I’ve been on a huge retro kick lately, and not just with games, but with pretty much everything from the ‘90s. That was the era when I first got into Japanese anime and video games, and now that my Japanese is at a much higher level, I’ve been really enjoying revisiting things I was interested in as a kid but couldn’t fully appreciate because of the language barrier.

Lately, I’ve been working my way through a bunch of Super Famicom RPGs in Japanese. It’s been a really satisfying way to use the language because I’m not studying from a textbook or forcing myself to read something just for practice. I’m actually using Japanese to enjoy things I’ve wanted to experience for years.

Right now, I’m finishing up a game called Monstania, which is sort of a mix between a tactical RPG and a puzzle game. Personally, I’d argue it’s more of a puzzle game than an RPG, but I won’t get too much into that since this is r/LearnJapanese, haha.

As a game, I think it’s just alright. It’s not really my thing, but I would recommend it to anyone looking for a relatively easy Japanese RPG to play. I’d estimate the Japanese is somewhere around N3, maybe even N4 in places. The dialogue is pretty straightforward, and while there’s a fair amount of it during story scenes, it’s never particularly long or complicated. You might need to look up some vocabulary related to attacks or abilities, but the actual conversations are quite easy to follow.

The game also moves along at a pretty quick pace, and you can apparently finish it in around six hours. I’m taking my time with it, though, and I think I have about 30% left. If you’re looking for something with RPG elements, relatively little dialogue, and approachable Japanese, it might be worth checking out.

I’m also playing Super Mario RPG on the side, which is my tenth Japanese Super Famicom game since starting this little project. The Japanese is fairly easy in that one, too, although there’s considerably more dialogue than in Monstania.

One thing that’s really impressed me about Super Mario RPG is the quality of its writing. Having played nine other Japanese Super Famicom games now, I can confidently say that this one has the best writing of the bunch so far. The dialogue is genuinely funny, the characters have a lot of personality, and there’s a charm to the writing that really comes through in Japanese. It also makes me appreciate how well the original game was localized into English.

Anyway, that’s what I’ve been playing in Japanese lately. It’s been really fun going back to these older games and experiencing them in a way I couldn’t when I was younger. It’s also a nice reminder that one of the best parts of learning a language is eventually being able to use it to enjoy things you genuinely love.

What about you? What games are you playing in Japanese these days?

I was lucky to visit Japan recently and while there I realised I’ve actually never finished a book in Japanese despite being a learner of 5 years. This collection of books is not much but there are a few books I’ve wanted to read for years and some that I bought on impulse because I liked the cover, I’m looking forward to reading them and sharing my experiences along the way

There's currently a musical version of 101 Dalmatians in Tokyo. I was looking at their website, and I noticed something interesting:

In Japanese, one hundred and one is 百一 (hyaku-ichi). But instead of "one hundred and one" or "hyaku-ichi", the Japanese title of the 101 Dalmatians musical uses the reading "one-oh-one", as "ワン オー ワン" (wan ō wan).

And "ワン" (wan) is basically "woof" in Japanese. As in, "The Dalmatian says 'woof.'"

So the Japanese title of the show kind of reads like... "Woof oh Woof Dalmatians." ^_^;

(Yeah, I know; I'm a nerd. I just thought it was cute.)

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Right now, I’m having the most trouble in my studies trying to learn all the different auxiliary verbs. Does anyone know of a good resource to study these from?

This thread is for all the simple questions (what does that mean?) and minor posts that don't need their own thread, as well as for first-time posters who can't create new threads yet. Feel free to share anything on your mind.

The daily thread updates every day at 9am JST, or 0am UTC.

↓ Welcome to r/LearnJapanese! ↓

• New to Japanese? Read the Starter's Guide and FAQ.

• New to the subreddit? Read the rules.

• Read also the pinned comment below for proper question etiquette & answers to common questions!

Please make sure to check the wiki and search for old posts before asking your question, to see if it's already been addressed. Don't forget about Google or sites like Stack Exchange either!

This subreddit is also loosely partnered with this language exchange Discord, which you can likewise join to look for resources, discuss study methods in the #japanese_study channel, ask questions in #japanese_questions, or do language exchange(!) and chat with the Japanese people in the server.

Past Threads

You can find past iterations of this thread by using the search function. Consider browsing the previous day or two for unanswered questions.

Hey Learnjapanese.

I feel like this has been a very hot debate topic, but its the feeling of native speakerism among many learners of many langauges.

But I feel like with the needs of Japanese learners, it can seem a little bit more frank. With some of the behaviors in many spaces and the demands of many, it feels like native speakers are really only preferred.

Please note that i'm writing these posts myself! I am spending a long time putting in effort. The reason why I am using bulletpoints is to make things more precise and easier. I spend 40 min on a post.

A few reasons from my observations. To be honest I sit in a very neutral point. I'll give most of these counter arguments and arguments from what I see.

BY THE WAY, Native speakers in Japanese education (L2 learning), take nearly 80%. Thats a BIG NUMBER.

SOURCE: https://www.jpf.go.jp/e/project/japanese/survey/result/information/dl/all_contents_en.pdf

1. "Perfect Accent" and "Naturalness"

Most of us in this community seems to like to chase perfect accent or "native ish" fluency. When something (like someones japanese) is not in the norm, they are more scolded for their effort even though they are completely understood. I myself got a lot of harassment by other learners in the past.
Plus it is very feared that if non native teachers were to teach Japanese, they would spread bad habits and cause fossizilation.

BUT how would you define a "perfect accent", and what would be defined as "naturalness"? I don't think anyones wrong here.

2) More "authentic", and more like a cultural ambassador

People think that with a native speaker, they can provide very authentic cultural material, and they can be an ambassador or kakehashi. I think that is true, many native speakers I know talked to me about the culture a lot outside of class.

BUT I think thats not always the case. In college language classes teachers are expected to align with the textbook regardless of their fluency or status. College language classes are businesses, and they have to linearly progress students.
I know many teachers who would love to share more about their culture, but they dont have time for it. They have to rely on the textbook just like non natives.

3) Counter Attack to this: Non natives know what it is like to learn the language.

Partially true, while "native speakers" are "native" in their language, they've also gotten through the trouble with learning English especially if they are teaching in America. They can understand the fears of the non native students. So this neutrallizes the argument

-------

So I feel 2 things

1. I feel like if I were to ever teach Japanese as a non native, I would need to be absolutely solid, and superior at the language. With the expectations, an Upper C1 level at minimum i feel like would be needed.
2. If I ever taught in a class, I would prefer my class to be corun. I would be a non native speaker, while I can grab some native speaker volunteers.

I feel like students need really both. Non natives for motivation, grammer or syntaxes or kanjis, while the native can be there for "conversational" fluency.

I've been using the 毎日の聞き取り50日上・下 book with my tutor for listening practice and 6 chapters in, I don't understand a single thing. Every single chapter has unknown words, the speaker is very fast and the periods are long and complicated, naturally.

We tried reverting to some N4 segments but they are a bit easy. I might mess up here and there because listening is my weakest suit but they are still quite easy (Might miss a few words here and there but I will definitely grasp the thing discussed) and it also feels a bit defeating going back.

Any recommendations on how to proceed? I also zone out a lot during practice because the subjects are just so uninteresting and end up losing the entire thing.

I am good at reading and understanding written text N3 but listening feels impossible.

Is it better to go back to N4 until it's 100% (if we assume its around 70-80% right now) and then move onto N3 listening? Or just kinda force it until it sticks?

Does anyone know where I can find japanese subs for the 60's 黄金バット anime? I found subtitles for the live action movie from the 60's but nothing for the anime itself.

I love having to actually use kanji I learn with exercises, reading, writing. Sometimes there's "special" tasks for the specific set of kanji you just learned, like for directions there were maps and you had to write where things were. I feel like no other method comes quite close to this one, feels like I'm finally progressing and I even find it fun! I'm far from done but each time I think about finishing it I feel a bit sad/worried cause not many methods seem to work for me.

Is there a similar workbook? or some kind of resource?

Not mine. Not self promotion. Anthony Fu on X just released this and I thought it was really cool.

It doesn't neccessarily have to be harder, just words that aren't in the earlier Shin Kanzen Master N4-N1 deck. Currently preparing for N1 exam right now and do still come across quite a bit of unknown words.

Making my own Anki deck is a bit out of the way for me, so I would like to ask if anyone in the community has their own "expanded" deck.

Thank you very much.

This thread is for all the simple questions (what does that mean?) and minor posts that don't need their own thread, as well as for first-time posters who can't create new threads yet. Feel free to share anything on your mind.

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For beginners, when they google things like "resources for learning Japanese" or "how long does it take to become good at Japanese" they are met with answers that honestly I feel like would just drain them of any motivation at all. Things like "getting to a comfortable level/N2 or N1 will take thousands upon thousands of hours" or "heres a list of 50 different textbooks and youtubers to watch", doesn't it seem like everyone is really exaggerating the complexity of learning?

While learning a new language is an incredible task, no less Japanese where you have to learn not one, or two, but three whole new scripts, the way people treat it as if its some herculean task seems like its blown way over proportion. Now I myself am not N1, and yes I have had my fair share of difficulties and motivation highs and lows, so while I cant speak from the experience of being fluent or having no issues at all, but being in spaces where I am surrounded by Japanese learners much more experienced than i (shoutout VNCR), getting to a comfortable level isnt as bad as a lot of people make it out to be. Simply just read and watch stuff lol.

Pointing out where the difficulty seems over rated is one thing, but what's another interesting phenomenon is how people love to downplay just how impressive of a milestone N1 is, or even to an extent, the average native speakers abilities. You will see so many people online saying that "N1 is middle school level" or "N1 will barely get you anywhere in Japan" and while I agree with the premise that N1 is really just the starting point, especially when one decides to live in Japan, the concept of trying to minimize someones achievements to saying "yea you think you're good at Japanese? Well, you're only at a 12 year olds level".

やっと金曜日ですね！お疲れ様です！ここに週末の予定について書いてみましょう！

（やっと　きんようびですね！　おつかれさまです！　ここに　しゅうまつの　よていについて　かいてみましょう！）

やっと = finally

週末（しゅうまつ）= weekend

予定（よてい）= plan(s)

～について = about

＊ネイティブスピーカーと上級者のみなさん、添削してください！もちろん参加してもいいですよ！＊

Happy Friday!

Every Friday, share your memes! Your funny videos! Have some Fun! Posts don't need to be so academic while this is in effect. It's recommended you put [Weekend Meme] in the title of your post though. Enjoy your weekend!

(rules applying to hostility, slurs etc. are still in effect... keep it light hearted)

Weekly Thread changes daily at 9:00 JST:

Mondays - Writing Practice

Tuesdays - Study Buddy and Self-Intros

Wednesdays - Materials and Self-Promotions

Thursdays - Victory day, Share your achievements

Fridays - Memes, videos, free talk

I live on the West Coast of the United States and am looking for a Japanese conversation class in Japan that I can take via video conferencing. I've looked around online but couldn't find anything. It was mostly schools that came up. There's always iTalki, but I was looking for a class, not one-on-one.

Anyone have any ideas? Thanks.

Howdy folks,

I've been listening to Fujii Kaze a lot recently and I love the style of his music and its very easy to follow and understand him.

I had the same experience listening to .haku and Monkey Majik. More recently I'm listening to more R&B artists like Toshinobu Kubota. What are some 'smooth' clear vocal artists you'd recommend in the same vein as these 4?

I find I can memorize well while studying with music in the background, but not looking for stuff like ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION - Haruka Kanatahttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJ6A6GC_ki4 although I love that type of music, for studying I need mellow options lol

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ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION - Haruka Kanata

Hello Kanji Reddit

My name is S111117 and this October on the 18th, I am goiing to be retaking my Kanji Kentei 2 exam!

Many people have asked if I passed this test, the answer is yes, I did do that last year,

BUT this time I am taking it for fun and for a better score. I only passed with a 160 last year, so I am aiming for a better score.
I have studied, analyzed contents from Kanji Kentei 10-2, and particiularily kanji kentei 2 for a very long time, and these are some of the conclusions, thoughts and feeings I can make after studying for so long. My Kanji Kentei 2 studies will probably end after I take the test, and i'll move on.

I will give very deep insight on the Kanji Kentei 2, and I invite other people who attemped the level to share experiences. I will make it short, and easy so everyone can understand.

--------

1. It isnt really mostly on hou study, it's on how much you study.

The Kanji Kentei doesnt just require japanese ability, but requires absolute brute memorization. Especially for non native speakers. You must have the ability to write all 2136 characters correctly, use them in context and sentences appropirately, and memorize patterns.

People have told me it has taken them months of study and memorization of vocab and yojis to pass. For me, it took 7 months to get my first one. It's insane and brute memorization along with actual japanese abilities such as reading.

2) Some of your friends will fail 2kyuu, or you, and its completely ok.

2 friends of mine fell very short on the test. One by 2 pts one by 5. When they were telling me about their experience in the test, they were sharing their regrets on what they were getting wrong Plus the pass bar is higher by 15-20 pts so examinees are demanded more skill.

The reason why people fail is not content knowledge, but its the lack of stamina or quality of your characters. 2kyuu itself, writing sections on the test cover 50%+ of the final score.

-------------------

Hard sections in my opinion on 2kyuu and my thoughts.

誤字訂正 and 熟語構成: This section demands more of your japanese ability.

For 誤字訂正 you need to read a text and find error in the text and correct it. You need to know vocabulary as well. There is no partial credit, so you need to complete the entire problem. 熟語構成 asks you about composure of Japanese words, so you must understand kanji meanings, and how they connect. For example 巧拙 is opposite meanings so you would select イ.

What I found very helpful was putting everything through kunyomi. You would consider 上棟 to be エ because as a 目的語, you can assume 棟を上げる.

同音同訓語: Unlike j2k, you need to write the entire word out. You need to read the sentence and find out which is best in context**. But what is the harder thing about this is that theres so many possible questions and answers that can appear on the test.** Like 「かんしょう」 itself has 5 very possible answers.

読み and 書取り and 四字熟語 are easy to me, these type of problems frequently appear in question books but the hononym part (同音同訓語) is more sparce.

-------------

Books: I tried many Japanese books and sites for kanken, and I can have a sense of which is very good and not very good. (No DS game though!)

BAD SOURCES: Kanken Step (shocking), kanken jitenon, and this verision 頻出度順 (hinshutsudojyun)

The main deficient point of these is that they give you content that will rarely come out on the real test. They are good for testing your kanji, or aiming for a rly good score but this should not be your priority. Also the 頻出度順 here does not give appropriate questions that will appear on the test at all.

GOOD SOURCES: Kanken's books themselves (outside of step), takashi shoten's version of the 頻出度順, mock tests from kanken and oubunsha.

Compared to the real test, i found many of these books to accurately analyze kanken's patterns on the test.

------

My 2 recommendations for kanken studying

1. Write on paper, not digital: Writing on digital is a little bit messy, and characters you write digitally would be acccepted despite it not being okay on the paper exam. You could write 渉 sloppy and still get that as a search, but it would not look good in writing.
2. Register early, don't wait last minute: The more quicker you register, the more you'll feel locked . You will know you will challenge that level, so you can go into study stuff immediately. Do not study last minute. Kanken is a heavy memorization test, so you want more time to memorize and lock in.
3. Mock tests are your savior: Dig in as much mock tests as needed. Do it either on a blank paper, or on an answer sheet printed. Try to mimic the test conditions as much as posssible.

So to those taking, retaking the test on the 18th, GOOD LUCK. Keep on practicing. That's it, i'm ready to be done.

This thread is for all the simple questions (what does that mean?) and minor posts that don't need their own thread, as well as for first-time posters who can't create new threads yet. Feel free to share anything on your mind.

The daily thread updates every day at 9am JST, or 0am UTC.

↓ Welcome to r/LearnJapanese! ↓

• New to Japanese? Read the Starter's Guide and FAQ.

• New to the subreddit? Read the rules.

• Read also the pinned comment below for proper question etiquette & answers to common questions!

Please make sure to check the wiki and search for old posts before asking your question, to see if it's already been addressed. Don't forget about Google or sites like Stack Exchange either!

This subreddit is also loosely partnered with this language exchange Discord, which you can likewise join to look for resources, discuss study methods in the #japanese_study channel, ask questions in #japanese_questions, or do language exchange(!) and chat with the Japanese people in the server.

Past Threads

You can find past iterations of this thread by using the search function. Consider browsing the previous day or two for unanswered questions.

Happy Thursday!

Every Thursday, come here to share your progress! Get to a high level in Wanikani? Complete a course? Finish Genki 1? Tell us about it here! Feel yourself falling off the wagon? Tell us about it here and let us lift you back up!

Weekly Thread changes daily at 9:00 JST:

Mondays - Writing Practice

Tuesdays - Study Buddy and Self-Intros

Wednesdays - Materials and Self-Promotions

Thursdays - Victory day, Share your achievements

Fridays - Memes, videos, free talk

When you first started reading Japanese, did you want furigana (the small kana next to kanji to show how they're read) on everything?

How about now? Do you still like having it, or do you find it distracting?

Has your preference changed as you've gotten better at Japanese, or has it stayed the same?

If you want to read 26 volumes of manga in the next year, you only need to read about half a chapter a day.
Most manga volumes have 6 or 7 chapters, so you'll finish a volume every other week.

Setting readily achievable goals are:
1) really good for consistency long-term
2) good for self-esteem (bonus!)

As a busy person with family + job, this seems like a pretty good long-term immersion method.
Sure, it's not perfect, but at least I can coast along doing something I enjoy.

Any other busy people have similar daily goals?