Learning Japanese but can't go to Japan? Create an immersive learning environment in 3 steps 🗾

You might be thinking, "I can't travel to Japan, and I don't have the right environment to immerse myself in Japanese."

That’s true! But you can create one.

And the cool part is that this Byte applies to all language learners, not just those studying Japanese.

Meet Eric! Eric is a native English speaker who started learning Japanese a while ago. He wants to spend more time practicing outside of school.

Follow his 3 tips to learn Japanese without travelling to Japan.

Eric strives to maximize his daily exposure to Japanese. Even small action can help enhance his immersion in the language.

• Notice objects in his daily life: How likely are you to learn the word "tap" from a textbook? One day, Eric was using the sink and realized he didn't know the word "tap" in Japanese. That's how he learned another word by searching in a dictionary.

• Change his phone's default language: Eric switched his phone's language settings to Japanese. At first, it took him some time to navigate the new layout, but he soon started recognizing new words.

• Post on social media with captions: Eric, the foodie, shares his discoveries of must-visit spots on social media, captioning them with simple Japanese. Not only can he practice writing but he also meets a lot of friends.

Knowing grammar from a textbook is one thing, but following real-life conversations is another. Eric found that strengthening his listening skills was essential, so he tried different methods:

• Watching Japanese animated show and movies (otherwise known as anime!) with English subtitles: Did you know that animated shows can be a great resource? However, take note that the language used in anime may not always reflect everyday speech, but it’s still a great way to pick up new vocabulary.

• Watching news in Japanese: NHK Easy Newsis a website that delivers news in simple Japanese, designed for foreigners in Japan and children. Eric listened while reading the text, helping him associate sounds with words.

• Watching TED Talks with subtitles: This exposed him to natural speech patterns and diverse topics.

Practicing with others is one of the best ways to improve language skills. Eric enhances his speaking abilities by:

• Joining conversation groups, check out JFT Japanese Virtual Study Space and explore some language exchange apps.

• Language exchange apps

• Shadowing practice (echoing native speakers). Check out this RPI College guide to know more about it.

Quiz Time!

You've been studying Japanese for 3 hours each week in a classroom, but still struggle with speaking, despite being proficient in beginner-level grammar. You’ve decided to practice for 30 minutes a day to improve your confidence. What can you do?

A. Rewatch an episode of the most recent anime you've watched.

B. Join a beginner-friendly conversation group and prepare 5 simple phrases to use during the session.

C. Listen to a podcast episode from your favorite Japanese host.

By immersing yourself in the language, even outside the classroom, you can accelerate your learning and gain confidence in real-world applications.