How Hard Is Japanese Language School? Aiming for JLPT N2 - ft. @Tokidoki Traveller ​

[@TokyoCreativePlay]

Would you guys be interested in attending Japanese language school? Let us know in the comments below! Check out Aki's vid too! bit.ly/Aki-School-Video

[@XxHunterlovexX]

I would love to go to a Japanese Language school. I studied abroad for only a year, and I took Japanese language courses. I am currently living in Japan, and I'm trying to find a good language school. But I also worry about cost, and scheduling. Atm, I am relying on italki, and textbooks on my own.

[@davids3526]

I’m trying to find a good language school in Tokyo, just worried about getting scammed

[@rapthor666]

Being an ex-linguistics student (Indo-European languages only tho) with a certain love for Japan? Yea. But somehow Hangul does click and Kanji and the different kana's don't click (yet?). Also before 30 it would have been easier probably (just how learning and language acquisition works in brains)

[@jeffreyjapnjew6889]

Yoshida L School in Tokyo in less than a month

[@HouseMDaddict]

@@rapthor666 I've the exact opposite issue. Hangul all looks the same to me but Japanese makes a lot of sense to me. It's funny how that is!!

[@Dixavd]

2:50 "It's quite simple but I really suck at particles" - me in my physics revision. Good Job Emma. On her streams she mentioned being so nervous for this so I'm glad she still went through with it.

[@teruphoto]

I love watching people speak in a language that's drastically different from their own and how it totally alters their usual speaking style. English Emma and Japanese Emma are 2 different personalities.

[@jw841]

I notice this with my Korean girlfriend. She speaks fluent English with an Oxbridge accent. But when she speaks Korean she becomes a totally different person. Everything from her tone, demeanor and body language changes. Its fascinating to watch.

[@meribor]

I've noticed the same thing for Chris and Joey

[@Kaori_Suzuki]

Its an actual psychological thing too. Your brain will associate certain languages with different cultures and social cues so when you're speaking in another language your demeanor will reflect that closest to the language's associated societal demeanor and form of speaking.

[@Kelvin_Foo]

@@meribor Joey definitely sounds different in Japanese mode compared to his usual Aussie mode on his podcast.

[@seapot9675]

its not a different 'personality', she's just trying to fit in, that happens with every language it doesnt change who you are

[@Alex-sn9hf]

Oh gosh, the nostalgia! I had the exact same classroom, and Sugizaki-sensei was my class teacher! He's the sweetest :)

[@linnyunt]

Wow, Emma's Japanese is incredibly good! She's way too modest about it.

[@Heidi2003]

Love that you thought mayyybe Level 3, then he's like Level 2 and you're like 🙀

[@fat1fared]

I can empathise with the sense of being overwhelmed when you are thrown into a high-level language class, having not studied for a long-time. When I moved to Shanghai for my partner’s work, I decided to go to a language school for six months to brush up on my Mandarin. Having gone to school in Taiwan, I was placed in the second to top class, and soon discovered sections of the course studied parts of Mandarin I had never come across before. But it is amazing how quickly you can catch up. Even in this video, it was clear to see by the end how much you had learnt. 頑張ってね。

[@DieAlteistwiederda]

I was thrown into the highest level of English class available and still was bored. Which was weird in a completely different way because before that I had no concept of where I was at with my skill level. Turns out I'm in the highest which is basically the same as a native speaker and I did not expect that at all. The school only offered up until one step below that but as I had to attend some form of English class to graduate I just had to stick it out. Really strange experience but I eventually figured out how I could still make the most out of that situation.

[@DanielandYuka]

Great video Emma, Sarah and the Tokyo Creative Crew, glad you enjoyed your day at Yokohama Design College was fun to see you guys filming at YDC that day! Congratulations on your N2 placement on that super fast test 20 minutes?! That’s brutal!!! 日本語上手❗️🇦🇺

[@fernplant6816]

This gives me nostalgia from being in Spanish language school in Spain, definitely remembering how overwhelming the first week is!

[@jasoncrouse2826]

Good luck to everyone taking the JLPT this weekend!

[@Metayoshi]

I took 4 years of Japanese in high school, and I would say I lost it all in the 17ish years since then, but I gotta give myself more credit as I still retained basic knowledge like Hiragana and Katakana fluency and some basic grammar structures, but that was about it until recently. In 2020, I decided to self study and use my actual hobbies (games, anime, etc.) as well as related SNS accounts to get more immersion content to start learning more, and I’ve definitely seen major improvements. I’ve passed an N5 mock exam, so I’ve still got a long ways to go, but I’m getting there, and even just 1 step at a time is good progress for someone as busy as myself.

[@SuperTwoU]

Haha very similar for me. I also took 4 years in High School, forgot it all, and picked it back up in 2020. I just passed an N4 Mock Exam a few days ago. Let's go us!

[@FoxCoffeeGaming]

I know the feeling. End of high school was basically n4 so I thought I'd still have enough to pass but man, the last 18 years and self study along with playing games in Japanese and getting by didn't do a lot as I failed the last exam 😭

[@turtleswag200]

The tobira textbook that you use, I go to the university at which the original writers of that textbook teach the language. it's really cool to learn from the writers themselves

[@cbauch]

I can definitely relate to your struggles with particles and I can't write kanji much either. I'm studying for my N3 in December. I would really like to go to Japan to get an intensive class. Studying by yourself is tough. Your conversational Japanese is good. It helps to be in the country where you hear it every day and get used to how things should be said. 頑張ってください！

[@amywingato3187]

Great job Emma! N2 is amazing. I completely understand your struggles with particles and grammar. I’m only N5 and currently in Japan studying in Kyoto. A lot of fun, but as you said at the end…it is exhausting.

[@lucie442]

Which school in Kyoto and how do you like it?

[@amywingato3187]

@@lucie442 ARC Academy! It’s a really good school I think. Teachers are extremely kind and helpful. Love it there!

[@neko_otaku_guy213]

Good job Emma, get that confidence in yourself and get that N2!!

[@sabrookchi]

I’m learning Japanese on my own for almost two years. I don’t feel like I studied enough and I really want to push myself further.

[@dianamatos4487]

I'm in the same situation, but it's part of the process. I love the Japan culture and the Japanese language but it takes a long time to learn so the important is that you enjoy and have fun during the process.

[@JackiJinx]

I was legit panicking at the part where you were explaining what particles are while being TIMED! Glad you got it done though! EDIT: I just got to the part where you were placed and got your textbook and...I have the same textbook, but am working on N3! I'm wondering if my teacher is too ambitious for me now EDIT 2: (sorry for all the edits!) I've been strongly wanting to study abroad in Japan, but I have a cat. How much of an issue would that be for moving out there?

[@Nynke_K]

Ooh go go Emma! And good to see that there are Japanese language schools *with* conversation practice!

[@maggiebartolovich292]

I understood about 70% of it and feel less dumb about my 3 years of Japanese classes in college

[@carriepadgett2743]

It's so encouraging! I am in the US and have been studying really hard on my own for the past few months...I plan to attend a language school in Japan in a couple years because I think that would be the easiest way for me to stay there for several weeks and to have complete emersion learning. I'm very excited. Meanwhile, I am just saving up my leave at work.

[@Kladdpapper]

This is my old school and Sugizaki Sensei was my homeroom teacher 🥲 Felt so nostalgic watching this!

[@ZeldaMasterBoss]

For the month that I was in Japan I was in japanese school, ISI in Takadanobaba. It was fun but at the same time as a 19 year old I wanted to go and see places, so I only went to school for 2 weeks, after that I took my time to travel to a few different places in Japan. Now as a 25 year old I want to go back and work over there. I have been studying more and more and I can definatly understad way more japanese than at that time. Ganbarimasu!!!

[@SkaterStimm]

The only way you improve is to be in that perfect environment where it isn't too easy but it is slightly harder than you expect where you can understand 60-80% of what is going on. If you understand everything you are in the wrong class, if you are slightly stressed and you have to focus and ask questions, you probably are in the perfect class.

[@nuodek]

in march of 2020 i moved to japan to go to a language school but unfortunately had to turn around pretty quickly as the pandemic got worse and worse ;; i'm currently waiting on hearing back about my application for coming back this september so fingers crossed i'm accepted again!! anyone else in a similar boat?

[@LaNoir.]

....wait some more years.

[@nuodek]

@@LaNoir. LOL

[@cap1368]

Yeah ! Was supposed to come last year but it got cancelled then I applied again. Will be attending a uni in Tokyo for the whole school year

[@nuodek]

@ノルディック男 yeah unfortunately some stuff happened preventing me from coming back sooner but i'm glad to hear you were able to continue sooner than me!

[@cap1368]

@ノルディック男 same on my side, was supposed to be here before but stuff happened with both unis

[@unicode0040]

Seeing this makes me feel good about my learning experiences. My Japanese course at university was just like this, except we only did reading comprehension passages as part of weekly tests and only did a few skits per semester.

[@HeyitsBriana]

This was really cool for giving me an idea of what Japanese language schools are like! Super informative and fun :) would love to be able to attend a language school in Japan at some point in the future :D

[@SaturoAnni]

So cool how you were even better than you expected :D the teacher was just like well, you're a N2 there you go 👀

[@chibiosaka]

I studied Japanese in university in the USA and now I'm self studying for the JLPT N2 after passing N3 last year. It's a good goal to have to keep me motivated to keep up my studies after a couple years of using pretty much no Japanese when I graduated.

[@jeremybrahm3326]

Passed N4 about 12 years ago, taking it in the states, many years after being in a school setting. Sadly outside of Japan, JLPT may only be offered once a year (December, but must apply in August-September window). Inside of Japan, possibly twice a year.

[@miles4711]

I am studying Japanese as well. These videos with lots of spoken Japanese are so helpful and interesting. 🙂 I am astonished at how much I sometimes understand already. Please occasionally drop in similar videos like this or like your "Speaking ONLY JAPANESE for 1 Day".

[@raikobi]

Omg getting PTSD from Japanese language study. I minored in it at an Aussie university and eventually got to a high level after much struggle.. But I ended up going to postgrad law afterwards (which I found to be much easier!) Japanese is very hard once you get to that upper intermediate level, and kanji is challenging

[@ThreadBomb]

1:55 I like that picture of Mads Mikkelsen! Very cool.

[@kinakomono]

This was so fun to watch. Thank you！ 本当にありがとうございます！

[@TetsuYkt]

I studied japanese in uni and for me the kanji was always the hardest part and the grammar was the easiest part, funny how it's so different for different people )

[@magicmulder]

Same for me, the written part has always stopped me from going through with it. I have a knack for languages (I speak German, English, French, Dutch, Italian and understand Spanish and some Portuguese) so I picked up the basics quickly but reading/writing is a whole different animal for me.

[@crodd92]

This looked like a lot of fun and something I would like to experience one day if I visit Japan.

[@sumyoshi]

エマさん、最初の頃より、ずっと日本語に慣れてる。久しぶりにみてびっくりした。頑張って♪

[@t3nosanfran803]

Going back to school is almost always nerve wracking yet exiting and stimulating. Another wonderful Emma video ! Tokyo Creative doesn't disappoint.

[@alexm2111]

Great video! We used that same book とびら for our 4th year of university Japanese course. It's a pretty good textbook!

[@TheoMcAllister]

I try to study on my own, but I can't work up the motivation, unfortunately my work schedule doesn't allow me to take classes. But I really need to dust off that text book again. It's amazing how much I remembered listening to you talk even though I haven't done a lot in the last months.

[@LindaCasey]

I went through this headache learning Dutch .. I didn't go to school, but studied constantly to increase my vocabulary one word for each day. I learned to conjugate all the verbs FIRST .. that's half the language right there. Good luck .. you'll be great I'm sure.

[@transformerstuff7029]

en........heeft het gewerkt?

[@LindaCasey]

@@transformerstuff7029 Tja, toch wel .. wat een taal zeg! 🤣

[@transformerstuff7029]

@@LindaCasey impressive! Pretty weird we have the name Keesie that sounds the same but looks so different hahahaaha

[@LindaCasey]

@@transformerstuff7029 Precies. Ben ik vaak genoeg hierover gepest. Ook met pinda, pinda, lekker, lekker. 😁

[@turtleninjalinda]

I definitely have a HUGE respect for everyone who succeeds in studying Japanese 👏🏻 I just finished my first university term of Japanese and I can’t even explain how many times I cried and wanted to pull out my own hair during these six months 🥲 To everyone studying: 頑張って💕

[@CheshireCesare]

I'm looking to (finally!) go to Japanese language school soon, and Yokohama Design College is precisely the campus I'm looking at! Loved this video, very insightful.. I think because I'm so out of practice speaking (took Japanese many years ago at uni), it can seem fast and intimidating.. But once you develop a rhythm of things, it can get much easier. This video helped me see that it's possible. Thank you!!

[@AfroInJPN]

お疲れ様でしたエマ〜！やっぱり日本語は難しですけど you smashed it だよ！I definitely would love the chance to go back to Japanese school

[@_hayla]

I'm so impressed with Emma's Japanese and honestly inspired to study harder ❤ all of us japanese learners can suffer through the particles together 🥲

[@oscarpaiz79]

Nice video!!! I'll be attending that school (Yokohama Design College) probably in October this year so I'm glad that I found this video so I can see how the school is (if I get the COE and student visa - fingers cross) Greetings from Guatemala!!

[@WalpurgisDei]

Emma is so amazing 😭 💕

[@DietMtnDew]

Looking great Emma!

[@TheDragonaf1]

Emma logic: "I have 20 minuets to to a test" Also Emma logic: "Imma pause and gonna monologue to the cam and cam woman"

[@arabeltran4045]

I feel emma in all aspects when shes taking the test. I just finished my big exam in a japanese language school now and i wasn’t sure how i did as well. Grammar and particles are the worst for me tbh… but so far, the experience has been fun

[@hannahschiller8100]

I’m applying for my student visa now so I can attend a language school next April!

[@chrisyravenconlin]

I’ve been trying to learn on my own, so hard! I am usually super good at picking up languages but Japanese is definitely a different league from the others I know. Would help if I knew someone who knew Japanese to talk to!

[@barnalipattanaik7650]

I feel the same 🥲

[@bjornsan]

I went to a japanese language school in 2019. It was fun but there was a lot of homework and a lot of tests. I remember one friday when we got our homework assignments and everyone complained about the huge amount and the teacher just said "you have 2 days off now so there is plenty of time to do this". No rnr for us. From day one the teachers teach in 100% japanese. Not a single word of english. After 4 hours of learning my brain was totally fried and it was time to go home and do all the homework and study for next days test. It was tough but fun.

[@christiant.g.994]

This was really fun to watch! Even understood most of the conversations 😁

[@byghostlight0]

Wow that result, congrats!!!

[@victoriasweet773]

Emma's sitting near the window. That means she's a main character. 😄

[@TheCreepypro]

really cool to see this I hope emma keeps up her studies and gets N2 status I study on my own but not like this maybe it is time to step up my game...

[@emilyrandall2449]

Found ur channel thru Aki, looking forward to seeing more of ur vids! :)

[@briand3854]

wow Emma even got the anime protag seat in class

[@galas455]

This is a good video!

[@confusedwhale]

Talking while taking a timed test really is great time management.

[@KillerTacos54]

Amazing! What a great video idea

[@ohabsolutelynot]

Emma is such a good student.

[@kimberlydeverell2863]

I would love to go back to Japan again and go back to school to improve my language skills. I majored in Japanese in college, and studied abroad for a summer to Kyoto back in 2015, so it has been...a while...I went to the Kyoto Institute of Culture and Language (KICL) for their summer program, and it was a lot of fun. We did lessons during the first part of the day, and afternoons we were on our own, or we could go on different outings and events. Definitely worth it! I was probably around an N3 level, but since I haven't been practicing much, I'm probably closer to an N4 level or just above N4. I need to start practicing again.

[@bisque_online]

I have so many questions about Language School, how it works, how it's funded, visas, all that jazz! it sounds so interesting, but idk if I could afford something like that 😵‍💫

[@usgamewolf6979]

i know exactly what and why your brain itches because i have this exact question myself

[@mareknovak5290]

Well they mostly they are private schools funded by the tuiton that usualy includes accommodation. Its not cheap but Its managable. Depending on a course you select you might get a student Visa but Its possible to attend even on a tourist Visa or working Holiday Visa.

[@cgigammez5749]

It’s not cheap at all, Might be "manageable" if you are from a first world country, I recommend to just learn by yourself to level n3 at least before even considering it

[@TheBreezeShoot]

@@cgigammez5749 it really depends on what your definition of cheap is. I’m going to ISI Kyoto and the tuition + accommodations annually is $3,000 cheaper than just my rent in Seattle annually. I’m literally going to school and living in Japan for less than my rent. Language school is a quarter of what it costs for out of state tuition in America.

[@cgigammez5749]

@@TheBreezeShoot like I said, if you are from a first world country then it’s "manageable"

[@dianebaker5243]

Wishing you the best in your future studies. 👍🥰

[@japjapcat]

おつかれさまです、Emmaさん！このビデオは面白くて楽しかったです！もっと日本語でビデオお願いします！

[@Jon-rz5kz]

私も思ういます😄

[@stuartrockin]

I've been studying Japanese on and off for the past year and a half. Covid and other life stuff really put the breaks on it. Recently started up again and pleasantly surprised how much I remember but disappointed how much I forgot

[@AstorReinhardt]

Oh cool a Washingtonian at the school! I'm from WA as well and I really really want to go to Japan...it's been a dream of mine since I was in elementary school lol. I know zero Japanese though and can't really afford classes so I'm probably not going to learn Japanese...

[@Toshizora]

Fellow Washingtonian as well! Personally, I think you can study Japanese down to a N4, maybe even down to an N3 level just from self-study and online lessons. So, if it interests you at all, just dig around some beginner Japanese lessons and maybe you'll pick it up.

[@edvela3865]

Emma’s energy at the intro was hilarious 😅😅😅. She’s such an natural host!!! Always wanted to see what a Japanese class entailed! Great video TC!!!

[@thewillow3457]

Emma’s level of Japanese is truly impressive. Shes been studying a long time though. Same with Sharla, shes been in Japan well over a decade. Chris level of Japanese is pretty good as well for how little he has been studying.

[@BlueKazoo4]

lol that 9:44 interaction of asking if it's ok to go to osaka (presumably with him but not specified) and then getting bashful was a pretty 可愛い move tbh bro. 「照れるなよ」って思ってた xD

[@haraldodunkirk1432]

Good luck to everyone taking N1 tomorrow! Wish me luck too!

[@hamidja1537]

Nice video. Thanks for sharing.

[@ylva95]

aaaah that teacher you had in your class! I used to have her as well back in 2015 ^^ oh I miss it soooo so much!!

[@rosahoneywood6778]

I’d be interested to see what the results of this course are and how long it is! I used the tobira textbooks in my first year of university and they aren’t N2 level so I’d be interested to see how far the students get! I’m taking N2 this week and sadly almost all the grammar forms and kanji are brand new despite two years of uni! I wish you luck!!

[@dodiatkins4515]

Emma you’ve got this.

[@cattleman1]

Love your videos. You are a very beautiful person inside and out. Be very blessed!!

[@teafaeyay]

I'm maybe at an N4 level rn, we were aiming to go to Japan in April 2020 and then 😑 so I lost a lot of my drive. And I'm super lazy about it (been going to school weekly for 5 years ;_; but I don't study enough. Sensei's constant sense of disappointment is a running joke for some of us 😅 ) I'm currently focusing on my listening comprehension rn which is why these videos are great because I'm understanding a lot. Just don't ask me to say anything, I am incredibly slow to put sentences together lol 😄

[@briank8679]

I think the most interesting part was the gentleman from LA who quit teaching to learn Japanese. The biggest thing holding me back from doing this is how far along in my career I am and the uncertainty of employment once I'd be done, so I'm really pleased for him that he just...went for it!

[@audrey9561]

I’m just wrapping up at a German language school in Berlin. I studied German in university but it’s been a while different experience because there’s students here from all over the world and our only common language is German! I imagine it must be similar taking Japanese classes for you. The school looks much nicer than mine in Berlin, I must say.

[@Catssonova]

Oh, you got the Tobira book. I was told that was good up to N3 but maybe they will go to the next step after? Good luck Emma! I hope I can get N2 done for the next JLPT. :/

[@EcstaticWaffle204]

Woohoo! Awesome video, love to see how people go to school in Japan, especially Emma since she had to show her proficiency when she had to get her new place. Will she remember anything? :) haha!!!

[@nightcore59884]

you did great :)

[@XSpImmaLion]

I look Japanese, am Japanese descendant, and my level is... n6 or something. xD So don't worry. This caused massive confusion both times I visited Japan... xD I wish I had studied Japanese along with English, but realistically... up until I was some 19+ years old I just didn't have the interest to do it. Weird right? Even though I'm a huge manga and anime fan, that only came later in life for me. :P We also didn't have any schools here teaching Japanese with a proper method. I had a few lessons from people who knew and were trying to do it as a side gig or something, but back then Japanese might as well have been Cantonese or Yiddish to me as I had zero contact with it. My mom and dad still got a bit from their parents, but just not enough to pass on. At least for me personally it just became clear that trying to learn a language that I had no contact or familiarity with is completely fruitless... I retained nothing on the lessons I had in the past. English I learned and retained pretty quickly because of music, movies, series, and then later on Internet in general... almost everything I use the Internet for is in English, so no problems there. Japanese is a bit harder because I'd have to first learn how to read and write and only then try to go towards consuming and producing material on the language... Another weird thing, even though English is not my native language, my preferred way to watch Anime is with original (Japanese) VAs and... English subtitles. xD Because back then we had so little content subbed in my native language, the way I watched most anime was with English subs, so much so that now if the subs are in my own language, they feel off to me. :P Oh well...

[@ReiRei726]

N2のクラスの人達の挨拶、まじで日本人のクラスかと思った！私も英語頑張らんと！N2 class people's greetings sounds like Japanese students! They are so inspiring. I gotta study hard in English !!

[@blogoosfera]

Congratulations!

[@Trinigirllilly1]

😂 I just watched Aki’s video with Em

[@astrowolvez]

This is such an interesting video.

[@limosine]

I like how you shirt and mask match! Well-coordinated!😉✌️

[@deliverynoon]

I think so too. Kanji is easy and grammar is difficult for me. 😁

[@kurisurokku]

If I can pass N2, so can you Emma! 応援しています！

[@galaxiaad]

The school looks really fun. I'm planning on taking my first JLPT in December. I have to decide if I should do N5 (a sure thing, I think?) or try to get to N4 by then. Just for fun/future travel.

[@Sjochumsen]

Studied in a Japanese language school 4 years ago, it is must faster pace than university which I am in now.. had a great time there

[@KagatoIuchi]

Gosh, this makes me want to study again but I have no idea where to start.

[@dwalker6868]

Nice thank you for sharing

[@MrWar2244]

Aye, that's my school. I've been enrolled here for six months lol!

[@irhonda31]

Cool! You’re more proficient than you thought! You sure sound fluent to me, but I don’t speak one word of Japanese!

[@Itzak15]

This is so relatable. Before coming here I was on that Anki grind but now I only use simple everyday Japanese. I want to do N2 or N1 in the future but it feels further away now somehow hahah

[@mmmaaarrrkkk12321]

i have been saving up to go to Japanese laguage school. I really cant wait.

[@user-dj6uy3ym9j]

Hows it going now?

[@41tinman41]

Given how hardcord N1 Japanese is (based on what I heard someone who actually got certified with N1 proficiency), getting placed in the N2 class is a feat in and of itself. Congratulations and good luck to Emma!