I took the

[@makaizaku]

1:13 should be JULY! ごめんなさい！

[@williamvesey3679]

Ha, the whole time I was distracted by wondering is it really t-shirt weather in January in Fukuoka?

[@makaizaku]

@williamvesey3679 My mistake. Although I wish it were true, this was filmed July 7, not in January.

[@hizokadarkwolf]

Good progress! I hope you can make it and take N3 in December. If not, you can always retake it. I'm studying for the N4 too, for December (in Canada). I passed N5 about 10 years ago... just restarted my learning this year. Saving $ to study in Japan in 2026.

[@hizokadarkwolf]

I realized I commented with this account (weeb account), I usually use another one. Alex.

[@diablo3schizle]

How much are you aiming to save? GL with your test!!

[@makaizaku]

ありがとうございます！I would love to be able to take N3 in December. I am not sure that will happen. Let's get N4 passed first! (I feel I probably should have taken N5 before, however, as a student with GenkiJACS, we must take N4 or higher I believe.) 頑張りましょう！Please let us know how it goes.

[@dogecl]

@@diablo3schizle Hi, replying with my other account. I'm looking at schools that need ~800K yen/year, you also need to show at least 2M yen savings. I would like to have 3M yen if possible, I want to apply for jobs after completing the year of study. Ideally not work too much, just a little to socialize and meet the locals.

[@dogecl]

@@makaizaku good luck! I think you can do it, when I passed the N5 (which is too similar to N4) I did better than expected. I should have taken the N4 right away... I have motivation again, so 1-2 hours of study on my own. And we don't need to write the kanji like the kanken (more difficult). I hope to see more videos!

[@sparrisguy6330]

I'm really glad I found this channel. I'm currently applying for a language school in Japan myself and I find your videos very good for insight into daily life, but also very informational like going to the ward office. I look forward to your future videos and wish you the best of luck during your study!

[@makaizaku]

Thank you so much! I want to provide information for the reality of living in the area. And sometimes, life just happens. Which school are you looking to study with?

[@sparrisguy6330]

@@makaizaku I'm applying for a school called Unitas, located in Kofu Yamanashi. Currently I'm aiming to be there next summer. I originally was thinking of Nagoya but I felt I wanted somewhere smaller less urban. Still Kofu is gigantic compared to Stockholm where I live.

[@makaizaku]

@sparrisguy6330 I am not sure if I had researched Unitas before... I think it's a good choice for immersion - the more you take yourself away from using anything but Japanese will only force you to learn and use it. Let us know how it goes!

[@benh5774]

Love the series, please provide some background what you were doing in japan 15 years ago. I am actually in my early 40s, studied there in my 20s, and I want to go back!

[@makaizaku]

In 2013 I moved from Vancouver to Osaka for a 1-year working holiday visa. I initially wanted to get into head hunting and recruitment, however my Japanese was not sufficient at the time so I defaulted to teaching English. I ended up really enjoying it and staying with that company for 5 months in Osaka before transferring over to a Tokyo branch. After only one month in Tokyo I realized I liked Osaka a lot more and returned for another 6 months. Unfortunately, I didn't hold a university degree at the time so I could not stay past the one year working a holiday stipulation. Against my will, even though the company I was with was willing to support a visa, I could not legally acquire one and needed to leave.

[@benh5774]

@@makaizaku Thats great you got a second chance. I had many good memories there and did a brief month of japanese at a language school before going to the university exchange program. Luckily everything was taken care of so i just showed up. Make the most of it! Being a student is way more fun than the work force

[@makaizaku]

@benh5774 Thank you for sharing! Where were your situated then?

[@benh5774]

@@makaizaku was studying in Tokyo. But if I can go back again I’d def try someplace new like Osaka or fukuoka

[@diablo3schizle]

Congratulations in advance! Very informative video!! I wish you would upload atleast every week!

[@makaizaku]

I do too! I thought about not putting as much time and effort into editing and just post whatever I record into a simple video (raw clips without edits or music), but I don't think I'd be happy with it... Nor would you.

[@makaizaku]

@@diablo3schizle By the way, I used the Community post for the first time for this video. Not sure if you can see it?

[@diablo3schizle]

@@makaizaku I did see it! I also voted :)

[@diablo3schizle]

@@makaizaku I definetly do not want less quality! You are doing your best, I know! Love your stuff so all I can do is wish haha

[@makaizaku]

@@diablo3schizle ありがとうございます！

[@snappycattimesten]

January? We have a backlog of updates in the wings. By now you have finished school, working for a Japanese corporation, and married with a child on the way. 😊. Well done on achieving N4.

[@makaizaku]

Yeah, I kinda skipped ahead a few months... I figured it's JLPT month and I should release what is current. Consequentially, the next vlog will again fall out of the timeline and still be from later 2023... forgive me 🙏 (PS: Still in school. Working part-time. Not married, yet. No kids, yet.)

[@makaizaku]

OH!!! My mistake! I just realized I said, "JANUARY!" I meant JULY!

[@iggstr]

Haha! Made me chuckle this did - mini Makaizaku's teaching us how to take N1 next

[@makaizaku]

Haha! One can dream 😅

[@amandaslaughter3301]

Your first sentence got me 😂 study… bet hahaha😂

[@makaizaku]

I'm glad you got it! 😄

[@makaizaku]

Have you taken the JLPT? Planning to? What level? 頑張って！

[@colorfulfool]

I’ve taken N5 on the same day in Almaty and, according to what they said, showing the answer sheet on the internet like that might invalidate your results 😅

[@makaizaku]

@@colorfulfool It is a risk, I know. The Scantron sheet is blank and before the test began. It is purely for educational purposes and providing information to other students with no I'll will.

[@zach23e888pocky]

I'm currently attending a language school in Kobe. I have N2 and will attempt N1 in December.

[@makaizaku]

@@zach23e888pocky Wow! That's great. Will you remain in Kobe afterwards?

[@johnvincent1595]

I took N2, 2 years after I graduated from a language school and I didn’t review much as I encounter a lot of kanjis at work.😅

[@AverageBot]

Great video and thx for the update. Would you say you make good progress in your japanese going to GenkiJACS ? I am currenty considering Fukuoka for my language journey aswell.

[@makaizaku]

I would say, "Definitely yes." Of course, everyone is different. People have different learning paces, effort, ability, etc. However, I do believe GenkiJACS is a great all around choice to help any level progress. Are you considering a one-year course?

[@AverageBot]

@@makaizaku looking for up to 2 years.

[@makaizaku]

@@AverageBot You will certainly improve greatly over that period of time.

[@historicallydressed]

Thank you so much for sharing this! I’m studying for N5 now, and feel pretty confidant with reading and kanji and such, but I am struggling with understanding spoken Japanese. What was the listening part like in the test? I assume they play a recording? And is it native speed or is it slow enough for a beginner to potentially be able to follow? I believe I read that it is slow, but having watched a lot of listening practice videos, I have learned that native speakers’ idea of slow is not ACTUALLY slow! 😂

[@makaizaku]

Great question! "I have learned that native speakers’ idea of slow is not ACTUALLY slow!" 笑！I thought it was just me! Even in my beginner class, to me the speaking is so FAST! とても速いですね！ If you search on KZbin and even the official JLPT website for JLPT listening practice for your level the recording played to the class is exactly like that. I took N4 and didn't notice a speed difference for N5 or N1! Have you?

[@francodambolena]

With any luck, I'll be studying there for 2 years, starting on January 2025, GenkiJACS was already full sadly.

[@makaizaku]

That's great! Which institute will you study with? I have heard from a few students that GenkiJACS is full for intake for all of 2025.

[@francodambolena]

@makaizaku yeah, sadly. They got me into the "2025 waiting list", so I wrote YMCA, IROHA, Kurume Seminar and FJLS, Meiji was on top of my list too, but they sadly don't do 2 year courses in Fukuoka, only in Hokkaido.

[@makaizaku]

@francodambolena Hokkaido could be interesting? I've heard the summers are nice.

[@francodambolena]

@makaizaku I've heard that as well, but since I've been all over Japan in the past but Fukuoka, I thought it to be the perfect opportunity to spend some time studying there and get to know the place, compared to other places in Japan, how do you like it there?

[@makaizaku]

@francodambolena Fukuoka is a nice spot, and my friends and the locals really enjoy it. I prefer Osaka myself. So I hope to be out that way next year.

[@aimaniskandar476]

May I get the list of textbooks you used. I am planning to take N4 this December, but I have been only only studying the languages in general so far.

[@makaizaku]

Hi. The books I used are featured in my video "#JLPT N4 Study Textbooks!": kzbin.info/www/bejne/fZfLlWqwma92q5I - N4 Nihongo So-Matome (Kanji and Vocabulary) - N4 Nihongo So-Matome (Grammar, Reading, and Listening) - JLPT N4 ポイント ＆プラクティス

[@IzzyOnTheMove]

No jacket in January ??? Watching from Canada 🥶

[@IzzyOnTheMove]

Haha saw your comment. I thought Japan isn't as cold as here, but still....

[@makaizaku]

@@IzzyOnTheMove I mis-spoke! This was shot July 7, 2024. Apologies for any confusion! And, if you are familiar with Vancouver weather, Fukuoka is exactly the same. Except for now in July and August when it is WAY hotter and humid!

[@AwaseMike5137]

Thanks for this! I’m starting GenkiJACS Kyoto in October for 10 weeks to start, maybe more if I continue to like their program. I may have missed it in your earlier videos, did you already take JLPT5?

[@makaizaku]

I have not taken the N5. I believe I should have before jumping into N4. 10 weeks in Kyoto will be nice. What is your goal for studying Japanese?

[@Valtern35]

I took the JLPT N4 here in this Philippines, was confident in both vocabulary and grammar, but then for the listening part, the room i was assigned in was awfully large and little to no furniture so all I could hear was the echo drowning out the dialogue... I hope I get passing remarks on the listening part

[@makaizaku]

難しいね。Hopefully you'll get a good result!

[@rosellelynevangelista6190]

can you put the materials you've used when studying?

[@makaizaku]

This video of mine shows the materials I used to study for the JLPT: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fZfLlWqwma92q5I

[@rosellelynevangelista6190]

@@makaizaku thanks!

[@Shenepoy]

😂 how did you take video there

[@makaizaku]

Carefully 🤫

[@badanxiety6886]

Thanks for the update love the video! Your japanese language progress is really fast! I took jlpt too! Anyway the schedule for jlpt in japan is held in january every year?cause here in indonesia we have two tests july and december

[@makaizaku]

ごめんなさい！It is my mistake. I meant JULY, not JANUARY. The JLPT is only administered two times per year: JULY and DECEMBER. Thank you for correcting me! How is your Japanese progressing?

[@badanxiety6886]

@@makaizaku ah i see! Okay no worries! So far so good i took jlpt n1 this july. Wish we pass the test! The result will come out on august 17th if i’m not wrong

[@makaizaku]

You are fluent! 素晴らしいですね！ You must be proud of yourself 👏 頑張りましょう！

[@badanxiety6886]

@@makaizakulet’s do our best! Anyway i wanna ask you something at the end of the video you mentioned that you are going to graduate from the japanese school you are attending. So what’s your plan next especially on your japanese learning plan? Are you going to immerse yourself directly in the japanese society without going to the school anymore?since you mentioned that you are going to live there long term

[@makaizaku]

そうです。That is my plan. Work, make more friends, find a girlfriend, and practice more natural speaking and business-level (敬語)日本語。Over time, continue studying and practicing and taking JLTPs. How about you?

[@itz_angel8618]

I want to do this program for a year in japan 🇯🇵 as a 19 year old beginner what is the process of doing so?

[@makaizaku]

@@itz_angel8618 Do you mean a one-year course with GenkiJACS? You would need to contact the school directly and your preferred location by completing the information on their website. They will contact you and discuss the course and options.

[@cinematicpoint]

Is there any negative marking ?

[@makaizaku]

Good question. The JLPT is simply a pass or fail exam. Unfortunately, you won't know which questions you got right or wrong and you'll only get your final result.

[@StrategyRazan]

How to get discount on buying books ?

[@makaizaku]

Through my school, GenkiJACS. Either GenkiJACS has a relationship with the publisher/company, or by default, as they are a school, are entitled to discounts from certain retailers/channels.

[@memecanada1]

Can you share all the n4 khanji

[@makaizaku]

This website has a list: jlptsensei.com/jlpt-n4-kanji-list/