1000 years ago hiragana and katakana were created.―平仮名(ひらがな)･片仮名(かたかな)のできかた。

十二単（じゅうにひとえ）: The kimono 着物（きもの）which aristocrats wore in Heian Period 平安時代（へいあんじだい）.

Kanji 漢字(かんじ) were originally the letters of China 中国(ちゅうごく). The ancient Japanese began to use kanji for writing the Japanese language. They borrowed kanji sound, with no respect to their meanings, so that they could write down the Japanese language.

出雲（いずも）の海（うみ）: It is said that gods come from here.

For example, they wrote 宇美(うみ) for the ocean 海(うみ); 左散難(さざな)弥(み) for ripple さざ波(なみ). This is the origin of the Japanese alphabet 仮名(かな). They called such kanjis as were applied for the Japanese ‘manyoh gana’ 万葉仮名(まんようがな).

湯河原（ゆがわら）の万葉公園（まんようこうえん）: Manhoh Park in Yugawara, Kanagawa Prefecture.

「仮(かり)」 means ‘provisional,’ ‘tentative,’ or ‘probationary.’ So 仮名(かな) originally means ‘names used for the time being.’

The word 万葉(まんよう) is from 万葉集(まんようしゅう). It is the oldest collection of poetry in Japan, which was compiled in the 8th century―in the end of Nara Period 奈良時代(ならじだい) (710-794).

The word 万葉仮名(まんようがな) came from 万葉集(まんようしゅう) because 万葉仮名(まんようがな) were used in 万葉集(まんようしゅう).

As time goes by, 万葉仮名(まんようがな) were so simplified that people could write quickly and easily. This was the time when 「平仮名(ひらがな)」were coined.

The name of the new period 令和（れいわ）is taken from 万葉集（まんようしゅう）.

平仮名 were also called 女(おんな)文字(もじ). When 平仮名(ひらがな) were created in Heian Period 平安(へいあん)時代(じだい) (794-1185 (or 1192)), they were mainly used by women. The women in those days created many stories 物語(ものがたり) and diaries 日記(にっき) by 平仮名(ひらがな).

It is said that 片仮名(かたかな) were coined by Buddhist monks in 平安(へいあん)時代(じだい). The Buddhist scriptures which they read were written in classical Chinese 漢文(かんぶん).

They wrote down interpretations 訓(くん) or meanings 意味(いみ) beside 漢文(かんぶん) for their reference so that they could read easily. This was when 片仮名(かたかな) were created. Many 片仮名(かたかな) were made of part of 漢字(かんじ). Actually 片(へん) means ‘piece’ or ‘half.’

宇治（うじ）の平等院（びょうどういん）was built in the 11th century.

Do you realize that hiragana are mostly made of curves; katakana straight lines and angles? Hiragana give us SOFT, GENTLE impression; Katakana SHARP, HARD.

These characteristics might be because hiragana were made by women; katakana by men.

Now katakana are used for words imported from overseas. But it's only been recently.

How were hiragana created?

平仮名(ひらがな)のできかた

安→あ 　　以→い　　 宇→う　　 衣→え　　 (於)→お

加→か 　　幾→き 　　久→く　 　計→け　 　己→こ

左→さ 　　之→し　 　寸→す 　　世→せ　 　曽→そ

太→た　 　知→ち　 　川→つ 　　天→て　 　止→と

奈→な 　　仁→に 　　奴→ぬ 　　祢→ね 　　乃→の

波→は 　　比→ひ 　　不→ふ 　　部→へ 　　保→ほ

末→ま 　　美→み 　　武→む 　　女→め 　　毛→も

也→や 　　　　　　 　由→ゆ 　 　　　　　　与→よ

良→ら 　　利→り 　　留→る 　　礼→れ 　　呂→ろ

和→わ 　　為→ゐ　 　恵→ゑ 　　遠→を　 　无→ん

How were katakana created?

片仮名(かたかな)のできかた

阿→ア 　　伊→イ 　　宇→ウ 　　江→エ　 　(於)→オ

加→カ 　　幾→キ　 　久→ク　 　介→ケ　 　己→コ

散→サ 　　之→シ 　　須→ス　 　世→セ 　　曽→ソ

多→タ 　　千→チ 　　川→ツ 　　天→テ　　 止→ト

奈→ナ 　　仁→ニ　 　奴→ヌ　 　祢→ネ　 　乃→ノ

八→ハ　 　比→ヒ　 　不→フ　 　部→ヘ　 　保→ホ

万→マ　 　三→ミ　 　牟→ム　 　女→メ　 　毛→モ

也→ヤ 　　　　 由→ユ　　 　 與→ヨ

良→ラ 　　利→リ 　　流→ル 　　礼→レ　 　呂→ロ

和→ワ　 　井→ヰ 　　恵→ヱ　 　乎→ヲ 　　尓→ん