Learning Japanese: The 5 Perks of taking Lessons In Person

Congratulations! You’ve made it. You got your visa, made it to Tokyo and fell in love with this wonderful city. Everything is going great except for one thing that many of us encounter when we move to Japan: The language barrier. As I have mentioned before in my blog, living in Japan is a great experience. However, living in Japan without speaking Japanese makes things extremely limited. It is difficult to make friends, experience the culture in a deep way and even doing some errands like changing your address in your local ward or city office. The worst part is that in most high-quality jobs require a minimum of N2 in order to be considered for a position. That is why taking Japanese lessons is very important.

I completely understand your situation, I was there a while ago. 2 years ago I couldn’t even ask the convenience store staff to please heat up my bento. Now, I can communicate with my friends, co-workers, and boss in full Japanese. “How did Axel do this?” you might ask. Learning Japanese through apps and YouTube videos serve as great practice. However, nothing gives you the full hands-on experience like sitting in a classroom interacting with a Japanese teacher. The thing that made the difference in my Japanese language journey was definitely going to a Japanese school and immersing myself in the culture. Without further ado here are the 5 perks of taking Japanese lessons in person and not online.  

5. It's Personal

If you are like me, there is something about studying alongside a group of people that have similar goals. During my time taking Japanese lessons, I could learn directly from the teacher without having to worry about internet connection, lag, or audio problems. In addition, learning a language is so much more than listening to a person speak. It is body language, nonverbal communication, and gestures. These are very difficult to convey through a machine. There is so much more to a language than just words. While online provides a good and instant way of learning, nothing beats good old face to face communication.

Having a personal connection with a teacher is one of the keys to success when it comes to studying a language. In addition, studying together with a group of motivated people makes everything more fun!

4. Direct Exposure

Something that my Japanese school understood well was the great importance of exposure. My school was not only a place to take Japanese lessons but also a business school for Japanese students. For that reason, many of the events had a healthy mix of both International and Japanese students. This allowed many students to be directly exposed to native speakers. This allowed us to learn about the culture, traditions, and people in a direct way. In addition, it helped us overcome the fear of speaking to native speakers and making mistakes in front of them. Thanks to this great method, we could get not only the theory but also the practice, like killing two bird with one stone.

Cultural immersion is one of the best ways to learn a language. Being in an environment with native speakers is great for learning mannerisms, non-verbal cues and how people interact with each other.

3. Cultural Events

Interested in wearing a kimono, watching a kabuki play or experiencing a traditional tea ceremony? Then attending a Japanese school is a great way to not only have these unique experiences but to also learn the language. Most Japanese schools understand that it is very important to understand the culture in order to understand the language. During my time in Japanese language school, we had many great experiences such as traveling to Disneyland, Narita San, and the famous Edo museum. Moreover, we also did the Tea Ceremony, Origami, Undou-Kai (Sports Festival), Ohanami and also wore traditional costumes such as Kimono and Samurai armor.  

One of my favorite school trips was the Edo Museum trip. In here I learned a lot about Japanese culture and history. If you are in Tokyo, you should go and check this place out. It is magical and filled with history

2. Be “Japan Ready”

While I was living in Venezuela and then moved to the United States, I never thought about my actions and how others perceived me. I was loud, direct and quite insensitive. My only objective regarding communication was simply to get my point across no matter the consequences. While I did get my point across and many people liked me, I did make quite a few enemies and hurt people along the way. Moving to Japan and studying in a Japanese language school completely changed not only the way I communicate with others but also made me a more caring person.

Communication in Japan is very different from the west, while in our home countries communication is direct and simple, in Japan it tends to emphasize respect and the well being of others. While before I would have not cared for others opinions and shot everybody down, now I am a different man. I listen carefully, pay close attention and try my best to treat everyone with respect even though we have greatly opposing views. The best place to learn these practices is in an environment where you can see the teacher’s expressions while talking and notice how the staff of the school talk and interact with each other.

Last but not least, if you are looking for a job in Japan, many experts recommend that in order to be hired in a Japanese company, the worker needs to not only speak a good amount of Japanese but to also be what some people call “Japan Ready”. This means you understand the culture, traditions, honorifics and working style. In conclusion, taking Japanese lessons in person will give you not only the language skills but also the cultural skills needed to be successful in the land of the rising sun.

Being "Japan Ready" is extremely important if you want to succeed in Japan. Of course, while understanding the language is a huge plus, knowing the work culture gives you a great advantage in Japanese society. It will help you get important positions in companies and allow you to influence people in a more natural and organic way

See Also:

How to Get a Job in Japan: Advice from an Insider Expert

1.Connect and Belong

Like I said at the beginning of this article, there is something about studying with people that have similar goals and the same passion that you have. When I first came to Japan, it was difficult to make friends and connect with other people due to the language and cultural barrier. That is why I really treasure the friends and connections I made during my years studying Japanese. We were all newcomers to Japan and could explore and experience new things together. This made the transition of moving to a new country less painful. Knowing that there are people who are going through the same things you are going through creates empathy. Taking Japanese lessons in person will not only give you a deeper immersion but great friendships that will last for a long time.

On the other hand, schools often have thriving communities. People often come here to look for information. Information such as job postings, restaurants and events nearby, study and work fairs, etc. Last but not least, the best thing that Japanese language schools offer is a community. A place where you can practice Japanese, meet people that care about you and want to see you grow, find housing, look for a job, etc. These inner communities are what makes the whole “in person” thing personal. They are families that not only help us enjoy our time in Japan but also ease the pain of living abroad.

Some of the best friendships I made in Japan began while I was in my Japanese language school. Being foreigners with big dreams who landed in a new land created an important sentiment of empathy. These strong relationships allow me to have a smoother transition to the country.

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