Japanese Learning Resources
Below are some recommended language materials and local classes recommended by Tokushima JETs! Please note that some of the online materials are paid.
Tokushima Classes
- TIA – Free language classes hosted by volunteer teachers. The class is usually hosted on Tuesday at 17:30 for beginners and 19:10 for intermediate learners at the TIA Center. It is usually broken up into a Spring and a Winter semester. For first-time users, please email the address in the link.
- TOPIA – TOPIA hosts Japanese language classes on weekdays. They do usually recruit for an online 1-1 Zoom class around April each year. When applications open, they prioritise people who haven’t used this service before, and you are matched with someone according to your Japanese language ability. They are volunteers, so their teaching and English ability may be limited but still helpful!
- Akui Literacy Class – Runs on Wednesday evenings from 7:30 pm- 9:00 pm in Akui. All newcomers are welcome! You don’t have to sign up or register for the class; it runs like a support group for those studying Japanese.
- Attakaiyo – an non-profit organization that does Japanese classes once a week in Kaiyo! You can inquire details through the email on their website or view their instagram.
Online Resources
- Bunpro – A website focused on JLPT study from N5 to N1 using the SRS method. Offers a one-month free trial after which you can then pay per month or year for a subscription. A good baseline for learning grammar and can connect with certain textbooks, so you can drill what you learn while working through Genki or so on.
- Wanikani – A SRS method website focusing on kanji learning. Offers free service until you complete Kanji level three, after which you can pay per month, per year, or for a permanent license.
- Migii – JLPT specific study claiming to help you study for your desired level in three months. Costs 34 USD per year.
- Preply – Tutoring service (not limited to Japanese).
- Hayailearn – Uses subtitles from YouTube or other videos; this site pulls the data and translates it into a mini summary to explain the grammar using AI to detect sentence patterns. It also claims to parse and explain slang and casual speech as well. You can also curate the words and grammar you want to learn based on what you are hearing the most in videos.
- Anki – Free SRS flashcard program, available as a desktop or mobile app. You can upload your own decks or download free ones that people upload to the Anki database.
- JPDB – An all-in-one dictionary and learning system. Uses something similar to the SRS system, but it’s adapted for lapses, irregular reviews, and more. This app you can also upload your decks, but there are many decks uploaded for you already, including decks from famous anime that you can study alongside watching.
- Bailey Snyder – Free website for drilling Japanese conjugation!
- Tatoeba – Free website for studying and drilling sentences!
- Go Honeko – Free website for drilling hiragana and katakana!
- Japanese Learning Master Guide – There are many different master guides available online, but this one is very thorough. If you need some sort of basic structure to follow to start your studying journey, this is great for starting and addressing issues you may come across. It also has many tutorials, linked resources, and routines to help you start.
Textbooks
- Genki
- Marugoto
- Tae Kim’s Grammar Guide
- JLPTSensei
- Nihongo so Matome
- Kanzen Master
- Intermediate Japanese
- Quartet Series
- Minna no Nihongo*
- Tobira
*Best for professional speech but some consider this textbook outdated.
Fun Japanese Reading
- Wakaru Rekishi – Japanese history site condensed for middle schoolers.
- Japanese with Anime – Another website that uses anime as a way to introduce commonly seen words, grammar, and markings in Japanese.
- Bilingual News – News that’s narrated in Japanese and English.
- Tadoku Books – A Free resource full of books that you can download as a PDF, print, or watch on YouTube to practice reading and listening.
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