Nihongo Master Podcast

I recently had the pleasure to be a guest on the Nihongo Master podcast to talk about spring in Japan, one of my favourite topics. 

Nihongo Master is a fantastic Japanese learning website that helps you study Japanese in a fun and interactive way. The e-learning site focuses on helping learners at every level master the Japanese language. 

They have their own YouTube channel and a popular podcast, so you can learn about the Japanese language and culture on the go. 

During my chat with host, Azra, we talked about a wide range of springtime topics including about my experience with spring in Japan, spring in my home of Gifu in central Japan, my tips and advice for anyone looking to travel to Japan in spring, and the best spots to see the cherry blossoms in the Chubu area of Japan. 

You can check out the podcast episode on the following link Nihongo Master S11E9: Wrap Up Japanese Spring with John from Japan Australia! 

If you are looking to learn Japanese, or just need some extra motivation in order to study, give Nihongo Master a try.

Study Japanese with Nihongo Master

I have been studying Japanese for over 20 years now and in my time, I have discovered a lot of helpful books, amazing websites, and useful applications to make that studying process that little bit more fun and engaging.

The biggest challenge for me has always been trying to stay motivated when being bogged down in all the books. I truly believe that one of the best ways to stay motivated is by having fun with the language. After all, you are more likely to remember something and retain it if you are enjoying the study process while having a blast.

I am also a very competitive person and like to test myself by setting goals, whether that be an upcoming Japanese test, or simply beating my friends in Japanese.

One of the best resources that I have found for studying Japanese is Nihongo Master, a fantastic Japanese learning website to help you study Japanese in a fun and easy way.

Here are a few reasons why I like Nihongo Master:

The curriculum has been designed by native Japanese instructors, so you know that you are getting the best Japanese possible. People new to the Japanese language, can start with the introductory lessons to learn the basics of reading, writing and speaking Japanese. There are hundreds of lessons for all levels of language learners from beginners to advanced.

The audio is also produced by native Japanese speakers, which is perfect to get your pronunciation just right and sounding natural. You can listen to the correct pronunciation from the audio, then use the microphone button to record your own pronunciation of the word or sentence and compare it to the native speaker by playing back your voice. It is a really cool way to improve your pronunciation. I found it really useful for nailing those hard to say words or phrases. 

The drill system helps you learn new words and Kanji quickly and simply. The study drills use spaced repetition (SRS), a learning technique that involves reviewing and recalling information at optimal spacing intervals until the information is learned at a sufficient level. This method of learning has been proved to accelerate your mastery of vocabulary. 

The drills allow you to learn in the fastest way possible. As your studying accelerates new drills unlock. The learning is also supported by periodic quizzes, a key to help challenge and motivate your language acquisition. 

One of the best features for me is the Kanji look-up dictionary. This dictionary contains over 150,000 words and 13,000 kanji and is a great tool to look up Japanese words, or English words to find the correct Japanese equivalent.

Users can also print and customize handy character practice sheets and study word lists.

The site is set up like a competition with points and achievements making it challenging as well as highly motivating. As you take the drills and quizzes, you score points based on how well you do. Earn enough points and you will soon move up to the next level.

One of the extra benefits of using Nihongo Master for me is the fantastic community of friendly Japanese language students on the website. There are other Japanese learners there who are always willing to help and answer any questions that you may have.

The website also has a blog, which is useful for anyone looking for how-to articles, Japanese cultural tips, Japanese language lessons and much more.

They have some really interesting articles on learning Japanese such as “How to Shorten the Time to Learn Japanese” and “Top 10 Japanese Animal Noises you should learn right now!”

Nihongo Master also have their own YouTube channel and a popular podcast to help you learn Japanese on the go.

If you are looking to learn Japanese, improve your current Japanese level, or simply just need some extra motivation like me, Nihongo Master is the right tool for you.

Learn Japanese at Home

One thing that being stuck at home has been able to improve is my Japanese ability. I’ve found a lot more time recently to hit the books again and to get back into the grove of studying Japanese.

Japanese is not too difficult to learn, but it does take a lot of motivation and practice to successfully learn the language.

Studying at home is an easy option that you can do in the comfort of your own home. In this post, I’m going to highlight some great tools and self-study books for learning Japanese.

Self-Study Books 

Japanese from Zero! 

A great book for current students of Japanese, or absolute beginners of the language is Japanese from Zero! This innovative and integrated approach was developed by a professional Japanese interpreter and refined over the years by testing in classrooms throughout the world. Using up-to-date and easy-to-grasp grammar, readers are taught new grammar concepts, over 800 new words and expressions, and learn the hiragana writing system.

See Japanese from Zero! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Japanese for Busy People 

If you don’t have a lot of time to study with a full work schedule, check out Japanese for Busy People. This series of beginner-friendly books is one of the most popular Japanese language textbooks in the world. The first of the three volumes introduces “survival Japanese” – teaching you the absolute minimum amount of Japanese needed to live in Japan. A great feature are the notes on Japanese culture which expand your understanding of Japan, its customs and people.

See Japanese for Busy People 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Japanese Demystified 

Struggling to learn Japanese with your current textbook? Maybe you need a change of approach with Japanese Demystified. This step-by-step Japanese textbook will take the mystery and menace out of learning the language and will replace them with an unintimidating approach to speaking, reading and writing. Each chapter has a clear objective with hundreds of quiz and test questions to help you learn basic grammar structures and verb tenses, pronunciation, essential vocabulary, and how to communicate with confidence.

See Japanese Demystified

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Genki 

The highly acclaimed GENKI series of integrated resources for learning elementary Japanese focus on a well-balanced approach to learning all four language skill areas of speaking, listening, reading and writing. This is a favourite textbook of many Japanese language courses around the world, and it is easy to see why with interesting stories and illustrations. This book is perfect for anyone studying for level N5 of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT).

See GENKI 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tools for Learning Japanese 

Japanese 

This application is the ultimate study companion for anyone learning Japanese on the go. The Japanese search engine has over 175,000 words and 58,000 example sentences. You can create and customize flashcard lists and practice them, learn kanji for the JLPT, learn how to write hiragana and katakana, practice your pronunciation skills, and much more.

See Japanese

StickyStudy 

The perfect application for improving your kanji skills is StickyStudy which allows you to customize a learning plan that suits your way of learning Japanese. You can decide how you want to learn Japanese by studying kanji and vocabulary by level for the JLPT, or just learning kanji, hiragana and katakana the same way that Japanese children study at school.

See StickyStudy

That's all from me. If you have any great suggestions for resources that you use to study Japanese, please feel free to leave a comment below in the comment section.

Go! Go! Nihon

Go! Go! Nihon is a FREE service that specializes in helping foreigners live and study Japanese in Japan. Their website provides you with support to find the perfect Japanese language school for you with a simple application process to apply to the school and organize a student visa. This support and service does not cost you a thing! It is totally FREE. 


They take the stress and hassle out of looking for accommodation and enrolling in a school, which leaves you with the joy of studying Japanese in Japan, a life-changing experience.

Go! Go! Nihon have helped nearly 8,000 people from more than 70 countries around the world come to study in The Land of the Rising Sun.

A Brief History of Go! Go! Nihon 

Go! Go! Nihon was born in 2009 out an idea of making living and studying in Japan as easy as possible. The founders studied Japanese in Japan themselves, but found it pretty difficult to make the big move. In 2010, they launched their website and service with English, Italian and Swedish language support. The service was an instant hit with Spanish being added in 2013. In 2015, French and German language support was added and their achieved a significant milestone of helping 1,000 students study and live in Japan. The Southeast Asian market was looked at in 2016 with the addition of Indonesian language support. Over the last few years, they have added new services to support students such as SIM card and Wifi, as well as launching their first mobile app.

Their mission is to improve people’s lives and broaden their horizons by helping them experience studying and living in Japan.

Go! Go! Nihon Group Photo

Why Choose Go! Go! Nihon? 

It is simply really. The staff at Go! Go! Nihon are former language students who have studied abroad in Japan and now use their extensive insider knowledge to help you. They understand the processes involved and can offer advice on exactly what you need to know to make your life easier. Go! Go! Nihon offer support in finding the right school for you as well as advice on living and surviving in Japan. This support comes in your native language with help in the challenges of living abroad such as finding accommodation, Wifi, and SIM card deals.

Go! Go! Nihon Office Photo

 

What Can Go! Go! Nihon Help You With? 

There are many things that Go! Go! Nihon provide support with. These include:

Schools – a variety of schools across Japan to ensure that you find the best choice for you.

Accommodation – a range of accommodation in each of the cities that have schools from dorms and share houses to private accommodation.

Wifi/SIM Card – easy access to Wifi and SIM card deals with discounts from Japanese companies.

Bank Account – advise on how to pick the best bank account for you and how to set it up.

Residence Card – guide you through the process of obtaining a residence card if you are studying long term.

Orientation – help you settle into your new surroundings by meeting other students and locals.

Work in Japan – help to look for a part-time or full-time job in Japan to help support yourself.

For more information about Go! Go! Nihon, visit the Go! Go! Nihon Website

Students at Go! Go! Nihon

 

Simor Intellectual Network

Simor is a great tool for you to connect with native and non native Japanese speakers. It allows you to connect with like-minded people from all over the world. In Simor rooms, you can find a Japanese room where people instantly share their interests, questions, answers and thoughts on Japanese culture, language, food, cities, and more.

What is Simor? 

Simor is an online intellectual network located at Simor.org. Registration and all the services that the Simor team provides are forever free and there is no premium account. You connect for free and share for free with people who have the same interest as you. It is really easy to connect to the network via either your Facebook or Linkedin account.

The platform allows you to build a network of intellectual peers across various topics that interest you, including Japanese. You can add friends and colleagues to your network and follow them as they post, questions and answers.The Japanese room allows you to connect with native speakers or others learning the language. The rooms are a lot of fun and are both informative and interactive.

Sharing with like minded ones

It is easy to log into the Japanese room and find new people who have a love for Japanese culture, language, food, etc. An innovative chat room instantly connects you efficiently to new people and your favourite content.

Smart Profile

Unlike other social networks where "About" is age, gender, or nationality related, on Simor, "About" is your knowledge on different subjects. Creating your profile is quick and easy and it is fun to discover all the different rooms available that interest you.

Simor has launched into the top 50 universities in the USA and starting today (October 1st, 2016) it gives access to Facebook and Linkedin users.

Share your brilliance with the world at Simor.org

Learn Japanese with Nihongo Master

Nihongo Master is a fantastic Japanese language learning website to help you learn Japanese.

The biggest challenge for me in learning Japanese was trying to stay motivated with my studies. One of the best ways I found to stay motivated is to learn while having fun. You are more likely to learn something and retain it after all if you are enjoying it and having fun. I also found that having a competitive nature behind my studies whether that be an upcoming Japanese test that I wanted to pass, or simply beating my friends in Japanese also helped me stay more motivated.

The Nihongo Master website is all about fun and provides fun interesting lessons and tools that are adaptive and change according to the needs of the learner. The learning system is not dull and boring like a lot of Japanese textbooks can be, but engaging and fun. The easy to follow lessons teach you how to read, write, and speak Japanese with ease.

The site is set up like a competition with rewards and points for the user. This makes it challenging as well as highly motivating. You can test your Japanese skills by completing drills and exercises with your progress recorded by the site and posted on leader-boards. You can celebrate milestones as well as trying to match or beat the progress of your friends or other community users.

The website also has a great community behind it, which means you have other Japanese learners there who are always willing to help. This is great for exchanging ideas or simply asking questions.

If you are looking to learn Japanese, improve your Japanese level or just needs some extra incentive and motivation to get back into the language, definitely give Nihongo Master a try.

Tamagoyaki Recipe (Japanese style Omelette)

This Month’s Easy to Cook Japanese Recipe is Tamagoyaki, which is a Japanese style sweet omelette. In Japan, it is usually served as a side dish to breakfast, but it is a great side dish for any meal.

Tamagoyaki Recipe

Japanese Ice Bra

Japan’s hot and humid summers have led to many great ideas and inventions to try and stay cool and beat the summer heat. Last summer it was the Air Conditioned Jacket.

The latest is a bra with built in ice packs that promises to keep women cool this summer. The ice bra from underwear firm Triumph Japan dubbed the “Super Cool Bra” was unveiled on Wednesday. The bra features a pair of small fish tanks encompassing the breasts, a traditional Japanese wind chime and a mint leaf.

How does it all work?

Speed Up by Kara

This week's Japanese Song of the Week is Speed Up by Kara, which has debuted at number 2 on the Japanese Jpop Oricon charts.

Kara is a girl group from Korea formed in 2007. The current five-member band made their debut in Japan in 2010 and have had a string of hits.

Read more about KARA

This is the group's 6th single in Japan and is very upbeat and sexy.

Japanese Song of the Week Makeoshimi Congratulations by SDN48

This week's Japanese Song of the Week is Makeoshimi Congratulations (負け惜しみコングラチュレーション) by SDN48, which has debuted at number 2 on the Japanese J-Pop Oricon charts.

SDN48 which is short for Saturday Night 48 is a Japanese idol girl group formed in 2010.

Read more about SDN48

Easy to Cook Japanese Recipe Kinoko-gohan (Mushroom Rice)

Image from Blue Lotus

This Month’s Easy to Cook Japanese Recipe is Kinoko gohan, which is a quick and easy dish to make at home.

This is one of our family favourites and is really tasty with all those great Japanese mushrooms like Enoki and Shitake.

Japanese Song of the Week Junjou U-19 (純情U-19) by NMB48

This week’s Japanese Song of the Week is Junjou U-19 (純情U-19) by NMB48, which has debuted at number 1 on the Japanese J-Pop Oricon charts.

NMB48 is an all-girl Japanese idol group produced by Yasushi Akimoto. They were formed as a sister group of AKB48 based in Namba, Osaka. The group performs at NMB48 Theatre in Namba, Osaka with the name of the group “NMB” coming from “Namba” in the Minami district in Osaka.

Frankston Japanese Festival

The Frankston Japanese Festival is on Saturday, 25 February on Kananook Creek Boulevard from 11am – 5pm.


The festival will mark the 30th anniversary of Frankston’s sister city link with Susono. Susuno is located 175km south-west of Tokyo in Shizuoka Prefecture.


The highlights of the festival will include:

Shogayaki (Pork with Ginger Soy Sauce)

image from cozymax

This Month’s Easy to Cook Japanese Recipe is Shogayaki, which is a quick and easy dish to make at home. This recipe uses the Teriyaki sauce shown in last month’s recipe to flavour the sliced pork, which is then stir-fried.


Shogayaki is commonly served hot with rice and shredded cabbage.

Shin Nihongo no Kiso

The Shin Nihongo no Kiso series of Japanese textbooks was very important in helping me successfully learn Japanese. The first book Shin Nihongo no Kiso I enables the beginner or new learner to master the basics and make simple sentences and conversation. The second book Shin Nihongo no Kiso II is for the more advanced with more advanced conversations based on real life daily situations.

Here is a breakdown of the two books

Shin Nihongo no Kiso I
100 hours study time, 25 lessons, 800 vocab items, and 75 sentence patterns

Shin Nihongo no Kiso II
100 hours study time, 25 lessons, 680 vocab items, and 64 sentence patterns

The series starts with the Shin Nihongo no Kiso Main Textbook with seperate English Translation and Grammatical notes available. The main textbook is all in Japanese, which is a great way to immerse yourself in the language, but I highly recommend getting English Translation and Grammatical notes as they really helped me. The English Translation lists the vocabulary for each chapter in romaji, kana and English as well as an English translation of the sentence patterns and example sentences from each chapter. The Grammatical Notes in English explain in detail the grammatical points and structures for each chapter with lots of examples to help you with correct usage.

I have found that my grammar, vocabulary, sentence structure and reading and writing improved dramatically using this book. It was also a great aid in studying for the Japanese Language Proficiency Test.

Read more about How to Learn Japanese

The Secrets Of Speaking Japanese Fluently

How to Learn Japanese

Japanese is not too difficult to learn but It does take a lot of motivation and practice to successfully learn the language. The best way to learn Japanese is by taking a class, enrolling in a course or investing in a good textbook. If you can't take classes then the self-study method with the correct resources is a good way.

The best way to learn Japanese is through a variety of methods. You need to work on your grammar, listening, speaking, reading and writing. Its best to think of these as separate categories and focus on each specific category as these require different methods and techniques.

Start by learning the basics through grammar. These books really helped me:

• Shin Nihongo no Kiso I & II

• An Introduction to Modern Japanese by Osamu Mizutani & Nobuko Mizutani

• Japanese Demystified by Eriko Sato a self-teaching guide

These books cover both polite Japanese, which is extremely important to learn in order to speak Japanese effectively and causal Japanese, which is great for everyday conversations.

I also recommend trying to learn a certain amount of vocab or kanji each day as this helps you build up your vocab and kanji ability. I tried to learn 5 kanji per day or about 20 a week and did the same with vocab. 

Watching Japanese anime or any Japanese TV program is a good idea for improving your listening skills and also your vocabulary. Keep a notebook and jot down any new words you hear. Then look them up and find out the meaning.

The Secrets Of Speaking Japanese Fluently

How to Speak Japanese Fluently