Wanna dive into “ONOMATOPIA”？

Ta-dah! Welcome to ONOMATOPIA, a vibrant world where unique characters dash around in a whirlwind of fun sounds! Onomatopoeia is something Japanese speakers naturally use in conversation and writing without even thinking about it. But when you try to say it in English, do you ever find yourself thinking, “Hmm, how do I say this?” If you’re learning Japanese, you might also be puzzled by these quirky words that pop up here and there, thinking, “What does that even mean?” Well, worry no more! With ONOMATOPIA, you’ll have a blast exploring different categories like “Movetopia”, “Emotopia”, “Chattopia”, “Eatopia”, “Soundopia”, “Bodytopia”, “Conditopia”, “Babytopia”, “Lovetopia” and “Animaltopia”. As you play around, you’ll naturally soak up onomatopoeia without even realizing it, boosting your skills in no time. So go ahead, flip through the pages, and enjoy discovering new words from whichever section catches your eye!

■Message from Editor:
A friend of mine studying Japanese says his favorite onomatopoeic word is “pokapoka”. Each one can be fun, a little mysterious, and sometimes surprising in how the sound matches its meaning. I hope some of them stay with you along with the lovely illustrations.

■Message from Authors:

Terry Johnson; Illustration
I gathered all kinds of everyday sounds and turned them into drawings. At first, 268 words total felt overwhelming ― but once I started, it got so fun I couldn't stop. I kept drawing nonstop, and before I knew it, I'd finished them all in less than two weeks. Turning sound into images was a new discovery for me ― hope you enjoy it too.

Simon Unher; Supervising Editor
I'm a native speaker of Japanese and English. However, I sometimes have trouble getting the words out right away, especially when I'm translating. I always think that learning languages is eternal; if you don't use it, you'll gradually forget it, so I'm convinced that it's something you'll stick with for the rest of your life. I hope you enjoy learning English and don't get discouraged even if things don't go well! Just continue and enjoy! That's the best way to improve your language skills!

★Learn every onomatopoeia in “ONOMATOPIA” with your ears! Audio files are available on the website of TOKYO SHOSEKI CO., LTD.. Each onomatopoeia is recorded in English first, then in Japanese. Keep listening until it rolls off your tongue...and nail it!