Tokoro Review

Reviewed by Klaus Ganser

Overview -

You've put together what looks like a very useful, very intuitive site for learning Japanese language and culture.  I like the approach that you've taken in melding the two, and I think that your insight as a student and teacher of Japanese makes your website stand out among other Japanese language tutorials one might find on the web.

Design -

I'm sure you would agree that the design of your web site is an important feature if you're to set the mood that your audience would expect from a site which offers a look at the culture of Japan.  I'm glad to see that you've put a lot of thought into this, and that you've come up with a pleasant aesthetic for your site.  There is, however, a more functional side to designing a website, by which I mean taking into account ease of navigation.  Specifically, I'm referring to the fact that your header image takes up most of the screen on a standard 1024x768 monitor and would take up all of the screen on an 800x600 monitor.  This is a relatively simple fix.  Generally what is done is to have the large header image only appear on the home page, and to have a shorter, less obtrusive header on all other pages.  This would significantly cut down on the amount of scrolling that your visitors would have to do as they navigate your pages.

Also on the topic of navigation, I've noticed that your lesson pages are split into paragraphs with bold headings "An Introduction...," "Test Yourself," "Flash Cards," etc.  I like that you've organized these pages in this way, and I hope that you will keep headings consistent across lessons wherever possible.  One suggestion, however, is to also provide anchor links at the top of each lesson from an outline of that lesson.  That is, make a mini table of contents for each lesson page at the top.  Although lessons are probably best read in their entirety from top to bottom, this would make it easier for anybody who wants to navigate otherwise.  Also, I love the idea of the "Tip" icons.

Concept -

I get the impression that your lesson pages are inspired by the textbook format.  They involve a good amount of prose, and I'm sure this is the most effective way to teach foreign languages to people who are just getting started.  Your "Tip" icon feature is especially reminiscent of the textbook format, though your lessons certainly do take advantage of the multimedia capabilities of the internet.  Are there any other ways you can take advantage of what the internet affords you in this?  If you make a dynamic quiz which uses Javascript or CGI to process results on the fly, this would be a great addition.  (It looks like you were planning to do this).  Also, think about the potential for a discussion forum or wiki pages integrated to the site.  What would be the benefits and disadvantages of this?