There are three types of characters in Japan: Kanji (漢字), Hiragana (平仮名) and Katakana(片仮名) and they are written using different symbols. It is said that Japan is the only country to use three different writing systems.

The origin of Kanji is Chinese.

At the time Japanese did not have an original structured writing system, therefore, they imported the Chinese characters and developed their own writing system over a long period of time. Most kanji are shaped by two parts: rite part and left part, upper part and lower part, inner part and outer part and so on.
It is said that 50,000 kanji exist in modern Japan, but of course, not all characters are in common usage.

1,006 kanji, called ‘educational kanji’ that are the minimal level, are taught during elementally school and in total 2,136 kanji are supposed to be taught until graduation from high school. These 2,136 kanji are categorized as ‘regular-use Chinese characters’ called ‘jōyō kanji’ in Japan. Most general publications such as newspapers, magazines and official documents are composed by Jōyō kanji.

Chinese language and Japanese language are totally different and each Chinese character represents only one syllable therefore the total number of scrolls became big. As a result, Hiragana was developed. Hiragana, simplified the shape of kanji, was supposed to be used by ‘ladies’ hands,’ because it was first used by ladies to write Japanese poems, letters and diaries that were supposed to be women’s hobbies.

Hiragana is a simplification of kanji, on the other hand, Katakana simplified the single part of kanji. Katakana was developed later than hiragana for reading Chinese classics.

As a result of the fact that Japanese characters (especially Kanji) have complicated shapes, high quality stationery has been developed in Japan; pens have to be able to write thin lines, notebooks shouldn't be blotted with ink and correcting tape should be narrow to cover a little part.