SE
セ, like the hiragana せ, could have a small letter “e” CEntered on it almost perfectly.
SO
ソ is like a SOft cushion.
TA
タ looks like it’s time (タイ ム or TAimu in katakana) for the moon to come out from behind the clouds.
CHI
チ is like a CHEErleader performing.
TSU
ツ is a series of downward “OO” sounds written in romaji as u and U.
TE
テ is a table (read TEble), similar to the hiragana て.
TO
ト is the shape of a divining rod and in ancient China, TOrtoise shells were used to divine the future.
NA
ナ is like a nice (NAice) girl in the middle of a curtsey.
NI
ニ is the same as the kanji for 2 and shares its the pronunciation.
NU
ヌ looks like the string and tag for a NEW bottle of sake.
NE
ネ is like the head and antlers of a sacred deer, stretching his NEck.
NO
ノ is one stroke finished as another is about to be made for an ‘X’ to signify NO.
HA
ハ is the same as the kanji for 8, HAchi, and has the same pronunciation as its first syllable.
HI
ヒ is like a ladle of coffee (koHIin Japanese) just pulled from the HEAt.
FU
フ is like a scarF protecting you from sneezes like you find in hiragana ふ.
HE
ヘ, like the hiragana へ, is one HEck of a hill.
HO
ホ is the first sound in HOtto, the Japanese word for hot, and the way the Japanese like their tea.
MA
マ is like I am pointing my thumb to myself (MAi is the Japanese pronunciation of “my”).
MI
ミ is three things lined up which would be counted in Japanese as MIttsu (三つ).
MU
ム is a person pointing to himself as if using the French word to ask “MUa?”
ME
メ is the first sound of the word MExico and looks a bit like the letter X.
MO
モ is similar to hiragana も, but the notch line for one MO’ fish is a bit higher up the hook.
YA
ヤ is like a ball of YArn and two knitting needles.
YU
ユ sounds like the letter “U”, and looks like a “U” flipped over and lying on its side.
YO
ヨ is like a good comb to use on YOur hair.
RA
ラ is the RA in zebRA.
RI
リ is the same in katakana as in hiragana!
RU
ル is for a ROUte change that you might not see if you are driving too fast.
RE
レ is a REba– (the Japanese word for “lever”) on a wall, waiting to be pulled.
RO
ロ has a sound that is almost like the English “RO”, as in ROll.
WA
ワ looks like a windshield wiper (WAipa in Japanese).
O
ヲ is a rare character you might only see if you sail Over the sea in a boat.