A World of Compassion and Sentiment Created by the Vowel-Based Language, Japanese

The most widely used writing system in the world today is the Latin alphabet.
Languages like English, German, and French are all built upon a shared set of 26 letters.

In contrast, Japanese consists of 50 basic sounds and uses a complex mix of three scripts — kanji (Chinese characters), hiragana, and katakana.
Because of this unique combination, Japanese is often considered a particularly complex language.

What sets Japanese apart even more is its nature as a vowel-based language — a language built upon what we might call “mother sounds” (母音).
Except for words ending in “ん” (n), every Japanese word ends with a vowel: a, i, u, e, or o.

In many Western languages, like English, words often end in consonants such as “t” or “r.”
Hebrew, for instance, uses only 22 letters — all of which are consonants.

In this light, Japanese belongs to what might be called a vowel culture, while the West lives within a consonant culture.

The Latin alphabet, as the foundation of consonant-based writing systems, has spread not only throughout Europe but also across former colonies — such as Indonesia and the Philippines — reaching every corner of the globe.

In ancient Japanese kotodama philosophy, a third category of sounds was recognized in addition to vowels and consonants: “father sounds” (父韻).

• “mother sounds” (母音): vowels such as a, i, u, e, o.
• “father sounds” (父韻): brief, sharp tones like t (chi), y (i), k (ki), m (mi), s (shi), r (ri), h (hi), and n (ni).
• From the union of these two arises consonants — what we call “child sounds” (子音).

When viewed this way, it may not be a “consonant culture” that dominates the modern world, but rather a “father-sound culture.”

The many conflicts and divisions we see across the world today may be linked to the prevalence of values associated with “fatherhood”: strength, dominance, and competition.

Of course, it was through competition that humanity has advanced in industry and innovation.
But moving forward, we may need to strike a new balance — by embracing the sensitivity and care of a mother-sound culture.

When spoken continuously, consonants naturally soften and return to vowels.
But no matter how long a vowel is pronounced, it remains a vowel.
It resonates endlessly, like a gentle and enduring peace.

In the world of Kabuki, for example, vowels are known as umiji (産字) — a traditional term used to refer to vowels, literally meaning “birthing characters.”
This poetic name reflects how vowels are seen as the source of emotional expression on stage.

Vowel-centered language cultures can be found not only in Japan,
but also in regions such as Polynesia and parts of Africa.
Languages like Indonesian and Tagalog, spoken in the Philippines, are also considered vowel-heavy in structure.

It is often said that Japanese people struggle with English.
But this may be less about skill, and more about the characteristics of the Japanese language itself.

With its strong vowel foundation, Japanese absorbs and reshapes foreign words into katakana — a writing system that “Japanizes” other languages.
It gently wraps foreign sounds in familiar ones, like a mother embracing her children.

Understanding this trait, Japanese learners of foreign languages need not carry a sense of inferiority.
Instead, they can approach other languages with confidence and pride in their own linguistic roots.

As the world continues to move forward — often shaped by consonants, or more precisely, father sounds —
perhaps now is the time to become more conscious of their influence,
and to begin recognizing the quiet, enduring presence of mother sounds.

By letting these soft, sustaining tones take their place alongside force and clarity,
we may gently shift our world toward greater compassion, balance, and peace.

And that resonance —
like the vowels themselves —
will surely continue to echo,
forever.