On the other hand, I have “shocked” quite a few people with my reading level … I guess (conversely) you have folks that automatically assume that being a foreigner simply equates to not being able to read. In that case you get the comment, “Nihongo wa muzukashii ne…” ha ha ha … Damned, if you can read, damned if you can’t read! 8P

I guess our brains work differently. 8P I tend to remember things I see and have an odd way of associating things with meaning that makes it very easy for me to remember. When I am also learning how to write the kanji, I remember how it “feels” (pen-strokes) to write the words. So at times, when I forget, I just rely on that feeling … Yeah, it sounds like some new-age method or something, but it’s very similar to how I remember how to play music on the piano by how it feels though I haven’t seriously practiced piano in years. I guess you’ll have to find a technique that works best for you.

As for understanding more kanji than a Japanese.. I’d be very impressed if that were the case with you.
As smart as you can be, I don’t think you had enough material time to beat a Japanese at remembering kanji.
Japanese do complain that they tend to forget kanji because the input system on the computer.. but I’m sure they are still far ahead of both of us put together !

Those that come to Japan and become fluent withing 2-3 years, it’s because they are studying or doing other work that don’t require so other types of constant learning.

It’s only when I have time that I sit down and look things up in detail; I have to do this once in a while … else I’m not going to learn anything! 8P I also use Rikaichan when I’m surfing; it’s pretty handy.

In all honesty, what I found to be the best method to learn and remember kanji is to write in it regularly … and I don’t mean using a PC. 8P For sure, it’s a pain. I don’t do it as often as I should simply because there aren’t any daily situations which require me to hand-write in Japanese.

What’s also a little discouraging is when some of the Japanese folks I know tell me they too have trouble reading Kanji. I start thinking, “Ok, if the natives are struggling with kanji, what possible hope could there be for me?!” 8P It’s a little 気持ち悪い when you find yourself in a situation where you can read more kanji than a native …

ehehe my attitude is that it’s better to know a lot of things but not in detail 8P

I also sometimes still 一生に instead of 一緒に 8P ..those long vowels are a big pain !!

For certain nothing beats in-depth formal studies, but given how our daily schedules are, it’s very difficult. The best (and perhaps cheapest) way to learn the language (as far as communication goes) is to just be around speakers on a daily basis.

But my attitude now is that it’s better to know a few things very well and it detail rather than a lot of things.

一生に頑張りましょう！ (^-^)

I don’t believe that one can just force himself to learn Japanese by being submerged. I mean, watching TV perhaps there is some to learn, but things like using Japanese software are not a very good idea, because you find yourself overwhelmed with so much kanji that you may start guessing what it means but you’ll never really learn properly.

To properly speak a language, one has to do some formal studies (as much as I don’t like them !). Kanji is a real problem. I’m using those books for kids and it’s still difficult, because exercises imply that one can guess a word which a kid is supposed to know phonetically. Often also, we aren’t exposed to those words because we don’t live in the same environment where kids do.
I remember with English I’ve always lagged behind as far as kids’ vocabulary goes.

Reading and writing Japanese also isn’t that useful. Just reading, without sound, makes it hard to memorize things.
One needs immersion as living experiences in Japanese language. For this reason, I somewhat feel like I’m not completely wasting my time when I go out on weekends 8)