What are the differences between Japanese dialects?

There is a main distinction between the different Japanese dialects. They are divided into two major types: the Tokyo-type (東京式/とうきょうしき) and the Kyoto-Osaka type (京阪式/けいはんしき). As you can probably guess, it is a division based on the northern and the southern dialects.

Why are Japanese dialects so different?

The variety of Japanese dialects developed markedly during the Early Modern Japanese era (Edo period) because many feudal lords restricted the movement of people to and from other fiefs. Some isoglosses agree with old borders of han, especially in Tohoku and Kyushu.

How many Japanese dialects are there?

Some people say there as many Japanese dialects as there are prefectures (that’s forty-seven). Others say sixteen. Leading Japanese linguists down the years have created various methods of classification: Misao Tōjō claimed there were three groups – Eastern, Western and Kyushu.

What are the different Japanese languages?

The Japanese writing system consists of three different character sets: kanji (several thousands of Chinese characters), and hiragana and katakana (two syllabaries of 46 characters each; together called kana). Japanese texts can be written in two ways: In Western style, i.e. in horizontal rows from the top to the …

Can Japanese people understand different dialects?

Can all Japanese people understand each other’s languages and accents? – Quora. The answer is no. Kagoshima prefecture is the far south-west of Japan and the people there speak 鹿児島弁（かごしまべん）Kagoshima dialect. It’s very difficult to understand even we have the same nationalities.

What dialect of Japanese is spoken in Tokyo?

Tokyo dialect (Tōkyō hōgen, Tōkyō-ben, Tōkyō-go (東京方言, 東京弁, 東京語)) is a variety of Japanese language spoken in modern Tokyo. It is usually considered to be Standard Japanese, but there are some Tokyo-specific jargon and accent which are different in a number of areas and social classes.

What is the main dialect in Japan?

The most widely spoken language in Japan is Japanese, which is separated into several dialects with Tokyo dialect considered standard Japanese. In addition to the Japanese language, Ryukyuan languages are spoken in Okinawa and parts of Kagoshima in the Ryukyu Islands.