"Manabiai" (Learn from each other) by Nahoko Collis

e.g. Tadoku ("extensive reading") dojo

ncollis2 — 2023-04-30 21:40:19 UTC

e.g. Participating Blackship Festival, Bristol & New Port in Rhode Island (August 16th – 18th, 2024)

ncollis2 — 2023-04-30 21:42:08 UTC

e.g. Irodori

ncollis2 — 2023-04-30 22:00:20 UTC

Those who are taking JPN 201 & 202 in summer are going to use the textbook called Irodori (Elementary 1 &2 books). Please note that the textbook for JPN 201 in Fall is pending. You can access all the Irodori materials (textbook, vocab list and audio files) via online, free of charge. There is free online course (https://www.irodori-online.jpf.go.jp/) as well. The "Starter" book could also help you review the materials we have covered in JPN 101 & 102.

Recommended Online Resources from JPN 302 students (2023 Spring)

ncollis2 — 2023-04-30 22:05:17 UTC

アフマド

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4u44vBEx-Q

レヴィン

https://youtu.be/yIO5iFdrl4E

トム

https://youtu.be/xn_iqwtOMkc

ケビン

https://youtu.be/_kpfO42ES-4

レズリー

https://youtu.be/y3MBTgcGFEI

サーシャ

https://youtu.be/0eyFGHEFYKU

マイケル

https://youtu.be/wUlRpliRG78

エヴァン

https://youtu.be/X0jVBNgLYBE

ケン

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYP5Z0LVsMI

ジョージ
https://youtu.be/J-OiLP08GNg

サーシャ

https://youtu.be/0eyFGHEFYKU

Kanji ring!

2023-05-01 14:18:14 UTC

Make kanji flashcards (I cut index cards into 4 sections) and hole punch the corners. Then put them on a book ring. It makes studying (on the go or sitting down) super easy!

Genki Dialogue videos

2023-05-01 14:19:33 UTC

https://genki3.japantimes.co.jp/en/student/dialoguevideo.html

Jisho (Kanji)

2023-05-01 14:20:51 UTC

https://jisho.org/search/曜%23kanji

Helps with stroke order, it makes it easier for me to memorize the kanji if I memorize the stroke order!

Watch Anime, Speak to Pets in Japanese

2023-05-01 14:41:30 UTC

Japanese Pen Pal

2023-05-01 14:42:28 UTC

Phone calls with friends in Japanese.

2023-05-01 14:43:33 UTC

Reading manga in Japanese.

2023-05-01 14:45:43 UTC

I don't know what it 90% of it means but I can read the hiragana.

WaniKani

2023-05-01 16:21:16 UTC

An online resources that teaches radicals, kanji, and vocab in an easy to understand digestible manner. Unfortunately the program is not free, although it does offer a free trial, during which you can decide if it fits your learning style!

MemoryHint App

2023-05-01 16:23:42 UTC

Watch documentaries about Japanese culture

2023-05-01 16:24:13 UTC

James May has a show where he travels in Japan and speaks with many people, doing different activities

2023-05-01 16:24:50 UTC

Listen to more Japanese Music

2023-05-01 16:38:19 UTC

Duolingo

2023-05-01 16:39:01 UTC

There are definitely better resources out there, but it is a free app which can help you Japanese memory flowing while on break

Anki flashcards

2023-05-01 16:40:46 UTC

https://apps.ankiweb.net/

Anki is a program that lets users make and share flashcard decks and gives a lot of freedom to edit them. There are flashcard decks that cover all of the vocabulary and kanji in the Genki book

https://sethclydesdale.github.io/genki-study-resources/help/anki-decks/

JAPANESE MUSIC SUMMER 2023 PLAYLIST ききましょう！！！！

2023-05-01 16:41:27 UTC

Read while listening to the recording of the book. It would help with fluency and recognizing terms.

2023-05-01 16:42:26 UTC

Quizlet

2023-05-01 16:43:10 UTC

Quizlet has a ton of flashcards covering the vocabulary and kanji, separated into chapters from Genki.

Maum App

2023-05-01 16:43:16 UTC

You can voice chat and text with other people to practice

カラオケ！

2023-05-01 16:43:34 UTC

Listening and singing along to Japanese songs is super fun! You can even try to find Japanese dubs of your favorite English songs, making it easier for you to understand and maybe even learn new words

HelloTalk

2023-05-01 16:46:01 UTC

Social media style app where you can talk with native Japanese speakers learning English as a language exchange. Built in features like built in translation and the ability to correct each other. (free)

話して！

2023-05-01 16:54:46 UTC

Try to speak as much as possible, even if the people you're speaking to don't understand it. Also, something I find very helpful is to replace everyday phrases with their Japanese counterpart. Whether it be saying ありがとう instead of thank you, or マジで instead of really. It leads you to speak a lot more Japanese than you would expect in everyday situations.

BunPro

levincusatis — 2023-05-01 17:20:21 UTC

The BunPro website teaches grammar and has reading practice. It is free for 30 days and goes on sale around the holidays.

2023-05-01 17:21:28 UTC

Continue chatting with the exchange students in Japanese to keep in touch with them.

Shadowing anime

2023-05-01 17:21:29 UTC

When you can recognize what is being said in an anime, try to shadow it! It's a lot of fun imitating some of your favorite lines plus it helps with pronunciation and speaking Japanese a bit more quickly.

play video games in Japanese

2023-05-01 17:25:54 UTC

it can be interesting to identify how localization can change the subtitles to be more relatable to western audiences

Music

levincusatis — 2023-05-01 18:27:22 UTC

Memorizing lyrics to Japanese songs can help you learn phrases. Also looking at the lyrics and trying to sing while you listen can help with reading practice.

2023-05-01 18:27:41 UTC

Using japanese in text and reading manga. As well as using it to say insults on valorant so I don't get text banned because Riot can't read japanese

日本語を聞く

2023-05-01 18:28:22 UTC

The more you listen to conversations in a different language you naturally become better in it.

日本語

2023-05-01 18:38:57 UTC

You can possibly use a language learning app such as Duolingo to practice daily and learn new Kanji.

ANIME

2023-05-01 18:48:08 UTC

Watching anime with Japanese + English subtitle.
1. Listening to Japanese
2. Reading the subtitle(Japanese) and you can also figure out the meaning by subtitle(English)
3. You can learn a lot kanji and vocabulary in anime
4. It is also part o culture.
5. Try to repeat the line from the anime to help your speaking.

Recommendation Anime: Doraemon, Crayon Shin-Chan, Nichijou.

ANIME IS PERFECT!!!! \(OAO)/

Mnemonics

2023-05-01 18:49:50 UTC

Learning mnemonics for kanji and association . Via connecting the kanji radicals and kanji to mnemonics you can recognize/connect kanji to the mnemonic stories.

Kanji Memorization

2023-05-01 18:51:43 UTC

One thing that helped me memorize Kanji was assigning the kanji to something it looks like. For example, the Kanji for Ken looks like a man in a helmet. The kanji for Sen looks very similar. Due to this I would say to myself, “This is Sen, brother to Ken” And vise versa. I did this for every Kanji and assigned them as people or structures.

Manabi Reader

2023-05-01 18:54:37 UTC

You can input Japanese webpages, it can read the webpages for you, as well as having an easy dictionary where you can click on a word and dictionary definitions will pop up. Theres also functionality to connect with a flashcard deck where you can add words with one click and it will tell you the words you have seen and haven’t seen. However this companion spacial repetition app is super buggy and slow and is not worth using anymore. I changed to anki. You should be able to find a similar reader app for android.

Recommended Online Resources from JPN 302 students (2024 Spring)

ncollis2 — 2024-04-28 17:51:05 UTC

Chace：https://youtu.be/KEstSw06FOs

Mason：https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRiesfzApM0

Jazzy: https://youtu.be/ueFOE2UhcLo

Aidan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohw5uG_rLqY

Dan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-eSeWbzdVA

Ivan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rml9UYDlopw

Alyssa: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onZNJUguU0Q

Katie:https://youtu.be/DtJ6Vg7UxZU

Jack:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtM_lHFENo4

Brian:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSErXNq0mac
Jon:https://youtu.be/20QtZSuDUcY

Emily:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trMMeIe1Z0wJacob: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NIFr_ilPNxA

Madyisen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CdS-oaG9Q30

Devin: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FM9rz3AEh6M

Andrew: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYJlVlP8xNk

Alex: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQCVoc6fJRo

Mya: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfW69Mr7H2c

Kevin: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GiOCrqc-18

Tommy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIZ_Kw4Wgmk
Christian: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShfTJ0MdENU
Cameron: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtH4Lj3v1vs

Anthony:https://youtu.be/KTiy7Tp8lDo

"Fun Kanji Word Search Puzzle"

ncollis2 — 2024-04-28 17:52:36 UTC

Useful Words

2024-04-29 14:19:13 UTC

Think about the words and phrases you use most often surrounding your interests, likes and dislikes, or any other topics that you find yourself describing/discussing. Research the vocabulary and grammar surrounding these words, phrases, and topics and it will become easier to talk about yourself and your surroundings as well as find common ground with others in Japanese!

Short Forms in Anime

2024-04-29 14:21:13 UTC

Anime can be a great way to learn the types of slang words and phrases that younger Japanese people may be using as well as short forms in general so it's definitely worth it to pay attention to these aspects while watching!

Social Media Accounts!

2024-04-29 14:41:58 UTC

There are a lot of social media pages (tiktok, instagram, youtube, etc.) that involve interviews of Japanese people/Foreigners in Japan, general life in Japan, processes of people learning Japanese, and more that can be really helpful to look at.

Surrounding yourself with Native Speakers

2024-04-29 14:44:35 UTC

A great way to build fluency in any language is to be around people who are native speakers. They can correct your mistakes as well as improve your accent.

Journaling

2024-04-29 14:45:37 UTC

If you like journaling consider writing entries in Japanese so you can practice forming sentences that apply to you personally while practicing your writing in Japanese.

instagram reels/youtube shorts/tik tok

2024-04-29 15:44:37 UTC

There's a lot of short form videos in Japanese whether it be comedy skits, clips from game shows, or a little lesson packed into small amount of time. Usually these videos have captions in Japanese and English.

2024-04-29 16:38:44 UTC

Watching Japanese media without English subtitles is a great way to learn Japanese. Unfortunately for most you will need a VPN, however there is a site called Animelon where you can watch anime with Japanese subtitles for free. It has a decent selection and as well options for subtitles in hiragana, katakana, kanji, romaji, and as well as English, but I recommend turning them off English subtitles as they can distract from picking up sounds and audio ques.

Thinking out-loud. Repetitive Pronunciation.

2024-04-29 16:53:03 UTC

I find it helpful for remembering phrases/ words to incorporate the language in common, day-to-day reactions, expressions, or even when thinking out loud. I myself don't think out-loud as often, but do so to practice Japanese. Also, I think repeating a word that you believe you currently mispronounce---over and over again to yourself, and try to make it sound natural (or native) definitely helps with learning proper pronunciations and not sound like a robot translator. But, funny enough, you should use google translate to see how the robot pronounces it.

Jisho Kanji

2024-04-29 18:23:18 UTC

On a mobile device, shirabe jisho is very helpful for studying kanji flash cards. You are able to create a study set from categories like the JLPT N5-N1, different grades of school, or the most common words. It was very beneficial for me last summer and it works offline as well.

Watching Cooking videos

2024-04-29 18:31:20 UTC

I like watching the YouTube channel cooking with dog every now and then to see if I can put together what they are saying with what they are doing

Reading Newspapers

2024-04-29 18:41:27 UTC

I have the NHK EASY front page as my homepage on my computer, so everyday I read the headlines and some articles to learn new words, the Kanji on the website has the kana over it as well, to tell you what it means.

AnkiDroid - Specifically with the Kaishi1.5k deck

2025-04-30 19:22:20 UTC

Kaishi1.5k is a deck that can be found available for download on the AnkiDroid app (I'm unsure about the IOs version but I wouldn't be surprised if it was available on there, too. Each card has example sentences for the kanji, kanji combination or hiragana vocab word. Best of all, an audio file with pronunciations is included with each card.

"Abroad in Japan" Audio book by Chris Broad.

2025-04-30 19:24:15 UTC

If you've ever seen a video from the channel Abroad in Japan, this is an audio book by that creator. It recounts his travels and introduction into Japan as an English teacher with very little knowledge of the Japanese language. Very interesting listen.

Podcasts I Like

2025-04-30 19:28:34 UTC

I listen to these on Spotify, usually while I'm at work.

Nihongo con Teppei - beginner level, short but comprehensible episodes.

Learn Japanese with Noriko - more advanced, I definitely don't pick up as much but still good to listen.

Yuyu no Nihongo Podcast - pretty advance and he talks rather fast but it's a good challenge for me at the moment. Good personality.

Badonkadonk - hosted by a Japanese girl and a Japanese-American guy. Funny, albeit not really PG, conversations comparing cultures. Often talking about slang and pop culture. Another one that's pretty advanced.

History of Japan - Podcast by Isaac Meyer

2025-04-30 19:34:13 UTC

I really enjoy podcast series with loads of episodes so I can binge at work. Luckily Japan has thousands of years of history and Isaac Meyer started going over it on his podcast over 10 years ago. So his show has hundreds of 40-60 min episodes.

I definitely don't remember everything, especially names, but I've picked up some interesting insights into the culture regardless.

Online Tadoku (or simple Japanese reading) resource

ncollis2 — 2025-05-02 16:38:51 UTC

Todaii

The app to learn Japanese from N5 to N1. Providing daily news to help improve Japanese vocabulary Kanji, Hiragana, and Katakana.

https://japanese.todaiinews.com/

Tadoku Dojo（subscription with some free articles)

https://yomujp.com/

たどくの広場（ひろば）

https://tadoku.info/stories/

Tadoku Tree House

https://sites.smith.edu/tadoku/

NHKやさしいニュース

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/easy/

From JPN 102_SP25

ncollis2 — 2025-05-02 20:15:14 UTC

Kanji Teacher

2025-12-09 02:53:35 UTC

There is an app I like to use called "Kanji Teacher" where you can study kanji based on JLPT level. You can learn the meanings, pronunciations, common compound words, and how to write them.