Japanese Sign Languages (JSL, 日本手話 nihon shuwa) are the various sign languages most commonly used in Japan by 95% of the deaf comuminty. There is no single standardized form, although the sign language used in the Kanto area has a certain dominance over other forms, especially as it is in this dialect that news reports on television are often signed. The various dialects are generally mutually intelligible, however there is much greater variation than among American Sign Language. Like other sign languages it is not directly related to spoken Japanese.

There is little knowledge about sign language and the deaf community during the Edo period and before. In 1862, the Edo government dispatched envoys to various European schools for the deaf. However, the first school for the deaf wasn't established until 1878 in Kyōto, and it wasn't until 1948 that deaf children were required to attend formal education.

JSL makes much greater use of mouthing (saying a word with or without making a sound) to disambiguate various signs. Fingerspelling (see JSL syllabary) was introduced from America in the early part of the twentieth century and isn't used as much as in the USA. Finger writing (tracing Japanese characters in the air) is sometimes used. There is a system associating the Kanji with particular signs, which is used for places and personal names.

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Japanese Sign Language - Twitter Search

Having lunch with my cousins from NY. Wishing I took sign language instead of spanish and japanese. It would really help me today.
TakeoRey (TakeoRey) Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:01:36 -0000
Having lunch with my cousins from NY. Wishing I took sign language instead of spanish and japanese. It would really help me today.
@jenniferh2525 Dang! we only have French, Italian, Spanish, Japanese, and sign language taught @ pierce
alyandajfanatic (Shannon.) Wed, 04 Nov 2009 06:34:57 -0000
@jenniferh2525 Dang! we only have French, Italian, Spanish, Japanese, and sign language taught @ pierce
Great YouTube channel for learning 手話 - Japanese Sign Language: http://bit.ly/2jg0gV Check out ShuwaIsland~
locomote (Philip Cotsford) Tue, 03 Nov 2009 08:53:07 -0000
Great YouTube channel for learning 手話 - Japanese Sign Language: http://bit.ly/2jg0gV Check out ShuwaIsland~
@rxtmr to a foreign ghost (japanese): i-dont-understand. please-speak-english.
jeprux (Jan Patrick Sunglao) Mon, 02 Nov 2009 00:37:19 -0000
@rxtmr to a foreign ghost (japanese): <doin make up sign language> i-dont-understand. please-speak-english.
@seinime Nothing. I hate that fact. If I could go back in time, I would convince my past self to pick up cello, Japanese and sign language.
magicalhachiko (Hachi ☆) Mon, 02 Nov 2009 00:34:14 -0000
@seinime Nothing. I hate that fact. If I could go back in time, I would convince my past self to pick up cello, Japanese and sign language.
Where Is Japanese Sign Language In Website?: I wanna learn about it! Can you give me WEBSITE VIDEO AND LESSON! .. http://bit.ly/2nZwXA
blogtoblog (blogblog) Sat, 31 Oct 2009 18:30:46 -0000
Where Is Japanese Sign Language In Website?: I wanna learn about it! Can you give me WEBSITE VIDEO AND LESSON! .. http://bit.ly/2nZwXA

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