Test Your Kanji Knowledge: How to Read Hokkaido's Trickiest Place Names

Jan 14, 2024 | News On Japan

Jan 14, 2024 (News On Japan) - Dengeki Online's serialized feature "Difficult Kanji" is a corner that poses a wide range of challenging characters, from those so complex that their readings are unimaginable to those that seem simple at first glance but are difficult to read.

This project is overseen by "Keiji Kyoya," a humble calligrapher who lives with a cat.

The kanji in question this time is "重蘭窮", a famous difficult-to-read place name. The hint is 〇ぷ〇〇け〇〇. There are only three characters, but the reading seems long.

The answer is "Chipurankeushi"! It's a place name in Kushiro, Hokkaido.

Hokkaido, with the highest number of municipalities in Japan and a strong Ainu cultural influence, is known for its difficult-to-read place names. "Chippurankewshi (a place where boats are lowered)" seems to have such a meaning, although it is not clear how the name became established. It's an interesting and somewhat mysterious place name. Look forward to more challenging kanji in future updates!

Source: Dengeki

Takaichi Gets 5 Hours Sleep for 'First Time in a While'

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has drawn criticism over a social media post describing five hours of sleep as a rare luxury, as the extended Diet session prepares to begin Upper House debate on a controversial bill to establish secondary capitals outside Tokyo.

Japan Introduces Stricter Penalties for Drunk Driving

Japan began applying a new numerical alcohol threshold for dangerous driving offenses on July 21, introducing a clearer standard for cases involving impaired driving that could lead to fatal accidents.

Mount Fuji Filmed From a Helicopter

Breathtaking 4K footage filmed from a helicopter offers a sweeping aerial view of Mount Fuji and its majestic surrounding landscape.

Japan Scrambles for Oil

A covert network of shuttle tankers is carrying crude through the increasingly dangerous Strait of Hormuz as renewed fighting between the United States and Iran disrupts shipping and raises concerns over how Japan will secure the oil it needs.

Russia Calls Japan-Ukraine Drone Cooperation a Clear Hostile Act

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko has criticized moves by Japanese and Ukrainian companies to cooperate on drone technology, warning that such ties would be regarded by Moscow as a "clear hostile act."

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Education NEWS

Tuition-Free Policy Drives Shift Toward Private High Schools in Hokkaido

Hokkaido saw a marked shift toward private high schools among students entering in fiscal 2026 after tuition at private institutions became effectively free from April, according to an analysis by the Hokkaido Board of Education.

Will Japan Impose Social Media Ban for Children?

The Japanese government is considering new rules to protect children from the risks of social media and plans to compile concrete measures by the end of 2026, but officials and experts remain cautious about introducing a blanket age restriction like those pursued in Australia and the European Union.

National Academic Test Shows Persistent Writing Challenges in Japanese

Japanese elementary and junior high school students continue to struggle with written-response questions in Japanese, while average accuracy rates in arithmetic and mathematics remained in the 50% range, according to nationwide academic test results released by the education ministry on July 16.

The Long History of Intimate Goods in Japan

Japan’s relationship with intimate goods is far older than the modern online adult shop. Long before discreet packaging, digital payments, and private home delivery, Japanese artists, writers, merchants, and townspeople were already exploring the boundaries between desire, humor, privacy, and everyday life.

Young Doctors Flock to Cosmetic Medicine

A growing number of young doctors in Japan are moving directly into cosmetic medicine after obtaining a medical license and completing their initial clinical training, raising concern that the trend may be worsening staff shortages in insurance-covered medical care.