I know that there are at least two instances where Heisig specifically mentions not to review from the kanji to the keyword, but I've run into a number of instances where I will see a character I've memorized in context (on a menu, sign, etc.) and fail to remember the keyword meaning, even when I sometimes recognize all the elements. I'm wondering if anyone has had any success in drilling from kanji to keyword as a supplement to the normal review process of keyword to kanji?

I figure that since I have the time to do a little of this and because this site keeps track of which kanji I need to review when, surely, it couldn't hurt?

Has anyone tread this path before me? Anything I should keep in mind or look out for? Has it helped at all?

You shouldn't learn from kanji to keyword but you should review from kanji to keyword, it really does help, I've tried it. If you don't do this, you'll be bad at recognizing kanji compared to someone who studies both sides. I'm not sure if Heisig wants you to not review either, but from personal experience, I have become so much better from doing both sides.

If you use Anki, it is extremely easy to set this up. I would recommend to use save as to create a separate deck. (Don't forget to change your deck sync name)
edit>model properties>cards tab
in question, switch
<a href="http://kanji.koohii.com/study/?framenum=%(text:Heisig number)s">%(Keyword)s</a>
into your answers
and in answers, plop
%(Kanji)s
into questions

EDIT:I just want to be a bit more clear. Learning to write is very important and you should do keyword to kanji and it should be your priority. When you're all caught up in keyword to kanji, then kanji to keyword makes an excellent way to study as well which helps you recognize kanji as you see them in Japanese text.
Kanji to keyword just shouldn't be done alone at least imo

FutureBlues Wrote:Has anyone tread this path before me? Anything I should keep in mind or look out for? Has it helped at all?

Try it.

I think it probably couldn't hurt, but the skill itself seems completely useless to me. I mean, going keyword to kanji teaches you to write the kanji, and carves out a space for them in your brain to facilitate later learning. I can't, however, think of a single situation where seeing a kanji and coming up with Heisig's keyword would be the least bit useful. All in all, I have a nagging suspicion that the reason Heisig advises only going keyword to kanji has less to do with review times and the lack of SRS software when he wrote the book, and more with the fact that it probably isn't that useful of a thing to do.

Mcjon01 Wrote:I can't, however, think of a single situation where seeing a kanji and coming up with Heisig's keyword would be the least bit useful.

It makes looking up kanji really quick and simple. It helps enforce it in general into your head. For instance, If I study kanji to keyword it will help my keyword to kanji. Surely when you finish RTK1 and attempt doing it backwards you don't start from scratch, right? You'll probably recognize maybe 75%
I agree you got to move on to readings though.

I imagine you don't live in Japan if you don't think it can be useful to instantly recognize the meaning in everyday life.

For instance, when you go into a restaurant and see something like: ピーマン肉詰め on the やきとり menu, it helps to know the meaning of that kanji because then you know exactly what you're getting, even if you don't know the reading!

FutureBlues Wrote:I imagine you don't live in Japan if you don't think it can be useful to instantly recognize the meaning in everyday life.

For instance, when you go into a restaurant and see something like: ピーマン肉詰め on the やきとり menu, it helps to know the meaning of that kanji because then you know exactly what you're getting, even if you don't know the reading!

I suppose my problem is that I refuse to acknowledge Heisig's keyword for a kanji as being the "meaning" of that particular kanji, or that kanji have a useful meaning outside of words, in most cases. Besides, most words I've tried to decipher using the Heisig keywords tends to lean towards the hilarious more than the useful. I'd rather use an unknown word as an opportunity to learn a new word.

FutureBlues Wrote:I've run into a number of instances where I will see a character I've memorized in context (on a menu, sign, etc.) and fail to remember the keyword meaning, even when I sometimes recognize all the elements.

You may be encountering kanji not contained in RTK 1. For example, you probably already know the primitive elements in 頃 but it isn't in RTK 1.

I'm talking specifically about kanji I've studied already in RtK. I know there are a good bit of kanji that don't appear in RtK but do appear in real life, but often I have trouble remembering the keyword meaning of kanji that I know I've already studied.

And yes, I consider each of these instances as a learning opportunity (and often carry my 電子辞書 around to exploit that fact) but there are instances where I'm not learning and just want to remember what a given character means so that I don't accidentally order a big piping plate of "frog liver" or what have you.

And what exactly is an "electricity child resign write"?

Mcjon01 Wrote:And what exactly is an "electricity child resign write"?

Electronic Dictionary (Den shi ji sho) I think. Too lazy to look it up right now.

Nukemarine Wrote:

Mcjon01 Wrote:And what exactly is an "electricity child resign write"?

Electronic Dictionary (Den shi ji sho) I think. Too lazy to look it up right now.

Oh, I know, I was simply demonstrating. I like to demonstrate, you see.

lol McJon,
I too am with the camp that says you shouldn't review from kanji to ENGLISH keyword. The point is for those keywords to fade away, I thought. Especially, as McJon has so cleverly pointed out, so many of the keywords won't really help you in the kanji you see daily.
If you have extra time on your hands I would recommend learning a Japanese keyword and reviewing THAT both ways.

EDIT: I meant ENGLISH keyword

Technically, RTK2 advocates Kanji to Keyword reviewing. Although, the kanji are compounds and the keywords are bound up in the translation. It was this recent realization that's going to get me to try out RTK2 via Trinity. Yeah, it's technically learning a vocabulary list, but with a guided purpose of getting on-youmi pronunciation down pat.

I do advocate Kanji to Concept. Rapid recognition of kanji is key to scan reading.

Anyway, I'll post how I end up later.

I dont know about you, but after studying kanji for so long, and after taking about ~3 months to finish RTK here, I'll be eager to get some real japanese with the sentences. Only after some of that I'd consider try reviewing kanji from keyword or RTK2.