Learning the Japanese language, while easy for some is undeniably 難しいです
Muzukashī for many, but yet definitely rewarding and helpful, especially if you have plans of moving to Japan or when you’re already living here.
Learning the Lingo: Where to Study Nihonggo in Japan
Never settle for Hai, Sumimasen, Konnichiwa and Arigatou and expand your vocabulary and learn the language by heart. Where do you start, how do you do this and where can you study Nihonggo in Japan? Here are a few suggestions you might want to consider.
1. Go Go Nihon
Has a community of students from around the world who will also help you even before enrolling into their language schools all over Japan. Its main office is located in Shinjuku, Tokyo. Go Go Nihon also has dedicated staff members who provide support in seven languages, like English, Spanish, German, Italian, French, Indonesian and Swedish. Their international team is able to give the best advice because they all have experiences living and studying in Japan firsthand. Check them out in their website.
2. Kumon Correspondence Course.
If you are the type who wants to follow your own pace at learning, this maybe is perfect you. You can improve your Japanese through worksheet study, which you can submit to your instructor for checking, and online reading lessons, too. You can check more about them here.
3. Nihongo Center.
When in Kyoto, you can check out the Nihongo Center, which has been around for over 30 years now. It has a JLPT-based curriculum that ensures a high pass-rate for any level of the test for its students. You can check more of their programs.
4. Seigan Japanese Language School.
When you’re in Osaka, this language school is worth the check. Its training includes in-class coaching and on-site training with Japanese companies that will allow you to practice your language skills. Definitely worth the try. Check out more information here.
5. Private tutorials from a Japanese Sensei
Don’t limit your options to language schools, especially if you have a work or other study schedule to consider. You can opt to hire a private tutor for a more minimal fee than that of a regular language center. You can ask around from your friends, or search for private tutors on social media groups, notice boards ads, or cultural exchange centers. You definitely can choose freely the type of tutor you like and are comfortable with, which you can seldom do in a language school.
It will also be helpful if you find a language exchange partner whom you can practice Nihonggo conversations with, and couple it with intense and religious self-study.
Remember that at the end of the day, no matter the school, your progress in learning the language still depends on your own motivation and determination. If you will it, you’ll surely wing it and next thing you know, you’ll already sound like and speak like the locals. Gambatte kudasai!
Harumie/ Philippines