha.

2. Earth Harmony in Yufuin      

   

Earth harmony is an organization that wants to create peace and harmony through songs and activities for people regardless their age, gender, dis/ability and also nationality. Initiated by two amazing friends of mine, Nam and Sayo, they have been creating impactful activities to build their local communities in Yufuin, a beautiful mountain village not too far from Beppu.

Sato san and Oogata san - teaching us more shuwa

Besides inviting me to share about Fingertalk, they also invited Sato san, a Deaf person from Oita and Oogata san, a senior interpreter from Oita Deaf Association. Together we created an event where people can learn more about sign language, and sign some Japanese nursery songs with it!

Signing Japanese song before going home!

It was really beautiful! Although my knowledge is still very very limited, but sign language is also about communicating with your body. I realized how by signing, we can overcome communication barrier, that often exists not only between the Deaf and hearing, but also among hearing people ourselves. Through these two events, I also felt that 笑顔 (egao – smile) and 気持ち (kimochi – feelings) are two important things in communicating your message towards the other, whether you speak or you sign.