From Brazil to Kanji Kentei Level 2: My Journey with the Japanese Language
As a Brazilian software developer/electronics engineer, few people expected me to master one of the world’s most complex writing systems. Yet, here I am, one of the few non-Japanese (and non-Nikkei) in Brazil to pass the Kanji Kentei (漢字検定), also known as Kanken (漢検), level 2 — and aiming for levels pre-1 and 1. In 2021, after years of dedication and study, I achieved this prestigious level, a feat that few non-Japanese can claim.
My fascination with Japanese began in high school, sparked by a love for anime and manga. Learning a language with three different writing systems was no easy feat. The complexity of kanji, in particular, was deeply fascinating. The fact that many people told me from the start that learning kanji was outright impossible/for the genius only fueled my curiosity and motivation to master it. One beautiful day, a Japanese teacher from mine mentioned the existence of a test called Kanken, and that changed my life forever.
In Heisei 29 (2017), I decided to test my skills and took the Kanji Kentei for the first time in Brazil, thanks to Oyama Gakuen — one of the very few schools where you can take the Kanken officially in my country. I started with level 5, which required knowledge of 1,000 kanji. Despite the challenges, I managed to pass, fueling my determination to aim higher.
Over the next few years, I steadily progressed through the levels, each one requiring more dedication and a deeper understanding of the Japanese language and culture. This included, surprisingly, grammar knowledge and areas I had pretty much neglected during my JLPT studies. The Kanken also introduced me to niche vocabulary, such as terms related to baseball like 満塁 (supposedly "bases loaded" whatever that means, dunno, I know nothing about baseball), writing the correct kanji according to context (like the various forms of “kakeru”: 掛ける, 駆ける, 賭ける, 架ける, and many more), and numerous four-character proverbs from Chinese classics like those of Confucius and Mencius.
Kanken tests much more than kanji; it is mainly a vocabulary test, and understanding whole sentences is crucial. To study, I utilized various methods, including Anki flashcards, textbooks, games, and immersing myself in Japanese media. Consistency and practice were crucial. Preparing for level 2 was the most challenging part of my journey. It required mastering 2,136 kanji and their multiple readings and meanings.
Studying from Brazil posed its own challenges, such as limited access to resources (a weak currency) and a lack of native speakers for practice (the fact that many people having strong opinions against Kanji learning certainly does not help either). Additionally, many people incorrectly assume that the Kanken is the same as the JLPT, which it is not. Even though Brazil has the largest Japanese diaspora in the world, the number of people who actually speak the language is very small.
Having passed levels 5, 4, 3, pre-2, and 2, my current aim is to pass levels pre-1 and 1, just like fellow non-Japanese achievers Bret Mayer and Evgeny Uskov. I know it is a Herculean task, but I am up for the challenge. Stay tuned for more posts about my Japanese language journey, and feel free to connect with me for any questions or discussions.