Hi,
This is my first post. I am learning Japanese because:
1. I have always been interested in Japanese culture
2. Learning about other languages is fascinating.
3. I like Japanese music (Spitz, Miki Imai,etc) and want to understand the words.
4. My son wants to go to Japan someday and live.

My son and I are just beginning our study. We are using the Pimsleaur Japanese I tapes right now. We both have learned Hiragana. He is ahead of me though. He already knows Katakana and has started learning Kanji. I am just starting on Katakana. We like to watch anime, listen to music, and watch Japanese movies (we watch The Blind Samurai series every week)!
It is sometimes challenging teaching ourselves but we are commited to study every day! It is nice to be able to see how others have learned and to get helpful information so we may improve our study. Glad I found this forum!