My kana (Hiragana and Katakana) handwriting as of Wednesday 19th 2009. I have managed to swap ら and り (third column from the left, top two characters), and I’ve only written the Katakana (bottom group) that I know so far.
These are charts of all the kana (well, minus the ones I don’t know), in the equivalent of alphabetical order. Down the right are the vowels – a, i, u, e, o. Then each column has the same vowel with a different consonent. So reading the top row right-to-left gets you: a, ka, sa, ta, na, ha, ma, ya, ra (or “ri”, given my lapse in concentration), and wa. And then there’s ん – “n” – all on it’s own at the end – it’s the only consonant that isn’t followed by a vowel.
I suppose this isn’t so bad, given I’ve only been at this for a month or so. But I do wish it looked a little prettier. And I hate the way my か and カ come out. Perhaps in time.
Tags: calligraphy, diary, hiragana, japanese, kana, katakana

Well, I think you’re really doing well. This is not just an indulgent parent speaking — I know a little about it. I’ve now forgotten all my Japanese, but when I did it at University in The Olden Days my calligraphy was such that the teacher asked me to write all the translation exercises for the class — because his Japanese handwriting was so bad. That not only gave me an extra day to work on the translations myself, but some authority to comment on your letter-forms: your writing is, already, much superior to that of my Japanese Japanese teacher.
Hey there slacker-san I write you from sunny Mexico, where I live and study Japanese,
I really enjoy and I had the same problem you have I hated my ? , with a passion, didn’t care for the bugger that is until today, my strokes seamed too forced specially the first one. I was writing, faster than normal and as I approached the first stroke I let my wrist fly and the result was pregnant looking ? .
The most kick ass looking ? that I have ever written. So give it a go and see what happens.
Hopefully you’ll be as happy with the result as I was
The first stroke look like a ‘tsu’ ? but with a slightly longer upper arm.
The second stroke straight down with a slightly angle starting from right to left.
And the last one I also do a straight line.
The end result is a beautiful, healthy looking piece of hiragana
The new and improved ? .
Tell me what you think.