[N3] 日本の都市の落書き（らくがき）

落書(らくが)き means scribble, doodle or graffiti. In Japan, too, there are graffiti artists who have left their marks here and there. In this text by writing team ニコール and ソフィ you will be introduced to a few places in Japan where graffiti art can be found. The text is part of the Smith College’s Tadoku Project.

Graffiti in Japan was truly something I hadn’t thought much about before reading this. The text does a good job of shining a spotlight on this street culture, while also reflecting the relationship of art and vandalism.

As a piece of argumentative writing, one challenge for readers with N3 abilities will be grammar, however, the main challenge here lies in vocabulary.

As the vocabulary in this text is more advanced and also the pictures don’t help much with understanding, I’ve put together a vocabulary list for you. Please have a look before you start reading.

標識(ひょうしき) = sign, mark)
= =()印象(いんしょう) = impression
((()違法(いほう) = illegal
法律(ほうりつ)を無視(むし)して = disregarding the law
破壊行為(はかいこうい) = destructive behaviour
古代人(こだいじん) = ancient people
洞窟(どうくつ) = cavern, cave
発展(はってん) = development, progression
(((絵(え)の具(ぐ) = paint, colors/colours to paint with)()絵(え)の具(ぐ) = paint, colors/colours to paint with
壁画(へきが) = mural, wall painting妖怪(ようかい) = Yōkai (japanese folklore; type of ghost)
壁画(へきが) = mural, wall painting
()創造性(そうぞうせい) = creativity
特殊(とくしゅ) = special, particular, unique