Table of Contents (clickable) A Study Symbol?................................................................

20
Introduction...........................................................5 Lights! Camera! Action!......................................................20
Some other study locations to consider...............................21
We've all been Lied to..........................................................5
Mix it up............................................................................22
What I did Learn.................................................................6
Studying Tunes..................................................................23
How to Use this Kit..............................................................6
Brain Waves......................................................................23
This Book is a Course and a Reference Material.....................6
Your-Pace Learning..............................................................7 Week 4 – The Mental Game..................................25
Course Layout.....................................................................7 1st Step – Clear your Mind.....................................................25
Week 1 – Goal Setting..............................................................7 Get it out of your Head...........................................................26
Week 2 – Finding Time.............................................................7 2nd Step – Build Concentration and Focus...............................27
Week 3 – Location...................................................................7 Meditation? Are you serious?.................................................27
Week 4 – The Mental Game......................................................7 Walking Meditation.................................................................28
Arsenal of Activities..................................................................7 Mindfulness for the Busy........................................................28
Windows – destroyer of productivity........................................29
Week 1 – Goal Setting............................................8
3rd Step – Set your Pace........................................................30
Long Term Goals - What are you studying for? .....................8
Too Much Too Early................................................................30
Lower Levels (N5, N4)..............................................................8
Pace Yourself.........................................................................31
Higher Levels (N3+).................................................................9
The rule of 21 days................................................................31
Mid-term Goal – Which test are you taking next? ................10 Time Boxing..........................................................................32
How do you determine your weakness?...................................12
Dealing with Test Anxiety.......................................................32
Short Term Goals ..............................................................12 Gain Momentum....................................................................33
Portability of the Goals Worksheet.......................................13 You will Fail...........................................................................33
Week 2 – Finding Time.........................................14 Act the Part...........................................................................34
Mapping out your average week ........................................14 Avoid the Whiners..................................................................34
Mapping out potential study times......................................15 Smashing through Plateaus....................................................34
Golden Study Times...............................................................16 So What Happened?...............................................................35
Rate the study times..............................................................17 The Power of 80-20...............................................................36
Don't forget about impromptu study sessions..........................18 The Journey Past the 20%......................................................36
Week 3 – Location! Location! Location!................19 Crop Rotation........................................................................37
Create a studying safe haven..............................................19 What's the Perfect Rotation?...................................................37

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 Different Rotations for different kinds of Learners....................37 That's What Friends are For................................................94
Sample Monthly JLPT Study Guide......................................39 Scheduling your Study Activities..........................................94
Month 1................................................................................39 Language Knowledge.............................................................95
Month 2 ...............................................................................46 The Study Activity Coding System...........................................96
Month 3................................................................................49 Not so Mentally Demanding Activities....................................101
Month 4................................................................................53 Easy Activities......................................................................116
Month 5................................................................................56 Language Skills....................................................................129
Month 6................................................................................60 Intensive vs. Extensive.........................................................129
Month 7................................................................................63 Mentally Demanding Activities...............................................135
Month 8................................................................................67 Not so Mentally Demanding Activities....................................145
Month 9................................................................................71 Easy Activities......................................................................158
Arsenal of Activities..............................................77 Fillers..................................................................................162
Strengthen your Weaknesses..............................................77 Fill in your Calendar.........................................................164
Re-Analyze Regularly..........................................................78 Reminder: Kill your Darlings..............................................164
Bazookas and Sniper Rifles.................................................78 Beyond this Book................................................166
The Bazooka vs. the Sniper Rifle.............................................79 Keep to your Schedule..........................................................166
Bazookas...............................................................................80 Don't Overwork Yourself.......................................................166
Sniper Rifles..........................................................................80 It's just a Test, not the Language..........................................167
Boiling Down your Grammar...................................................81 When you Hit the Wall..........................................................167
How to Make any Study Activity more Effective....................84 Take a Look at your Goals.....................................................167
Say it Out Loud......................................................................84 Is the JLPT right for you?......................................................168
Use Gestures.........................................................................85 Are your Study Methods Motivating?......................................168
Use Emotions.........................................................................86 Ganbare!.............................................................................169
The Power of Imagery............................................................86
Memory Boosters...............................................................87
Appendix of Further Guides................................170
Mnemonics............................................................................87 Choosing an Appropriate Level Reading Book.........................170
What about the kanji?............................................................89 Beginners............................................................................170
Correcting for Sounds.............................................................90 Intermediate Learners..........................................................172
Stubborn Words.....................................................................91 Translations.........................................................................173
The Method of Loci – Revised.................................................92 Advanced.............................................................................174
Testing the Book..................................................................177

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 Where to Buy Books.............................................................178 Where to Go Online for Help.................................................213
Outside Japan......................................................................179 Be a Contributor not just a Taker...........................................214
Reference Materials..............................................................180 Choosing an Exercise Book...................................................215
Japanese to English dictionaries............................................180 The N5 Level.......................................................................215
Japanese to Japanese Dictionaries........................................182 The N4 Level.......................................................................216
Japanese Thesauruses..........................................................184 The N3 Level.......................................................................217
Grammar Guides..................................................................185 The N2 Level.......................................................................218
Flashcard System.................................................................186 The N1 Level.......................................................................219
Vocabulary Notebook............................................................187 Browser Extensions..............................................................220
Good Ol' Fashion Flashcards..................................................188 Firefox Tools........................................................................220
Audio Flashcards..................................................................188 Chrome Extensions...............................................................221
Anki....................................................................................190 Smart Phone Apps...............................................................222
Memrise.com.......................................................................190 Dictionaries..........................................................................222
Evernote..............................................................................191 Vocabulary Practice..............................................................223
Honorable Mentions.............................................................191 Kanji Practice.......................................................................224
General Reading Tips...........................................................192 Android Apps.......................................................................224
Learning Unknown Words.....................................................193 Find Vocabulary Words to Learn............................................225
Mark up your Books.............................................................193 For N3 and above.................................................................226
Divide and Conquer..............................................................194 How to Speed Up or Slow Down Audio..................................226
Break Sentences Down.........................................................195 Speeding Up Audio...............................................................226
How to Increase your Reading Speed....................................195 Test Taking Strategy.............................................................228
Listening Material.................................................................203 Brain Juice...........................................................................229
Books..................................................................................204 Not All Questions are Created Equal......................................230
Other Options......................................................................206 So what does all this mambo jumbo mean?...........................233
Listening Tips......................................................................206 Ready-made Test Strategies..................................................235
No Turning Back...................................................................207 One Final Note on Test Strategies..........................................237
Learn to Take Structured Notes.............................................208 Learning Vocabulary.............................................................237
The Mind Map Method..........................................................208 The Anatomy of a Word........................................................237
Japanese or English?............................................................209 Are you Kidding me? I have to Remember all that?................240
Listening Stamina.................................................................210
Diagnosing Listening Problems..............................................210

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I know you are really excited to get started with a kit but here is We've all been Lied to
quick welcome video (YouTube video) that will give you an overview
We've all been had, bamboozled, tricked. There is a huge
of what you'll be doing over the course.
conspiracy out there that has been holding us all back. It's a
conspiracy that kept you from enjoying school, kept you from
Introduction enjoying learning and most importantly kept you from speaking and
using Japanese.
First of all, congratulations on purchasing the Ultimate Guide It has managed to infiltrate every stratum of our education
to Passing the JLPT Study Kit. You've taken the first step toward system from the elementary to the college level. It has even seeped
mastering the test with less pain and in less time. A lot of people into self-study textbooks and materials as well. It's so prevalent
don't even take this step to learn how to study for the test, so that you might not even be able to really notice it or realize that
congratulations and thanks for letting me help you pass the test. there is a better way to do things.
I know when I first started studying a language in high I'm talking about the conspiracy of not being taught how to
school, I personally had no idea how to study a language. I learn. I'm not sure why this is, maybe it's just assumed that we are
eventually learned through trial and error what works best and suppose to magically 'get it'. Or that are parents are suppose to
what doesn't. I wasted a lot of time with ineffective methods and handle teaching us these things. I'm not sure why nobody taught
materials. So, it is good to be able to share some of the simple us this seemingly invaluable skill, but they didn't.
techniques that helped me maximize my study time. So, instead of using a language in language learning classes,
Over the next four weeks, I'll be teaching you how to make you probably memorized grammar charts that were almost literally
the most out of your studying and achieve your JLPT goals fast. shoveled to your feet as if you could suck up this abstract
You'll be surprised at how much faster and easier it will be for you knowledge without any kind of assistance. Or, you went through
to pass the test. several rounds of drills until it was ground into your head.
It's not going to be a cakewalk though. Passing the higher But, it is hard to make information stick that way. This
levels of the JLPT can be very difficult. It will take dedication and information needs to be related to other things in your head,
perseverance to overcome the high bar that is set by the tests. otherwise it will likely just drop out of your head and onto the floor
But, don't worry, I'll walk you through what needs to be done step within the week.
by step. There is a way to easily and efficiently get this stuff to stick.
It takes a little bit of effort and planning, but don't worry I'll take
you step by step through the process. My goal is to make the

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whole process dummy-proof for you. Japanese quickly.
Trust me it is a lot better than the alternative of getting lost I kept and refined what worked and discarded what didn't
in the woods and wasting valuable studying time. When I first work. What I put into this kit is only the best and time-tested
started studying Japanese. I was completely lost. I was studying methods of studying that I've found. I hope you put them to good
purely from one book and trying to cram all that information about use and that they will help you pass the JLPT whether you are
the language into my head as hard as I could. I studied Japanese a going for the N5 or the ultimate, N1.
lot, but didn't make a lot of progress.
I continued like that for about 3 to 4 years, believing that I How to Use this Kit
would steadily and magically become better. But, I didn't. This kit is a little unique, part eBook, part tutorial, I think
Sometimes I think back to all the time I spent trying to study you'll find this pattern of learning very motivating and easy to get
Japanese, and wonder what was I thinking? Did I really think I was through. Instead of just a plain old eBook, I've combined video,
going to master the language that way? worksheets and activities for you to do in order to make it as
On top of that, I was self-studier, like a lot of Japanese interactive as possible.
learners, and I was never taught how to schedule out my learning
or how to study on my own. I always had a class that created the This Book is a Course and a Reference Material
pace for me. But, did those classes ever have the right pace?
Sometimes they were too slow or too fast. They weren't set to my The first time you use this book, I encourage you to go through it
speed. like it were an online course. In certain points in the text, there will
Well, we'll go over how to schedule out your studying so that be links to videos that explain some more difficult points. I think in
it is at a pace you can handle and is personalized to your schedule, the age of digital communication and cheap HD video that it is only
not the teacher's. You can decide your goals and what you need to appropriate for me to show you a lot of things instead of explain it
accomplish by when, so you don't get overwhelmed. to you in text.

What I did Learn Later, you can use the book as a reference when you go to plan out
your schedule and choose different studying methods that suit what
What I did learn was what not to do when studying a you want to work on or focus on. So keep this eBook handy as
language as well as how to prepare for a test, specifically the JLPT. you'll be referencing it often in the future.
I started testing a variety of methods of studying to see which was
the most efficient and which one allowed me to learn accurate Also, note that this kit is geared towards studying Japanese in

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preparation for the JLPT. I will however cover some techniques that Course Layout
will help you improve your general Japanese skills. If you aren't
This kit is basically broken down into 4 weeks or sections (plus this
studying for the test specifically, this kit can still be a big help in
little introduction). Here is a short itinerary of things to come:
achieving your Japanese learning goals. I'll go over how to do that
towards the end of the kit so stay tuned. Week 1 – Goal Setting
Your-Pace Learning It's important to know why you are studying for this test in
the first place so you can adjust your studying regimen accordingly.
This kit is designed to be used at your pace. I personally have busy
times and not so busy times in my life, and it is often times very Week 2 – Finding Time
difficult to snap a rigid study regimen onto that constantly-in-flux
You know how time seems to just evaporate before your very
schedule that I have. So, this course is designed to be done at a
eyes? Well, we are going to hunt down and reclaim that lost time
pace you are comfortable with.
so that you can get the most out of your week.
But, don't try to do it any faster than about 4 weeks. The Week 3 – Location
reasoning behind this is that I want you to soak up each lesson and
apply it to your studying before moving on to the next point. Each Finding a good place to study is just as important as what
unit builds upon the previous one so be sure to complete you are studying. We'll go over the details of how to setup a nice
everything before moving on. The goal here is to become more safe haven for you to get your work done.
efficient with your study methods not finish the kit.
Week 4 – The Mental Game
In other words, keep moving forward, not moving forward In this final week, I'll go over some tips on how to keep going with
completely, exactly, perfectly. If something is a little off, you can go your studies. It can sometimes be very difficult to keep focused
back and adjust it later. Just be sure to do the exercises before and moving toward your goal. We'll go over how to set the right
moving on. I want you to get the most out of this kit! pace for yourself as well as how to build your concentration and
focus.
On the other side of that, you probably don't want to go too slow.
Otherwise you might end up forgetting about studying all together! Arsenal of Activities
In this section, I will give you a full arsenal of learning tools to

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choose from in order to prepare for the JLPT as fast as you can. As
well as some memory-boosters to help expand your head to fit all There are also going to be distractions. Your friends are going to
those words and kanji in there. call you and want to hang out. You're eventually going to want to
watch that new movie or play that new video game. Or your
As I said before, the ideal solution is to move through these units in favorite TV show is going to be on, that one you can't stop
4 weeks putting into effect the different tools as you come across watching even if your life depended on it. Or you might even have
them. Make sure to implement what you are taught first before a family with kids to take care of and mouths to feed.
moving on. This isn't a race.

Are you ready to begin? Then let's do it! Long Term Goals - What are you studying for?
To keep all those distractions at bay you need to know what you
Week 1 – Goal Setting are studying for. What is that shiny prize you'll have at the end of
all this? That will keep you focused when your friends come calling
A lot of people have reasons for why they got into studying and the distractions come beating down your door. It'll be the thing
Japanese. Maybe you like manga or anime. Maybe you got hooked to turn to in your moment of need.
on those Final Fantasy games. Maybe you grew up watching videos
about how high-tech Japan was. Or maybe you love karate or Long Term Goals Video (click here to open the video)
practice zen. Maybe you fell in love with the people (or maybe just (YouTube video)
one special one). Maybe you just really love pachinko.
Lower Levels (N5, N4)
Whatever the reason, something sparked your interest in Japanese. Maybe your final goal is to simply be able to travel around Japan
You got into it and started learning it, but after awhile you start to and enjoy yourself while you are here. It is definitely a lot of fun to
wonder why? Why am I studying Japanese? be able to have a few simple conversations with the natives and be
able to book hotels and ask for directions without having to resort
And it's important to know why because learning Japanese as well to broken English. An N4 level will definitely cover this, whereas an
as studying for the JLPT is going to be a big investment in time and N5 will help you get things done with 'caveman' Japanese.
money. There are a whole lot of other things that you could be
doing with your time then studying until your brain seems to If you'd simply like to be conversational in Japanese, an N4 will give
explode.

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you an adequate amount of grammar to accomplish that. The one If you are thinking about getting into translation, N1 is probably a
thing that is missing is the vocabulary which you can pick up in good goal to set for yourself, too. Again it won't teach you
conversation. You'll still be pretty hard pressed to understand a TV everything you need to know, but you will know all the necessary
show or manga, but you'll be able to have a simple conversation pieces (grammar and phrases) to translate just about anything.
with someone. The vocabulary can be looked up to fill in the holes.

Having an N4 certification may also get you in the door at a If you are looking to do a job that doesn't necessarily require a lot
Japanese company that is operating in another country. They of Japanese, like some IT work, computer programming, personnel
might be able to speak just enough English (or whatever your recruiting or even doing international sales an N3 or N2 is usually
native language is) to communicate with you, but they'll feel a little all that is required to get an interview as long as you have the
more comfortable hiring somebody that is at least conversational in speaking skills to back it up in an interview.
Japanese. At the very least it shows you have an interest in the
culture. If you are outside of Japan and are looking to work for an
import/export company or something similar that deals with
Higher Levels (N3+) Japanese clients via email sometimes all that is usually required is
Do you want to go for gold and try to pass the ultimate N1 test? an N3 (from what I've seen). Sometimes these jobs don't even
With an N1 you will be able to pretty easily get a job interview and require you to speak Japanese because you'll be communicating via
probably get hired by a major Japanese company in Japan without email and maybe occasionally by phone.
too many problems. If your goal is to live and work in Japan for a
considerable amount of time. You might want to set N1 as your There are also other jobs in and out of Japan that don't require a
final goal. JLPT level at all. They don't even ask for it, but might require that
you are conversational and able to speak well. Please note though,
Does passing the N1 mean you'll be able to understand Japanese that having an N2 or even an N3 certification on your resume will
perfectly? Well, not exactly, it will essentially prepare you for definitely boost your prospects, get you more interviews and
almost any situation you are bound to encounter in Japanese generally make your life a lot easier even if the position doesn't
though. After passing the N1, you'll be about the equivalent of a 'require' it.
native high school graduate in Japan (with about half the
vocabulary unfortunately). And you can do a lot with that level. Passing the higher levels of the test doesn't have to be about
getting a job either. Studying for and taking the JLPT forces you to

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learn some good reading and listening skills that can help you Mid-term Goal – Which test are you taking next?
tremendously. The reading section of the test forces you to learn Mid and Short Term Goals Video (click here to open the
good habits like skimming and scanning. These can come in handy video) (YouTube video)
if you live in Japan and don't want to spend all day trying to read a
notice in the mail or trudge through an apartment listing website. This is an easy question to answer if you've taken the test before.
Just take one number off the last test you passed. For example, if
Also, the fact that you have to study a wide variety of vocabulary in you just passed N5, your new mid-term goal would be the N4, and
order to pass the test will also help you. When you are exposed to so-forth.
different kinds of writing styles you'll pick up different ways of
saying things and your speech will become more nuanced and But, what if you haven't taken the test before? Well, you need to
'human'. You'll stop sounding like a book, and more like, well, you. do some estimating then. Luckily, I've made up a short checklist of
questions for you to answer. You don't need to check off every
If you are a fan of Japanese literature a higher level like N2 or N1 single item for a particular level. They are just there to give you a
will come in handy, too. It will open you up to a lot more books feel for what the level is like. The worksheet is labeled 'test-
that you can read to understand the culture firsthand instead of estimator.pdf'.
having to rely on translations. This is really the only true way to
'feel the pulse' of the culture. Otherwise you have to depend on Once you've determined the next test you are going after, you need
what other people interpret the culture to be, which is generally not to decide when you are going to take the test. Can you take it in
exactly correct. July or December? To give you a basic idea of how much studying
is required for each level of the test you can take a look at the chart
So, have you set your long term goal? Good. Now, open up the on the following page. It lists general estimates and an
worksheet labeled 'goals.xls' (or for OpenOffice.org Calc users approximation of what is contained in each level.
goals.ods) and type in the test you want to pass as your long term
goal (N5, N4, etc...). Don't forget to fill in the date below it. The
spreadsheet will automatically calculate how much studying you
need to do per day/week/month.

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Test Hours of Vocab Grammar Kanji learn.
study points
The kanji and vocabulary numbers are rough estimates of the total
N5 450 ~800 ~50 ~100
number of kanji and vocabulary you must know for that level
N4 450 ~1,500 ~100 ~300 (200) (including vocabulary and kanji from previous levels). The number
(700) in the parentheses is the number of new vocabulary and kanji you
N3 450 ~3,750 ~100 ~650 (350) need to know. You'll be using those numbers to set your short term
(2,250) goals.

N2 800 ~6,000 ~100 ~1000 If you are planning on taking the N2 or N1, I would recommend
(2,250) (350) breaking these down into smaller blocks of time. The N2 test can
N1 2500 ~18,000 ~100 ~2000 easily be broken into two blocks of 400 hours, whereas the
(12,000) (1000) mammoth N1 test can be broken down into 5 – 500 hour blocks.
Note: these estimates for study time needed between tests are Here is a little chart that will help you split up those two big tests:
pretty conservative. It is entirely possible to study more efficiently Test Hours New Vocab Grammar New Kanji
and speed up these times especially with some of the techniques I'll Points
be showing you, but just keep these in mind as standard estimates. N2 blocks 400 1125 ~50 175

Also, these hours are for students that have no prior kanji N1 blocks 500 2400 ~20 200
knowledge (like Chinese students) or don't speak a language that
has a similar grammar structure to Japanese (like Korean students). By breaking these bigger tests down into smaller blocks of studying,
you can manage and chart your progress a lot more easily.
The grammar points are complete estimates. Most grammar books
for each of the levels contain more than a 100 grammar points, but At this point you should also choose a weakness to focus on over
the actual test most likely covers less of them (nobody really knows this block of time. There are basically 5 major weaknesses (related
for sure). I think publishers include every possible grammar point to taking and passing the JLPT): reading, kanji, vocabulary,
just to be safe, but that doesn't mean they will be on the test. The listening, and grammar.
number listed, is the number of new grammar points you must

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How do you determine your weakness? where you can stop, have a drink, maybe something to eat, even
Well, an easy answer to that question is to look at your last test have a smoke if you want.
score and see what you scored the lowest on. If you have never
taken the test before you can take a practice test or a mock test to When you are at these stations on the mountain you can easily sit
see what you had the most difficulty with. Although practice tests and look down below from where you came and marvel at how
aren't full-sized tests, they should give you a general idea of some much progress you've made. This can be quite motivating because
of your weak points and are available free on the web. when you go to stand up and head back up the mountain you'll see
how far you need to go still and you'll need that motivation to keep
Mock tests cost a little bit more, but offer a lot more feedback, you going up the mountain.
some of the mock tests for the higher levels even go into what
kinds of questions you got wrong and give you personalized advice Setting these way points or stations is important for studying, too.
based on your score. It might be worth it to take the test below It will help show you how much steady progress you've made.
your level just to see or challenge yourself with the test you are
currently studying for. Lucky for you, I've taken a lot of the grunt work out of making your
own checklists by building a checklist that automatically tracks your
The last option is to just guess at your weakness, but you'd be goals, too. You'll find it on the second sheet of the 'goals.xls' (or
surprised what you think is your weakness and what the test tells 'goals.ods' if you are using Calc) worksheet. To help work you
you your weakness is. I know I've been surprised a few times through this process, I made a short tutorial video for you as well.
when I got my results back.
Goals Walkthrough Video (click here to open the video)
Once you've determined your weakness put that down in the (YouTube video)
worksheet. We'll be using it to help you set your short term goals.
Portability of the Goals Worksheet
Short Term Goals The worksheet that is designed for excel is pretty portable. If you
On every long journey there are way points that help mark the path have a (free) google account you can upload it to your Google Docs
and tell you how far you've gone and how far you've yet to go. If and use it from there. Or, Microsoft now has a service called
you've climbed Mt.Fuji, you know this all too well. There are SkyDrive (also free) that allows you to basically do the same thing.
stations about every 45 minutes on the path up the mountain I actually used Google Docs to test the Excel version of this

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worksheet since I don't actually own a copy of Microsoft Excel and
it works just fine.

If you keep it stored online this way or 'in the cloud', you'll be able
to access it from anywhere, which makes it more likely for you to
keep track of your progress. The iOS interface for Google Docs is a
little clunky, and you might have to refresh the page in order to see
the totals reflect what you put in, but it is still portable and good for
just plugging in the basics of your study activity.

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 and when you can realistically study. It will only take about 10
Week 2 – Finding Time minutes to do the exercises, I promise.
One of the most common complaints I hear from my students is
that they don't have enough time to study. No matter how hard Mapping out your average week
they try, time seems to always slip away from them. It's amazing
how time will do that, isn't it? Walkthrough of the Weekly Goals Sheet (click here to open the
video) (YouTube video)
But the fact of the matter is, if you plan out your average week,
you'll find plenty of time to study. You might need to be a little I've included a calendar in the “goals.xls”, it is the tab marked
imaginative at times, but the time is there. Trust me, I work 6 days 'Weekly Schedule'. You can use this to map out the blocks of time
a week, have a regular social life, manage to study 2-3 hours a day, that you have. On this first pass through, just mark off what is free
raise my daughter, keep up with JLPTBootCamp.com and write time and not free time. Start with the obvious stuff: sleep, work or
guides like this. The time is there, you just have to hunt for it a classes. Those are going to be what takes up the most of your
little bit. time. Mark these sections of time off with black.

I always tell people that if you can give 8+ hours to a job, you can If you have a job that has some overtime, make sure to
give a few hours to yourself to improve your Japanese. In other compensate for that by thinking about your average week. How
words, make sure you give yourself time before you give someone many hours, on average, do you actually work each week. Make
else time. sure to give yourself some wiggle room.

Below, I'm going to be outlining a step-by-step method on how to Next, plan in some 'fuzziness', blocks of time to get stuff done like
find and map out study times. This approach might not be for chores, errands, doctor appointments, and other odds and ends. If
everyone though. Some people don't need so much structure to you go to the gym every day, be sure to put that down as well.
their method and can do things 'off the cuff'. Also, plan in daily maintenance time, time where you'll be
showering, brushing your teeth, eating, cooking, and doing all that
If you are the type of person that is highly allergic to scheduling other stuff that keeps you running every day. Mark these fuzzy
and planning stuff out, this isn't going to be as difficult as you blocks of time with gray, just so you can tell them apart from the
think, it will be beneficial for you to think about your average week, blacked out times.

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 green (this will match up with activities we will choose later).
However, try to think about ways that you can reduce this daily These are times that you can be reasonably certain that you won't
maintenance time by reducing your cooking time or if you be interrupted and can sit down and study. Don't paint yourself
sometimes veg out in front of the TV while eating, try turning it off into a corner though. Leave space to have fun like watch TV, and
for at least a few nights. I'm not telling you to be an Olympic just relax. Relaxing and rewarding yourself for your hard work is
speed eater, but eating is when you can usually save a few minutes, almost just as important as doing hard work.
or even use it for study time if you are eating by yourself.
If you are living with roommates or family, you might want to make
Some other ideas for saving time - Try to bulk together your it clear to them that there are going to be blocked off periods of
activities. Map out the errands you need to do outside of the house time and that you are not to be disturbed during those times unless
and do them together. Cook double portions and freeze half of the house is burning down. You can usually get away with at least
your meal to eat later. Check your email at certain times of the day, an hour a day of this. Any more and you might be pushing your
and only at those certain times of the day. Email, Facebook roommates or family a little too far.
updates and texts can mysteriously eat up a lot of time, plan for
them and schedule them into your day. There will also be times during the day, that you are sort of half
free. For example, when you are commuting to work or exercising
Don't worry about any of this being too exact, the idea is to get a at the gym. In general, times that you are doing something, but
rough idea of how much time you've got every week to study. you are able to do something else at the same time like listen to
Nobody's schedule works like clockwork, so there will be times your iPod for example.
when this schedule will go completely out the window and that's
okay. Be sure to map these out as well in yellow to distinguish them from
your completely free times, times where you are able to both listen
Mapping out potential study times and/or read something at the same time. You'll have to plan out
Once you've got all the stuff you have to do mapped out, you'll be different activities for these half-free sections of your day.
left with all the blocks of time during your average week that you
have free. These will become your potential study times. In extreme cases, you can also factor in times when you are eating
at home, showering (you can listen to a podcast in the shower), or
First of all, map out times that you are completely free to study in brushing your teeth. This may sound like a hassle, but I'll go over
some simple tips to make it a little easier. And, if you are extremely

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busy these times may be your only times.
This goes along with the give yourself time first idea,
Golden Study Times scheduling a block of time first thing in the morning is incredibly
Try to have a least one green block of time in one of the golden valuable because you are less likely to say no to it. There was an
times to study. There are 4 major golden times that I've made very experiment actually done on this, where participants in a morning
good use of over the last couple years. These times are good times exercise class were observed to stick with the class a lot longer
where I've found myself to be the most focused and to get the compared to people in an evening class.
most done. I personally think this has a lot to do with your willpower.
You have a lot more willpower and motivation at the start of the
1. During your lunch break day then you do at the end of the day after you've gone through a
whole day of work or class.
Your typical lunch break at work is about an hour or if you
are unlucky, only 30 minutes. This is a great little pocket of time 4. Commuting
where you can focus on studying for 10 to 20 minutes (or more).
It's perfect for staying focused on your studying because it's a Ever since I've started making full use of commuting time,
nicely sized piece of time, so you can tell yourself that you only I've seen my study progress really improve. I have a good 20 to 30
need to focus for those 20 minutes and then you're done! minute block where I'm sitting on a train. This is great because I
can tell myself I only have to stay focused for 20 minutes and then
2. Right before sleep I can reward myself with some music or something else. It keeps
me incredibly focused.
Research has shown that things you study right before you Not everyone has a commute to work, or has their hands
go to bed have a better chance of being remembered longer. and eyes free to study while going to work, but it can be a great
Scientists believe this has something to do with your brain opportunity if you do. You might even want to think about riding
processing information while you are sleeping. If you study public transportation even if it takes longer than driving to work just
something right before you go to sleep, there is a better chance of for this very reason. Something to consider anyway.
your brain picking that up as being important information and
storing it away while you sleep. 5. Try to Create Hooks or Chains

3. Right after you wake up Try to schedule your studying time immediately after

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something to create a hook. For example, you can schedule tendency to sometimes lose focus. This can be right after you
studying time right after you brush your teeth. It'll make it a lot wake up, right after eating, or just after a big workout. This is a
easier to remember to do because your brain will remember it as good time to do some kind of easier activity that doesn't require as
part of sequence. So, if you don't do it, it will feel strange, like much focus.
something is missing.
This is yet another benefit of commuting time, I always study 3. Groggy
for the 20 or so minutes when I'm on the train every morning and
night. Now, if I don't study for whatever reason, I feel a bit strange This is when you are tired and have considerable difficulty
or even guilty that I didn't study that day. concentrating on the task at hand. This can be after a long day of
working overtime or right before you go to bed after a long day.
Rate the study times This is a good time for straightforward activities like drills and
Now that you have clearly marked sections of free time that you simple review.
have designated as study time, it's time to rate the quality of these
Don't forget about impromptu study sessions
times. This will help you to later decide what kind of activities
should fit into those times. Don't worry if you end up with not that much dedicated studying
time to be had from all this scheduling. There will always be time
There are basically 3 different groups of time: to do some impromptu studying during the day. No matter how
busy you are, there will always be those times when you are
1. Active waiting on the train, waiting in line at the bank or sometimes just
waiting for someone to answer the phone when you can sneak in
This is when your brain is the most awake and alert for some studying time.
studying. This can typically be right after you have gotten up,
taken a shower and shaved, during the morning commute, mid-day These short little 2 or 3 minutes gaps here and there may not seem
during your lunch break, or right when you get home from work. like much, but if you add them up they can really help you improve.
This is when you can do the tasks that require the most focus. I use these gaps to practice vocabulary with my iPhone. It is so
easy to whip out your phone, unlock it, and take in one or two
2. So-so words while you have a little bit of down time. For example, there
is a short walk to the bathroom where I work and on my way there
This is when you are a little tired or drowsy and have a I can flip through a few cards pretty easily.

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I'll go over some snappy study techniques later that you can
squeeze into those cracks in your schedule, so you can make the
most out of all your time during the day.

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 master multitasker but, it has been proven recently that it is
Week 3 – Location! Location! actually impossible to multitask.
Location! When you try to do something, like studying, with all these
distractions around you what is actually happening is that your
Growing up, you probably had a specific place to do your studying. brain is rapidly switching between the two things over and over
Maybe it was a desk in your room, the kitchen table or even your again. This cuts down on your ability to absorb the information
bed. I personally did a lot of studying on the couch in my living that you are trying to study. It is also why watching Sponge Bob
room while I was growing up. I don't think it was exactly the best Square Pants has actually been proven to make your kids dumber.
spot to study, but it was all right.
See, if you watch Sponge Bob Square Pants you'll notice that the
As an adult though, you have a lot more options for study locations. average cut is only about one second long. In other words, the
There is the local cafe or at your desk at work after hours. You whole cartoon is a series of one second shots. This inhibits a child's
may also be tempted to study in front of the TV or computer. So, ability to concentrate and thus inhibits their ability to learn. The
does it really matter where you study? Is there a best place to do same holds true for you. If you are rapidly switching between two
your studying? different things, your ability to concentrate will weaken and your
ability to learn efficiently along with it.
Well, yes, it's important to have a specific place where you do your
studying. You will focus a lot more on your task at hand as well as So to avoid all that, you want to create a place to study that walls
be able to minimize distractions if you make some smart decisions you off from the distractions of the real world. A place where you
about the kind of place you study. It may seem like a simple thing, can keep studying and not be interrupted by all that outside junk.
but it can make a world of difference in the way you study. You need a studying safe haven.

Create a studying safe haven A safe haven is a place that doesn't include a TV, a bed, or probably
a kitchen table. It should hopefully be a place where you only
There are a lot of things out there to keep you from studying: TV,
study and don't do anything else. Although that is sometimes a
video games, talking with friends, noisy kids, and that annoying
little hard to come by, especially in cramped Japan. The reason you
speaker truck around election season. These can all interrupt your
want a place where you only study is that you want to associate the
study patterns and get you distracted. You may think you are a
location with studying and eliminate distractions.

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 they can take in all the details. Whatever suits your mood and how
Also, try to find a place to study that doesn't involve laying down. you like to study. I personally like to study at night with a fairly
This can quickly make you drowsy before you know it, and instead bright light so all my distractions are literally darkened out.
of focusing on studying, you'll be thinking about when you can take
a nap or go to bed. Also, clear out anything that could possibly be distracting: your
Nintendo DS, your iPhone, or a picture of your girlfriend/boyfriend.
A Study Symbol? The temptation will be too high to play some games or check email.
Some people have some kind of symbol that they whip out when Of course, if you use your smartphone or DS as a dictionary, you
they go to study. It kind of subconsciously tells your mind what you will probably have to have these with you, but try your best to only
are about to do. Think of it as Pavlov's bell in his famous dog keep the dictionary app open. Something that I occasionally do is
experiment. If you condition your mind to start focusing whenever switch my iPhone into airplane mode so I won't be interrupted by
it sees that symbol, it'll be that much easier to study. incoming email, SMS, or even phone calls.

A study symbol can be anything from a seashell to an action figure. You'll want to make sure to eliminate other disturbances too, like
It can even be something you wear like a hat or a necklace. I noisy kids and outdoor sounds. If you can, try to find a room to
personally use a seashell that I picked up when I visited the Oregon study in that you can close the door. If this isn't an option, you
coast years ago, but it can be literally anything. The important might want to consider looking for another place to study outside
thing is that you take some time to look at it before you begin your your home, which can be as simple as going to the local park or
studying. Heck, it might even become your study buddy. even sitting out on the balcony.

Also, don't associate it with anything but actually studying. Don't

Some other study locations to consider
take your study symbol on vacation with you or have it out when The local library – Remember these places? They still in fact
you are watching a movie. Make sure you can only see it when you exist believe it or not and they are a pretty good place to study
are studying. undisturbed for long periods of time. Although it might be a bit far
from where you live, it could be a good place to run off to.
Lights! Camera! Action!
Experiment with different kinds of lights in your study area as well. A friend's or neighbor's house – This might be a difficult option
Some people like calm mellow lighting, others bright lighting, so to pull off, but you might be able to bug a friend or neighbor for

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some space to study for awhile in exchange for the same. Just be are typically full of business people by themselves on their lunch
careful to let them know that you are there to study and not to breaks relaxing and aren't all that loud.
hang out.
Third, try to bring along some kind of music that will deafen out the
At work – Work is actually an excellent place to do some crowd if you need to. Music without any words is probably your
undisturbed studying as long as it is before or after regular work best bet for this situation. We'll go over music selection in a little
hours. Depending on your work situation and how much your boss bit though.
trusts you, you might be able to stay for a few hours after work and
lock the place up on your way out or come in an hour or two early Park or a Train – This is a good scenic option you can take if you
to study. want to do a bit of lazy studying. It can be refreshing to get out
and see the sun while you are studying. Also, the train and park
In a classroom – If you are going to college or high school, you offer good people-watching opportunities when you want to take a
might be able to find a free room available after hours that you break. Just be sure, again, to bring some music to deafen out the
could use to squeeze in a study session or two. This is probably chatter (if that bothers you).
one of the most ideal situations because a classroom usually has a
desk for you to work at and good lighting as well. As a side note, for trains in Japan, you can usually get a 'platform'
ticket that will let you on to the platform. Then, you can ride the
Cafe – You might think a cafe is one of the worst places to study, train to the end of the line and back while doing your studying.
but it can actually be a pretty good place as long as you follow a You'll have to get off and get back on again when you reach the
few rules. end of the line, but in the meantime you've got a nice comfy seat.
Just don't go during rush hour.
First, try to find a place that is in a corner of the cafe preferably on
a bench type seat (one that can't be moved). You don't want Or, if it's a regular train line (not the subway) there are often
someone pushing your chair around or asking to get through while waiting rooms that you can sit in and studying in that are air
you are studying. conditioned/heated (just barely). These waiting rooms are hardly
ever full.
Second, you should probably avoid family cafes, they are cheap,
but more likely to have noisy kids or gossipers. In my experience, a
simple cafe in the center of town is one of the best options. They

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Mix it up markers in your memory to help you remember information. The
same thing happens when you study apparently.
It has been long believed that studying in the same place will help
you to remember material a lot easier. The idea was that you will
If your brain sees the same information in different locations, it is
start to associate a particular place with studying so that every time
more likely to prioritize it and remember it longer. So, the moral of
you go to that location your brain will switch into studying mode.
the story is that it is okay to switch locations a few times. It may
also be a lot more motivating to have a change of scenery every
Recently however this idea has turned out to be a bit of a myth. It
once in awhile too.
was believed that studying in the same location can increase focus
and hence increase the efficiency of your studying time, but new Studying Tunes
research suggests that studying in different places and at different
times can aid you in remembering more material. Having something to listen to while you study sounds pretty
counter-intuitive. You've probably already heard from your parents
This seems pretty straightforward if you think about it. When you or teachers that jamming out to the latest jPop album while
experience things, the more things you remember the longer time cracking the books is not such a great idea, but music does have its
seems to be. For example, you spend a day sitting at a desk the place in your studying routine.
entire time doing desk work and you spend another day at an
amusement park riding rides, eating at restaurants, and watching The one big requirement of music that you listen to while studying
shows. Which day would you remember more of? is that it can't contain any words. Or at least words that you can
clearly recognize. This is because the part of your brain that
Probably the day at the amusement park. If I asked you how your processes music with words and the part that you use to study and
day was, you would probably go on for a good 10 to 20 minutes read with is believed to be one in the same. So, by listening to
about all the things you did at the park. What about the whole day lyrics and studying at the same time, you are attempting to do
at the desk? You probably wouldn't be able to make 2 sentences some multitasking which causes you to lose focus and slows you
about it. down.

That's because the day you spent doing desk work didn't include A better choice of music is something more relaxing without words
any variety. It was the same location, so it was more difficult to like nature sounds. These are especially useful when you are in a
remember anything that happened that day. There were no crowded cafe or other noisy place. You can just put on your

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headphones and drown out what is going on around you. The however one state usually dominates the others. They range from
same is true if you are in a busy household with busy roommates or Beta (the most active state) to Gamma (the least active state).
family members running around. I great free website that has a Different brainwave states have different advantages and
continuous audio loop of raining that I tend to listen to a lot is disadvantages.
rainymood.com. There is also Coffitivity, which has a continuous
stream of coffee shop babble, which can help some people to It turns out that the best state for your brain to be in is the Theta
concentrate more. Brainwave state when it recalls information. They figured this out
by measuring Dominic O'Brien's, a memory grandmaster, brain
Some people will find that nature sounds put them to sleep though, waves while he was recalling information. The same experiment
so by all means experiment with what works with you. You might showed that Dominic's brain was in a Alpha Brainwave state while
find that rocking out to techno are Gregorian chants might help you committing the information to memory.
stay more focused. Just remember to avoid anything with words
(that you can recognize) in it. So, what does this all mean to you? It means that you should try
your best to be in an Alpha Brainwave state when you do your
Brain Waves studying. That means trying to stay calm and focused. So,
There is a field of study that isn't often talked about it. It always choosing a place with fewer stimuli (like a relatively empty desk or
gets pushed to the back of the class when people start talking room) to study at will help you to remember the information more.
about learning and recalling information. Although it isn't
completely proven by science as of yet, I think it is something to at That is why I recommend using a place with as little distractions as
least be aware of. What I'm talking about is the study of brain possible. Otherwise your brain won't be able to get down to that
waves. Alpha state in order to remember the information and you'll get a
lot less out of your study session.
Your brain operates on different wave lengths. Different
wavelengths are believed to have different qualities and strengths There is some music, or should I say sounds, called binaural beats
about them. There are 5 basic types of brain waves, Alpha, Beta, that supposedly help you get your brain into these states.
Theta, Delta, and Gamma. However, the research behind this technology is sketchy at best.
For more information you can Google 'binaural beats' or try out a
All of these waves are present in your brain at any one time, few YouTube videos that use the beats and see what you think, but
use it at your own risk. It might help; it might hurt; it might not do

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anything at all.

I personally tried out a few of these binaural beats myself and

didn't seem to notice that big of a difference, but others swear by
them.

It's more important to be able to reach these states on your own,

naturally. That's where doing things like mediating and just
relaxing on a regular, daily basis can greatly affect your learning
and recall of a language.

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 1st Step – Clear your Mind
Week 4 – The Mental Game
Modern life is pretty complicated. Chances are pretty good that if
One aspect of learning Japanese that sometimes gets overlooked is you are reading this book you are not at all a deadbeat. You are
the mental game. It takes a lot to get into the mindset of learning ambitious, smart and funny, like all the people that buy my book.
a language, and it might take rock-solid motivation to make it to And being a smart, funny, ambitious individual you most likely are
your goal, especially if that goal is the ultimate N1. trying to do way more than you are easily capable of doing.

There is also the test itself that you have to deal with as well. So your life is probably full of things to do and worry about –
Taking the test can be a little hard on your nerves even if you are laundry, writing that report, discovering what that stuff is in the
usually pretty good at tests. The N1 is usually about a 4 hour test corner of your closet, paying bills, and meticulous cleaning and
(with about a 50 minute break in the middle), at least in Japan. organizing your collection of Gundam figures (or is that just me?).
That is a lot of time to keep your concentration up and stay The list is endless.
focused.
And all of that swirling around in your head can be pretty
In this week, we are going to go through how to mentally prepare distracting. You might be trying to get through your vocabulary
yourself so that you get the most out of your studying. Your goal practice for the day, but you can't stop thinking about how you still
this week should be to learn the proper skills you need to clear your have to write that report. It's hard to get anything done.
mind and maintain focus so that you can study more in less time as
well as make use of every minute you can for the test. But, you need to be able to focus on your studies. If you don't,
you'll spend hours learning something that should take minutes,
Even if you think you are pretty mentally strong, I encourage you to and you'll eventually begin to wander whether it is worth studying
walk through these exercises and see the difference they make. I at all when all you are doing is going around in circles. So how do
can guarantee you that there are at least a few pointers here that you stop all that garbage from swirling around?
will help you maximize your study time even more and keep you
from daydreaming during the test.

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Get it out of your Head Let me walk you through briefly how it works:
Your mind is a miraculous thing, we are the smartest species on the
planet, but it is still a little faulty. Your brain, despite what you Workflowy Tutorial on YouTube
might think, was not meant to hold all the day-to-day stuff you
think it might be able to hold. It really can't hold that much to be Workflowy is great for the little items, small pieces of text and
honest, so you need to dump it out. random thoughts. You might even want to use it to organize new
words that you have learned. You could group them by category
If there is something that needs to be done, put it on a list. If and attach example sentences to them creating your own free-
there is something that needs to be bought put it on a list. If you flowing dictionary. You can export the information at any time in
found a really awesome site full of cutie cat pictures, put it on a case you want to use it for something else so you are not locked
(bookmark) list. Write it down. into the system.

I used to be highly-allergic to organization. It practically gave me Workflowy is for small pieces,but what about the big stuff? What if
hives just thinking about trying to put things in little boxes, and if you want to store away images and files? There is a bigger more
that is the case with you, don't worry. This is really simple stuff, powerful organizing tool called Evernote, that I go over a little later
and it works wonders. that can help you file away bigger files.

I personally use Workflowy which is pretty much a really slick online Filing away the little odds and ends of your life might not seem like
outlining tool that can help you organize things. I started off using much, but it will keep the clutter out of your mind. Your brain will
it to store things to do, and now it has grown to hold my also come to rely on these systems to store things for you and
brainstorms for future projects on Boot Camp to what I'm going to won't be so preoccupied with trying to keep it swirling around in
get my daughter for her birthday. And, the free version probably there.
has enough firepower for most people.
If you are really having issues with a cluttered life and you are
It is also so slickly designed that it begs you to write stuff down and struggling to stay on top of things, I encourage you to read Getting
file it away. It is actually fun even if you are terrified of organizing Things Done by David Allen. Although the book shows its age (he
things. mentions palm pilots a few times) it is the book for getting
organized and being stress-free. I highly recommend it.

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2nd Step – Build Concentration and Focus
And it can do wonders for your focus and concentration. And that
Now that you have cleared out all that clutter in your head, you can
focus and concentration will definitely help you be a better listener
start to really get down to business. The first thing tool that you
and studier. Some of you will probably pass on this option, and
need to hone is your concentration. A strong concentration can
that's okay, but I encourage you to at least give it a try. It only
help you pretty much get through anything that comes in your way.
takes around 5 or so minutes to start. And you can see if it
benefits you are not.
Do you have chronic ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder)? like me? Or
maybe you work 6 days a week, have bills to pay, and are worried
There are a few simple meditation techniques that I usually use to
about your car breaking down. All of these things can really affect
help me right before I start to do some listening and definitely
your level of concentration. Not only for listening, but also for your
before the test. The first one is focused meditation.
studying.
Focused Meditation is so easy, it only has 3 steps to it:
In step 1, we tried to clear away everything that might be bouncing
around in your head, but what if you still can't concentrate? I used
1) Find something to focus on. This could be literally anything
to have this problem, and it still comes back to haunt me every
– a calming song of some sort, a picture, your watch, etc...
once in awhile. One of the things I do to help me is to mediate.
Something that isn't going to change a whole lot. You don't
Meditation? Are you serious? want to make it more difficult to concentrate on the object
than it already is.
Meditate? Now, I know when you started reading an ebook about
the JLPT, you never would have guessed that mediation would be 2) Get into a comfortable position of some kind and relax your
listed as one of the best practices, but it is. body. The exact pose doesn't really matter that much. The
most important thing is that your comfortable. If you are
Meditation is often seen as that weird new age thing that hippies do comfortable doing the Crouching Tiger Yoga pose than all
when they aren't hugging trees or protesting the inhumane the more power to you.
treatment of squid. But it is quite a useful skill to learn. And not all
meditation has to be with incense and that cross-legged position 3) Focus on the object that you found in #1. Focus more on
that everyone seems to think they need to be in. It can be that if the experience of the object than your thoughts of it. Try to
that is what makes you comfortable, but it doesn't have to be. focus hard enough that it seems like the object is the only

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 thing in the room. Mindfulness for the Busy
If you feel like you simply can't work any kind of meditation into
Now, if other thoughts start creeping into your head, acknowledge your schedule. Take some time during your day to simply be
them and then let go of them. Think of it as a little catch and mindful of what you are doing. Think about all the details of the
release. If you start thinking about the fact that the rent is due on moment. The smells, the sounds, all the muscles that are tensing
the 24th, acknowledge that fact and then turn back toward the to make the movement possible.
object. Don't go wondering off. Stay focused.
The idea is to push out everything else but what is happening that
Don't beat yourself up if you aren't Mr. Zen Master on your first try. moment. So try to fill your head with all the fine details of what is
Some Buddhist monks do this every day and still have problems going on. If you are talking to someone, notice their gestures, how
staying focused. Take it easy. Try for short periods of time, like 5 are they moving? Where are you moving? Just be more aware of
minutes at first. Over time, you can add more and more time if you the situation. This will hopefully be made a lot easier by the mind
feel like it is helping. clearing we did earlier.
Research has shown that the maximum benefit is around 30 This is just a little primer on meditation. If you are more
minutes a day. I don't think I've ever made it that far. Doing it for interested, I strongly encourage you to take up some reading on
just 5 minutes can actually boost your concentration a lot. the topic. It can really help if you have mild ADD especially.
Walking Meditation Windows – destroyer of productivity
This is another very simple way to mediate and focus while getting When Windows first came out it was heralded by most as being a
a little bit of exercise. Simply focus on each step that you are giant step forward for productivity. Before Windows, people had to
taking as you are taking them on a walk. Try to be conscious of the run things in DOS, a clunky system that only allowed you to run
movement of every step that you are taking. one program at a time. But with Windows you could run a lot of
different programs at the same time and move things around
Think about the pressure of your weight on the heel of your foot. between programs easily. It all looked good on the surface.
Feel it as it rolls forward toward the toes. It takes a lot of effort to
remain upright and keep walking. You had to spend a few years But a small group of people claimed it would actually destroy
learning how to do well actually. Think about all those adjustments productivity. They believed that trying to do so many things at
you are making to remain straight and moving forward smoothly.

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once would just distract you. You wouldn't be able to focus on the For Windows or Mac
task at hand. Your typical desktop usually has a lot of things running on it. If you
are a power user, you most likely have your email open as well as
And now what do we have? Insanely popular tablets and maybe a few chat tools of some kind, like AIM or Facebook Chat.
smartphones that can essentially only do one thing at a time. It These, of course, need to be closed when you are practicing. It is
seems that as our world gets more complicated the need to focus probably a good idea to also clear your desktop of icons and other
on a single task at a time becomes greater. distractions as much as possible, too.

And with good reason, the better focused you can be the easier it One trick that I do, is I use one browser, FireFox, for all my
will be for you to remember what you studied. In other words, blogging and studying, so every time I open that browser all I see
more focus equals less time you need to study. are the tabs for blogging stuff and studying stuff (like Memrise.com,
WWWJDIC, etc...). Meanwhile I use Chrome for all my fun stuff like
How you disable those distractions is different depending on your Facebook, email, English blogs etc...
device.
This little trick does a couple of things. First, since your browser
Smartphones and Tablets
usually saves your username and password for you, if you want to
I personally use my smartphone for a lot of vocabulary studying login into Facebook from your 'study' browser, you have to actually
because it keeps me on that one task. You might be wondering login. This puts an extra step into the process which usually keeps
about notifications though. You know those helpful or sometimes me from just quickly checking Facebook in the middle of studying.
annoying messages that pop up from time to time while you use
your phone. Second, you don't see anything 'fun' to distract you with and the
browser doesn't try to auto-suggest distracting things for you to
These messages are a little difficult to disable. Most phones have surf to when you are typing in another web address to do research
the ability to shut them off completely or shut them off one by one, or something.
like Android and iPhone. Another solution is to switch to 'airplane
mode' so that the phone or tablet can't get anything to notify you Third, it is a mental stimulus to get you to study. If you see the
about. Firefox browser, you know you should be concentrating on studying.
If you see the Chrome browser you know it is fun time and you can

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do whatever you like. You can of course use any browsers you Too Much Too Early
want to use – Internet Explorer, Chrome, Firefox, Safari, whatever When I first started studying Japanese, I was incredibly enthusiastic
floats your boat. about it. I used to spend hours writing sentences and doing drills.
Reading my simple textbooks and doing my best to magically
If you'd really like to keep track of how much time you spend doing absorb the language. Then, I would go to class and try my best at
what on your computer there is a handy little app called Rescuetime speaking, which usually worked out pretty well.
that keeps track of how you use your computer. Every week it will
send you how much time you spend on certain activities and even But after my initial enthusiasm wore off I started to get pretty sick
chart your progress as to whether you are improving or not. of all my studying. I didn't want to study less because to me that
seemed like quitting. I didn't want to give up, so I just kept
The free version comes packed with a lot of features and is doggedly at it.
probably suitable for most of your needs. The pro version just lets
you get a little more granular with your analytics. Also the drilling I was doing was just plain boring. Writing out
sentences all day started to drive me nuts, and none of it was
If you ever wonder how you can sit down at your computer for an sticking. I would dumbly do the drills and then turn around and not
hour or two and get nothing done, this app will tell you where your be able to reproduce a single word of it sometimes, at least with a
time went. It even keeps track of the sites you visit so that you can lot of confidence.
be aware of the major time traps.
Until one day of course, I just kind of stopped. I had begun the
3rd Step – Set your Pace process of moving overseas. I was selling things off and packing
things up. And my Japanese studies were the first thing to go. I
Now that you have the focus and your mind clear. It is time to start figured I would just absorb Japanese once I got to Japan. Of
cracking on learning some Japanese. It's time to think about your course when I got to Japan, there were so many things to do and
pace and how much you want to study in a given period of time. see that studying took a bit of back seat.
Pace is more important than you think for your mental game and
something you should consider when you go to start learning It took me awhile to get re-focused on my goal of studying
anything really. Japanese. And chances are pretty good that if I wasn't living in
Japan, I might have just dropped studying Japanese all together.

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Pace Yourself So, instead of thinking about the fact that you might have to keep
You are probably very excited to study Japanese and that's great. this study regimen up for a year (or maybe even several years) just
It's an amazing language to learn, but when you first start out its think about sticking to your new study habit for 21 days. This will
important to start your study habit small and build on to it gradually trick your mind into thinking it is a much smaller task to accomplish
as time and your interests permit. than it really is and you will be able to keep your motivation more
easily.
Whenever you start something new, there is that first rush of
enthusiasm and a strong desire to learn as much as you can, but It might be tempting to add all these new shiny study techniques to
the enthusiasm will die out, and it is important to know your limits your repertoire right off the bat, but try to hold yourself back. You
before you hit that wall. You'll be more likely to stick with it. don't want to overload yourself, especially if you are just starting to
study Japanese.
I've seen it happen a few times with my (English-learning)
students. They'll get really excited and motivated to start studying So, if you are starting a new study habit, give it 21 days and don't
and then something will happen, maybe work will get a little busier start anything else during that time either. You want to stay
or they move to another place. Or it could even be just a change focused on that one habit. Make sure that habit becomes natural
of the season, and they hit a wall and it is hard for them to keep before moving on to establishing another one.
going.
I should note though, that this is if you are starting a new habit
Start out small and keep building on new habits one by one. You from scratch not replacing a study habit with a new technique. For
can set a new habit in as little as 21 days. example, if you already read Japanese novels for 30 minutes a day
and you are going to replace that with some listening practice, then
The rule of 21 days you generally don't need to stick to the 21 day rule. I would,
however give it a week to concentrate on.
There is a standard rule for setting new habits that goes something
like if you can stick to it for 21 days then you have formed that Time Boxing
habit in your brain. After those 21 days of doing the habit, it'll
become natural, so that if you don't do it one day you'll feel a bit Timeboxing is an excellent way to keep yourself focused as well.
strange, like something is missing. This is the practice of restricting yourself to studying or working for
a certain amount of time and then taking a short break before
going back to what you were doing.

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 You can use this timeboxing utility to force yourself to work for a
So for example, if you are doing reading practice you set a time for period of time and then reward yourself. If you are having a lot of
15 minutes and focus on that reading for those 15 minutes. Then, trouble just doing anything about your studies, just try to keep the
as soon as the timer goes off you can take a break and let your habit of studying every day or on a regular basis.
brain absorb what you just practiced. This helps you mentally and
physically as well. You get a chance to rest your eyes and let them Dealing with Test Anxiety
re-focus. A guy I knew studied incredibly hard for the JLPT. He did his drill
books until he could practically answer the questions based on his
One tool that I use when I'm studying or actually doing any work memory. He took practice tests, and he made sure he had all the
on my computer is Workrave. This is a little free application that right equipment before heading off to the testing site the day of the
tells you to take a break at certain intervals. It can be a little test. He was ready for the test.
distracting because it puts a big box in your way and tells you to
stop, but that's a good thing because you won't be able to ignore it. But, then he stepped into the test room and his heart rate started
It will force you to take regular breaks. to pick up a little. He shrugged it off and took a deep breath. He
knew he could do it. After all, he had studied really hard. So, he
How it works is there is a timer that slowly counts down as long as took his seat and got ready.
you are moving your mouse or typing. It assumes if you aren't
doing anything with the computer you are away from the computer, They handed out all the test books, checked everyone's faces
and this counts as rest and stops the timer. If you want it to count against the photo of the applicants on file (common in Japan), told
down no matter what though, you can set it to “reading mode” by everyone to write their names on the test booklet, and then it
just right clicking on the little window that is open and selecting started. First, he headed off to the grammar section because that
that option. was his strength. He started running into a few questions that he
was not quite sure about.
If the default settings seem a bit too much for you though (every 3
minutes, a 30 second break), you can easily adjust the settings to He kept going, but then he stopped himself and thought, wait! Was
fit something more suitable to you and your stamina levels. I the answer correct? “I don't think I answered that one correctly.”
personally work 22.5 minutes than a minute break with a 10 minute he thought to himself. So, he went back and changed the answer.
break every 45 minutes, but the times are up to you. Then he went back to answering questions. But, wait! Was it really

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that answer? Maybe it was something else?
In truth, if you have passed every level of the exam as you moved
I'm sure if you have taken any number of tests, what happened to up, you either planned out your studies perfectly (which is possible,
my friend has probably happened to you at least once. It's a but highly unlikely), or you aren't challenging yourself that much. I
problem with confidence. And it affects how well you do on the have failed more times than passed. This is perfectly normal. Most
test even if you have studied really hard and are otherwise successful people failed a lot before their big successes, so don't
completely compared for the test. sweat it, accept it.

If you are not confident you won't be able to answer questions and Samurai were some of the best fighters in the world because they
keep going. You might end up wasting valuable time second didn't fear death. They saw it as a release from this world. This
guessing or correcting yourself. And all that messing around might helped them fight without fear.
cost you the test.
Not fearing failure helped them do their jobs better. Fear can lead
Gain Momentum to panic and panic makes your brain start to second guess and
We are all strong at something. Most people are pretty good at recalculate things that don't need to be recalculated. In other
kanji and vocabulary. But there are others that do really well with words, you start to over-think what is going on. Don't think so
reading and listening. No matter what though, chance are you much, just do.
have a strength. Use that strength to boost your confidence by
Act the Part
tackling those questions first, if you need the boost. This will
provide confidence momentum for when you inevitably hit a rut in How can you tell if someone is confident? They look confident
the sections of the exam that you are not so good at. right? They have great posture. They smile. They tend to make
themselves bigger. They make bigger gestures and movements,
You will Fail stand with an open stance. They are ready for anything.

If you are doing everything right, you will, at some time, fail. You So, does doing all that make you feel confident? Or do you do that
will not pass the test. That's because if you are challenging when you feel confident?
yourself and pushing it to the absolute limit, you will at some point
fail the exam. Well, it turns out that if you fake it, you can make it. Recent
research points to people feeling more confident when they act

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confident. Don't believe me? Hear it straight from the researcher up to you.
than:
Smashing through Plateaus
VIDEO One night not so long ago, a man met a woman at a party. They
hit it off immediately, spending as much time as possible with each
So, basically to make a long story short, if you stand in a confident other. And the whole time they shared all their hopes and dreams
pose before the test for 2-3 minutes, you can quickly boost your with each other.
confidence. This is pretty unbelievable, but it does actually work.
I've tried this out a few times and it does give you a little boost. It was a perfect romance. A match made in heaven if you will.
They had a favorite movie theater they went to every weekend, and
A confident pose can be anything from raising your outstretched then they would go to their favorite restaurant afterwards every
arms above your head to standing with your feet wide apart and time. It was a great routine.
your hands on your hips. Try a few out and see what you think.
And everything seemed magical. He noticed everything about her,
Avoid the Whiners
every detail. He could remember that cute smile and she could
In every class or study group, these is always one. That one recall every minute of their first date together. And all they wanted
person that always thinks they are going to do poorly. Always to do was just learn every little detail about each other.
thinks the material is way too hard. It's best to avoid this negativity
on test day. If one of your friends starts going off on how difficult And after awhile things fell into a nice comfortable routine. They
the test is going to be, you can politely excuse yourself to go study. had a regular 'thing' if you will. And it was okay, but then they
Of course, there are sometimes exact opposites who like to brag realized one day - “Hey, this isn't going anywhere.” They started
about their Japanese skills. My recommendation is to steer clear of taking each other for granted because they were just going through
them. the motions.

Another thing that has sometimes sapped or boosted my They were going on dates, they were watching movies together.
confidence is going over the answers during the break. I tend to They stopped remembering really anything, days blended into
shy away from conversations that begin with “What did you put for weeks, and weeks blended into months, staying in that neutral
…?” I try to save all those for after the test is done, because I position. So, why wasn't the relationship going anywhere?
don't want to worry about the questions I already answered, but it's

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 Most jDramas don't use grammar that is much more difficult than
I think we have all experienced this at one time or another. Not N4 actually (there are some spoken forms in them that can be quite
only with relationships but new habits and skills we pick up as well. complicated, but the majority is N4). As you move up, you'll see
It's a common pattern that pops up a lot. In language learning it's the grammar less and less often.
called plateauing.
As a quick side note, the JLPT is a little grammar heavy. Most of
This is something that you might face as you move up through the the grammar you'll see and use every day is covered by N3. N2
different levels of language learning. It tends to hit most people and N1 grammar is still useful, especially for writing, but some of
around the intermediate stage of learning a language, but it could the structures are pretty rare.
hit sooner or later depending on your situation.
The Power of 80-20
So What Happened?
Anyway, this phenomena of diminishing returns is called the Pareto
When you start to learn something new, things go pretty fast for principle. The Pareto principle is also called the 80-20 rule, because
you or so it seems. For any language you can start to make basic it states that 80% of the benefit is produced by 20% of the work.
sentences from day one, and if you keep at it. You could probably This is something that gets a lot of press when talking about
piece together a rudimentary 2 to 4 line conversation within a business, but I think it holds true for language learning as well.
week.
The 20% in this case is basically the 1st 2 levels of the JLPT (N5,
And that is a huge, clearly visible step. One week, you didn't know N4). These two levels cover most of the spoken grammar you'll
one thing about a language, the next you are able to survive a brief need and a lot of the building blocks for the more complicated
encounter with someone. That's something you can clearly see in phrases used at the higher levels. They also contain around 2000
black and white. of the most commonly used words. So, if you assume that you
need a good command of around 10,000 words to be fluent, which
The 1 couple of things you learn in a language are some of the
st
is what is suggested that you have at the N1 level, 2000 words
key components that the language uses a lot. They are things like would be 20% of that.
simple nouns, everyday actions, and some of the basic particles like
wa and ga. Most of the vocabulary and grammar you'll see at the Timothy Ferriss actually talks about this principal a lot in his book
N5 level appear in a majority of native material. “The 4 Hour Work Week.” On his blog, he even goes so far as to
say that this is where you should stop learning a language, at the

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conversational stage. The idea being that you start to get better notes, and have laser focus because you need to have all of
significantly less return on your investment of time once you have these to pass the exam. It's not only about knowing it, but
learned 20% of the most commonly used parts of the language. knowing it well, making it automatic.

And I would agree with that advice if you just want to use Japanese But, how do you go over this speed bump that tends to pop up
to chat with friends and travel around Japan because N4 is that between N4 and N3 or N2?
level. I was at that level for quite some time in Japan until I
decided to get married. And I wanted to be head of the household Crop Rotation
as well as be able to show my daughter how useful knowing two I grew up in Iowa, which is in a section of America that sometimes
languages is, rather than just tell her. goes by the nickname - “Bread Basket of the World.” It was given
this name because Iowa is covered with farm fields. It's big flat
The Journey Past the 20%
and boring, which is why it is sometimes also called “a fly over
If you take on the challenge of becoming pretty fluent. You are state” because people fly over it on their way to somewhere
going to be doing a lot of studying and reading without real, black important.
and white, results that you can see every day. You will definitely
see improvements over time, though. From time to time, I'll pick Now early on, farmers discovered that if you plant the same kind
up material that I struggled with just a year before and I'll be able of crop every year, you get less and less yield or benefit. So they
to cut right through it without issues. It's just that the time that isstarted changing the way they grow crops. Instead of growing the
required to see results is less. same thing over and over again they started changing the crop they
grew. Some crops actually add back in nutrients that other crops
The advantage of being pretty fluent in a language is that you start need to grow.
to see the world through the eyes of that culture a lot more. There
is only so much you can get from translations and commentators. This is how language learning works. If you just study one thing
In order to get a truly different perspective on the world, you really (like vocabulary), or stick to the same method, you won't get
have to dive in and read, listen, speak and interact with the people anywhere. You'll soak up all your motivation and attention. You
of that culture on their level. need to add back in the nutrients (like motivation and attention)
that will keep you growing. That's one reason I recommend getting
After all, N1 is not just for jobs. The highest level of the test can your head out of the drill books after the test. You need to rotate
force you into some good habits that will help you read faster, take your studies.

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What's the Perfect Rotation?
This is a personal choice that you need to make about your studies. And of course, if you have a particular weakness that you'd like to
Assign yourself a clear goal to focus on in a short period of time. iron out, be sure to add in an activity that focuses on it. Or you can
Think about your current weaknesses and what's important for you devote a week of study every once in a while to a particular point.
to master right now. Don't Like Grammar that Much Rotation

Even taking a few moments to bring your attention back to how Studying abstract grammar rules can drive some people nuts. It can
you are studying can help you eliminate these roadblocks or even also be slightly difficult to study grammar without a rich context in
prevent you from ever encountering them in the 1st place. which to see how it works. So, what do you do if you hate
grammar rules?
One big thing you can do to break through a plateau is to do some
reading. That is always part of a good rotation. But, don't feel like Don't study them! Instead, build up your background vocabulary
you have to read a book straight through to the end. You can take for the level you are studying for. For example, if you are preparing
a break from it for a week and head back into it. Or take a week for the N5, the N5 deck of words (that are easily available on
where you just do all grammar drills day and night. Keep up a Memrise.com or AnkiWeb). Try to pack on as many words as you
minimum of vocabulary review, but with the rest of your time just can and be sure to build mnemonics and find example sentences
have fun and experiment with different study methods. with resources like tatoeba.org.

You may think that Japanese dictation is complete bore, but have Then after you have a good set of vocabulary built up (over 50% of
you tried it? Give it a good try for a week and see if it helps youthe N5 for example) it's time to switch it up a bit. At the same
out. You'll never know until you give it a try. time, try to drastically cut back on the amount of new words you
are adding to your flashcard system. If you are spending over half
Different Rotations for different kinds of Learners an hour reviewing vocabulary you should think about cutting down,
by eliminating easy words you see a lot or stop learning new words.
A quick note about these rotations before we begin. These are just
You don't want to get buried under a vocabulary avalanche. Just
some suggestions for how you can go about your studies. None of
be familiar with the words. You'll master words from use and
these are really set in stone and you can modify them anyway you
reading.
want. Everyone's brain learns things differently so modify and
change your learning patterns often.
Speaking of reading, it's time to start reading as much as you can.

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Be sure to check the section on how to find appropriate reading This will allow you to recognize patterns while you are reading.
material to get a book that is your level. Once you've found some
good reading material dive in, head first. This is a great technique for higher levels where the grammar is
more about phrases and expressions. If you skim through and
You might be thinking at this point, but wait don't I need grammar? familiarize yourself with the patterns before you read, every time
Well, yes, you do, so it's also good to pick up a clear grammar you see one of the patterns, a light bulb will turn on in your head. -
guide that walks you through the grammar as you come across it. “Oh! I've seen that before, what does it mean again?” and you can
Learning grammar this way (not studying it at all beforehand) gives look up the grammar point again. But, this time it should be easier
your motivation a bit of a boost because you can see the to remember because you've been exposed to it.
effect/benefit of knowing the grammar.
Mix it Up Rotation
It also helps you to guess at what the meaning of a particular This is where you study a particular piece of grammar and perhaps
grammar point is, which helps build up the natural connections in do the homework for that grammar point in your textbook, like
your head. So, when you do learn the grammar point, it will stick Genki or Minna No Nihongo. Then try to produce sentences using
longer. new vocabulary that you have picked up in the meantime.

If you use this method you might start to seriously be genuinely Be sure to get your sentences checked with a native or a service
interested in the grammar. You might find yourself intently reading like Ling-8.com and then plug them into a flashcard system.
up on grammar rules, because you want to understand the
passage. Weekly Focus Rotation
This method is for those that have a hard time studying to any kind
Add In a Little Grammar Rotation
of long term plan. It's pretty simple to follow, and guaranteed to
What if you want to add in a little more grammar, but still don't keep you from plateauing.
want to slug through grammar rules all day? Or, what if you just
get tired of having to look up everything? With this technique you try to focus on one particular problem you
have for the entire week. If you need grammar work, focus on
You can add in some brief grammar practice before doing your grammar activities the whole week. If you feel your reading is
reading. Basically spend a fairly short amount of time (around 2 starting to slip. Time your reading for the week and make it a point
weeks to a month) studying all the grammar for a particular level. to try to improve.

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Try Everything 1. Measure
The moment you feel your motivation start to wane, change up If you took the December 2013 JLPT you probably have a good idea
your studies and keep it fresh. You want to keep testing your brain, of where you stand. If you scored below 30 in a particular category,
don't let it rest and start lazily going through the motions. consider it a weakness even if you passed the section. If you scored
above 30 on all the sections of the test, then the section you scored
It might even help to occasionally switch between flashcard the lowest in is your weakness. Keep this in mind as you go to lay
systems. This can help you to reboot your attention and be able to out your general plan for this year.
recall more from your studies.
If you passed the level you were going for, then you should
Sample Monthly JLPT Study Guide probably move on to the next level. Some people like to repeat to
get a better score, but I say a pass is a pass. Keep going. If you
I often get a lot of questions as to what to study or do when. Over need the grammar or vocabulary it will come up and you'll be
the next few pages, I'll be walking through a rough game plan you practicing the reading and listening skills on the next level.
can use to guide you through what you should be doing every
month as you gear up for the test, walking through all the details of If you didn't pass you should take a good hard look at what held
you back. Was it lack of vocabulary? Reading speed? You'll need to
the common practices of JLPTers as well as some things I do.
focus on those weaknesses over the next few months.
Keep in mind that you can speed this schedule up or slow it down
If you didn't take the December 2013 JLPT, there are plenty of free
to fit your lifestyle. The is a sample study guide, not something
practice tests available for you. The tests below are not full-sized
that is set in stone. By all means, feel free to stray off the path a
tests, but they should give you a general idea of what to expect:
little and have some fun if you need to.
JLPT N1 Practice Test
Month 1 JLPT N2 Practice Test
This first month is going to involve some planning and taking a JLPT N3 Practice Test
good look at what you can realistically do in a year before the
exam. You want to lay in some broad healthy habits that will JLPT N4 Practice Test
strengthen you overall for the test as well, basically vocabulary JLPT N5 Practice Test (pdf) or (online version)
practice and reading. Essentially, there are 3 steps you need to
There are some other materials that are called official workbooks,
take:
but in reality they are full-sized practice tests:

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 JLPT N1 Official Workbook (on JLPT.jp) take longs breaks between the sections, stay in your seat, and don't
eat or drink anything. Try to do it in a fairly quiet room with little
JLPT N2 Official Workbook (on JLPT.jp)
distractions (ie no TV, music etc...).
JLPT N3 Official Workbook
This can be a little difficult at times especially if you have a tough
JLPT N4 Official Workbook schedule. If this is the case for you and you can't squeeze in the
JLPT N5 Official Workbook whole test, just try to do a section at a time.

There are also paid options. You might be wondering why you
2. New Study Habits to Start
should pay for something when there are free alternatives, but the
paid options include feedback and detailed explanations of why One of the first things you'll want to get started on is vocabulary. It
certain answers are wrong. These are great for the more takes a lot of time to digest the words you'll need to be fluent for a
complicated levels of the test N3+: particular level. It's the one thing that I personally practice all the
time. At the lower levels this means a lot of SRS. At the higher
JLPT N1 Mock Test
levels it means a lot of reading coupled with some SRS backup.
JLPT N2 Mock Test
SRS, or Spaced Repetition Systems, are systems that help you
JLPT N3 Mock Test retain vocabulary by reminding you of the item right when you are
JLPT N4 Mock Test about to forget it. The most popular mostly-offline app that does
this is Anki. It has a desktop, iPhone, and android app and you can
JLPT N5 Mock Test sync progress across platforms.
Take note that scores from N1 and N2 practice tests can sometimes The alternative is the mostly-online Memrise.com. The advantage of
be wildly off. At this higher level, there are simply too many topics Memrise is that users contribute mnemonics to help you remember
and too much stuff to cover, so if for example you don't read very the words. The system is still not as mature as Anki but it is getting
many nature articles and there happen to be a few on the reading there.
section, your score could suffer as a result. It's best to try to do 2
practice tests if you can. That will hopefully average things out for The reason I bring up the differences between these two systems is
you. that once you choose a system it will be difficult to switch. So, if
you are just starting out, you might want to put some thought into
You should also try your best to emulate real test conditions as which you want to use. There are also numerous alternatives to
much as possible when you take a practice test. For example, don't

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these two systems, for example paper flash cards or mobile apps left before the test minus 4 to give you some time off and also time
like StickyStudy. to review before the big test. For example, if you are starting at the
Anki and Memrise both have good lists for most of the levels except end of January, you have about 39 weeks.
N1. At the N1 level it is probably best to start creating your own Divide the number of vocabulary you need to know by the number
lists of vocabulary that you have gathered from reading materials of weeks. That'll show you how many words you need to learn
and other sources. before the big day. If you want, you can divide that number again
You need to choose one of these lists for your level. This will form by 7 to get how many words you need to study every day.
your foundation of vocabulary. You'll still need to practice words The study worksheet that is included with the kit does this for you
outside those lists because there will probably be a few words on all automatically of course. You can even keep track of your studies
the test that aren't on the lists. You can pick those up from with it if you want to have a clear look at how well your
textbooks, conversation, or at higher levels, doing a lot of reading progressing.
of native materials. But no matter where you get the number, try to study that many
This strategy works for two reasons. First, the set lists build up a words each week or day. At first, you might want to do a few extra
foundation of words that you will see a lot of. Second, reading to get ahead, but don't get too far ahead because you'll get buried
through other materials will cover anything else that may potentially in reviews when the SRS goes to remind you of the word again. You
pop up on the test. It covers all your bases. want to pace yourself as much as possible. Even if you get behind,
Treat the lists as backup. They will fill in the gaps, but don't expect don't try to do that much more drilling than you normally do.
to just drill SRS and expect to breeze through the test. You'll need If the number is way too high (20 new words a day is about the
to use it in speaking, reading, listening or writing before really max), set a more realistic goal. Yes, it's important to know all the
knowing it. words but it is more important to know them well and to not drive
When you choose a list for your level, take note of how many words yourself into madness with a huge stack of words to work through.
you need to study to complete it. This is usually around 675 for Don't feel like you have to live or die by the daily goal you have set
both N5 and N4, N3 is around 1300 and N2 somewhere around for yourself. There are going to be some weeks that will be a little
2000 depending on who you ask. A list of N1 words could be difficult to get the studying done. If you don't get all the words
around 5000. learned by the deadline don't sweat it. Just keep up the habit as
best you can.
Take that number and divide it by the number of weeks you have

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This vocabulary drilling will form the base of your studies. Try to do Increasing Reading Speed
it before any other studying. And because you are doing it every One of the biggest complaints about the test is that you have to
day, make sure to keep it tame. If you are drilling for more than 30 read really fast to finish in time. Having a good reading speed can
minutes a day, you should probably think about changing it up a help you get thorough the test quickly and allow you some time to
bit, either take a break from adding new words or try using more stop and think as well as check your answers.
mnemonics. Or you can even delete words that you are pretty
confident with or see often. Up until N3 reading speed isn't that much of a problem. Just be
sure to practice kanji well enough to read it quickly and smoothly.
Let's take a look at an example. A student, who we will call Sally, Pay attention to radicals and focus on the differences between
wants to pass N5 this year. She already mastered hiragana and kanji. It will help you to speed read to get a general idea of what
katakana as well as a few words (~100). She decides that she an essay is about.
wants to take the December test. So, it being the beginning of
February, she has roughly 39 weeks to prepare. So for N5~N3, drilling with SRS and reading textbooks and graded
readers (N5, N4, N3) on a regular basis should allow you to become
She picks out a nice list from Memrise and notices there are 1200 comfortable enough to read at the right speed.
items (you can test yourself several different ways, but usually
there are 2 items for each word). So she takes that number and After N3, you will really need to pick up the pace. It is incredibly
divides it by 39, leaving her with about 31 items a week to easy to run out of time on the N2 if you are not careful. You'll have
memorize. That's around 5 a day roughly. Which is is convenient to force yourself to read faster. Be sure to time yourself reading
because Memrise likes to introduce words in groups of 5. often and keep pushing your limits. You will have to get out of your
comfort zone and read fast to pass this level.
Since she already learned a few words she can either delete them
from the deck or keep them in to get some review. I recommend picking up a few fun books to read just to get used to
reading and comfortable with seeing a lot of Japanese. You will
She puts aside 20 minutes a day right when she wakes up to work need to read some of the hard stuff eventually though. The reading
through them so that she never forgets to study. The number of drill books for the Kanzen Master series (N2, N1) and So-Matome
times you practice vocab is important not the length of time. series (N2, N1) are a good start, but easier native materials would
You may also want to have another list or set of flashcards of words also be good.
that you picked up somewhere else and want to keep reviewing. It can be painful to get started on the habit of reading, but once
you get started and in a rhythm you'll find yourself working through

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material pretty quick and learning and recognizing kanji, vocabulary, I personally believe the test should be a yardstick to measure
and grammar will be just that much more easier for you. yourself by and to force you into good reading and listening habits,
because at the higher levels you will need them to pass due to time
3. Plan out your path constraints. The skills you will pick up on your path to the top will
be invaluable to you. But, you still need to have fun and enjoy the
Now that you have a good idea of what to study, it's time to think language. Keep this in mind when you start to plan out what and
about how you want to split up your studying time. The test how you are studying.
requires a decent balance between your skills. And your sanity
requires a balance of what to study.
What books?
Before jumping head long into studying day and night for the JLPT,
you should probably take some time to think about your motivation I try to pick out and buy the books I'm going to work through when
for studying. In the first week of the kit, I went over your short, I start studying for a certain level. The advantage to this is that I
medium, and long term goals and these should determine how can physically see how much I need to do in order to prepare for
much and what kind of studying you do over the next year. the exam. Also, once I've paid for something, I feel obligated to do
something with it, which is extrinsic motivation, but still motivating.
The best kind of motivation is what they call intrinsic motivation, Lastly, if you are outside of Japan it can cut down on the shipping
something that comes from inside you. A desire to want to learn or and waiting around for the books, if you are getting your books
perhaps a desire to 'beat' the test. This is usually what keeps from Japan, and a lot of the good books are only available here.
people going and studying the hardest. The other kind of
motivation is extrinsic and involves outside forces motivating you to The first book you'll want to start with is probably grammar. Some
study. For example, your boss tells you that you have to pass N1 in people like to work through vocabulary and kanji books at first. I've
order to move up in the company. It can be a lot less motivating to never gone through any vocabulary or kanji books because I have
study when someone else is telling you to do it. had pretty good luck with Anki and Memrise so far, but I've heard
that they can be useful, especially for pointing out nuances of
So, you want to try to dig up as much intrinsic motivation as you certain words. I would highly recommend reviewing them on a
can even if that means taking a little bit longer to pass the test. I regular basis though either with an SRS (better) or simply re-
know of more than a few people that have burnt out drudging reading them (good).
through drill books. Also, if you study solely for the test, you'll end
up simply being able to answer questions about Japanese, and not As for recommendations, generally speaking the Tanki Master series
actually being able to use it. is highly regarded as good prep books for the lower levels (N5, N4,

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N3) while Kanzen Master and So-Matome are better for the higher Now, after you have gone through the grammar points in the text
levels (N3+). White Rabbit Press tends to be the best place to pick books, you can do a couple of things to review the grammar
up books and also has reasonable shipping costs to outside of regularly. You can use audio to remind you of grammar points
Japan. (which is what I did), you can plug the sentences into Anki or
Memrise to practice them that way, or plug it into another flashcard
If you are at a lower level (N5 or N4) you are probably not that
system. You'll also start to notice the grammar points popping up in
familiar with Japanese grammar. Also, a lot of the grammar you
any kind of reading you might be doing, which will help give you an
learn at this level is very foundational. You'll be using it on a daily
idea of what kind of context they are used in since most grammar
basis if you are speaking Japanese regularly. Because of this, you'll
books simply list sentences.
most likely be taking it pretty slow with learning grammar.
Try to work regular grammar drilling into your schedule over the
A good pace is about a grammar point a week. Or if you have the
next month, but don't push too hard. If you feel yourself getting a
time to study and can practice the language regularly, two grammar
little bored, blend in more fun stuff. If you absolutely need to get
points a week is a good pace. Either way, try to use it as much as
the grammar studied because you need to take the test, set up
possible, with writing or speaking. Don't feel like you have to rush it
rewards for yourself and 'time slice' your study. Tell yourself that
at this level. There are a lot of key concepts that are important to
you only need to focus for 15 to 20 minutes and set a timer. Once
get right (like the difference between は and が).
the timer goes off, stop immediately and do something fun. That
For higher levels (N3+), you could easily cover 3 to 4 grammar should keep you focused on the task at hand and not daydreaming
points a day, while once or twice a week going back and reviewing which can happen when pouring over grammar.
what you have learned. The So-Matome books are already broken
This first month of study is all about getting into the swing of things
down this way (they are usually broken down into 6 to 8 week units
and creating a habit of studying. You might be eager to pile on the
that have 7 days of activities each). If you just passed a level of the
drilling and to get through the books for the test as fast as you can,
test and want to pass the next level of it, you'll want to follow this
but keep it tame this month. Over time, you can add more and
plan. If passing the test is not so urgent, you can slow this down of
more as you get used to it and find more time in your schedule.
course.
For example, if you just passed the N4 this December (2013) and
are looking to want to pass the N3 in December or even July of this
year (2014), you'll want to keep a good pace of looking at 3 or 4
grammar points a day.

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Retrying a level need to do more natural studying. Try to keep away from books
What if you have learned most of the grammar and vocabulary for specifically designed for the JLPT and instead do more reading,
given level and took the test but failed? Well, you'll need to take listening with native materials and speaking and writing with
another look at your weak points to start. natives.

If you did have problems with vocabulary even though you studied Month 2
all the words for a particular level, you probably need to get more
usage practice in. This common if you have only done SRS and We are going to start this month off with a little check up on how
haven't done much practice outside of that. You'll need to use the you are doing. Before you can really set that many more habits, you
word to know it. need to know if the habits you set or tried to set last month are still
in place and working for you.
How can you get usage practice? There are a lot of ways. The most
useful way is by finding a conversation partner and making A
conscious effort to use the words you have learned. Take a few of Vocabulary
the words that you missed in SRS for the day and work them into Did you start studying a deck of vocabulary words that matches
your conversation. If you can't find a partner, writing something and your level? Are you doing it on a regular basis? Preferably you
getting it checked on a service like ling-8 might be just as good. should be studying every day, but let's be honest, we all need a
The same strategy can be used for grammar. If you failed the test break now and then. So, taking a break on the weekend might be
because of grammar, go back and make your own sentences with something to consider so that you can completely unwind.
each of the grammar points that you are not really comfortable How about your pace? Did you cover enough words so that you can
with. Or use it as much as you can in conversation. cover them all before the exam? Or are you dropping behind a
I've personally built up a small notebook of all my grammar and little?
vocab mess ups that I review from time to time. If I'm still not If you are falling behind with the pace a little bit, it is not the end of
100% about a particular point, I try making a few sentences that the world. It might just mean that you set a goal that is a little too
pertain to me. This personalizes it so it is easy to memorize. ambitious for your work schedule at the moment. You might want
Take this first month to challenge yourself by writing a few to tone down that goal a little bit in the short term so you don't get
sentences with any grammar or vocabulary that you don't feel burnt out.
comfortable with. Also, if you are at a higher level (N3+), you might For example, if you need to be studying 100 words a month to get

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all of them done before the big exam in December, you could tone no matter what. Life is short, enjoy your hobby.
it down to 75 for this next month or something more realistic. The If time is holding you back, it's time to take a look at what is eating
point here is to keep the goals challenging but achievable. There is up your time. Is there some TV watching that you could cut down
no point setting an impossible goal and then getting discourged on or that you could replace with Japanese TV? Do you spend a lot
because you fell flat. of time waiting around for things like the bus or train? Maybe you
Another thing to consider is if you are getting regular somewhat could use that time to study vocabulary with a mobile app.
every day practice in. Are you studying every day or in one big Take a good hard look at your average day and try to find places
massive block of time? A little bit of review daily will help things where you could save some time. For example, maybe you eat out
stick a lot more than sporadic giant blocks of time. every day at work, but what about picking up a salad at the
Don't get me wrong though, if you have a whole day to just veg out convenience store and eating at your desk while putting in some
and do pure Japanese, that can be really helpful as well. Mostly it studying time. Doesn't have to be every day, but a few moments
will build up your focus in Japanese which in turn will help you get here and there can work wonders.
through the test pretty quickly. However, quantity is usually better And finally energy, often times you'll find the only time you have
than length of the time you study. free time is at the end of the day when you would much rather veg
If you aren't getting in as much time as you would like, then now is out and kick back. For example, on my commute home I'm often
a good time to look at what is holding you back from studying times about ready to pass out in my seat. All I want to do is sleep.
more. In my experience, there are usually 3 things that prevent you If that's the case it might be better to do your studying in the
from doing the studying you'd like to do - passion, time, and morning. There is a lot research out there that has proven that
energy. those that start a habit in the morning tend to stick with it more
Passion for what you are studying can not and should not be often than those that started a habit in the afternoon. The theory is
overlooked. It's okay to sometimes 'eat your potatoes and that we only have so much willpower at our disposal each day and
vegetables' to achieve your overall goal. that by the end of the day we have often burnt through it all.
But when you start to get tired of eating all that tasteless drilling, The other tactic you can try is to do more systematic study in the
and you start to feel your motivation wane, it's time to let off a evening and more creative and freer type studying in the morning
little. Change it up, do something you really enjoy. Find a blog in or on weekends. For example, you could do SRS or dictation in the
Japanese about your hobby or play a Japanese video game or just evening and free writing in the morning. Try out a few combinations
take more breaks from it. No one says you have to soldier through to see what works best for you.

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Grammar having fun and getting the message across which is the general
What about the grammar you have been working through? Has it atmosphere when you are hanging out with friends.
been sticking? Take some time now to look back through what you If you are looking for a place to get an online conversation partner,
have studied so far. Are you confident you can make a sentence a place I've had good luck with is polyglotclub.com, but there are
with the given grammar point? several other websites that have similar services that might serve
If you are at the N5 and N4 level, you can use most of the grammar just as well.
points you learn in everyday conversation, which is why it is a huge For N3+, the grammar is rarer and more literary, as in it is used in
help to have a conversation partner that you can practice the books and not spoken. So, although having an exchange partner
grammar points with in natural conversation. Your can help, you might want to turn to doing some more writing using
misunderstandings of how and when a grammar point is used will the grammar points from your drill books.
usually surface in conversation.
More often than not, the example sentences in grammar drill books
A lot of people comment that friends will usually not correct your are a bit bland. Textbook writers want to create clear easy-to-
mistakes when you practice Japanese with them. This is true. understand examples that aren't offensive, which inevitably makes
Language is meant to communicate things and that is what your example sentences fairly boring and impersonal. That can be very
friends care about. They don't actually care if what you say is easily remedied though.
grammatically correct, just that you have communicated the idea.
What I like to do with example sentences, especially for grammar
So normally just chatting friends is helpful but not a cure-all. If you points that are giving me trouble, is to rewrite them using more
are looking close enough, you can usually tell by your friends facial personal information. The new sentences don't have to be too
expressions if you have said something correctly. However, it's much different than what is in the book. They just have to be about
probably best to find a conversation partner that is also interested you, so that you can relate the new material (the grammar point) to
in learning your language. the old material in your head (personal information).
That way you can organize a language exchange where you talk for You can think of this personalization as the 'glue' that will keep the
half the time in Japanese and half the time in your native language grammar points from floating off and not getting locked into your
that your partner wants to learn. This creates a system where you head. The stronger the glue the better the grammar point will stay
are both motivated to correct each other. Also, whoever you are in your head. You can make it stronger by relating to your thoughts
talking to is going to be more patient with you because the and feelings or by using something funny or with a lot imagery. For
atmosphere is focused on language learning for both of you and not more help on making things stick, check the special section on

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memory boosters. much faster you need to be.
Read how to time your reading speed the right way.
Reading
After you have gotten an initial measurement of your reading
How is your reading going? Did you get the habit started? Hopefully speed, be sure to keep track of it somewhere. We'll be checking in
by now you have made your way through a couple of pages and on it once month from now on to see how well you are doing and
are reading on somewhat regular basis. what you can do to improve your score.
For n5 and N4, reading speed is not that critical, but it doesn't hurt If you are having trouble getting through some reading in a
to start early so that it is easier to get up to speed later. At this reasonable amount of time, you may want to go back and re-read
stage, you might want to take a look at old tests or practice tests so the material once or twice. Re-reading the same material, even if
that you can get an idea of what the reading sections will be like. you understood it the first time, has been shown to increase your
If you are at the N3 level, reading about 50 pages (of an reading speed and comprehension. Also, because it is a little bit
appropriate level book) this first month is a great pace. Don't fret easier to concentrate on this is something you can do when you
too much if you fall below that. It's just a good rule of thumb. have less energy but still want to get some Japanese practice in.
N2, it should be more like 100 or more pages for this first month.
Month 3
Again, you can pass and 'survive' the test reading less than that,
but if you are looking to be really comfortable with the language, First, be sure to go through your monthly check up. This should
100 a month is a good pace. start to become a regular process by now. More or less you just
want to check that you are keeping your habits up and aren't falling
N1, 150 or more pages for this first month is a good pace, but
realistically you should try to get in as much reading as you can. It to far behind. If you are having trouble with staying up to speed,
always seems like they throw a lot of different words at you for this read up on how to combat Japanese study motivation from last
month.
level and having more exposure to them will really help.
Be sure to test your reading speed again and take note of it.
Reading Speed Hopefully it is steadily increasing. Don't worry about fluctuations
If you are N3+, how is your reading speed coming along? It's time though. Some months, with certain kinds of material you might
to take a short test to check on your speed. It only takes a few read slower or faster. At this point, the test is to keep you focused
minutes to check and then you can get a better picture of how on reading faster and not slip into lazy reading habits.

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If you are gunning for the N5/N4, I hope you have had time to If you are having a lot of trouble really wrapping your head around
experiment with the grammar and vocabulary that you have been a grammar point, you'll have to look at a lot of sample sentences to
learning over the last 2 months. Try to use particles as much as get a good feel for its use. A lot of times one particular sentence
possible. This can be tricky at times because native speakers will will just snap for you. Don't hesitate to do a Google search to find a
drop a lot of particles, but try to use them as much you can and sentence that has a little more context with it so that you can really
test out their usage with your conversation partner or friends. understand its usage.

If you are at the N3+ level, you have hopefully completely studied Try to resist the temptation of racing ahead without really planting
all the grammar you need for that level or are coming close. How this grammar in. I've found that if I race ahead looking for
comfortable do you feel about it? Are you confident about its something new to learn before really over learning the things I
usage? You'll probably need to do some more steady review of the already know, I end up wasting time going back and reviewing
points so that they all come naturally to you when you need them. later. Make sure you know it well enough to confidently use it in a
sentence relatively easily.
A good way to do this is a method I call 'boiling down the grammar'
which consists of writing sentences using the grammar, having the Writing
sentences checked, then doing more writing with the ones you are Producing a language can be much more daunting than consuming
still having trouble with. it. There are a lot of people who study English in Japan, but hardly
speak it. They might even be capable of reading full, well-written
There are also a few other things you can do with those annoying books in English, but struggle to order food at a restaurant. The
phrases that just haven't quite stuck yet. For example, you can fear of speaking is too much, so they would much rather consume
create Anki cards that drill the particular grammar point. Or, you the language.
can put a few sentences (from site like tatoeba.org) in Memrise to
practice with. And for some people there is nothing wrong with that I suppose. If
you are really into reading, there is something to be said for the
Another thing that I have mentioned elsewhere in the book, but I'll ability to read another language and see things from another
say it again here - mark the grammar points that you have gotten perspective. You can learn a lot more about a country reading
wrong in your drill book if you have one. That way you can go back things in its native language than you can reading translations or
and review just what you had trouble with right before the exam. non-natives reporting on it.

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 response out of a list of several possible responses. You just
But, chances are pretty good that you want to use the language. respond with whatever comes to mind right?
Also, a lot of people learn a lot more efficiently through trial and
error than through drilling and memorizing. As matter of fact, this Well, using a language relies a lot on both System 1 and System 2.
is one way that a certain kind of thought process called "System 1" System 1, although very fast, is kind of like a small child. It reacts
works, the process responsible for simple tasks and automatic based on intuition and gut feeling. System 2 can be thought of as
decision making. kind of a memory bank that primes System 1 for what is coming
next, so that it fires off the right decisions. It can be built up with
“System 1” and “System 2” are two thought processes that make SRS and thinking and memorizing the language.
up the theory of dual process systems for decision making, an idea
put forth by a few psychologists, most notably Daniel Kahneman in And System 1 likes trial and error, as well as drilling. You can test
his book “Thinking, Fast and Slow.” You can read a slightly more in your comprehension of listening and reading through trial and error
depth description of it here. to be sure. But, it takes a little bit of time and a lot of preparation.
Somebody else has to prepare material for you to consume, try to
“System 1” is our fast thought process, meanwhile our “System 2” comprehend and then you check that comprehension.
thought process is your slightly slower, but more thoughtful side of
your decision making. It's what you use when you have to think But, if you are producing material, you can get it checked relatively
through the steps, like how most of us need to think about say, quickly, in some cases immediately in the case of speaking with a
putting together Ikea furniture or driving in traffic at top speed teacher who is correcting you. Writing, however, can be just as
while it is raining. You have to be actively focused on the task at handy at times because you can get feedback pretty quickly too.
hand. You have to engage your “System 1” and “System 2” thought And the advantage of writing is that you have a hard copy of what
processes to accomplish such difficult tasks. you did, and the mistakes that you made.

System 1, however, is something that doesn't demand your This hard copy can be used to help you see your improvement over
undivided attention. For example, you can eat and carry on a basic time as you learn more and more vocabulary and grammar, which
conversation without having to really be all that focused. Or you in turn can keep you motivated to study more. It's kind of a self-
can drive down a vacant highway on a sunny day without much feeding circle.
thought. In you native language, you don't listen to someone's
complete sentence, process it, and then analyze the best possible By the way, I realize I am greatly oversimplifying the the theory of

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dual process theory, but the concept is relatively complex, so if you For longer pieces aimed at N3 and above, you might want to time
have the time and are interested in learning more, by all means yourself, and give yourself only a minute to skim it over first and
pick up Daniel Kahneman's book. It'll make your head hurt, but it read for the general idea. This first time through don't get hung up
will change the way you think, almost literally. on difficult sentences, just look for kanji and repeated words if any.
Try to gather an overall image of the reading.
Get an Example
The problem with producing material in another language is that if Then, go back and read for details, checking any unknown
you aren't an experienced language teacher, chances are pretty vocabulary. Take your time and understand what is being said. If it
good that you have no idea what kinds of situations use a particular is a dialog, you might want to practice it out loud a few times to get
grammar point that you want to practice. What you need is a an idea of how it is structured.
sample to look at and see in what situations a particular grammar
point is used. After that, put the reading or dialog away from view, and start to
write something that accomplishes the same task as the original
You need an example to work off. This is actually the basis of a material did. So, in the example of a description of the
popular teaching technique that has become more widespread neighborhood, try to write another description, but this time about
lately – Task Based Lessons or TBL for short. Essentially in a TBL, your neighborhood. If it is a dialog between two people, what is
students first go over an example of a task they are trying to the one person trying to convey to the other. Are they explaining
accomplish. A real simple example of this is a description of a something? Are they giving directions? Are they giving excuses?
neighborhood, something that might actually pop up on the N5. What is the task they are trying to accomplish?

So, first you read and go over an example of the task – the Then you can have your writing checked by a native speaker or
description of a neighborhood. Here is the description taken from with a service like lang-8.
the N5 practice test:
If you are having it checked by a native speaker, try to ask them to
For N5 and N4, first, read through it throughly. Try to get the upgrade the language for you. Ask them what would sound more
general idea of the passage or conversation. Ask all the wh- natural or smoother. Often times, native speakers can provide you
questions – Who is talking or writing? Where are they? What with something that just flows a lot better. They, themselves, might
situation is this? not be able to explain the reason why it sounds better, but it will
just sound more native in certain ways.

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I think that is the kind of stuff you just can't get from a textbook. For paid materials, Japanesepod101 has a massive library of
The native flow of a language, so if you do know a native speaker recorded dialogs. What's great is that it is all organized by
or have a tutor try to get them to help you out in this regard. grammar points so that you can go to their site, and go to the
grammar bank and find lessons that match a grammar point you
Where to Get Examples of Materials want to practice. That way, you can really focus in on the exact
There are a couple of resources out there that you can pull point you want to focus on.
examples from. For free, there are always the practice tests and
workbooks that you can use: Mind you that the grammar usually only comes up once in the
dialog, but the N5 and N4 level dialogs are relatively short and easy
JLPT N1 Practice Test to practice and get to writing with.
JLPT N2 Practice Test Scheduling and Motivation
JLPT N3 Practice Test Writing can be a difficult thing to schedule in because the time it
JLPT N4 Practice Test takes you to write something can vary widely depending on what
you want to say. Because of this it can be a hard habit to get
JLPT N5 Practice Test (pdf) or (online version) started with. My advice is to start small with simple dialogs and
JLPT N1 Official Workbook (on JLPT.jp) conversations, even if it is only 4 or 5 lines. The point is to start on
the habit and build in a rhythm to your studies.
JLPT N2 Official Workbook (on JLPT.jp)
JLPT N3 Official Workbook I sometimes pack around a very small notebook to write in when I
JLPT N4 Official Workbook have a few minutes free on the train or between classes or on
break. These small little moments can really add up to a lot of time
JLPT N5 Official Workbook you can spend learning a language.

Beyond that it can be a little tough to find some good free Give it a try. At first, like any new habit, it will feel a little clunky
materials, especially for lower levels. There really isn't a lot out and awkward, but if you stick with it, you'll get more and more
there. comfortable with it. And over time, you'll be able to see your
progress because of your hard copy that you made.

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Month 4 time to cut something non-Japanese out of your schedule to make
Hopefully by now you have a good rhythm to your studying. You some more room to study.
should be studying just enough to keep things fresh but not to the Or, you might be having a little trouble staying motivated and
point of gagging and locking yourself in a closet for a few months seeing your progress, so you might want to consider keeping more
waiting to take the test. records or a diary of what you are learning, complete with
The important thing is that you have established stable habits at examples of things you learned how to say.
this point. If you skip a study session for some reason and you feel You might find some habits just broke accidentally because of a
something is a little strange, you are on the right track. Even if the change in your schedule or lifestyle. For instance, a few of my
amount of time you spend during that session has to be cut short students struggle to keep up when they get transferred to a new
because of something, be sure you make it point to put a little bit department, move, get married, or have a child. These are pretty
of time. big events that can dominate your time.
If a study session does get blown out for some reason. Reschedule If that's the case, just try to keep the habit up, even if you are
it as soon as you can. Keep the pace up within reason of course. doing it for a very small amount of time (even 5 minutes). If you
Near the halfway point here is a good time to take a snapshot of are trying to establish a new habit, you might want to wait a for
your study time and do some adjusting. awhile. It's difficult to start so many things at once.
For example, are you spending too much time on something? If you Another trick to starting habits that I haven't mentioned before is
are spending half your time on SRS or drilling grammar or adding in triggers. For example, studying every time you eat lunch.
something similar that doesn't involve using the language, try to So, in your mind you start to form a pattern of behavior that feels
shift the balance more towards actual use like reading, listening, more and more familiar to you. If you break the pattern by not
talking, etc... doing the certain behavior you feel a little strange.
On the other hand, if you aren't spending any time on drilling, Think of it like this. You usually have some kind of sequence for
maybe now is the time to start adding that in if you are serious leaving your house in the morning. First, you get your keys, your
about taking the test. wallet, and your phone. Then, maybe you pack your lunch. Next,
Or if you are struggling to squeeze in studying time here and there, you put in your shoes and lock the door. If you happen to miss one
now might be the time to scale back your study plans and take a of those steps everything seems a little odd, and maybe you'll stop
little bit more realistic approach to passing the exam. Or, it might be yourself and go back.

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This whole process is automatic, you don't have a written down list You will also want to focus on other weaknesses as one particular
anywhere of what needs to be done. You just do it. That's what you weakness gets better. I have found focusing intensively on a
want to move toward when establishing study habits. You wouldn't particular skill, taking a break, then going back to that skill later can
walk out the door without brushing your teeth, so why can't the be a great way to study because it helps what you learned to get
same be true for a little studying. cemented in place.
I can't actually explain how this works, it just does. For me, I'll
Time for a change study grammar very intensively for a few weeks, then take a break
And now that you have worked so hard to put those habits in place for a month and when I come back to it, I seemed to know it better
it is time to do some changing. This may seem a little without actually practicing it. I'm sure it has something to do with
counterproductive, but it will help you out a lot. You might be my subconscious working out all the details in the meantime I
wondering why on earth you should go through all the trouble of suppose or maybe some other magic. All I know is it works well.
switching it up. Another reason to shift habits a bit is that there are always new
Well, doing the same kind of practice can start to dull your senses. tools coming out to use. There might be new anki decks or Memrise
You end up just trudging through drill books and not really focusing courses that focus on what you want to do or a different way of
on what it is you should be actually studying. This is especially true looking at things. Or there might be a handy new app that wasn't
if you have attention deficiency problems which is a big problem available just a few weeks ago. Or you might have just heard of a
that I have. new studying method that you want to try out.
In my personal experience, I've found that I have the determination
One at a Time
to keep going and keep studying, but my focus runs out pretty
easily and I just find myself going through the motions without Now, of course, you want to take easy with your changes. If you try
actually learning something. to change absolutely everything you'll have way too much to focus
on and none of it will get done. You don't want to undo all the
This crop rotation of studying can help to refocus you on your
studies and get you ready to head into the second half of the year wonderful work you have already done. So, let's just focus on one
thing for now.
studying for the JLPT. A steady rotation of different kinds of
studying keeps things interesting instead of just a matter of eating Good candidates for habits to change are activities that are starting
your meat and potatoes. to bore you to death. If you are actively dreading doing a particular
activity and you've been doing it for more than 30 days, it might be

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time to give it the boot or at least rethink it a little bit. habit stick. For example, if you keep forgetting to do your grammar
drills in the morning, put your grammar book next to your coffee
For example, if you were doing some writing exercises and you
were having a little trouble coming with something to write about, it mug the night before. Be sure to have a pencil or pen there too.
could be time to think a little more creatively and find some writing That way when you get your cup of coffee (or tea or milk) you are
reminded to do your grammar drills.
prompts in the net to help you or possible use interesting
photographs to inspire you to write a good story.
July test takers
Or if your grammar drills are boring you to death, change them up
a bit by maybe doing more writing practice with them or recording The test is coming a lot sooner for those of you that are taking the
them as audio flashcards. Take the activity give it a little spin, so July test. We only have two more months before the exam in July.
that your brain has to refocus. It's time to start shifting away from regular studying and more
toward preparing for the test. You will probably be able to get a few
Another candidate for removal is practicing of activities that extra points on the test with just a little more effort in these final
reinforce something that you have become quite good at or are months.
good enough at. Especially if it is a skill that you might not end up
needing in real life like reading. First, if you aren't caught up with your vocabulary, now is the time
to bulk up. You might need to double your practice time every day.
After you choose a habit to replace or modify it's time to make a Again, don't go overboard and burn yourself out, but sometimes
change. The easiest way to do this is to simply switch out the questions on the test can come down to not knowing a certain
activity with another one I the same time window. This will help to vocabulary word, so exposing yourself to as many words as
keep your momentum. If you have change the time you are doing possible is a good idea.
something it will be like starting a whole new habit.
Also, repeated exposure to words will help with your kanji
As you start doing the new habit focus on the change. Keep it on recognition skills which will in turn speed up your reading. You want
your mind as something you need to spend time on. Don't just to move towards making things automatic because of the speed
assume it will fall into place because you started it. You might have that is needed for the test. Also, the more automatic it is the less
to spend a few days faking it till you make it. Avoid the temptation likely you will be to lose your concentration and focus.
of taking a break from it. Keep at it, remember the rule of 21 days.
Just focus in that first 21 days to get the habit established. It's also time to take another practice test if you have one available.
This will be your final diagnostic test before the big exam to see
Eliminate barriers that might be preventing you from making the what your weaknesses are.

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Once you've graded your practice test you can take another look at studies.
your weaknesses. Have they changed? Do you need to work on It being the midway point, now is a good time to take another
something different now? Keep in mind that N1 and N2 level snapshot of your studies. Have you covered roughly half the
practice tests can be a little off due to the variability of the test. vocabulary you wanted to cover this year? How about your
Weaknesses might not have necessarily changed so keep that in writing? Are you keeping a good journal? Have you been
mind when you look at your scores. practicing with regular conversation? What has been working and
In general, if you are planning on taking the July test, I would what hasn't been working for you? Everyone is a little different as
recommend moving more and more toward drill practice, especially to what they can get into and excited about, so don't be afraid to
if you are bad at doing tests. You may know the grammar, and you try something different or something that isn't the super efficient
can probably even use it a little bit, but the test will go over way of studying. Do what is right for you.
nuances between those points.
This is why the test is conducted - to help tease out your Reviewing Vocabulary
weaknesses and push you out of your comfort zone a little. I think Most people use a spaced repetition system (SRS) to manage most
you either have to be able to feel what it is correct from having a of their vocabulary learning. My personal favorite is Memrise.com,
lot of exposure and correction or over-learn the grammar point, so but there is also the standalone program Anki. These systems
that you just don't know it, but can confidently and automatically remind you of a word just about the time you are going to forget it,
use it and understand it. so you don't need to manually schedule anything. I went over the
What change are you going to make? Take a moment now to differences before.
commit to changing one thing about your weekly study plan. So, scheduling is out of the way. Now, it is just a question of pace.
Are you able to keep up the pace that you set for yourself at the
Month 5
beginning of the year? Is your pace a little too ambitious? For
We are now somewhere around the midpoint of the year and instance, I think the maximum someone with a regular work
hopefully you are around halfway through what you planned out in schedule can squeeze in is around 25 words a day. And even then,
the first month. If you are feeling that your motivation is slipping a those words should be spaced out through the day and not in one
little, you might want to check back with month 2. Are you looking big marathon session in the morning. If you put in 3 study sessions
to make a change with your studies? How about giving month 4 a day, e.g. 5-10 words in the morning, 5-10 at lunch, and 5-10
another read? Constant tweaking and adjusting can really help your before you go to bed, your focus and willpower will be able to

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recover enough to make sure you really retain the information. Don't get me wrong. It is still useful, you just won't see it very
When reviewing words, always ask yourself a few questions. First, often or at least as often as N5 or N4 grammar in most situations.
In my own unscientific assessment, around 90% of the grammar
can you use the word in a sentence easily? If you get two words
you see in regular native Japanese will be based on what you learn
confused a lot, what is the difference between them? Only very
rarely are two words completely interchangeable, there is usually a at the N5 and N4 levels. There might be some regional differences
slight difference in the connotation or in what situations the word is that you have to get used to, or some variations of how it is used,
but it is all there. Vocabulary won't be there quite yet. With N5
used. Make sure to take the time to explore these differences
instead of just marching on because you feel like you have to learn and N4 you will learn about 2000 words which is a good start. And
if you can use (as opposed to only being able to understand) them,
X number of words today.
you'll be conversational. You'll be able to hold a basic conversation
about every day activities like what you did last weekend and what
Reviewing Grammar you like to do.
If you are taking the test in December for N3 or above. You should But at the N3 and above levels regular review is necessary. A good
have completed studying all the grammar points by now. You can way to do this is to go back through your drill books and work
go at a different pace of course, but the reason I recommend through the test questions again. You might think that they will be
learning them all first before going on to reading and listening is too easy and some of them will be, but you'll get at least a few of
that grammar is special in that you really need to over-learn it. them wrong. Sometimes they will be questions you got wrong
Over-learning allows you to become truly confident with the before. Sometimes they will be new questions that you didn't have
material so that you can answer questions about it quickly. Also, a problems with before.
lot of the grammar at the N3 and above levels is rarer. It is still In either case, be sure to mark the particular phrases and grammar
used, but you might see a handful of situations where N3 grammar points you are having trouble with. I prefer to use a red pen to
is used in a book or tv show. circle that particular point in whatever book you happen to be using
For N1, you may only see a particular grammar point or expression to study (like So-Matome or Kanzen Master). Later, we will be
used once every 400 pages you read or even rarer. They are often going through a final sweep of all these as you prepare for the test.
times specialized phrases reserved for dramatic speeches and Circling the ones you have trouble with now will narrow down your
formal writing which you may never need to work with in the focus later.
future, but are handy to have around none the less. For N4 and N5, if you have been following this study guide so far,

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you should be about halfway through all the grammar points known trouble spots that you might not have been aware of.
already. Now is an excellent time to look back through everything
you have learned so far and test yourself to see if you can use it all. Regular Review Makes it all Click
Be especially picky about particles. A lot of the N5 and N4
grammar questions revolve around how to use particles. At the N4 There are two different ways to learn a language I think, which
level, you will start to learn a few phrases and other grammar causes a heated debate over what is the best way to get the job
points, but there a lot of particles that you should do your best to done. One school of thought is to take a calculated paced way of
master. learning and reviewing and making sure you have come close to
over-learning everything before moving on to the next topic. The
A lot of the expressions you will learn at the higher levels hinge on other school of thought is more like a Panzer attack, strike hard and
these little buggers, so don't underestimate how important they try to take out as many big targets as you can in the shortest
are. A lot of the particles can be used in a variety of ways and in amount of time. If you need something else, you can go back for it
different situations. None of them have a clear translation in later.
English, so don't fool yourself into thinking for example に simply
Both methods have their merits, the second method can be a lot
means 'in,on,at'. It can take on different meanings and can only be
more motivating because it is usually driven by necessity and what
used in some situations.
you want to use. People that use this method tend to make a lot
Test yourself by writing a few sentences with what you have more mistakes, but they learn from those mistakes and usually end
learned so far and then having a native check it for you. Or better up being pretty good speakers. The first method takes more time
yet, try out a few of the grammar points when you are chatting over all, and can lead you to getting bogged down in details, but
with a native and see if they understand what the heck you are allows you to use the full set of tools that are available to you and
saying. Chatting in Japanese at this lower level, is some of the best will eventually make you a better speaker. It is also the method
and easiest practice you can do, so don't shy away from it. Yes, it that is better suited for the JLPT, since the test likes to nick-pick on
will be awkward at first, but hey isn't everything? all the little details.
Finally, for all the levels, put yourself in the test writers' shoes and There is always the temptation to run after the shiny new piece of
try writing some test questions for yourself. Walking through the grammar or vocabulary word that you haven't learned yet. But, try
thought process of how they test you will help you to think about to resist that urge for a while and focus on the small differences
the grammar in a different way and make it easier for you to between the grammar points. These small differences are not
answer questions on the test. It will also help you spot some immediately apparent, as you may be studying each grammar point

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by itself, but that is why writing your own test questions can really make it in time.
make these pop out. Overall, don't get stressed out. Even if you need the test for
something like work or school, try not to think so seriously about it.
July Test Takers The more relaxed and carefree I was with the test, the higher I
You have just one month before the test in July. You might be scored. Last time I took it, I had had a long week moving, I was
thinking that there isn't much you can do in this last month before tired, I hadn't studied much of all over the last month, so I just
the test that would even make a difference. But, there is actually a went in with the attitude of trying my best and not really caring if I
lot of things you can do that will help you get a few extra points. passed or not. I ended up seeing my highest jump in points yet
with the N1, so don't fret.
First thing to do is take a practice test. I mentioned before that
there are a lot of free JLPT practice tests you can take, but there
Month 6
are also some paid ones that are pretty cheap and pack a lot into
them. What I like most about the paid practice tests is they have At this point, you should have all the basics down pat. You have a
fairly detailed explanations of each answer, so if you are studying regular rhythm of studying that you are following and a regular
by yourself you are able to understand why you got the question monthly check to make sure you are staying focused on the goal.
wrong. You have probably changed or tweaked at least a few things about
this plan so far. Or at least I hope you have.
Second, this last month is a good time to review what you know
and over-learn it all. Most levels require you to answer questions This month we are going to delve a little deeper into time
quickly and confidently and that means knowing the grammar management, so that you can make the most out of what limited
points inside and out. I generally try to avoid starting anything new time you might have during the day. Good time management can
unless it is reading or listening practice. This is a time to sharpen save you a lot of time and make things more efficient for you. The
your sword and make sure everything is solid. more efficient you are the quicker you will see results. And the
Third, in the final week before the exam, there are a few strategies quicker you see results the more motivated you'll be.
you can try out. I and a few other test takers usually go on a If you think about, it is really unnatural to think about time. I mean,
vocabulary binge, trying to study as many vocabulary words as the animals of the Earth don't where watches do they? It is one of
possible in the lead up to the big day. Of course, it is best to learn those necessary evils that came about from modernization. And in a
all the words for a given level way before this last month, but perfect world, nobody would care about time. Even celebrities have
memorizing words takes a lot of time, and sometimes you just don't to show up at specific time though, so you need to learn some

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basic steps of how to take control of that time so it doesn't go and more until you are able to focus and study for a longer period
running off into the bushes never to be found again. of time, which will come in handy during test time.
And actually time can be your friend if you put it to work for you. Time boxing keeps your studying fairly balanced as well. Often
So how can you do that? Well, there are some common tools that times I find myself going off on a whim studying a particular
you need to be aware of it. passage for awhile trying to puzzle out what it all means. Or I'll be
trying to power through what in the world a particular grammar
Time boxing point or phrases means, how to use it, or what the difference
between it and another similar phrase is. These can be major time
Time boxing is a handy little technique where you 'box in' certain sucks, and they don't have to be.
amounts of time to focus on something. For example, if you need to
practice some vocabulary, grammar, and some reading, but only First of all, this is where a tutor comes in handy who can answer
have about 30 minutes to do it. You can divide up the task into 3 - any annoying questions you might have. But, also just taking some
ten minute blocks of time. At the beginning of each block you set a time off from it and going and working on something else will allow
timer for 10 minutes, study the heck out of vocabulary (or grammar your brain to process what is going on so that you can better
or reading) for those ten minutes and then stop and switch to understand the grammar point or passage. Time boxing gives you
something else. that space so that your brain can unlock a little and look at things
from a slightly different angle.
As you can imagine, this can keep you pretty focused because you
have told your mind that you are only going to do this for 10 Time boxing can also speed up your reading. If you give yourself
minutes, which seems a lot more doable then say an hour or some only a certain amount of time to read a passage and answer
indefinite period of time. It is very easy to tell your mind to focus questions about it, you will try your best to get through it without
on the task at hand. It is very similar to the 21 day rule that I like all the dilly dallying you might have done otherwise. Forcing
to tout. It is easy to stick to a habit if you tell your mind that you yourself to finish the task in a small amount of time will keep you
only have to keep it up for 21 days. from looking up words and instead using your noggin to puzzle out
a new vocabulary word.
Time boxing also helps with procrastination for the very same
reason it helps you focus. If you are having trouble sitting down
Easy to start
and getting some studying done. Tell yourself that you only need to
study for 10 minutes. Set the timer and power through a block of You really don't have any excuses to not at least try time boxing out
studying, then reward yourself. Keep building up your focus more because it doesn't cost you anything and it isn't going to take up

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anymore of your time than your studying is already taking you. So, little nuts, but if you have the free time on a Sunday (and you
give it a try the next time you sit down to do some studying. Try to weren't drinking heavily the night before), it is an option to
play games with it and see how many words or questions you can consider. After all, it's better to invest a few days now so that you
answer in a given amount of time. can pass the test, as to not studying enough, failing this round, and
As with anything new, don't overdue it at first. Take it easy and add then having to pay and take the test next time. You almost might
find yourself 'in the zone' and be able to just go with the energy
in a few time boxed sessions here and there in your studies. You
that you have to put a lot of studying in at once so that you can
will probably want to tweak how much time you spend in each
enjoy your week more.
session. For me, I've found that longer sessions of about 22
minutes each seem to do the trick. Afterwards, I usually get up and An all-dayer is also an excellent way to build up language
do a little stretch before starting on something else. endurance. Language endurance is your ability to focus on a foreign
You can use this technique to practice several different skills in one language for long periods of time. This is one of those things that
block of time as well. I find that if you spend an inordinate amount gets overlooked if you live or work in an environment with a lot of
of time just focused on one particular thing like vocabulary drilling English (or your native language) use and not completely immersed
in Japanese. For the N2 and N1, you have to sit through almost two
your mind can switch off pretty fast. But, if you split it up into
hours of testing for the grammar and reading sections of the test. If
smaller blocks of different skills you can stay energized and ready
you are not used to that it can be a considerable hurdle.
to keep studying.

How to study all day

All dayers
If you do decide to study all day, make sure to lay out a set
Okay so you have probably heard a hundred times by now that all-
schedule of what you want to do, dividing the day into key blocks of
nighters, where you stay up all night to finish an exam, are bad for
time for the different skills or activities you want to work on.
you. The lack of sleep causes you to lose focus which has a huge
Deciding ahead of schedule will eliminate procrastination due to
effect on your ability process the information you are trying to
decision paralysis. You have a set schedule so no more decisions to
study. In addition to that, staying up all night disrupts your sleeping
be made. On that schedule, be sure to put your newly learned time-
schedule so that your focus and attention is a mess for a few days
boxing skills to work by boxing out sections of the day to work on
or a week until you can get back on a proper sleeping schedule.
things.
So, it is best to scrap the idea of an all-nighter. But what about an
Be sure to factor in some rewards for yourself like watching your
all-dayer? That is studying all day long. Okay so maybe it sounds a

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favorite TV show or eating a snack. It's okay to take a break from earth you could possibly do in this short amount of time to improve
studying so that your mind can get a little rest. However, make sure your score. And realistically, you aren't going to be able to jump
you box these activities in as well, just like you would your study too high up in points, but there are some things that will help you
activities. That way you won't catch yourself in a middle of Family get the best score possible.
Guy marathon, realizing that you should actually be studying
instead. In this final stretch, try to increase the blocks of time that you are
If you do block out a huge chunk of time to, say, do a practice test, studying. The theory here is to increase your ability to concentrate
in a foreign language for longer stretches of time. You might be
make sure you rest your eyes from time to time. Every 20 or 30
just used to squeezing in study sessions here and there and not
minutes or so, look away from the paper in front of you, focus at
something in the distance, then close and cover your eyes to block really giving your undivided attention to something, but you'll need
to do that for the test.
out the light. With your eyes closed and covered, try to 'look
around' in the blackness. This will help to relax your eye muscles so
they don't get so strained. I do this when I'm putting in big blocks Do a lot of reading. Increased reading speed and just being
generally more comfortable reading Japanese is going to help you
of time studying, translating (staring at a computer screen), and
get through the test faster, which means you'll have more time to
even taking the test. It only takes 15 seconds or so, and then you
double-check your answers and to read carefully the parts that
are back in the game.
need to a little clarification. Reading should become as automatic
Every hour, you'll want to get up and get your blood pumping some as possible. This means timing yourself and pushing your speeds
how. This may mean a simple walk downstairs to get a glass of faster and faster.
water or it could be dropping to the ground and doing 25 push ups.
It is totally up to you. But, you do not want to remain in a seat for And in the final couple of days before the test, try to bulk up on as
much longer than 1 hour. Sitting down for long periods of time has many words as possible so that you have a little exposure to them.
actually been shown to shorten your life, so getting your butt out of For N5 and N4, the vocabulary is fairly limited, but the higher up
your seat every once in awhile is probably a good idea. you go the more you will need to really diversify and do regular
reading to stay ahead.
July Test Takers
Month 7
Depending on when you read this you might only have a few weeks
before the July exam. And you are probably wondering what on You may start to wonder at this point if learning a language is all
about drilling and drilling some more. Well, no not really. Doing

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some limited drilling can help you focus on specific points and What's worse, every time I had an opportunity to use it, I shied
weaknesses that you need to fix in order to understand and use away at the first shade of misunderstanding instead of pushing
them well. It can be an efficient way to narrowly practice a few bits forward. Big mistake.
and pieces of the language that really need tweaking. Don't do what I did. Yes, to pass the JLPT at the N3 to N1 levels
But, hopefully, you not just doing all drilling. That would be down (and maybe N4) you do have to stick your nose in a few books and
right boring to be honest, and you wouldn't be practicing all the refine your grammar. But, the more 'real' Japanese you get your
skills you need to use and understand a language. You can't just hands on the more you will be able to 'feel' it and things just start
use books and software to learn a language, you need a little to make better sense to you.
something more. Otherwise you are in for a rough time. Yes, it can be a little nerve-wracking at first. It's hard to give over
Even with the JLPT, which demands accuracy from you, stepping that 'hump', but let me walk through a few ways you can ease into
away from drilling and books is required of you if you are going to it. First, a bit of explanation.
take it to the next level. And the sooner you get over the fear of
putting yourself out there, the better off you will be. You'd be Old School vs. New School
surprised how well you can communicate with just a few basics at
the N5 level. The old school way of learning a language basically treated foreign
languages as any other subject in school. There was a whole bunch
A fear of speaking up and using the language can hold you back of stuff for you to remember and you were made to remember it
from using it. I remember when I first started studying Japanese, via drilling. The teacher was there to open your mouth up and jam
all I did was pour over books, mastering how to say every little buckets full of vocabulary words and grammar rules down your
thing. Looking things up and double-checking it with other throat, and didn't even bother to give you anything to wash it all
resources. For some strange reason, I never wanted to bother other down with. There was not a lot of chatting, or production of the
people too much by asking for help, or I felt like my level was so language other than in very limited situations.
low that I didn't want to embarrass myself by asking a dumb
question. The new school of learning a language involves going out, taking a
little bit of time to learn some basic grammar, but then just
And it held me back. For the first year or so that I was learning throwing yourself into the mix and chatting it up as much as
Japanese, I really didn't learn anything it seemed like. I learned to possible. This has been touted a lot by language gurus like Benny
read Japanese textbooks and practice fake conversations with Lewis in recent years. And it is easy to see why this is effective and
myself that weren't relevant to me, but I wasn't actually using it. great way to learn. You go out and get a lot of feedback, constantly

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review and reuse what you have just learned and see the world in getting the ball rolling because they never really mastered
the process. communication in their first language.
And I really like the idea of the new school, it is how we learn to do So what happens if you are one of those types of people? And this
a lot of things - just go and do it. The only problem is there are a isn't binary by the way, there are several shades of conversation
few limitations to it. First, most people don't have the resources to skills you can have. Some people just need a little step up, others
live abroad or don't feel comfortable with the whole idea of might need a giant leap. In either case, you need to make the
suddenly moving somewhere new. After all, living in a foreign move.
country can be stressful and scary if you don't have someone to And the great part about language learning is it is okay to be a bit
guide you through the process. weird and make mistakes because people will generally be pretty
That can easily be remedied by Skype and some other tools though. forgiving. And these conversation skills will actually transfer back to
So that isn't a real deal breaker to be honest. There are plenty of your first language sometimes in a strange kind of way. You'll learn
tools out there that can help you connect with native speakers who what kinds of questions to ask that generate more conversation for
in turn would like to connect with you. So, no biggie. example, and which stop the conversation dead in its tracks.
The second issue though, and this can be a big one, is that it can
be a bit difficult for some to just jump into a conversation with Tutors
someone they just met. After all, if the new school depends on The answer to how to take this first step lies in wonderful people
having a lot of healthy conversations with a lot of people to learn called tutors. Tutors can really help you to open up because they
how to use the language, it might be difficult to do that if you have are there to help you communicate and since you are (probably)
a hard time doing that in your own language. paying them at least a little coin, they will generally do their best to
I actually experience this a lot in some of the classes I teach. There help you get your words out and patiently work through your
are some students, for whatever reason, that simply haven't stumbling and fumbling around with you. And if it is a good
learned to socialize well. And they are brilliant people, medical experienced tutor, they will probably be able to predict what you
researchers, engineers, and other similar job categories tend to are trying to say and bridge the gaps in language as you try to
have this issue. communicate.
They just never really got comfortable conversing in their own First though, let's be clear on what a tutor is. A tutor does not
language, but now, to move up in their company and advance their teach a class, they will not give you a structure to work through, or
careers they need to learn English. But, they have a heck of a time at least most won't. They are simply there to guide you through the

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learning process and speed your trip to fluency by stopping you constraints.
from thumbing around in the dark. You can almost think of them as Try to assign tasks to yourself whenever possible and ask them to
a language mentor in a way. check your answers or their advice on how to proceed. Make sure
There are two great sites for finding tutors in my opinion. The first to tailor it to you and what you want out of the language learning
is the freebie option - The Polyglot Club. This seems to be the best process, not just trudging through activities. The more
source for me for finding people that would simply like to chat and personalized it is, the easier it will be to remember.
practice. There are even a few that want to be teachers in the Another option some people recommend is having a girlfriend or
future and are using this as a way to practice their skills before boyfriend that is a native speaker. I know it might seem like you
getting into teaching day to day. I found a few conversation are using someone, but this can be quite helpful because you are
partners through this service who were a lot of fun to chat with. motivate to keep learning so that you can communicate better with
The other service is italki.com. This is more for hiring professional your partner. And hopefully your partner is someone that you
teachers or tutors. The whole site is arranged so that you can see comfortable speaking with and making mistakes around as well.
who is trustworthy by how many sessions they have done and if
they have qualifications or not. The rates are extremely reasonable Fluency vs. Correctness
as well.
The toughest part of a language teachers job is error correction.
If you decide to use a tutor or a chat partner be prepared with your Fishing out how to correct a phrase that might sound a little
own materials and/or topics to talk about when you meet with unnatural or incorrect in real-time can be quite taxing on our brains,
them. Especially if you are working with a volunteer or a private even in your native language. Basically, there are two strategies
tutor here in Japan. The easier you make their lives the more you that a language teacher can employ in order to help you build
will get out of the session, and the more the tutor will want to help different skills. One strategy focuses on fluency and the other
you because you are a good student instead of a pain. focuses on accuracy.
Even if you do have a professional one-on-one teacher, be prepared For fluency, a language teacher or tutor only corrects your mistakes
with questions and be active in learning. Don't expect any teacher when you would have trouble being misunderstood. For example, if
to hold your hand through everything. Speaking as a teacher, we you said 'I gave the toy for him.' when you really meant 'I gave the
are always too busy and never have time to prepare as much as toy to him.' There is a difference in the meaning of those two
we'd like. Although I personally love teaching and would like to sentences, so the listener wouldn't be able to understand you
teach the best possible lesson, it is not always easy because of time easily.

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For accuracy, the teacher or tutor will try to correct (within reason) spring from doing a lot of work with passive skills. It is something
every mistake you make no matter how big or small. This will that needs to be practiced.
improve your overall correctness and you will sound more intelligent Training your head to do a certain task requires feedback; you need
and be more clear. So for example, a language teacher might to know when you have made a mistake and when you are perfect
correct the common mistake 'I go to shopping.' because it is in order to hone your skills. The faster the feedback the faster you
grammatically wrong. However, it still does get the point across. I will learn. Of course answering practice test questions over and
mean you can still understand what the person is trying to say. over again will also help you by giving you that feedback you need,
If a teacher focuses too much on one or the other you can start to but producing the language allows for a lot more feedback that is
sound either very talkative but with a lot of mistakes or perfect more personalized to the kinds of mistakes you are making.
speech but rather slow learning. Of course a good mix is It is also a lot faster. You know right then, in real time, that you
somewhere in the middle or having sessions with two different have made a mistake (if someone is correcting you or just by facial
people that emphasize different ends of the spectrum. In expressions). You don't have to bother checking the answers in the
particular, if you are learning a new grammar point it is more back of the book, you just know instantly when you goof up. It is
important to be accurate than fluent. But, if you are learning to use pretty handy
new vocabulary, it might be more important to be fluent than
accurate. One thing is for sure. Just studying grammar rules is not going to
improve your knowledge very efficiently because it doesn't allow for
Both are actually needed for the test, so try to strike a balance any feedback. You have to quiz yourself by trying to make
between them whenever possible. Accuracy is really needed for sentences of your own, do drill questions, or even practicing
grammar, but fluency more for reading and listening, i.e. translating some key phrases. These can all help you get an idea of
comprehending things. what you are doing wrong and right.

Importance of Production
Month 8
The JLPT tends to take some criticism for because it doesn't If you were lucky enough to take the July test this year, you have
actually prove that you can produce the language. On the test, probably received your results by now, or are going to pretty soon.
only passive skills are tested - reading and listening. However, I This will give you a good benchmark of what you will need to be
think in order to pass the higher levels you do need some ability to studying for if you are taking the test in December. If you are
produce the language. And production doesn't just automatically retaking the exam, due to failing it this time around or to get a

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better score, you will have an excellent idea of what you need to that you can get for incredibly cheap used. Vocabulary and kanji
focus on to get up and over that hill. will also jump significantly from N3, so you will need to spend a
little more time on that.
If you are moving on to the next level because you passed, or just
don't want to take the lower level again, you might have to do a For N1, you will need to be getting your hands dirty will a lot of
little reinterpreting of these results in order to get an idea of what native material, all the time. JLPT books will help you get an idea
you will need to pass the next level. Going from N5 to N4, there of what skills you need in order to pass the test, but not all of the
really isn't that big of a difference in the format of the test. For vocabulary or reading practice you will need. The difference in
example, if you were weak at listening at the N5 level, you will reading speed is actually relatively small between N2 and N1, so
probably need to shore it up for N4. you don't need to worry about bumping your speed up that much.
Your biggest worry should be to speed up your recognition and
Moving from N4 to N3, you will see a little jump in the reading
portion of the test. Even if you scored pretty high in this section for understanding of the new vocabulary that you will see at this level.
the N4, you will probably need to do some work with it to pass N3 For more information about resources you can use to study for the
level. Also, vocabulary starts to get a little more difficult at the N3 next level of the test, you can check back with Month 1 of this
level. You can't simply study the lists anymore and expect every study guide. There you will also find links to free practice tests and
word from them to be on the test. You will have to journey away workbooks that I have commented on as well.
from JLPT textbooks and take in some Japanese from a variety of What we are going to focus on this month is overhauling your
different sources, like native children or young adult books, free whole study routine so that you can bear down on your weaknesses
resources like Tae Kim's lessons, or paid resources like in these final few months before the December test. For some of
JapanesePod101. These alternative resources will cover all sorts of you, this might be your only test you can take until next year rolls
different vocab and situations which will start to broaden your around, so you want to put all your muscle into it to make sure
ability to communicate. your efforts until now haven't been for waste. I'll go over some
From N3 to N2, expect to increase your reading speed. If you had a quick tips on how to diagnose some common problems that might
hard time finishing the N3 exam, you will need to really get that have come up on the July test or on a practice test that you took.
speed up in order to pass N2. The best way to do that is to do a lot But, before we dig into that, how is your motivation? Are you still
of reading. I highly recommend picking up some young adult books ready to take on this test? We still have a few more months, so be
to read and just work your way through them. Ones that I have sure to pace yourself for the final stretch and don't burn yourself
recommended time and time again are the Disney movie adaptions out. In the end, this race to pass the tests is only against yourself,

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so don't overdue it and end up hating Japanese for the rest of your language use is like in order to make it through the test and come
life. We are going to go over some great strategies that you should out with a good score.
put in use to patch up those weaknesses, but remember to have a
little fun with it whenever you can. Knew the word but couldn't use it right
Did you know the core meaning of the word, but weren't sure how
Diagnosing Kanji and Vocabulary Problems
to use it in a sentence? Let me give you an example for the N1 test
Now the easy answer to solving kanji and vocabulary problems is to I just took. In the usage section (last section of the vocabulary
just do more drilling, probably SRS like Anki or Memrise. You have part of the test) they had the word しがみつく, which means 'to
probably heard this from a lot of reputable sources as the way to cling'. Simple right? Well, and I can't remember the exact wording
study the language. And for the most part, SRS will do a lot of the of the sentences, but they gave 4 sentences that you could actually
heavy lifting of memorizing new words. However, in order to really use the word cling in, in English. So, one sentence was something
know a word, you will need to know how it is used and where. It like 'It was a hot day, so the shirt he was wearing clung to him.",
also might be useful to know its connotation (is it negative or and another one was something like 'The magnet clung to the
positive?) as well. (for more details, check the anatomy of a word fridge." and yet another was "The little boy clung to his mom's leg,
section) And although you can drill this stuff with your standard terrified."
flashcards or SRS, doing that can get pretty dull pretty fast.
Now, I'm paraphrasing a lot here, because the sentences were a
So, reading can really help you to build up your vocabulary as well little more complicated than that, but you get the idea. If you knew
as reinforce the vocabulary that you already have so that you don't the core meaning of the word 'to cling', but were not able to use
have to review it. Also reading has several other benefits like the word properly, you would have a hard time answering this
increasing your reading speed, which is something that is very question. This is why SRS, which only pairs the Japanese word to
necessary for the test. It is also just a lot more interesting than an English definition, can be a little limiting. This is also why a lot
drilling a bunch of words that are not very relevant to you and what of people recommend using Japanese to Japanese dictionaries
you want to do with Japanese, but you have to study anyway when you study because a JtoJ dictionary would have these kinds
because they are on the test. of nuances in the definition that the JtoE one wouldn't.
It is my belief that you can not pass the N2 without doing at least a There are a couple of solutions to this problem. First of all, you can
little reading of native materials. I suppose it is possible, but just start studying with Japanese to Japanese flashcards or SRS. That
not very probable. You have to get a good idea of what real is, you can prompt yourself with a definition in Japanese, and try to

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come up with a Japanese word that matches it. This is a very good to look at the word in a few example sentences. Some words, like
solution and a lot of language learners swear by it, because you nouns, are extremely straightforward and don't require any extra
can do twice as much studying in the same amount of time. Think work. I mean a cat is a cat. You can't really be ambiguous there,
about it. If one side of the flashcard is in English, and the other is but for other words, especially more abstract things like 'there' and
in Japanese, you are spending half of your time reading English. 'discussion' you will need to look a little deeper.
Why not spend all of your time reading Japanese? That is what you The other way to combat usage problems is what I recommended
are trying to learn right? above, do more reading.
But, alas, this method is a bit hard to get into the habit of doing,
and can be a little discouraging to start with. I wouldn't Grammar issues
recommend using it until you have passed N4 to be honest, and
passing N3 wouldn't really hurt either. There have been some A common problem in the grammar section is being able to choose
recent studies that have shown that actually using two languages, the correct grammar point out of all the options in the first part of
for beginners, is a better and faster way to study, at first anyway. the grammar section of the test. Even at the lower levels, there are
The efficiency of learning using your native languages tends to level a few grammar points that have similar uses, but can not be used
off at around the threshold point. This is the point where you start interchangeably. For example, に and へ can both mark a location
to carry over your 1st language skills into the 2nd language. I'm but they have different ways of being used. The test will prey on
talking about things like conversation skills, comprehension skills, these minute differences.
etc... This is the point where you stop using the language as some This can be particularly frustrating because you probably know the
kind of external 'tool' and instead start to internalize it and use it to
meaning of each of the grammar points. If you were to see them
communicate. in a sentence you could understand them without any real issues.
Anyway, it can be difficult to practice with Japanese to Japanese You may even be able to use them in conversation with enough
flashcards, but if you are brave enough and very motivated you can accuracy to be understood. But for the test you will need to pick
start off on day one. out the fine points between each one. Luckily, there is a pretty
easy solution.
If, however, you are not quite at the level that you feel comfortable
using Japanese to Japanese or you feel like it is more work than The first solution is try to do some writing with every grammar
what it is worth, then at the very least question yourself when you point you learn. When you are writing, try to test the boundaries of
are drilling or you come across a new word. Take a few moments what is right and wrong. Don't just mimic example sentences that
you have, but try more complex ones so that you can really get a

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feel for how it is used. Ask a native friend, a tutor, or a service like have to fake it until you make it by forcing yourself to look at the
lang-8.com to help you with corrections. whole passage more instead of just the sentence you are trying to
answer the question for.
Another solution is simply more drilling, which can get a little dull,
but it will pull out what problems you have. My personal favorites
for grammar drill books are the Nihongo 500 Mon books for Reading issues
beginner (N5-N4), intermediate (N3-N2), and advanced (N2-N1). Did you have a hard time making it through the whole reading
They have drill questions for vocabulary, kanji, and grammar, so section in the time you were given to do so? Reading speed is
they pack a little more than just grammar. However, they have something that doesn't tend to get improved much unless you are
pretty good questions that are up to level and excellent taking a test. In real life, you usually have all the time in the world
explanations of each answer, so they are great for self-studiers. to read something, so you don't force yourself to actually sit down
Scrambled sentences, which show up in the second part of the and work on it. But, it is a valuable skill to have once you do have
grammar section, can be a real nightmare as well. These it.
essentially involve putting sentences in order. They can be very Luckily, this is an easy thing to remedy. You just need to start
challenging at first because it is not how you normally look at doing timed readings. When you read a particular passage or book,
making sentences. You will have to try out a few of these before see how many pages you can read in a given amount of time. Try
you can really get a swing of how to answer them. The Shin to do it regularly and increase the amount of pages you can read in
Kanzen Master series of books (N3, N2, N1) have a specific section one block of time. I go into more detail in this section of the book.
that goes over common patterns and things to be on the lookout
for and the questions in that section are up to level as well. If you are tripping up more with comprehension issues, you will
need to force yourself into some good habits that haven't quite
The final part of the grammar section, the text grammar part, can carried over into Japanese yet. In order to practice good
lead to some headaches as well. If you tripped up in this section, comprehension, try doing some reading and paraphrase what is
the best thing to do is more reading and try to be more aware of going on after every paragraph. Ideally, you want to paraphrase in
key grammar points as you do so. For example, if you come across Japanese, but doing it English can get the ball rolling and is
a connector like しかし or それも, take a look around and try to see perfectly fine at lower levels where you simply don't have the
the whole flow of the conversation. Overall comprehension skills vocabulary to paraphrase in more detail.
usually don't transfer over from your native language until you are
Also, learn how to skim. This is a valuable reading skill that can
at about the intermediate level. Until you reach that point, you will
save you a lot of time in any language. Look through a passage

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before you read it and try to glean the main idea from it. This will make a difference a few months before the big exam?
help you predict what is being said and prime your brain for the Well, working with and talking to a couple of test takers has given
kinds of vocabulary and ideas that would be expressed in that kind me a few tips of what you can do in this final stretch that will really
of passage. hammer some things in before the big day.
Be careful too of common misleading structures. If you have done Before we get started though, make sure you have double checked
any reading of Japanese essays, you quickly realize that their the previous months of this study guide. Have you done
structure tends to differ greatly from what we are use to with everything? Have you taken a practice test or two to get a feel for
English. The main idea of the whole piece tends to only show up in the test? Do you have a good vocabulary practice routine in place?
the last paragraph, although it can be hinted at in the beginning. Did you get a conversation partner to chat with so you feel more
Another common trap is when the author starts off with some kind comfortable with the language? If not, take the time now to go
of anecdote that has to do with the main idea, but is not the main back over those sections of the guide to help you.
idea. For example, the author might talk about a particular I would say for these next months it is important to keep up your
example of a company that is experimenting with how robots vocabulary studying. With SRS, you really need to keep that beast
interact with humans, but the main idea of the whole essay is more fed every day or else you tend to get behind, which may cause you
about how some people have trouble interacting with others. to get sloppy or just rush through the words without really that
Then, something like 'making robots interact with humans is much focus. So, by all means, keep the vocabulary drilling up,
difficult' could be one of the options for what the main idea of the however, try not to add too many more words. You want to keep
essay is. this manageable. You don't want it to dominate your final months
If you are having trouble with your listening, there is actually a before the test.
separate section of the guide that goes over and diagnoses those You'll want more free time so that you can focus on your weak
problems. points in order to shore them up before the big test.
You should be winding down your grammar practice as well. If you
Month 9 are at the N4 and N5 level, hopefully you have had enough time to
In the past, when I prepared for the JLPT, I always kept simply digest all the major grammar points. You will probably need to
doing what I was doing until the final day before the test. I didn't continue to review them and do a few practice questions with a
really see a need to change up my study routine that much before book like Mon 500 in order to fish out your weaknesses before the
the big day. After all, what could you possible change that would test. However, in general you should be at least familiar with and be

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able to understand all of the grammar points. It is a bonus if you months?
are able to use them of course. Well, for starters, you should be absolutely certain of the tests
For N3 and above, if you have followed this study guide so far, you format and how to answer the different kinds of questions. If you
should be on track with knowing and reviewing the phrases and have been with us so far, you have hopefully already done that by
expressions you need to learn for the test. Did you remember to taking a practice test or gone through one of the official workbooks.
mark the grammar points that you had trouble with? Now is the I encourage you to take at least one practice test with the exact
time to go back and really drill those points in so that they become time limits for each section that the real test has. This will not only
really natural for you. give you a feel for the questions, but also how fast you need to
move through the test.
In general though, we are going to tone down your grammar and
vocabulary drilling, and push to practice more of the skills you will The other thing to do is to build on the foundation you have already
need to pass the test. If you have followed a more natural way of laid so far. Over the last few months, you have learned a lot of
studying for the test up until now (just chatting and picking up vocabulary and grammar. For some of you, you probably wolfed
things here and there), now is the time to turn your focus on some down 1000, 2000 or possibly more vocabulary words, tried to cram
of the skills that you will need for the test like answering grammar 100 or so grammar points into your head, and I don't even have to
questions, taking notes during the listening, and reading for mention all those kanji that have probably given you a lot of fits as
comprehension. well.
So, now it is time to build something pretty solid on that foundation
Shifting Priorities of knowledge. You may know that meaning of all the vocabulary,
With just two months to go, I often get a lot of frantic emails from kanji, and grammar points, but if you have only been drilling them
readers asking me what they could possibly do in these last couple chances are, you are probably at least a little hazy about how to
of days to increase their score. And it can be a bit of stressful use each one. For instance, you might not be sure what context
situation because some people can only take the test once a year, you should use certain points or words. Or, the different readings of
and they need to show results this time because they want to keep kanji in different compounds.
their motivation up, they need it for a job, or some other reason. This ability is called usage. How do you use what you learned? How
When time is not a constraint it is okay to experiment and see what can you drive it home, so that you know it well enough to sail
works for you in terms of language learning, but what happens if through the test? How can you fortify what you already learned
you don't have that time. What can you do to maximize these final without drudging through some more drill books, or worse yet,

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shelling out a few yen to pick up more drill books? because that is what is graded and checked by teachers. Speaking
of course is not checked nearly as much. It simply can't be. It is far
Double Down on Reading to ephemeral. Students don't even make any kind of presentations
until usually college.
Well, I believe that a lot of good reading practice can really help
you before the big test. Reading of appropriate level materials can So, doing a lot of reading of good appropriate level materials can be
help you review grammar, vocabulary, and kanji in context and in a a huge boost to your score in this final stretch. Not only will it help
meaningful way. So instead of taking these parts separate in drill with comprehension skills, it will also boost your overall reading
books, you can combine it all and get some reading comprehension speed, which can help in all sections of the test. And rereading
practice as well. materials will make things very automatic and comfortable for you
so you don't have to worry about test anxiety creeping in and
I should start by saying that this strategy is most effective for those taking some points away.
preparing for the higher levels (N3+). If you are at the lower levels
of the test, (N5~N3), it might be more effective to do a lot of The important thing here is that it needs to be the appropriate
chatting with natives and getting some good feedback as to what level. If it is too difficult, that is what language teachers call
you are using wrong. This instant feedback will give you a good feel intensive reading, which can be effective if used properly, but it is
for how the language is used. not going to help you that much here. We want to do extensive
reading, which means you read a lot of material that is just out of
Reading a lot of materials on the other hand will give you a lot your completely comfortable reading level.
more exposure to the written language which is in fact different
from the spoken language. Spoken language gets even more You may be tempted to grab the first piece of native material you
complicated when you think about dialects and accents. It is a lot see and punch through it as hard as you can, but that isn't going to
more alive, and to be honest, a truer form of communication give you everything you need. Why? Well, first, when you are
because you can use facial expressions, gestures and tone of voice learning new words it is helpful to know enough about the context
to convey a lot of meaning whereas written communication has where you saw it to understand the meaning intuitively, without
none of that. having to look it up in a dictionary. This will help you to be able to
use that same word in the future.
Written materials are generally more standardized, especially in
Japan where education is standardized across the whole country. If almost every word you see is a word you do not understand, it is
Everybody uses the same books, same syllabus, the whole nine, so going to be really hard to understand that context. In normal
everybody tends to use the same language patterns when writing language learning, you should not have to use a dictionary when

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doing extensive reading. You should be able to guess what the But if you live out of the country, you don't have that. So, you'll
word means from context. Now, in Japanese, you still might want need to supplement it with a variety of listening and practice to fill
to use a dictionary to double check how the word is actually said, in the gaps. I recommend trying a couple of different approaches to
i.e. the reading (if the word is written in kanji). see what works best for you. You might want to listen to some
Japanese music, some Japanese learning podcasts (like jpod101),
Another exception to this rule, is if you feel like you have a pretty
good guess, but are less than 50% sure about a word. It's better to or even native Japanese podcasts.
look it up now and get an idea of the meaning than to learn it What you choose should depend on your level. At the N4 and N5
wrong and have that with you until someone corrects it (or levels it is probably a little too soon to jump into native podcasts.
doesn't). But keep in mind that English definitions of Japanese When I was at this stage, I relied heavily on jpod101 to give me
words are just best guesses, pointers, hints at the meaning, not the some easily digestible little bits of Japanese. They simply have one
true meaning. You'll need to pick that up from usage and exposure. of the largest libraries of listening material and it was easy to listen
and listen and get a ton of exposure to it.
Double down on listening Once I got into the N2 level, I switched to doing more native
The same kinds of things can be said about doing some listening listening with Japanese podcasts occasionally as well as some
practice. You may know a lot of words, but can you recognize them jDramas. Simple jDramas can be pretty effective because the plots
in a spoken sentence? Can you break apart complicated statements are generally easy enough to understand and you can guess a lot
easily and automatically. Doing some work to boost your listening from what is going on in the show.
comprehension now can mean a couple of extra points where you
need them on the test. What it Means to be Good at Listening
Practicing listening is especially important if you live outside of One skill that you need to master for listening in any foreign
Japan. Living in Japan, you are simply exposed to so much more language is the ability to break up the words you are listening too.
listening opportunities just by being here and living life. If you talk If you find that you are really good at reading, but have issues with
to a lot of test takers living in Japan, they will often tell you that listening, this might be one cause. Japanese has a bad tendency to
they hardly study for the listening section at all, just because we just all blend together. And to make matters worse, when you are
are constantly bombarded by listening opportunities. Unless you reading, there are no spaces to break up words, so you really need
choose to only watch imported American TV shows and stay in your to know grammar simply to break apart the different components.
house all day, you are bound to get some listening practice in. And then with listening, you don't have any visual aids, so you are

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challenged even more. But don't fear there is a fairly easy and quick levels.
way to fix this. First, you don't have to listen to a wide variety of Another variant of this method essentially asks you to break out
material. You can actually do a lot of good practice with some difficult sentences and then listen to them repeatedly (up to 25
small isolated parts of more complicated conversations. Before you times) until the sentence becomes very automatic to you, and then
start doing your practice, you will want to find some listening moving on to the next sentence. This may seem monotonous, but
material that has a script of what is being said so that you can it is a great exercise to do when you just don't have the willpower
double check yourself. to do some heavy lifting in Japanese. You can use a program like
If you do a lot of studying with a SRS that does not have audio Audacity to chop up the pieces you need and load them into your
linked to it, like a lot of Anki decks or study apps like StickyStudy, favorite mp3 player.
you have probably built up a pretty good connection between the Again, focus on those two skills you need to become a great
written Japanese word and its meaning. But, you also need to link listener - the ability to break up words when listening to a sentence,
the sound of the word to the meaning of it. So for the second step, and the ability to recall the meaning of the word just by hearing it.
take the passage that you want to listen to and listen to it while If you can master those two skills, you are on your way to
reading the script. This will form a bond between the audio and becoming a master of Japanese listening.
the written word and will link everything up. It will also help visual
learners to break up the words more easily.
Month 10
This second step actually helps improve the second skill you need in
order to be good listener - linking the sound to the meaning. You As a kid you probably dreamed of going into space, becoming an
can break up bits of sentences in your head all day long, but if you astronaut. How cool would it be to be standing on the moon looking
can't recall the meaning of any of the words, it isn't going to help down on all of humanity taking it all in. But, you'll notice one thing
you very much. That is why this second step is so crucial to helping about all astronauts. They are generally a bit older. The youngest
you become a better listener. American astronaut was 32.

After you have listened to the piece one time with the script, listen Why? Well to become an astronaut you generally have to go to
to the passage several times repeatedly until you can clearly hear school to get your Masters degree, then go through a year or two
and understand each word being said. It is best to do this with a of basic training, and finally 2 years or more of mission specific
short passage for obvious reasons, but even a longer passage of up training. You need to know a lot of stuff from medical treatment to
to 2 minutes or so is possible if you are studying for the higher piloting an extremely expensive one-of-a-kind machinery. Even
those with 'the right stuff' have to go through years of training.

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You need to master it, before they let you go up there. moving in to block her or who she can pass to. With enough
A study last year, published in the Journal of Neuroscience, provides practice, all of these activities take less and less effort so that they
are simply automatic.
an interesting clue as to why over-learning can be a huge
benefit. Assistant professor Alaa Ahmed and her 2 colleagues And that is what you want to do with your Japanese. You want to
instructed study subjects to move a cursor on a screen by make it automatic. When you get into that test, there are going to
manipulating a robotic arm. They measured the amount of oxygen be a lot of factors you need to deal with that you don't normally
breathed in and the amount of carbon dioxide they exhaled in order deal with in the real world - things like time limits and not being
to measure how much energy they were using. able to ask to listen to something again. You don't want to be using
As you can probably guess, they used less energy the more practice up effort thinking about and trying to recall grammar information or
certain vocabulary words. These things should be as effortless as
they did because they were able to refine their movements more
possible. You want to fortify and streamline these neural pathways
and more over time. They were becoming more skilled at the task
in your head.
and hence used less energy accomplishing it, about 20% less
actually. In order to make it automatic, you need to 'sharpen the sword'. It
takes a lot of effort to build a sword at first, the craftsman most
But, the real magic happened after they had refined their
bend the metal on top of itself several times, when making a
movements. When the decline in muscle activity had stabilized,
katana. All that takes a lot of effort. But, even the strongest sword
when the observers could see no improvement in coordination of
is not effective if it is not sharpened properly.
the robotic arms, the energy they used still continued to decrease.
What is going on here?
4 levels of knowledge
Ahmed theorizes that even after you have fine-tuned your muscle
movements, your brain is fine-tuning its neural pathways making When you learn anything new, including Japanese, there are
them more efficient. The brain uses an incredible amount of energy essentially 4 levels of knowledge that you have to go through to
after all, an estimated 20% of your calorie intake, and it makes become a master - passing knowledge, reference-able, at-hand,
sense that through repeated practice, it could get more efficient at and embedded. You need to work through each stage to get to the
doing its job too. top. There aren't any real shortcuts, despite what some people
might tell you. However, there are some ways that are a lot easier
This decreased use of energy means that energy can be used for than others.
other things. Once a soccer player has mastered how to dribble the
ball down the field, she can focus on other things like who is

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1st Stage - Passing Knowledge order to really know it and say that you have it mastered. And for
If you have seen a word or drilled it a few times, you probably have each of the levels of the JLPT you will have to come close to
a good passing knowledge of it. You would be able to recall it most mastering most of the grammar and vocabulary for that level. Keep
of the time when drilling, and you could probably understand its in mind that N1 and N2 don't adhere to this rule so much as the
meaning if you read it in a passage with a lot of context. This is a other levels though. They require more advanced comprehension
very superficial understanding of the word. If you heard it out of skills in addition to mastering a lot of the key points.
the blue, you might have a hard time recalling its meaning right
away. 2nd - in your Mind's Dictionary (reference-able)

You also can't really use it at this time. During production of the At this stage, you are able to dig the word or grammar point up
language (writing or speaking) you would probably not be able to when needed, but it takes some hesitation to do so. You have to
pull up this word or grammar point. You are also most likely going search through your mind looking for it, much like you would look
to struggle to understand it in a listening passage on the test. But it up a word in a dictionary. This causes a lot of stops and starts in
is there in your head, faintly. conversation.
A good way to pick up a decent amount of passing knowledge of a During listening you might find that you can listen to the words and
word is by doing spaced repetition practice (SRS) with something phrases and slowly decode them, but you are not able to listen to a
like Anki or Memrise. These will get you familiar with the word if particularly long passage due to the fact that you need to take
you haven't seen it before. Picking up random vocabulary lists and some time to process everything that is coming in. The quick
plowing through them is how you end up with a good passing response questions (usually the 4th part of the listening section)
knowledge of words. could be quite daunting for you because you need to process
everything slower than normal.
For grammar, if you just read through or watch a video on a point,
but don't do any exercises or production to reinforce it, you will You get to this level with a lot of drilling with SRS, and regular
most likely only have a passing knowledge of it. For example, if you review. Be sure to isolate words that are giving you a hard time. For
watch one of my N5 grammar videos, but don't put it to practice, example, Memrise has a feature now that will actually let you
you might be able to recognize the grammar point later on with simply drill the words you get wrong the most so that you can really
context, but you'd have a hard time using it. start to remember them. If you find yourself having some serious
problems recalling a particular word after continued drilling try to
There is nothing particularly wrong with passing knowledge of make another mnemonic for it, or try to differentiate the definition
something. Just realize that you will need to practice it more in

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if you can. well. But, from N2 on you will have to do a lot of reading of real
native materials on a regular basis. Or others have accomplished
3rd - in your Tool Belt (at-hand) this by doing a lot of translation work (either full-time or freelance).
This is when the word or grammar point is always right there, ready It might seem like doing all this reading and listening of a broad set
to be used. you have a pretty good grasp of its meaning and what of materials is very unfocused, not as effective as simply studying a
kind of situations it should be used in and you can easily recognize list of focused words, but you need to do it. It's important to
it in writing or by listening to it. You will also be able to use it in struggle with some real native materials and simply be exposed to
conversation with decent accuracy. the language a lot in order for it all to come naturally. Even
listening or reading the same piece 20 to 30 times can have a great
You will probably be able to use it on a regular basis and feel pretty
effect and boost your ability to break up and comprehend a lot of
comfortable with it, but there will often be times when native
words.
speakers will feel you are not using it quite right or using it with the
wrong connotation. Basically, it is a part of your vocabulary and
4th - Embedded in your Mind
usable, but it might sound a little awkward at times. You will
probably be able to define it easily, but have trouble comprehending At this point you have mastered the vocabulary or grammar point.
its exact meaning in a particular reading passage. It has become so automatic that there is hardly any processing time
between when you read it or hear it and when you understand the
To get to this stage, you'll need good exposure to the vocabulary
meaning. There will still be a slight delay; it is very rare to be able
word or grammar point. You can get this by doing a lot of reading
and listening to material that is suitable to your level. It's one thing comprehend two different languages at the same speed. However,
to know the definition of a word in English (through SRS drilling and at this point you will be incredibly comfortable with this word or
grammar point and be able to use it almost flawlessly.
such) and another thing entirely to have a good handle of it. The
two main ways to move beyond just knowing the definition is by Mastery is a bit hard to obtain because it takes a lot reading and
consuming material that contains the thing you are trying to master use to reach this point, but once you have really made this
or using it on a regular basis enough so you learn through trial and automatic it is a great feeling to have. You will no longer struggle
error how to use the word or grammar point. with meanings, but instead read and listen to material comfortably.
Up until N3, you can do a lot of chatting with natives to really refine For me, there are moments when I am in the middle of
your knowledge of Japanese. A lot of people have managed to get conversation and I realize that I am no longer thinking about
the N2 using this method combined with some reading practice as phrasing or vocabulary anymore, I'm just speaking. And that is truly

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a great feeling to have. Instead of having to get stressed out and sure anyone can do it with the right plan and willpower.
ask for people to repeat, you can simply enjoy speaking worry-free.
And this comes from regular, daily use. There is no drilling in the Face your biggest fears
world that will get you to a mastery level. You can get pretty close, In this final stretch, it is best to isolate those little grammar points
but to make it all the way, you will have to start using and that have always been a thorn in your side and try to move them
consuming the language very regularly. Again, unfortunately this from 'passing knowledge' to mastery or at least in your tool belt. To
comes from more broader study that involves producing and do that, try to go back through your materials and pick out the
consuming the language a lot. All this broad study can be a little points that have been giving you the most trouble. What did you
de-motivating because you might not be able to clearer see what keep missing again and again? What could you never really get a
you have learned. You can easily count the flashcards or kanji that hold of?
you have mastered.
If you followed my advice for reviewing and going through
Mastery can require a pretty big investment in time. To be honest, grammar books, you have hopefully circled the key grammar points
it something that you should only seek if you truly love the that you have been getting wrong a lot. It's time to really focus on
language. The amount of time needed can be quite daunting and these points, as much as you might not want to, now is the time to
the pay offs can be small if you only want to visit Japan every once bring them into focus and take a little extra time with them.
in awhile or have a Japanese neighbor that you want to chat with
from time to time (both of these tasks can be accomplished at There are some grammar points that will inevitably always drive
about the N4 level or so). you nuts. Some big ones are things like the wa particle vs the ga
particle or ni vs de or simply particles in general. If you are at a
N1 is truly a beast, though. From what I have seen talking to higher level, expressions can be a bit of fit to deal with as well. One
people that have passed N1 and have a firm command of the that always seemed to trip me up was wakedewanai vs wakeganai.
language, you need to be in an environment that uses Japanese They always seemed so similar but they are actually quite different.
regularly, like working at a Japanese company, or translating
Japanese as a profession or part-time job. Now, you can create a For vocabulary, you have a couple of different options. Memrise has
Japanese environment on your own of course, by surrounding a new feature that isolates difficult words for you so that you can
yourself with Japanese media and materials, and using it daily. So drill them more often, allowing you a little extra time to master
don't worry about living outside of Japan and not being able to pass them. If you use Anki, it will kick words out ever so often that it
N1. It is certainly possible. I've seen it done several times and I'm calls 'leeches'. They all give you the same thing - a list of words,
that for whatever reason, refuse to sink in for you.

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Luckily, I wrote a whole section on how to kill off leeches and keep need to be confident with your skills so that you can race through
them dead. Take some time now to read or re-read through that the test and not get hung up on the little things.
section again, and kill off these leeches. It may seem like a bit of a Every minute you invest now will not only improve your test score,
waste of time, but it is well worth the investment in time to take it will also make you a better speaker and user of the language.
those extra steps and get those words and grammar points nailed Keep with it. You are almost there.
down.
For grammar points you might have to do a little more research. Month 11
Use sites like jgram.org or renshuu.org to look up some of the more
difficult to understand points. You may have to even splurge on In college, I never used to cram for tests. My general philosophy
some reference materials to help you get a clearer picture of what was that if I hadn't gotten at this point I probably wasn't going to
the grammar point really means. Don't settle until you have it. The get it by reviewing some notes last minute. I was better off doing
more over learning you do, the more angles you look at it from, the some studying, some example questions from previous exams, and
clearer it will become. simply taking care off myself by eating right and getting enough
sleep before the test day.
If you have a particular question about a grammar point that is still
bothering you, check out the Japanese Stack Exchange. First, be I learned to do this after my first couple of quarters overworking
sure to do a search to see if your question has already been myself before major tests and not really seeing the results. I figured
answered. A lot of times it has because it is a pretty active forum what was the point of using all that extra energy for no benefits.
for Japanese. If it hasn't, you can post your question and get it And I scoffed at those that stayed up trying to cram in the last few
answered usually within a few days or sooner. The forum can be a terms they could in hopes gaining a few extra points on the test.
little intimidating at first because they keep a tight ship, but that So, was wrong to think that cramming had no effect? Is everyone
just means your answers will be verified and that much more that crams before a test crazy to do so? After all, you have probably
helpful. heard from a couple of different sources that cramming is a bad
idea. So, should you just avoid it like the plague?
Invest the time now Well, of course the proper way to study for a test is the slow and
With just over a month to go before the big test, you might feel steady method. This allows your brain to reinforce the proper
pressured to make the most of your time and wonder that all this neural pathways in your brain. This over learning will allow what
over learning might be a waste of time but it isn't. You really do you learned to permanently stick in your head.

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But, we are, after all, all human. Things can come up. Plans like genmai (玄米, brown rice) flakes in Japan. Don't go overboard
change. And just stuff happens that you didn't plan for. So, you on the fiber, but it can fill you up and keep you from thinking about
don't get all that study time in like you wanted to. And now you are food and more about studying.
just a week a way from the test and really want to know what you
And of course always start with a big breakfast and a smaller dinner
could do to improve your score with what little time you have left.
to keep you from feeling sluggish in the morning. I personally go
And it makes sense to push in this final stretch because if you fail with the traditional Japanese breakfast of natto and rice. It has
the test you might have to wait another 6 Months or a year to take protein and lots of carbohydrates for the day, but try out a few
the test again. You don't want all that studying you have been combinations and see what works for you.
doing over the last few months or year to go to waste.
So is there such a thing as cramming in a healthy way? Is there a 2) 90/20 Studying
right way and a wrong way to cram? One common mistake is starting to study without really breaking
Top 10 Things to do to Cram down how, what or how long you are going to study for. You might
schedule tasks as to-dos. First, I have to review all this grammar.
1) Eat Right Then, do some reading practice. And finally, finish with some test
questions.
In my free booklet when you sign up for my mailing list, I go over
what to eat before the big test day. But, even before test day, you This can lead to the whole day dragging on and your concentration
should stick to a healthy diet. Obviously, it's beyond the scope of starting to fade away as you beat yourself up working through drill
this blog post to fill you in on everything you need to consider for after drill. In Month 6, I talked about how to study all day and still
crafting a perfect well-balanced diet, but there are a few basic keep your focus. We are going to take that one step further and
principles you can keep in mind. introduce a slightly different variant to what we had before. This is
to help us sync up a little better with our mental cycles.
Eating lots of fatty foods can slow you down and make you feel
tired, not to mention eating a regular high fat diet has been shown As Leo Widich of Buffer writes:
to possibly cause brain damage, so obviously something to avoid. One of the things most of us easily forget is that as
Instead, try to eat protein-rich foods like nuts. If you like to munch humans, we are distinctly different from machines. At
while you are studying, consider making a trail mix of nuts, some the core, this means that machines move linearly
dried fruit (without too much added sugar) and a high fiber cereal and humans move cyclically.

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So, we need start planning things in cycles. To be more specific, it meaning doing some dictation practice with some listening
seems like 90 minutes cycles are the perfect amount of time to passages that you have already gone through a few times. Or
focus on a specific task, and then take a break. After concentrating reading a passage and then trying to summarize it in Japanese.
on the task at hand for 90 minutes, it is good to take a 20 minute Whatever you do, don't take the lazy approach of just skimming
or so break to allow your mind to gather up some more energy to over it. I know that you are saying to yourself that you only have a
go back into another cycle. These naturally occurring cycles are few precious days before the exam and that you need to really pack
called ultradian rhythms. in as much as you can before the big day, but try to take some time
In order for these work the best and for you to stay the most to digest the material as much as possible. Especially for grammar,
focused, it is good to plan out what you are going to be studying and reading and listening skills. For vocabulary and kanji, I'll go
during each cycle and what exactly you will be doing for the over a different technique later.
breaks. Are you going to have a little snack? Get some exercise?
Take a nap? 4) Think like a Test Writer
Whatever you decide to do during the breaks, make sure you get When you are combing through all your notes and reference
up and go somewhere else. Changing your environment will help materials, be on the look out for things that a test writer might
make a clear mental change that will allow you to refresh so that want to ask you about. Is there particle used a little differently
you can start again. than the English translation of it would lead you to believe? Are
these two grammar points interchangeable or is there a difference
3) Don't just Look at, Reprocess it between them? What is the difference? Try to look at how the
points are related to each other.
It is very easy to lull yourself into a feeling that you are getting
some real cramming done by reading through your grammar books Grammar is often times a lot more complex than just the
and the numerous example sentences that each one provides. I translation. Especially at N3 and above, expressions have different
know this is something that I use to do a couple of days before the connotations. They have to be used in a positive or negative way
test. But this doesn't really reenforce anything. It just kind of for example. Or they can only be used for conjecture and not facts.
skims the top of your brain and skips off into nowhere. Make sure you know how to use these expressions. Don't just
memorize what goes before and what goes after.
To learn it, you need to redigest it. This could mean writing out
new sentences using the grammar or vocabulary. This could mean
trying to write down grammar rules from memory. It could

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5) Bulk up on Vocabulary and Kanji has done absolute wonders in terms of the quality of sleep that I
The one thing that you can really bulk up on is vocabulary and kanji get. It is true that we are programmed to wake up when the sun
in your final stretch before the test. Even though you should really does. You may not realize, but you might not be getting as deep a
take the time to overlearn vocabulary and kanji, you can try to cram sleep as you could be if you don't black out your room.
through a lot of them before the test if you are desperate.
7) Aromatherapy
This will help you to at least have a faint idea of their meanings and
uses. And hopefully armed with this knowledge you can try to make If you are like me, you may have never thought about doing
some educated guesses from context as to the meaning of the kanji anything with aromas, much less use it to study with. We often
or vocabulary. Also, just simply being exposed to correct kanji can think of aromatherapy helping us to relax while we take a nap or
help out in the kanji sections of the test where you are often times sleep through the night, but it has a variety of other uses like
presented with fake kanji. If you know it is fake (because you've helping you to feel more energetic, or improve concentration, which
never seen it before) you can easily dismiss it as the wrong answer is obviously a big help for when you are studying for a big test.
and focus on the other answers. If you think about it, it makes a lot of sense (no pun intended).
When someone is knocked out cold, or when athletes are semi-
6) Sleep! conscious and need to get back into the game, medics will often
This should be a no brainer, but it is worth restating the obvious. Be use smelling salts to wake them up and get them to focus on what
sure to get a good amount of sleep. Sleep gives your body time to they are asking them to do. These sharp smelling salts trigger the
process and file away what it has learned. Without good sleep, all brain to be more alert and conscious of what is going on around
that review time is for nothing because your brain won't be able to them. Think about the last time you opened the fridge to a putrid
file it away. smell, you instantly focused on the fridge to look for what was
stinking up the place right?
8 hours is usually considered the best amount of time, but 7 hours
could do in a pinch if you need to. And in case you have time for it, Now, you could grab a lot of smelling salts and crack one open at
oversleeping is not a good idea either. Too much of a good thing, is the beginning of each study session. Some athletes have actually
not good after all. It can leave you sluggish and feeling even been observed doing this before they have to get into a game or
sleeper. Be sure you are sleeping your personal optimal amount. before a big moment like attempting a big lift. But, being that
smelling salts are actually ammonia gas that could cause
Another tip I can suggest is to make sure your bedroom is pitch permanent damage, you might want to rethink that approach.
black. I personally wear a cap to cover my eyes when I sleep. This

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You can get a similar effect of mental sharpness from some other studying and just relax will be pretty big.
scents. For example, rosemary is considered one of the best scents So, give your mind a little gift by promising it that it can take a
to work with. But, other sharp smells like peppermint, basil, juniper break and veg out as soon as the test is over. Set a veg out goal
berry, and sage can also bring you some more clarity. You can even for yourself. This could range from a night out with your friends to
mix these together to get something unique that perks you up the re-watching the entire Star Wars series in preparation for the
most. release of episode VII (in Dec 2015). Whatever it is, promise
yourself that you will do it as soon as the test is over. This will help
8) Don't Over-nest you keep pushing in this final stretch.
Nobody likes to just sit down and study, and sometimes you just
have to stare that truth in the face and sit down and start studying 10) Relax!
and hope that the motivation comes later. But, sometimes this If put forth a great effort in these last couple of days before the
reluctance to start studying manifests itself as over preparing for test and do your best to review and reprocess all of the content you
studying. You might want think you need your perfect glass of tea, need for the test, you have done the best you can do to prepare for
or have to go to your favorite cafe before starting, but the truth is the test. Does that mean you will for sure pass the exam? Well,
you really don't. maybe not, and that is okay.
Do make sure you are prepared with the right materials you need See, even if you are the correct level and you have put the time in,
to study for the whole time you set aside to do so (90 minutes or it is still possible to fail due to a variety of factors - test anxiety,
so) and just start. You'll find that after the first couple of minutes unfamiliar topics for listening and reading, distracting test-takers,
you will sink into a rhythm of study and be able to dive into the etc... Nothing is for certain.
material even if you don't have that special drink with you.
The point is to do your best and see where you score. There is
9) Set a Veg Out Goal for Yourself. always next time if you fall a little flat this round. Good luck and let
me know how you do!
Over the next week or so, you will have to remain really focused on
your final goal of taking the test. There will be times that you will
want to break down and watch your favorite TV show, or pick up
the game controller to play just one short game, or check Facebook
and see what your friends are doing. The temptation to stop

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 Strengthen your Weaknesses
Arsenal of Activities I've been teaching English now for about 9 years, and one thing
All right, now comes the fun part. In this second month, we'll go that I always talk to my students about is their strengths and
over all the different kinds of activities there are to help you focus weaknesses. When I do, I usually ask two questions: What is your
on your particular weakness or learning style. One activity isn't weakness? What do you study most?
necessarily better than the others. They all have their merits and
demerits, so be sure to try out as many as you can to see what fits These questions are usually closely connected, because what they
for you. don't like to study is usually what they are worst at and vice versa.
For example, most students hate reading. They usually prefer to
It's important to design and have a study plan that suits your practice speaking or listening at home. As a consequence of this,
interests and weaknesses. Don't just follow one particular method they are usually bad at reading which, believe it or not, is still a
blindly. Even if you have been using one particular strategy for very valuable skill.
awhile there are always tweaks you can do to improve your
efficiency and performance. I say don't run away from your weaknesses. Attack your
weaknesses head on. This is where you'll see the most progress
Try to think about language learning as training for a major sporting and improvement. Also, if you dive in head first, it'll be a lot easier.
event. There are several different strategies that can get you ready It's like when you were a kid and your mom made you clean your
for the big event. Some athletes swear by certain methods, but room. It was a complete mess, but after you attacked it and
these same methods might not yield the same results for other completely reorganized it, you can step back and marvel at how
athletes because of their personality or mindset. It's all up to the wonderful your room looked.
individual and what's best for them.
Leading up to the test, you are going to want to strengthen your
There are some general principles to keep in mind though when weaknesses as much as possible. You still want to practice your
you start your studying. These apply to anyone no matter what strengths, but it will be mostly maintenance work. Generally
level you are studying for. Even if you have been studying for speaking you want to be as well-rounded as possible when you take
years, I think you'll find the next few tips to be invaluable when the test. Bring your weaknesses up to match your strengths and
starting a new routine. don't over-practice your strengths.

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This is because, the new test after 2010 has been revised so that 1. Is what I'm doing now effective?
you must receive a minimum score (usually around 1/3rd) in every
section of the exam in order to pass the entire exam. It used to be Are you able to recall the information that you have learned?
that you could score really high in a few sections and not have to Looking back over the material does it look familiar to you? Are
worry about a particular section that you had a weakness in. Not you able to answer the questions in the workbook easily? Can you
anymore! You must be at least okay in all sections in order to pass. quickly recall a handful of points that you learned?

You may think that if you study a lot of vocabulary you should still 2. Have my weaknesses improved?
be okay in reading, but that isn't always the case. I know a few
people that have scored incredibly high on the vocabulary section Have you made progress on your weaknesses? Do you feel
(46/60) only to bomb the reading section (12/60) and not pass the your listening, speaking, grammar or whatever it is you are working
test. It can happen to anybody if you don't balance out your on has improved over the last month? Is there anything you can do
studies. now that you couldn't do before?

I do think the new scoring system is a lot fairer system, because it 3. Is there anything I can do to increase the amount
forces you to have a well-balanced knowledge of Japanese (at least of time I'm studying?
in listening and reading) But, make sure you try to balance out your
training regimen and eat your fruits and vegetables so that you can If you are interested in getting the most amount of studying
be strong for the test. you possible can do, is there anyway to increase the time you
spend studying? Can you convert your studying materials into
Re-Analyze Regularly audio or vice versa so that you can study them with or without
This study plan is not set in stone. It should always be a work in listening to something? Or could you possibly change the
progress. Don't stick to a plan just because it feels comfortable. information over to flashcards?
Make sure you are making steady progress and that your study plan
is actually improving your weaknesses.
Bazookas and Sniper Rifles
The JLPT involves a wide range of grammar. This becomes more
A few questions to ask yourself are: obvious as you move up through the levels. With N5, you will
probably use most of the grammar on a daily basis. N4, a little less

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so. N3 and above you start getting into phrases and expressions A sniper rifle on the other hand, is a slow careful weapon used for
that you might not use every day or ever (but, you'll see in books one target at a time only. It takes some time to setup and can
or other media). involve a lot of boring work, but sometimes it is the tool that is
needed for the particular situation.
And a common mistake that people make is to just study the
meanings of the grammar point, but you also need to know how to Bazookas can be things like reading and listening work or having a
use it as well. This can be a little tricky because, like I said, you chat with friends. These activities cover a wide variety of things at
might not actually ever use the expression in real life, just see it. once, vocabulary, kanji, and grammar as well as the actual skill of
reading and listening. You might not be able to learn a particular
The JLPT tests usage by doing things like giving you multiple grammar point from reading, but a particular context might come
conjugations or forms of words to put in a blank. Or they might up and the point might just snap into place for you.
test to see if you know the connotation of a particular expression.
You could remember all this extra information, but thats a bit tricky. Kanji and vocabulary can also be somewhat easily guessed from
context a lot of times, and so you'll pick up a lot of vocabulary
Anki, Memrise and other such SRS or SRS-like systems are handy simply from exposure instead of grinding away on them with Anki
for memorizing raw information. But, grammar can be difficult to or Memrise.
break down to use in these systems. One grammar point could
have several rules for you to know. And, in my opinion, SRS is a Sniper rifles are more like intense work with grammar points or
powerful tool, but can be overused sometimes. word maps and things like that. They involve a lot more time per
item and so can seem a little inefficient and boring at times. And
So, what's the alternative? actually, if you use sniper rifles all the time, you won't make much
progress and you'll probably die of boredom long before you reach
The Bazooka vs. the Sniper Rifle fluency.
The Bazooka is a large somewhat clumsy weapon that can be used
to take out several things at once. It isn't a very elegant solution. So if you haven't guessed already, a good study plan involves the
It's far from perfect, but it'll cover a lot of things at once pretty blending of these two items. Most things about a language can be
easily. And you don't really even have to aim that much to do some covered with Bazookas, but there will always be those pesky items
damage. that don't go away easily. They are like zombies, and as everyone
knows, the best thing for a zombie is a head shot.

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Bazookas of content and contain a few idioms here and there.
Listening to a lot of material is really useful in this sense. It's even Sniper Rifles
more useful with lots of rich context. For example, watching
jDramas are great for this because you can see facial expressions Specific grammar points can be a real nuisance, while others can be
and the actual physical environment that characters are in. Also, understood with just a quick mention.
let's face it, most characters in jDramas can be a bit stereotypical
so it is easier to guess what they are trying to communicate. For example, the particle に is pretty straightforward. It basically
replaces 'in', 'on' and 'at' for a lot of situations. (It has more uses
Reading a lot of material that is your level is a big boost as well. than that, but at its most basic level). There are some nuances and
There is a big movement in the language teaching community that it doesn't quite behave exactly like you might think, but for the
supports what they call 'extensive reading'. This involves reading a most part you can learn it and start using it correctly from day one.
lot of material that is at or slightly above your level. A lot of
research has shown that this technique greatly enhances your Meanwhile, the difference between は and が may very well haunt
vocabulary and ability to 'feel' the language. you all the way to the higher levels.

To make reading practice even more effective, try to go for a variety My philosophy in the past with grammar points like は vs. が, is to
of reading materials. So, instead of just reading novels, try some just skip trying to study it in detail. The idea being that if it really is
magazines out every once in awhile. Or if you normally read important it will come up in conversation or when I use it
fiction, try non-fiction and vice versa. The JLPT covers a lot of somewhere else and I'll learn from trial and error. Or through
different types of reading. And just because you can read a certain reading and listening to a lot of material, I will, over time, just be
kind of reading really fast doesn't mean that will carry over into able to 'feel' when to use it.
other types of materials.
But, now I feel that with these more difficult points what you
If you are a higher level (N2+), I'm starting to find the various 週間 should do is slow down and take a little extra time to understand.
magazines (weeklies), which are published by several different Try experimenting with it on a regular basis and play around with it
companies, to be pretty handy. Another magazine that has some until it's yours. Instead of just magically hoping it will get
trendy articles similar to what you would find on the test is Aera, absorbed.
which is widely available. These magazines tend to have a variety

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That's not to say that you won't be able to just 'feel' when things raw list of the grammar with some example sentences to help you.
are right or wrong. You will if you stick with it long enough and get
enough exposure to the language. But, knowing the rules fairly The following paid resources have the added advantage of drill
well can help you become aware of what to look for so that you can questions to help you check your understanding as well as more
eventually 'feel' how it is used. detailed explanations. I've personally picked up a lot of these
books and used them on a daily basis while I prepped for the
Kanji and vocabulary can behave the same way. These are usually exam:
practiced in some kind of automated studying system like Anki or
Memrise. But, from time to time words just won't stick, and so you N5 Level
will have to do a little more work with them. JLPT N5 Yomu – This is a good review book. Not exactly a good
book to learn grammar from, but a great list of grammar points that
For kanji, if they don't stick you might have to find some words that you need to learn for N5.
use the particular character that you are having trouble with. Or
draw pictures to help you associate it with something you know. N4 Level
For vocabulary, using mnemonics are a powerful tool that can help Nihongo Challenge – This is a book published by ASK, which publish
you lock it all in. the So-Matome series of books that are quite popular at the higher
levels. It contains some great exercises and explanations as well as
Boiling Down your Grammar some reading practice. It is quite thick, too.
You can use this concept of bazookas and sniper rifles to boil down
the grammar points that you need to learn for the test. This can N3 Level
also be used for vocabulary and kanji, but this technique is most New Kanzen Master N3 Grammar – This is a newer book that came
effective for grammar due to its complex rules. out after the N3 had been administered for awhile. It is really
useful, because not only does it go over the grammar points, it
Every level of the test has an unofficial grammar drill book for that goes over how the test will quiz you about the particular points.
level. These aren't exactly necessary per se, but can be very handy Really useful, and has a lot of bang for the buck.
to use for reference. We will also be using it to help you pick out
what you need to study, so be sure to pick a good reliable one. Nihongo So-Matome N3 Grammar – This book is essentially an
Two places you can get free lists of the grammar points are entire list of all the grammar points for N3 plus 2 example
JLPTstudy.net and Jonathan Waller's site. Both provide a simple sentences for most of the points. The example sentences have

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English translations and there is usage information as well. N1 Level
Although these books don't go into too much detail, they do have New Kanzen Master N1 Grammar – Again, the New Kanzen Master
English in them, which can be quite useful. series is one of the most popular books to get and with good
reason. It comes packed with a lot of material and goes over some
JLPT N3 Yomu – For some reason, the Yomu series skips the N4 of the key concepts that the test will cover.
level, but it makes a come back for the N3 level. Again, this is
simply a good reference book to have handy to look up key phrases Nihongo So-Matome N1 Grammar – So-Matome sticks with the
as well as common mistakes. same formula of listing the major grammar points along with some
example sentences. These books are useful for those that would
N2 Level like to see an English translation of some of these N1 structures.
New Kanzen Master N2 Grammar – This is the first grammar book For example, if you are a translator or just need a different
that was published of the New Kanzen Master series, so although it perspective.
is probably still the best book for the N2 level, it lacks some of the
detailed explanation that the N3 level has. (The N3 level was JLPT N1 Bun no Ruuru – The final installment of the grammar,
published later.) Still, a good book, with some key strategies that kanji, vocabulary book that is pretty popular. It has a nice clean
you won't find in other places. format that is fairly easy to follow and is great as a reference tool.

Nihongo So-Matome N2 Grammar – This book is very much like the Marking up your Grammar Lists
N3 version. It is divided up into weeks, weeks are divided into daily Now, whenever you get a question wrong in your drill book, or on a
activities and it has a nice long list of all the grammar points you practice test. Be sure to circle the grammar point you had trouble
are likely to see along with example sentences and English with, in red pen or another clear marker. If you have been doing
translations. some reading or listening practice and you made a mistake because
you misunderstood a grammar point make sure to take note of
JLPT N2 Bun no Ruuru – This is the N2 level of the Yomu series. I these as well. Also, if you feel a little uneasy about a grammar
guess for the sake of variety they changed the name to 文のルール point be sure to mark it. Try to filter out at least 50% of the
(sentence rules). It is very similar to the rest of the series, contains grammar points.
a lot of examples, questions, and explanations of grammar points
as well as kanji and vocabulary. This is the 1st wave of practice. Now take a small notebook, on that
is easy enough to carry around with you. The more portable the

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better because you'll want to practice it whenever you have free use the wrong part of speech? Was it used in the wrong situation?
time. Take note of all these in a different section of your notebook. Be
sure to write down the page # of where you first wrote the
Alternatively, you can make a trendy cheat sheet and take that with grammar point down. You can write something like this: → 2 for
you. There is even a cheat sheet maker online that can help you the page number so that you can go back and reference your
accomplish this. original notes if you need to.

When taking notes about a grammar point take note of the parts of Be sure to clearly mark those grammar points that you are still
speech it is used with. Can you use it with a noun or an adjective having trouble with. Circling them with a read pen is a good way to
for example? This is exactly the kind of thing that will come up on make them stick out. This will come in handy later when you go to
the test. Also, add any information you can on what kind of review.
mistake you made. Why did you guess wrong? Did you use the
wrong kind of nouns for example? Now review just these revised notes. Try to substitute different
ideas into different parts of the sentence and play with it as much
If you are using a notebook, remember to number the pages. This as possible, whenever you have free time.
will come in handy later when we want to reference it. If you are
rd
using the cheat sheet format number the points as you label them. 3 Wave
Now, it is time to test those troublesome grammar points once
2nd Wave
again. After some time has passed (about a week at least) go back
Periodically, go through your list and review the grammar. After a and write out new sentences for each grammar point you made a
few reviews, things will start to get a little boring though. So, its mistake with last time. Try to use new vocabulary that you didn't
time to give yourself another test. Look at the 1 point on your list use last time.
st

and without reading your notes about how to use it, try to make a
sentence using the grammar. Try not to chicken out with a simple To add a little more variety, doodle a quick picture to help you 'see'
short sentence, try to write a nice long sentence using the the scene where this phrase would be used. Be sure to get creative
grammar. Then, have it checked by a native, a teacher, tutor, friend and crazy. You might want to review some of the points that help
or through a service like ling-8.com. you remember vocabulary.

How well did you do? What did you have problems with? Did you This time when you are reviewing the phrases try to act out a

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scene, imagine what is going on and your feeling. Are you angry? This seems Like a lot of Work!
Are you happy using this phrase? Is it very formal or casual? Yes, it is a lot of work to practice these grammar points, and some
Imagine these things while practicing. of these points you may never see or hear from again after the
test. But, being able to at least recognize these patterns and
4th and Final Wave
grammar points is very useful no matter what you are going to end
Okay, hopefully at this stage you have eliminated almost all of the up doing with Japanese. You may very well find yourself using a lot
grammar points that have been driving you crazy, but there still of these grammar points on a daily basis. The test is meant to
might be a few left over that are driving you a little nuts. We are prepare you for everything, and it does a pretty good job at it.
going to tackle those stubborn grammar points in one final wave.

This time, write a small paragraph with one sentence using the How to Make any Study Activity more Effective
grammar point. Get crazy with the paragraph if you like. Make it
No matter what type of study activity you plan on using, there are a
something memorable, which can be something outrageous or
few basic strategies to keep in mind that will amplify your efforts.
something personal to you. This is your final chance to make it
Using these strategies will definitely increase the effectiveness of
click, so you might want to put a little extra thought into writing a
anything you are doing to study.
good couple of sentences.
Say it Out Loud
Take your corrected paragraph and practice them as if you are
telling someone a story, or you can put them to the music of your Often times when we are studying alone by ourselves, we are
favorite song, or perhaps imagine you are doing beat poetry. usually quietly reading vocabulary or grammar points trying to
Whatever you do, have fun with it, because at this point you are remember all we can. Or, if you are reading manga or a Japanese
probably getting pretty sick of this little bugger. novel, it's very natural to simply read along absorbing the
information that way. You were probably actually taught to not
Of course, be sure to review these regularly leading up to the even mouth the words while you were reading your native language
exam. And add to them if you think of anything else you might find because it slows down your reading speed.
useful.
However, when you learn a language, speaking out loud while you
read can be a great way to get some extra practice in because you
are not only practicing your reading skills but also your speaking

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and even, some can argue, your listening skills. These 3 skills are Use Gestures
actually separate skills. Just because you are incredibly good at There is an English teaching technique called Total Physical
reading, doesn't necessarily mean you are great at speaking and Response or TPR. The idea is that pretty much an entire language
vice versa, so any kind of extra practice you can squeeze in will can be taught through physical activity. So, for instance, instead of
surely be a boost.
teaching someone 歩く means 'to walk'. The teacher walks around
the classroom and keeps repeating the word in the target language.
This is actually a common problem among Japanese speakers of
This is to try to attach the vocabulary and meaning to the physical
English. They are really good at reading and writing in English, but
world and not an abstract vocabulary word.
often times struggle when they go to speak or listen to the
language. This is mostly because English education in Japan is
The method is not widely used for adults. Mostly because it can't
focused on reading and writing and not a lot on speaking and
be used to explain more abstract ideas clearly. It is sometimes
listening.
used to introduce or explain some points in class, though. And you
can put it to use for some vocab and grammar points yourself.
This might seem a little embarrassing at first especially if you are
Whenever you learn a new word or phrase, try to put a gesture
living with roommates or family, but trust me it really helps!
with it if you can. Obviously, there are going to be some words that
Another thing you can do is mouth the words if you simply aren't
are too abstract for you to put any kind of gesture with, but you'd
able to speak out loud (like you are in a library or on the train).
be surprised what you come up with.
Mouthing the words silently will help you to at least remember how
to form the words in your mouth physically so that you can
Just try to think of a natural gesture that you would do while using
confidently say the words or make the sentences with the grammar
this phrase or vocabulary word. Don't be too outlandish with it or it
point very smoothly in the future.
won't make any sense. Just use the first thing that comes to mind
when you see the word or phrase.
Another thing to try is to exaggerate the words as much as
possible. Don't be afraid to make up funny accents or voices in
If the phrase or grammar point is very stiff, you can imagine you
order to remember a particularly stubborn phrase or vocabulary
are a politician making a speech. If the grammar point has a
word. If it is a longer phrase or expression, you could even put the
negative connotation to it, be sure to make an annoyed look on
phrase to a tune and sing it out loud. Yes, it's strange, but it does
your face. It sounds embarrassing, but it can really get you in the
in fact work really well.
right mood and help you remember it.

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Use Emotions the class by showing students 30 random images. Then, after
It is pretty easy to remember when you felt the happiest lately or waiting for 30 minutes to forget all the information, showed the
when you were really scared of something. Strong emotions help class another set of slides. These slides had two pictures on them,
trigger something in your brain that makes you remember what is one the class had seen previously and the other a new picture.
going on. So, why not put that to use for your language learning?
The class was able to choose which image they had seen
While you are practicing dialogs or even reading manga, try to feel previously, even after they spent 30 minutes doing something else.
what the characters must be feeling. Put yourself in their shoes. And even though the teacher didn't tell them to memorize the
You might want to even act out the dialog with gestures and images at all. This is an incredible testament to how powerful
emotions as if you were in a play. It may sound a little overboard, images are and how easy it is for us to remember images.
but you'll definitely remember what you are learning.
To back up this simple demonstration there have been two other
Tying emotions in when you learn a word, phrase, or grammar very similar experiments. A series of experiments in the 1970s
point will also help trigger when to use the point later. It'll seem all performed a similar test, but with 10,000 images. The test subjects
that more natural if you feel happy and you use the phrase that you were able to remember over 80% of the images they had seen.
remembered to express that emotion. It also just makes learning This is without any kind of tricks or hints, or any kind of help at all.
more alive and natural.
A similar experiment was conducted recently that tested the
Emotions also don't have to be tied to the meaning of the language subjects on only 2,500 images, but the images in the second slides
point you are trying to learn. It can also just be how you practice (where they had to choose between the two images) were very
the language. You are more likely to remember a sentence that similar. For example, they were shown a green car, and they had to
you have made up that is humorous, silly, crazy or even a little choose between a red car and a green car. The results of this
dirty. experiment came out very similar to the first one.

The Power of Imagery In our modern age, it is easy to forget where we came from. For
the majority of the time humans have been on this Earth and have
Joshua Foer details a story of a teacher named Ed Cooke (who by
been evolving, we've primarily dealt with images. 3000 years ago,
the way is the co-founder/CEO of Memrise.com) who teaches
written languages were just starting to be used. A lot of those first
students how to prepare for exams. The story goes that Ed started
written languages were based off of actual images. That is where

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we get kanji from. cram all this information about the language into your head. After
all, doesn't there come a point when your head simply gets too full?
But, over time those symbols have gotten more and more abstract Well, not quite.
in order to add communication and talk about a wider variety of
topics. Writing has gone from a series of images that meant You can actually expand the capacity of your brain through a few
something to abstract images that symbolize sounds. It is the most tricks. Believe it or not, your brain has a lot of space in it and it is
efficient way for me to communicate an idea to you, but that is the not limited by your age. If you exercise your brain on a daily basis,
only reason why we use writing. by learning a language or using a few of these techniques I'm
about to tell you, then you'll find your capacity to remember things
Writing does not actually help you remember things all that well. will start to continually expand.
You weren't born with the ability to recognize letters, you were
trained to read letters in order to communicate. So, try to think of Mnemonics
ways where you can eliminate the writing and think more in You've probably at one time or another heard of mnemonics. They
images. This will help you to remember more information longer. are essentially little stories or sentences that help you connect a
word in your native language to a Japanese word. Anyone familiar
Even if you are only drawing a primitive sketch of the concept that with Heisig's 'Remembering the Kanji' will know what I'm talking
you learning, it will help you to recall it better than trying to rote about. That 3 volume set is full of mnemonics to help you
memorize the writing of the sentence. If you prefer not to draw, remember kanji.
just visualize the situation in your head.
But some of the best mnemonics are ones that you create yourself.
Remember to extend this past simple and obvious connections like And this is true for a variety of different reasons. You can pull from
imagining an apple when you see the word apple. Imagine the your personal experience and so make things closer and more real
situation in which a particular phrase would be used. Try to create for you. Also, if you make the mnemonics up yourself, they are
a vivid image of what that would look like in your head and imagine more personal, and actually, the very act of coming up with a
it when you practice the vocabulary or grammar point. mnemonic can help seal the word or grammar point in your head.

Memory Boosters There are a few ground rules that you need to keep in mind when
I once got an email from a reader that asked how it was possible to coming up with good mnemonics though. If you stick to these
rules, your memories will stick a lot better in your head:

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 probably going to end up being pretty funny.
1) Use imagery – I can't emphasize enough. Images will stay in
your head a lot longer than words, so always try to pack your 7) Be relevant – Relate the mnemonic to you and your life. If you
mnemonics full of vibrant images. When you are creating the story, work on cars all day, use that to your advantage. Try to choose
envision the whole thing in your head. See every detail of what you things that already have meaning to you and your life if you can.
have created. Make the image crystal clear.
So, let's look at some examples of all this at work:
2) Use your imagination – Try to create the most vivid story that
you can, don't limit yourself to something that has to be 'real'.
Let's take the word 瓦礫（gareki）, which means rubble. Now, to
Make it something out of the ordinary and special so that it doesn't
just blend into everything else in your head. me, gareki sounds a lot like garlic. So, we can use that as our main
image for the mnemonic. Imagine there was once a temple built
3) Use motion – For whatever reason, a moving image is easier for garlic. It was made of stone and had a giant garlic clove at it's
for you to remember than a static one. So, place characters doing center and was surrounded by statues of great figures eating garlic.
actions in your images or even objects doing actions in your images It was a masterpiece, however, the crusaders against bad breath
like a pot boiling or a bell ringing. rebelled and tore the temple down leaving only rubble and the
giant indestructible garlic clove in the middle.
4) Get dirty - I'm not going to go into too much detail about this
one, but for some people using images that involve sex or curse That's a pretty vivid image right? It uses exaggeration, imagery,
words can be very memorable. If it helps you remember a word, even a bit of motion if you imagine the rebellion taking place. You
than use it. No one is going to look into your head to see how you might even say it uses a little (bad?) humor.
remembered something.
How about another one? Let's take 披露(hirou), which means
5) Use exaggeration – Make everything in your mnemonic larger announcement, show or a display. Hirou sounds a lot like hero to
than life. Blow everything out of proportion. This will make it that me. Imagine a hero, wearing a shiny coat of armor on a horse
much easier to remember. prancing around and showing off his horse skills. He gets crazier
and crazier with his stunts until he is riding around on the horse
6) Use humor – this is kind of coupled with all the previous while doing a handstand. You can even imagine an upcoming
guidelines. If it is exaggerated, about sex, and imaginative it is

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wedding with a hero and his bride making an announcement to the basic 'alphabet' to spell the word you want to spell, or you can
their guests. There you have one more extra word with “hero 'n” burn the kanji into the image you make up for the mnemonic.
his bride or 'hirouen', which means wedding reception.
If you choose to memorize all the kanji one by one route, what you
I just used motion, exaggeration (handstand on the horse), imagery need to do is pretty straightforward: go through the kanji one by
(imagine the shiny coat of armor, think about the details), and a one and either read a book of mnemonics or make up your own
little bit of humor (it's pretty ludicrous to imagine someone doing a mnemonic to go with the kanji.
handstand on a horse).
There are plenty of resources for mnemonics out there
Notice that these two mnemonics didn't use every guideline I gave (“Remembering the Kanji” by Heisig and Kanjidamage.com just to
you and they shouldn't. It's almost impossible to come up with the name two) and they can really help you if you have a hard time
perfect combination that is going to meet all that. But try your best coming up with mnemonics on your own. However, making up
to follow them because it will embed the memory deeper into your mnemonics by yourself, although more difficult, can be more
head and it'll make it all the more difficult to forget. rewarding because it can be more relevant to you.

You might be thinking to yourself, well, that's all fine and good, but The other way of going about attaching the kanji to the word is
these are the easy ones. And you are right. I threw you a few embedding the kanji into your image that you have from the
underhand pitches before we get into the more difficult stuff, but I mnemonic you made. I recommend using radicals to break up the
wanted to start with the basics, I didn't want to throw you into the kanji so that you can use these parts in the image you have in your
deep end off the bat. head. Over time these radicals will start to glob together and the
kanji will just become it's own element in your memory and in the
What about the kanji? mnemonic.
One thing that might be going through your head right now is that
this method of building up mnemonics is great, but you also have Let's look at an example of this. A classic example that gets brought
to remember the kanji with the word to. Well, never fear, there are up a lot is the kanji for father, 父. If you look at the kanji you can
a few methods for that as well.
kind of imagine it is a helmet, the two top strokes form the brim of
the helmet and the bottom strokes are the strap that keeps the
There are essentially two ways of attacking this problem. You can
helmet on your head. In this case, you can imagine your father
try to learn all the kanji individually one by one and then you have

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wearing a helmet. sounds. You can say TO-MAY-TO or TO-MA-TO and most people will
know you are talking about a round red vegetable that is used to
But, again that was a softball, let's look at something overly make ketchup.
complex. Let's take 轢 as in 轢く(hiku), which means to run
The same can not be said about Japanese though. A longer vowel
somebody over. Well, the first radical to the far left, is 車(kuruma) sound in a word can completely change the meaning of the word.
or car. It looks a bit like a cart if you turn it sideways. So, the cart You can see this quite clearly in the words for different family
is running over the rest of the kanji which looks to me like an members. For example, おばさん (aunt) vs. おばあさん
incredibly crazy person with their hair all out to the sides of their (grandma). That longer vowel adds a few more years.
face. You can imagine a crazy person in the middle of the street
that got hit by a giant cart in the imagery that you use to These sounds are a little difficult to pick up for those that aren't
remember the word 'hiku'. used to differentiating between long and short vowels. So, it is
important to make note of them because it will come in handy for
By using radicals and embedding the kanji into the image you when you are speaking and it will probably show up in the first part
conjure up in your head, you are adding more and more of the kanji test as well.
understanding to the word. The initial image you create acts as a
hook to add on extra information like kanji. But don't stop there,But, how do we add that information to the image we have in our
you could also add on usage information or any irregular uses of head? Well, we need to add a symbolic image that helps us
the word as well. remember that we need to hold the vowel sound a little longer.
This symbolic image can be anything really, but I chose an opera
Once you have that hook in place, it is quite easy to keep adding singer. And not just any opera singer, but one of those
more imagery and expanding the scene to encompass more things stereotypical overweight opera singers dressed in a viking costume
connected with that word. Maybe there are some key phrases that singing her heart out. I usually place her somewhere in the image
get used with that word that you can throw in there. Or you can that I use in order to remember that there is a long vowel.
add in different senses of the word as well.

Correcting for Sounds To give you an example of this, let's take a look at that classic おば
We, native speakers of English, aren't all that picky about vowel さん vs. おばあさん problem. My aunt and grandma got drunk

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together and now I need to sOBAr them up because I want to
Now, what about 出張? Remember, we need to put that stop in
introduce them to my SAN. Unfortunately, my grandma is still
drinking with the opera lady who is singing her heart out between there. So, let's imagine Margaret Cho at the airport getting ready
shots of vodka. for her business trip and she is dressed up nicely for the flight,
except her shoes. They are those giant red Bozo-the-clown shoes.
That scene is pretty crazy right? Well, that's the point, the crazier A person walking by says 'Nice SHOEs, Cho!'. But in the middle of
the better. You'll probably never forget the difference between aunt saying the sentence Margret kicks the guy in the gut. So, he says
and grandma ever again. 'Nice SHOEs *kick* Cho!'. And again the opera singer is in the
background singing opera.
There is another sound that also sometimes gets lost in the shuffle,
In this case, I used a symbolic action to put the stop in there. You
っ or the small 'tu'. This smaller version of つ is pronounced as a
could have also just put someone being punched in the stomach to
short stop, similar to the stop in the English word 'bottle', but this
help you remember the small stop as well. Whatever tickles your
っ shows up in a lot odder places and can be easy to forget about. fancy. The important thing is that it is relevant to you and helps
you remember.
One example of this is the difference between 主張(shuchou),
Stubborn Words
which means 'insist' and 出張(shucchou) which means 'business
Okay, so up until now, we've been using fairly easy words to
trip'. Both of these words almost sound the same when spoken, memorize. It has been pretty easy to take these words, and by
but are in fact quite different. How can you remember the using English words be able to create mnemonics. But, what about
difference between them? Again, with a symbolic image.
the really strange words? What do you do with a word like 標識,
(hyoushiki) or 結局 (kekkyoku).
Let's start with 主張. I imagine Margret Cho, the stand up
comedian, annoying everyone at a bar to the point where they It's hard to come up with an all English mnemonic because these
insist on SHU-ing CHO off the stage. Again, there is that long words contain sounds that just don't really exist in English. There
vowel sound (for chou) in there so, let's throw the opera singer are two options here: use Japanese words for the weird
removing Cho from the stage while she is singing an operetta. pronunciation or use kana mnemonics to remember the words
(more on that later).

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First, Let's practice using Japanese words to make mnemonics.
One word that I use a lot is ちょう. It seems to come up a lot in a If you are stuck and not able to think of ideas for kana mnemonics,
lot of different words, and there really aren't any words in English Pict-O-Graphix is an amazing book with kanji and kana picture
that sound like it. I had to use Margaret Cho in the previous mnemonics to help you. I've found this book to be especially useful
example, but that is cheating a bit. So instead of trying to think up when embedding kanji into the image I'm imagining.
a word in English that sounds like ちょう I just use the Japanese
word ちょう, which can mean a lot of things but one meaning is 蝶, Don't limit yourself to what you can use. As you practice making
which is butterfly. mnemonics, it will get easier and easier for you to create them.
You will also start to create a toolkit of tricks and reusable
references that will help you create mnemonics faster and faster.
You can use this to help you remember a word like 部長(buchou),
which means the head of a section or or a district manager. I can The Method of Loci – Revised
imagine a head of a section making a speech about downsizing and
everyone is BUing him and then a giant butterfly comes and takes Back in the day, say 2000 or so years ago, there lived a dude by the
him away while the crowd cheers. Ridiculous? Yes, but it's a vivid name of Simonides of Ceos. He was hanging with his homies at a
image. grand party, as poets did back then, and after some drunk
merrymaking decided to step out for a breath of fresh air. Lucky for
him though, the building that he was just in, collapsed to the
The same can be done for other sounds such as ひょう, which
ground crushing all his homies that he was merrymaking with.
actually means leopard in Japanese. Instead of trying to dream up
some English word, you can put a leopard in the image that you
Since CSI didn't exist back then, Simonides had to use something
use to remember the Japanese word with. Or how about さん? 酸 else to remember all of the names of all of his homies that had died
(san) in Japanese means acid, so I imagine a beaker full of boiling that day. He was able to recall their names by simply recalling the
acid in the images I use. visual memory of where they all had been sitting during the party.
He realized from this that people are a lot better at remembering
If all else fails, you can use kana mnemonics to help you memorize places (loci in ancient speak) than people's names.
the word. For example, for the sound きょく, you could imagine a
KEY tied to an extra small YO-yo that your pet bird is KUing at. The So, after pouring out a 40 of wine for his homies that died that day,
yo-yo is extra small to help you remember that it is a little ょ and he preceded to use his new found memory skills to remember long
not a big よ. poems and perform them without any notes. Needless to say, he

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became a hit at parties. stool. So, put that in your scene somewhere, someone kicking a
stool far up into the air.
This same technique can be modified to help you store words and
vocabulary as well. You just need to modify it a little bit to suit our Then, you can start to place compounds into the scene. For 処理
Japanese needs. Let's take a look at an example of how this can (shori) you can have someone SHOWing a giant REed to everyone
work for you. before he disposes of it. Make sure he walks around flamboyantly
and making a grand show of the magical reed before giving it a
Let's take a kanji like 処 (sho). It means deal with, dispose of, good toss.
manage, or cope with. One of the most common words used with
this kanji is 処理 (shori) which means disposal, management, Next up, 処方箋 (shohousen), which means prescription. How
dealing (with) or treatment. about a doctor SHOWing off his LederHOSEN (the leather pants
that are worn in Germany). Imagine him dancing a little jig and
Let's start by thinking of a place that reminds you of dealing with, throwing back a few steins of beer while trying to write out a
disposing of, managing or coping with. Well, one obvious place to prescription.
me, is the trash room at my job. It's a medium-sized room with
concrete walls and a persistent smell of rotting food. But, your And let's add one more for good measure. How about 処女
place might be different. Maybe it's the tax office where you have (shojo), which means a virgin or a maiden. I imagine SHOWing the
to deal with a lot of stuff. Or the bank, or your job. Anywhere is most beautiful maiden in the world to my friend JOE.
fine.
Now, place all these images carefully in the setting of your choice
Now, close your eyes and imagine you are in that place. Look that reminds you of the meaning of the kanji. Take some time to
around you and take in the sights, the smells, the feelings of that walk around the area, take in the sites, refresh the memory in your
place. Truly imagine you are there. If you are at the tax office, head. Also, every time you recall this information be sure to do a
what is everyone doing? Are there seats there? What are they quick review of the whole scene that way they will be easier to
made of? Try to fill in all the details. remember.

After you've filled it out, place the kanji prominently in the scene. For bonus points, you can try to tie the different words together so
For 処, it looks a lot like a foot kicking a stool. The left side and that the words are easier to remember. The more connections you
bottom form the foot and the upper right part looks a lot like a make, the easier it will be for you to recall the information. Have

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fun with it! You may even want to think about starting up a study group to
study with. If you have trouble finding people, MeetUp.com is a
This method is best used with pre-made flashcards that have great place to organize a meet up of people interested in studying
several words for one kanji on them already. I've personally used Japanese. MeetUp is very active in the States, but a bit patchy in
the White Rabbit Press Flashcards with this method with great other countries, so you might have to look for other alternatives if
success. It can be especially useful for remembering differences you are in another country.
between transitive and intransitive words or words that are very
similar in meaning, too. Another option, of course, is to setup virtual study groups on
Facebook or Twitter. You could also visit one of the many forums
dedicated to learning Japanese. One forum that I often post to and
That's What Friends are For read is the forum at JLPTstudy.net. It seems to be pretty active
A lot of you that are reading this are probably studying on your with a lot of great contributors. People are regularly on there
own. Chances are pretty good that you don't go to a regular asking and answering questions including myself.
Japanese class or have a set curriculum, so when you head off to
try to study for the JLPT it is incredibly easy to get lost and de- Another great virtual source I've stumbled upon is reddit.com. If
motivated. you are not familiar with Reddit, it is part social network, part news
aggregator site. There are a lot active friendly people on there
That's where friends can come in handy. If you have a group of (including myself) to help you with anything Japanese related.
friends to bounce ideas off of and to have a little friendly Check out the specific sub-reddit for Japanese learning at
competition with, it can definitely help you study more and also http://www.reddit.com/r/LearnJapanese/
learn more quickly.
Scheduling your Study Activities
I know whenever I get together with my friends one of the first When you are learning a new language there are two categories of
things we end up talking about is the JLPT. We usually swap tips things that you need to master in order to be truly proficient in the
about what books we are using to study and different methods language: language knowledge and language skills. Language
we've tried as well. It kind of keeps me on my toes to know that knowledge includes most of the things you have to memorize in a
they'll be asking about my progress. language, vocabulary, grammar, and kanji. Language skills covers
input (reading and listening) and output (writing and speaking) of

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the language. Try to set aside 15 to 30 minutes a day (depending on your
schedule and goals) so you can review and practice your skills.
At least some minor language knowledge is necessary to work on You'll need this to be a stable block of time so that you know you
language skills, so I would recommend starting your studies with can do it every day. It is important to review and go over this
that no matter what your level is. That way you can steadily review material frequently to make it automatic.
it while honing your language skills.
I've tried to make it easier for you to pick and choose the right
You'll want to eventually make the understanding of kanji, study activity for you by dividing them up into 4 main categories:
grammar, and vocabulary automatic for you. This process is
actually called automatization by linguists. The point is that you 1) Mentally Demanding Activities – These are activities
want to wire your short term memory so that it will automatically that generally require a good amount of concentration. You'll need
tie into your long term memory of this knowledge. That usually to be in a quiet place without too many distractions in order to
takes consistent daily (or at least semi-daily) review. accomplish them. Also, these shouldn't been done when you are
tired or worn out. You'll need a clear head, so plan accordingly.
Whenever I start a new level of the test, I always start with the 2) Not so Mentally Demanding Activities – These are
knowledge I need first, vocabulary studying, kanji, and grammar. activities that only require a fair amount of concentration. You'll
Then, I do more review of the knowledge while I start practicing still need to be awake and ready, but they don't require as much
the skills needed for the higher levels. Remember, knowing a focus. Still, it is best to do these at a place and time that allows
language isn't just knowing a lot of vocabulary, you also have to you to concentrate.
have the skills to back it up. 3) Easy Activities – These are simple drills that can be
done with minimal concentration. They generally also don't require
Language Knowledge a set amount of time to accomplish, so that you can squeeze them
This is where good memorization skills are going to help you the in to smaller blocks of time.
most. If you are having trouble with getting a particular word, 4) Fillers – These are the shortest kinds of activities. They
kanji, or grammar point to stick, refer back to the how to make any are some simple ways to study that you can do in just a few
study activity more effective section I went through earlier. The minutes of time in order to make the very most of your day. You
techniques I went over there have been proven to lock in memories can do these while waiting in line or waiting for the coffee maker to
more effectively than just plain old rote memorization. give you your coffee in the morning.

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There are activity guides for each of these activities. I've included you can do this activity.
them at the beginning of each section so that you can look through
them, but they are also available as a separate PDF called 'study-
activities.pdf'. After you've read through this section I encourage
you to use the other PDF for reference on how to do each activity,
so you don't have to page through this larger document.

*Although most of the language knowledge activities are easy

Do you have to be sitting? Can you be anywhere? Red means you
activities, the language skills activities are more mentally
must be at a desk to do the activity, whereas blue means you can
demanding.
do it just about anywhere.
The Study Activity Coding System
If you look in the upper right corner, this is where you'll find the
The study activity sheets follow a simple coding system so that you minimum amount of time you need to complete this activity.
can find the kind of activity that you'd like to do quickly. In the
upper left of each sheet there is a handy little color coded box that
helps you easily understand where and when to schedule this
particular activity. It should look something like this:

Red generally means a lot of time usually about an hour or so,

whereas blue means hardly anytime at all. You could squeeze it in
anytime.

First off, there is a basic color scheme that you might have noticed If you look in the lower left corner, you can find what level(s) the
that generally goes from easy to difficult: activity is best suited for.

Easiest Easy Intermediate Difficult Most Difficult

If you look in the upper left corner, this is where you'll find where

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This one is pretty straight forward. There are 5 colors and each
color corresponds to a level of the JLPT.

Finally, if you look in the lower right corner, you'll find how much
brain power is needed to complete the task.

This is measured on a scale of 1 to 10. If an activity is a 1, it

means you can be just barely awake and pretty exhausted and still
be able to complete the activity. A 10 is the complete opposite.
You should get a full night's rest, have a full stomach, and be alert
and ready.

Below this 4-box legend is a rank of how well the particular activity
will help those particular weaknesses. If you are looking to
strengthen a particular weakness, try to scan through the activities
and find the one that addresses that weakness.

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 Kanji Writing Drills
Sitting 10 minutes Steps:
N5 4 1) First off, you'll need kanji writing drill sheets. You can either pick them up at a bookstore in
Japan or make them yourself (online). I would recommend making them yourself as it is pretty
Fluency easy and then they will be specific to your needs.
Grammar 2) You never want to write too many of the same kanji in a row. It's a bit of a waste of time to
Kanji do anything over about 5 in a row. For me, this is about where my brain shuts off and I stop
paying attention to what I'm doing. So, if you have a drill book with more than 5 in a row, just
Listening cut them short.
Reading 3) While writing the kanji, it's helpful to repeat the word over and over again. This is to get in
some extra speaking and listening practice along with your kanji writing practice. You might as
Speaking
well, right?
Vocabulary
4) As you are writing the kanji, be sure to think about the individual radicals of the kanji not the
Writing kanji as a whole. By breaking down the kanji into its respective parts it'll be a lot easier to
remember and also to distinguish it from other kanji.
• Kanji writing drill sheets
from the store, or ones
you made yourself
(online)
• pen or pencil
 Personal Phrasebook
Sitting 10 minutes Steps:
N5 4 1) As you go through your day, consciously think about what you are saying. Can you say it in
Japanese?
Fluency
2) If you can't or are not sure. If it is an expression or phrase like “How do I get to the post
Grammar office?” then just write the English and Japanese phrase in the book. If it is a particular word you
are having trouble with try to write antonyms (opposites), synonyms (similarly meaning words)
Kanji
and an example sentence using the word like the Mind Map activity. You could possibly draw or
Listening find a picture that goes with it to.
Reading 3) Get it checked by a native or a service like lang-8.com
Speaking 4) Optional: Record your native friend saying the phrase or use a service like Rhinospike to get
Vocabulary a recording of it.

Writing 5) Save it to your flashcard system. Evernote is especially handy for this, but you can use
other systems as well.
• a PC with Internet 6) Be sure to review the phrases often and try to use them as much as you can in conversation.
• paper notebook or
digital notebook
 Vocabulary Mind Mapping
Sitting 10 minutes Steps:
N5 4 1) Open up Freemind (or another similar mindmapping piece of software) and start with a new
word as your center node or mind as they are sometimes called. Type the word you want to
Fluency study into this node in its 'native' form, how you would see it in a dictionary. In other words in
Grammar kanji or if the kanji is extremely rare, like 其れ（おれ） meaning 'that', then use just the hiragana.

Kanji 2) Start by adding the English of the word as well as the kana reading if necessary as nodes that
branch off from the center node.
Listening
3) You might want to try adding a picture from flickr that illustrates the word.
Reading
4) Add in example sentences from Tatoeba. Try to find the simplest sentence that still manages
Speaking
to show the meaning of the word. For example, それは ねこです。(This is a cat.) is probably not
Vocabulary the best choice.
Writing 5) You might want to add a few synonyms as well. Use a good thesaurus to find a few synonyms
that make sense to you.
• Freemind 6) If you want to take it even further, you could add antonyms or opposites of the word as well.
• a PC with Internet Again, add as many things as you can to 'root' the word in your head.
 But, kanji can get pretty tricky at the higher levels (N3+). For
Not so Mentally Demanding Activities example, I recently saw on a test 積(product or pile up) and 績
The following set of studying activities aren't quite as demanding as (roughly meaning results or records). These two kanji have the
the first four. Because of this, they can be done on a much more same onyomi (or Chinese reading) of せき, but have different
regular basis. They do require a little bit more focus than some meanings and are obviously used in different words. As a matter of
other activities that I will talk about in a little bit, but you don't have fact, 績 is only used in other words, it usually isn't used by itself.
to be feeling like a million bucks to do these. The only difference between these two kanji is the 部首 (ぶしゅ or
kanji radical) on the left of the kanji.
Kanji Writing Drills
If I had practiced a little more kanji writing, I might not have gotten
Kanji always inspire mixed feelings in people. Some people are this question wrong on the N3 test I took. So, it can pay off to do
huge fans, others can't be bothered, but they are an essential part some kanji writing practice from time to time.
of Japanese, and in fact Japanese is a little hard to read without
them. And of course knowing kanji well will help you not only in I tend to practice writing kanji with a Kanji iPhone app about once a
the kanji section of the test, but also the reading because you will day for around 5 to 10 minutes. Nothing too serious. There are a
be able to read and understand the passage faster if you are more variety of other ways to practice writing kanji though. In the
confident with your kanji. activity guide, I'll go over how to do this with pen and paper, but
there is also Skritter.com which is a kanji practicing site (for both
Realistically, nowadays, you really don't need to learn how to write Japanese and Chinese kanji) that offers some good kanji writing
kanji. There are computers everywhere - at the office, at home, in practice as well.
your pocket, so there isn't a big need to learn how to write them
(as a second language learner of Japanese). Although it would be Skritter.com has its advantages and disadvantages though. It's best
useful if you are leaving a note for someone else. used with a tablet so that you can write out the kanji naturally (as
opposed to using the mouse) and there is a small monthly fee
However, after saying all that, it is still helpful to learn kanji by involved ($9.95/month at the time of writing). The website is built
writing them. Why? Well, kanji writing drills are helpful in that with Flash, which makes it unusable for iOS devices (iPod Touch,
they force you to pay attention to how the kanji is formed. Some iPhone, iPad), but there is an iOS app that you can use. Overall, if
kanji are very unique and are distinguishable from one another. A you are interested in getting into the beauty and art of writing
good example of this is 母(mother) and 父(father). Easy enough Japanese kanji, Skritter is probably the best choice.
right?

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Personal Phrasebook Vocabulary Mind Map
Keeping a vocabulary notebook has been found to be extremely New vocabulary is like a plant. It needs to put its roots down into
useful in a variety of studies. Students say that they were able to fertile soul or else it might get washed away the next time it rains.
remember vocabulary more easily and use it more confidently. In Mind maps are a way of concretely and visually mapping out the
my opinion, when you are doing all this extra work with a word you roots to your vocabulary.
can just 'root' it in your head a lot more easily because you are
getting your hands dirty and doing some research. The more roots or connections you can make with what you already
know the better. You want to try to mimic the way your brain
recalls the word. The first connection you usually make is between
The drawback, of course, is that this activity, like mindmapping is the English word and the Japanese word, that is probably how you
very time-consuming. You have to look up words and do a lot of learned a lot of words in Japanese, but that is a little inefficient
research. So, I wouldn't recommend doing it for every word or because you will have to always think in English than translate it to
phrase you come across, just the words and phrases that you keep use the word.
forgetting or have trouble being confident with. It is also useful for
those once-in-a-lifetime type phrases that you might not use every To speak fluently, to make everything automatic, you will have to be
day, or even once-a-month, but you want to keep them close just in thinking all in Japanese instead. So it is valuable to build up
case you need them in the future. Japanese to Japanese connections in your head. You could do this
But, now, if you are really interested in language, and you are by looking up words in a 国語 or Japanese to Japanese dictionary,
fascinated by how it comes together, you might want to use this but that is not really how words are rooted in your head is it?
strategy more than regular SRS. This way you can really explore all
the possibilities of the language. For example if you look up the English definition of 'cat' (from
dictionary.com) you get the following:
Whatever you do, don't force yourself to do this because it will drive
you crazy if you spend most of your study time buried in a small domesticated carnivore, Felis domestica
dictionaries and thesauruses (unless you are incredibly passionate or F. catus, bred in a number of varieties.
about language.)
Even in a learner's dictionary, you don't quite get the full picture:

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 a small animal that is related to lions and tigers
and that is often kept by people as a pet I personally use an application called Freemind to do this mind
mapping. It is freely available and is also multi-platform. The only
Now imagine if you have never seen a cat. Would this definition drawback is it is not as user friendly as some of the other mind
help you to understand what it is? Not really. mapping software out there. I walk through exactly how to setup
your first mindmap though so don't worry.
Now, if instead I told you that a cat is about the same size as a
small dog, but has softer fur. And that they are one of the most Using Freemind on YouTube
popular pets. You would at least have a rough idea of what a cat
looks like, right? This is how Japanese to Japanese connections You can also use bubbl.us which is a free online mind mapper. It
should be made to make your conversation flow better and has a beautiful interface and is really easy to use. The free version
smoother. And the more connections you can make the better, of can be a little limited because you can only have 3 sheets, but it is
course. worthy alternative to Freemind.

Try to think of the word from all possible angles when you are Again, this isn't going to be the fastest way to study in words, but it
building a mind map. What are all the possible ways you can root might prove to be a fun little break from the drill and kill.
that word in your head so it'll stick and you can easily recall it? The
English translation is a start, but you can do more. Think like a Test Maker
Having a basic familiarity with what is on the test can boost your
This process may seem a little more painful and involved than score a lot. Especially since with the new test the make up of each
rolling through some flashcards or doing a set amount of SRS every level of the test is a little different. Each level has added sections
day, but that is kind of the point. The more you push your brain to and some sections that are removed.
think, the more likely it will put down roots and these words will
stick for longer and be easier for you to use smoothly. One thing that you should keep in mind when you take the test,
too, is that there is a human being behind it. Actually, a committee
Also, by creating the mind maps yourself, you are creating a of humans that make decisions on what kind of things are going to
personalized dictionary that is mapped to your mind and the way appear on the test, what kind of questions will be asked, and so on.
you think. This will make it easier for you to communicate in the These test makers are the reason why the level of the test seems to
way you are used to communicating in your native language. fluctuate between the different times it is administered.

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 I feel the reading section has gone largely unchanged. The old test
These test makers have obvious goals that they would like to see seemed to ask a ridiculous amount of questions for the same
test takers hit in order to pass a certain level. They are looking passage though. I'm guessing this led to a lot of problems where if
more for your ability to think at a higher-level instead of just the particular essay was on a subject you weren't familiar with you
memorizing information. would lose a lot of points.

The new test reflects this focus on a higher-level of thought. In a The old listening section was pretty simple. You had to essentially
lot of ways this forces you to be a more well-rounded learner of listen for one point in the passage, and there was another section
Japanese and makes you practice and become pretty good at skills that asked you to answer a question about the whole passage.
that you might normally ignore. The reading and listening sections These two types of questions have carried over to the new exam.
have undergone some serious changes to make them better for They are now the 1st 2 sections for every level.
learners and not just memorizers.
The New Test
The Old Test
In 2010, JEES started administering the N-series of tests. They
The old test involved a lot of memorizing, or at least it tested over made a significant amount of changes to the format, scoring and
memorizing. Especially for the kanji section. When I was preparing overall goals of the test. In my opinion, a lot of this was to make it
for N2, I took a few 二級 (old N2) tests and I easily aced the kanji more practical and encourage students to learn more useful
and vocab sections simply because it really just tested your raw language skills as well as in a more natural manner (as opposed to
knowledge. There were usage questions as well, but there were so just milling through old test papers). They've done a pretty good
many kanji and vocab questions that you could get a lot of points job making it more practical and it shows in the increased number
on them and outweigh your bad scores on other sections of the of people taking the test.
exam.
Of course, they didn't really come about this change on their own.
This is probably why you now must have a minimal passing score in There is another Japanese test, the J-test, which was/is starting to
all areas to pass the whole test. I have a feeling with the old gain more popularity and is administered more often. It was more
system you could do a lot of memorizing and squeak by with a practical and JEES had to do something to compete obviously.
pass.

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So How Did the Goals of the JLPT Change? Be a Good Student
Well, 1st off, it seems the test makers are placing significantly less The moral of the story here is that drilling will only take you so far.
emphasis on kanji and vocabulary. These sections are a lot smaller. It does help to practice how the test questions will be asked and
And the vocabulary section has some added types of questions. how to look at things a little differently, but the test makers have
One interesting addition is the section of the N2 where it asks you gone out of their way to make this test more difficult to pass by
to form a word. It can be quite difficult to answer these questions, brute force and concentrating on only the JLPT. You now have to
especially since it is difficult to study for. be well-rounded with your studies.

The reading also includes a more realistic information retrieval That means more native materials, more exploring and finding
question. On the old test, depending on the level, there were some words on your own rather than sticking to the regular lists.
different kinds of questions like the famous graph question on the (Although, admittedly for N5 and N4 you should be okay if you drill
二級, but there were also small, medium, and long passages. On the lists well) In general, you need to learn Japanese in a natural
the new test, the information retrieval questions are still pretty easy way and be able to use it. I think they have made the test a lot
but a lot more realistic. better measurement of one's skills. Unfortunately, they made it
generally harder for N2 and N1, but that just makes the victory so
There is also the addition of the reading exercise where you are much more sweeter.
asked to compare two or three passages. These force you to do
Get More out of your Practice Tests
higher level thinking as you have to reorganize and summarize the
information in order to answer the questions. Usually you take a practice test, score it, take a note of your score,
and put it back on the shelf. Maybe if you have extra time and a
And don't forget the tricky listening question on N1 and N2. The tutor you go over each question one by one to see why you got it
last question in the listening section involves you listening to some wrong and what made the right answer right.
information and then a conversation between two people based on
that. The test takers really want you to be able to use previous And it serves as a great benchmark that will tell you what your
knowledge to answer the questions. This question and some other weaknesses are but you can get a lot more mileage out of it. After
questions in the listening section force you to take good notes. On all, you have to dedicate a good 4 hours of a free day to take it all
the older tests you could probably get away with keeping track of in one go (for N1/N2). It would be a shame to throw that all away.
most things in your head. So, what can you do to get more out of it?

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Write Your Own Questions Be sure to check if they sound right with a native speaker as well.
There is no better way to really get into the test-takers head than
to do what they do, write a test questions. This process helps you So, let's look at an example from the N3 practice exam:
see the test from the test makers perspective, and you can start to
ね きも
see what kinds of things are going to pop up on the exam. And
who knows maybe a similar questions will show up on the real 5) ( ) 寝たので、気持ちがいい。
thing. １ すっかり ２ ぐっすり ３ はっきり ４ ぴったり
I also like doing this from time to time because it helps you take a I don't know about you, but this kind of adverb always tends to
different look at some key parts of the language. Instead of drive me crazy, but they are fun to use. They are a special kind of
memorizing the link between an English explanation and a onomatopoeia words in Japanese and they function like adverbs. If
Japanese word or grammar point. You will be looking at how these you take a look at tateoba.org, it shows this word is usually used
different things relate to each other. with 'sleeping' verbs, ones that describe some kind of sleeping
ねむ ねい
The very process of writing up these questions helps you to think
more about how the test is made, but they can also help you action, like 眠 る (to sleep) or 寝入る (to fall asleep, lit. to enter into
ね
review before the test. If you write the questions now, and keep
them in a separate notebook or file on your computer, you will have sleep) as well as 寝る (to sleep, lying down). So, we can write
a hand made practice test that you can take before you go into the another sentence using one of these:
exam.
わたし こうぎ さいちゅう ねむ
Vocabulary
Let's start with the simple stuff. What vocab questions did you get 私 は講義の最中にぐっすり眠ってしまった。
wrong? Take the vocabulary word that you mistook and write I feel asleep in the middle of the lecture.
another example sentence using the same word. A big help would
be to check a resource like tateoba.org that has thousands of Taking a look at the Weblio Thesaurus, we see that すやすや has a
example sentences to give you an idea of how it is used. Then, use similar meaning to ぐっすり, but it seems to emphasize being
a thesaurus to find a similar word to put into the same sentence. comfortable and a little more quiet. Also, it isn't as commonly used

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(because I couldn't find many example sentences at tatoeba.org). ねむ
So, it seems like it wouldn't quite fit our new sentence: ぐっすり - 「―（と）眠 っている」
(He/She is sleeping soundly.)
わたし こうぎ さいちゅう ねむ

私 は講義の最中にすやすや眠ってしまった。 ふじさん すがた

I feel asleep in the middle of the lecture. はっきり - 「富士山の姿 が―（と）見える」

(Mt. Fuji's shape can clearly be seen.)
But, it is okay in the original question:
まど し

すやすや寝たので、気持ちがいい。 ぴったり - 「窓を―（と）閉める」

(I will seal the window shut.)
I slept soundly, so I felt good.
You can then take these collocations for another word (other than
This might seem like a lot of extra work, because you aren't simply ぐっすり) and write a new question using the same answers:
flipping through flashcards or clicking buttons on a screen.
However, this critical thinking can really help to begin to see the
different meanings of words and how they relate to each other. 私が窓を（ ）閉めた。
１ すっかり ２ ぐっすり ３ はっきり ４ ぴったり
Another thing you can do is look at a few of the other words in a
Japanese to Japanese dictionary to find collocations. You will Now, just hide this question away until right before the test, and
typically find at least one common collocation that will give you a quiz yourself.
better idea of how it is used. For example, if you look up the 4
words for our N3 example, you'll find these collocations: In general, N4 and N5 vocabulary can be learned from the lists that
are out there at sites like Memrise or AnkiWeb (the service that
しごと provides downloadable lists for Anki). You don't need to diversify
すっかり - 「仕事が―かたづく」 too much to pass those levels, but it is never too early to start
(I completely finished all the work.) practicing these techniques, so you can expand your vocabulary
naturally.

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Grammar just end up clicking later with a different example.

What about the grammar questions? These are going to be very Once you can clearly see a difference, write another question using
similar, but you need to ask slightly different question to yourself. one of the other answers (not the correct one). Be sure to double
Also, the grammar section has 3 different types of questions that check it with someone. Let's look at another example for the N3
cover different ways of looking at the grammar. The 3 main practice test:
sections are sentence completion, scrambled sentences, and
ちち たんき はは ほう き なが
passage completion. There are different tactics for each.
父の短気なの（ ）、母 の方は気が長 い。
Sentence Completion
１）において ２）に対して ３）について ４）によって
First, for the sentence completion questions, you need to identify
the problem. Why did you get this question wrong? Did you
confuse two similar grammar points? For example, you used で The correct answer in this case is 2), so the correct sentence would
instead of に, which both can be translated as 'at', 'in' or 'on', but be:
are used in different situations in Japanese depending on the action
that is taking place in a particular sentence. 父の短気なのに対して、母の方は気が長い。
In contrast to father's short temper, mom is patient.
If you are having issues with the differences between grammar
points it might be time to do a little more research into how exactly But, what about the other grammar particles? Let's take において for
they are used. This is where grammar dictionaries and picking up a
different grammar book might come in handy. Or asking about the example, this is essential the polite version of the で particle, which
point online or going over it with a native friend. marks where something takes place. We can do a quick search of
tateoba.org and we get:
Don't stop asking questions until you can feel a clear difference
じんせい かね じゅうし ひと
between the two. This is especially true if you are at a higher level
and have a clearer understanding of Japanese, but are getting hung 人生 においてお金を重視する人もいる。
up on one little grammar point. At lower levels it can be a little Some people place a lot more emphasis on the importance of
annoying and time-consuming to hunt down something that might money in life.

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 basic ones. The correct answer for the above question is 2. So the
This one seems pretty interesting and clearly shows the purpose of final sentence would be the following:
the grammar point. Now you just need to convert it to a question
いま やす きゅうりょう なんねんはたら じぶん いえ か
for review later. Blank out the spot with において and add in the
answers from the first question: 今のわたしの安 い給料 では、何年 働 いても自分の家は買えそうも
ない。
じんせい かね じゅうし ひと
With my current low-paying salary, even if I work for several
人生 （ ）お金 を重視する人もいる。 years, it's impossible for me to buy my own house.
１）において ２）に対して ３）について ４）によって
So, basically, this question is asking do you know how to form a
Now you have another question for your practice test. Be sure to statement with そうもない (It's not probable). This structure takes a
record the right answer somewhere as well. verb stem (the polite form of a verb with the -masu cut off) in the
potential form [買う (to buy) → 買える (to be able to buy)]. So let's
What if you misused a structure? Maybe you put a noun where a write another question that is very similar. Again, you can write
verb goes or you choose a positive clause when it should be your own sentence if you wish, or use a resource like tateoba.org to
negative. Then, write another question using the same point but look up some good sentences that should be already checked for
with a different sentence and similar choices. For example, take a correctness. It is even possible to do a Google search for the term
look at this question from the N3 practice book this time:
“そうもない” to see what you come up with.
今のわたしの安い給料では、何年働いても自分の家は（ ）そ I happen to find the following at tateoba.org:
うもない。
こんばん たいちょう た
１）買い ２）買え ３）買う ４）買える
今晩はどうも体調 がすぐれないのでなにも食べれそうもない。
There are essentially two types of questions in this first grammar (I don't feel up to eating anything tonight.)
section. The first type is select the write grammar point and this
second one is choosing the right form to go before it. On N1 and And we can quickly switch it over to a question like so:
N2, there are some more complex type questions but these are the

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 今晩はどうも体調がすぐれないのでなにも（ ）そうもない。 先週オープンしたばかりのレストランがあるから、行ってみませんか？
１）食べ ２）食べれ ３）食べる ４）食べれる Do you want to go check out the restaurant that just opened
last week?
Basically, I just took the same forms as the original question but
Notice how this question is testing you on position of the grammar
applied them to the new verb, 食べる. Feel free to get creative with point and not on form. The test maker can only test you on the
how you test yourself, and put in different verb stems and forms. placement of the grammar point. This limits the number of things
Scrambled Sentences
they can really test you on.

Scrambled sentences (the 2nd section of the grammar part of the All right, let's re-write this question using some different words.
exam) present another problem. They aren't easy to write. But, Again, we can consult tatoeba.org for a list of possible candidates.
the principal is still the same. Look for what the test takers want This one looks pretty good:
you to know, and re-write a question based on that. Again, let's
look at an example: う あかんぼう びょうき

生まれたばかりの赤ん坊は病気になりやすい。
せんしゅう い
A newborn baby is liable to fall ill.
先週 _＿ _＿ ＿*＿ ＿＿ から、行ってみませんか？ Lit. Just born baby ill becomes easily.
１）ばかりの ２）レストランが ３）オープンした ４）ある
Now we just need to break it up into its key parts:
This question is essentially testing you on whether or not you know
where to put 'ばかりの', which means 'just (did some action)', in a 生まれた ばかりの 赤ん坊は 病気に なりやすい
sentence. Does it go after the point of time something happened
And turn it into its own question:
(先週), after the action (オープンした), or perhaps after the whole
clause ending with ある? The answer should be the following:
＿＿ ＿＿ ＿*＿ ＿＿ なりやすい。
１）赤ん坊は ２）ばかりの ３）病気 ４）生まれた

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And now you have a brand spanking new scrambled sentence
question to add to your study deck or notebook. And when you are reading just to learn, it is often easy to fall into
the habit of not really reading in detail, to just read for fun and skip
Grammar Passage over the parts you don't understand because you don't want to be
And finally, the grammar passage questions at the end. It is quite checking your dictionary every 5 seconds. And this is a good tactic
difficult obviously to write your own version of these, so you for natural language learning.
probably can't write a sample question, but what you can do is take
a note of the grammar point you got wrong. But the test, of course, will require that you fully comprehend the
passage or at least the key information, so you'll need to improve
Ask yourself the same questions you asked for the 1 kind of
st
your comprehension skills by asking yourself your own set of
grammar questions. Did you confuse two points? Bad structure? questions when reading.
And keep these grammar points in mind when you are reading
When you want to practice reading for comprehension ask yourself
other material. For example, if you had trouble with は vs. が, try
these questions:
highlighting where you see them used when you are doing your
reading practice.
What do all the こそあど (like この, その, あの, どの) refer to in
This is a great way to get more use out of the test. After you are the passage?
finished for the first time working through the comprehension What do all the もの and こと refer to in the passage?
questions, you can go back through and highlight key grammar Can you summarize the entire passage in Japanese?
points. This can help you become more aware of when they are Can you summarize each paragraph in Japanese?
used.

Reading Passages
That is basically what they will be asking you on the test.
Obviously this is a really boiled down list, but it will get you thinking
Starting at the N3 level, you should be doing more and more about how to pull the details out of a reading and get you into
reading of native materials. At first this will probably cause some thinking about what the author wants to say.
headaches and slow reading. You might want to start yourself off
with graded readers or bilingual readers to help you just get into
the habit of regular reading.

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Make the Most of these Questions

Just writing the questions helps you to work out what the test
maker is looking for. Also, it let's you 'chew' the grammar,
vocabulary, and reading up a little bit. Instead of just blindly
trudging through a giant list of words and grammar points, you are
re-processing the information in a different way.

Keep these questions you made and put them in a separate

notebook that you can work your way through before the test or a
Anki deck that you can review later. That way you can get the most
miles out of them.

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 Flashcards
Anywhere 1 minute Steps:
N5+ 4
1) After finding some vocabulary words to practice, it's now time to lock them into
Fluency your memory by slapping them on some flashcards. First, write the Japanese in
kanji on one side of the card, and the kana and English on the other side of the
Grammar
card. This way you get two for the price of one.
Kanji
2) Take a peek at the kanji side of the card and try to make a guess at the meaning.
Listening Try to actively recall the word. Sometimes you might have to hunt deep into your
Reading memory before you can recall it. As long as you have something, try to fish for it.
Speaking If you draw a blank, flip it over and check the meaning and kana reading. Repeat
Vocabulary the word over a few times in your head. If you know this is your second or third
time missing the card, you might want to try building a mnemonic to help you
Writing
remember the word completely. Alternatively you can try to visualize a situation
where this word might come up. Remember, images are incredibly powerful.
• Blank flashcards
• pen (no pencil), The point is, that some words are just going to 'pop' into your head, others will
multiple colors are need some persuading. For the words that just pop into your head, you shouldn't
optional do anymore work because they are already locked in. For other words, that you
• flashcard sleeves draw a blank on, those have to be engraved or they are most likely going to just fall
• English to Japanese right back out again. Spend the few extra moments now to come up with
Dictionary, Japanese to mnemonic or image and save yourself the frustration later.
Japanese dictionary 3) If you want to, you can 'recycle' your cards by putting different words in different
colors or on different places on the card, but I would make this a separate set that
you study at a different time (after you've mastered the first set). This is to cut
down on interference between the two sets of words.
 Power Labeling
Home 1 minute Steps:
N5+ 4
1) Find an object in your house or apartment that you want to use more often or
Fluency are not familiar with.
Grammar 2) Look up an example sentence using the object from a resource like Tatoeba.org.
Or write your own sentence and have it checked with a native or a service like lang-
Kanji
8.com.
Listening
3) Write the example sentence at the top of a sticky note, then the word in kanji (if
Reading
it is used with kanji), then the word in hiragana at the bottom of the note.
Speaking
4) Stick the note to the object.
Vocabulary
5) At first, practice just saying the word. Once you can say it easily without looking
Writing
at the hiragana, rip off the bottom part of the note (the section that has the
hiragana on it).
• Sticky notes (aka Post-
Its) 6) Later, once you are pretty comfortable with the word, rip the word off and just
• things to label leave the sentence. Add more sentences and actions you can do with the object.
7) Remember to act out the action and really get into it. Seeing (and the other 4
senses) help you lock in the new word.
 Teach Yourself Grammar
Anywhere 2-3 minutes 1) Say the grammar point you are focusing on in Japanese. This is to help you focus on the main point of
the 'lesson'. We are going to shuffle these audio files around and so they'll pop up randomly and you'll need
N5+ 4 to be able to focus quickly on the point.

Fluency So for example, if you are studying the particle は, you would say 'the particle は'. If you are studying some
of the higher levels, which are more phrases than grammar points, you could say something like 'the phrase
Grammar ついでに'. Some of the higher level phrases are two parts, so you can say something like 'the phrase もし な
Kanji になに たなら', where なになに needs to be filled in with something.

Listening 2) Say a sentence that uses the grammar point in Japanese. This is to help give you context and a feel for
the grammar point. I feel like it is important to see the grammar point being used before you go into any
Reading rules about it.

Speaking For example, if you are studying は, you could make a simple sentence like 'これは ほん です。'. At the
higher levels, there are usually example sentences in the textbook that you can practice with. The So-
Vocabulary Matome series in particular has lots of great examples using the grammar point.
Writing 3) Say the English translation of the sentence. This is to check your understanding of the grammar point
and how it is used. Alternatively, you can use the Japanese re-wording of the particular sentence if you
want a good challenge, but I prefer the English translation because it gives me one more way to look at the
• Grammar textbook
grammar point.
• something to record
audio with (e.g. 4) Repeat 2 and 3 as many times as you prefer. The point here is to give as many examples as you need to
smartphone, computer show all the usages, but be careful not to bore yourself with too much. Usually 2 or 3 examples are enough
to get the point across.
and mic)
• Audacity (free) 5) Finally, finish off the recording by explaining the meaning of the grammar point and its usage. Be sure to
mention how it is used. For example, can be used with a noun? Can be used with just adjectives? Also,
note the connotation of the grammar point if there is one. Is it negative? Or affirmative? Is it used to
declare something?
6) Stop the recording and save it off. You can now put it into rotation with your other audio flashcards.
 across several platforms.
Easy Activities
The following activities are things that can be done with a minimal Spaced repetition systems got their start in 1973 when Sebastian
amount of focus. That's not to say you can do them after 3 hours Leitner invented an all-purpose way of learning facts that he called
sleep and a few too many, but they can be done during those times the Leitner system. Since computers weren't really widely used at
when you don't feel highly motivated to study for the JLPT. the time, the original system involved 5 boxes that the user moved
cards between as they practiced them. This method has found its
Try to schedule one or two of these daily if you can. It will help you way to modern software as the 'Leitner system'.
to have consistent review of your language knowledge to keep it
fresh and to help make it solid. The most popular SRS software available now is Anki. It is a
multipurpose fact-learning piece of software that is fairly
Spaced Repetition Systems or SRS customizable and allows you to import decks as well as share them
Usually the first day you learn something, you are able to recall the via an online library of decks called AnkiWeb. This makes it
information you learned without breaking a sweat. The next day, it incredibly convenient because often times you can find decks
gets a little more difficult, and the next day, it gets a little more already designed for the different levels of the test.
difficult, and the next day, and so forth and so on. This
phenomenon is called the forgetting curve, which states that over Most of the public decks are pretty reliable, but they do tend to
time, you'll recall less and less of what you learned. have errors in them. If you spot something that seems a little
strange, you might want to double check it in a reference book. For
A system has been developed that helps combat that forgetting this reason, I would recommend against using the lists to learn
curve that we all have. The system reminds you of information vocabulary, but instead using it to review vocabulary.
shortly before you forget it. In this way, you are able to keep the
memory in your head longer until eventually it pretty much sticks in There are other pieces of SRS software out there like Mnemosyne
there forever. and Supermemo. Both have their fans and different advantages
over Anki. There is also a new startup site called Memrise.com that
These systems have come to be called spaced repetition systems or I've been working with that helps you remember vocabulary using
just SRS. These systems come in many forms from old school mems or mnemonics. I would recommend Memrise for any
paper flashcards to new high tech SRS software that is sync-able vocabulary, but Anki for grammar points and anything else you
need to remember.

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 cross-platform piece of office software, but this can be done on any
Since Anki is such an integral part of studying, I built some tutorials kind of spreadsheet software that is available. So, go ahead and
to walk you though the important parts of using Anki. This should watch the video and then come on back.
cover everything you need to know in order to use it to its full
potential. Afterwards, I'll show you how to create your own cards and some
basic ideas for templates for the Anki system:
The Wonderful World of Spreadsheets
When you think of spreadsheets, the first thing that comes to mind Anki Walkthrough (click here to start the video) (YouTube
might not always be language learning, but they have a lot of video)
benefits for language learners. After all the spreadsheet format is
Anki Templates
useful for more than just TPS reports and home budget making.
That's right, it can do so much more than that. Unfortunately Anki doesn't allow you to export your templates to be
used by someone else. So, you'll have to cut and paste these
First off, spreadsheets can be easily organized and sorted. In this templates into the card layout window when you go to import
way if you punch in all your vocab into one big spreadsheet (or words or phrases.
several spreadsheets) it can be very easy to, say, sort the list Simple Vocab Card Layout:
alphabetically, or if you've included parts of speech, you can make
lists of the different parts of speech as well. Columns needed in the .csv: Kana, Kanji, English

Another big advantage of spreadsheets is that you can export them

as a .CSV which is a generic file that can be used in a variety of Forward – Question
different programs from Anki to Memrise.com and chances are, any <strong>{{Kanji}}</strong>
kind of future vocab-studying thingy. So, if you type your info into
Forward – Answer
one spreadsheet, you won't have to worry about typing it in again
when you switch programs. {{Kana}}
<strong>{{English}}</strong>
I put together a short little tutorial on how to make a sheet of
vocab and export it so you can use it in Anki or another SRS
learning system. I use OpenOffice.org, which is a free open-source,

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Reverse – Question {{/2ndDef}}{{2ndDef}}
<strong>{{English}}</strong>
Reverse – Question
Reverse – Answer <strong>{{English}}</strong>
(<i>{{POS}}</i>)</br>{{#2ndDef}}Alternative(s):
<strong>{{Kanji}}</strong></br>
{{/2ndDef}}{{2ndDef}}
{{Kana}}
<strong>{{English}}</strong>
Reverse – Answer
<strong>{{Kanji}}</strong></br>
This card setup will work if you have a .csv that has kanji, kana,
and English information. It is a good way to drill vocabulary, short {{Kana}}
and sweet. Make sure to enlarge the size of the kanji field so that <strong>{{English}}</strong> (<i>{{POS}}</i>)</br>
you can get a clear look at the kanji when you are practicing.
{{#2ndDef}}Alternative(s):
Complex Vocab Card Layout:
{{/2ndDef}}{{2ndDef}}
Columns needed in the .csv: Kana, Kanji, English-primaryDef, POS
(part of speech), 2ndDef
This is the template that I used to build the Ultimate Deck. You'll
notice the extra field 'POS' which is for part of speech. I think
Forward – Question knowing the part of speech is really helpful when studying
<strong>{{Kanji}}</strong> vocabulary. You don't necessarily have to memorize it with the
meaning, but just having it there can help clear up some confusion
Forward – Answer
on when and where to use the vocab.
{{Kana}}
<strong>{{English}}</strong> (<i>{{POS}}</i>)</br>
The other thing you see is the {{#2ndDef}}Alternative(s):
{{#2ndDef}}Alternative(s):

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{{/2ndDef}} line. The # just means 'if'. So in this situation, if vocabulary a lot easier. I've practiced cards before where they
2ndDef exists show 'Alternative(s)', if not the card will be blank seem to a have a laundry list of English words for the one word in
here. This is so if we don't have anything in the 2ndDef column on Japanese. This to me was pretty confusing and difficult to
the sheet the word 'Alternative(s)' won't show up on the flashcard. remember which ones were the important definitions. With this
This is a bit of a cosmetic issue, but I like to be neat. system it helps reduce the clutter, however it does take a lot more
elbow grease, so it might not be for you.
By the way, the 2ndDef field exists so that you can have one
primary definition and then several secondary definitions. One rule Again, I made up a short video that walks you through how to
of making material easier to memorize is to make it simple. To that import a .csv spreadsheet and create cards using the complex
end, I like to memorize one definition to one word. However, the format here. I go over all the details of how to change fonts and
other definitions are there so that I'm aware of how that word can the background as well. Go ahead and check it out and meet me
be used in different situations. These second definitions are usually back here:
related. Creating Cards in Anki (click here to open the video)
(YouTube video)
So, for example, the primary definition of 鍵（かぎ） could be 'key',
but then a secondary definition could be 'lock'. These two items
are closely related, so it should be fairly easy to stretch the sense of Simple Grammar Layout:
the word in your head to include both meanings. But 'key' will be
Columns needed in the .csv: Expression, reading, meaning
the primary link to that word in your head.

Linking one Japanese word to one English word conforms to the Question
minimum information principle which basically states that simpler is
easier to remember. This is because when the brain goes to map {{Expression}}
out the definition in your head it has only one path to follow, so it Answer
will reinforce that path more and more instead of traveling along
several related paths to the same information. It is also easier to {{Reading}}<br>{{Meaning}}
schedule for review, too. Anki can also be really useful for practicing grammar. One effective
I've found this method of one to one helps me remember way that I've found that helps me remember the grammar point
well is the above layout. The Expression is the sentence using full

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kanji without furigana/ruby and the target grammar point. The handy during the 'scrambled' sentences part of the test, where you
Reading is the entire sentence in kana, and the Meaning contains have to unscramble sentences that are given to you.
information defining the grammar point and any difficult vocabulary
in the sentence. When to use SRS
It's easy to see SRS as the cure all for everything. Just pick up a
So, let's take a look at an easy example. Let's say you want to
few vocabulary words and throw them in your SRS and you can
remember how to use ても/でも, which means 'even if'. In order to study away.
practice it, you write your own simple sentence using your own
ideas. Let's say you write: But, you should be a little picky as to what you put into your SRS to
practice. The basic rule of thumb is, try to put words in that you
'ここは 冬でも 暑いです。’- Even if it's winter here, it's hot. are not going to be normally exposed to, but will be useful at a
You would put the following in your spreadsheet/.csv: later time.
For example, if you are reading a book about stock investments and
In the first column – ここは 冬でも 暑いです。 - The Expression you are going to be doing more reading about stock investments,
you should probably add in all the jargon that is necessary to
In the second column – ここは ふゆでも あついです。- The Reading
understand that particular topic.
In the third column – でも・ても＝even if – The Meaning
On the other hand, if you are reading some material where the
characters are discussing something highly technical, you probably
If this were higher level grammar (N3+) I would try to use
don't need to save those words to practice. Think about all those
Japanese in your definitions, but realistically for grammar, I feel like
scenes from ER, Star Trek, or 24. All those shows use tons of
there isn't much harm in using English as long as you treat it as a
jargon that isn't actually important to the plot and isn't important
hint.
for you to know or learn.
Another thing you can do to study grammar is to give a sentence in Try to keep yourself from hoarding too much vocabulary or you'll
Japanese and the answer in English. You can use the standard find yourself trapped in front of your computer drilling words all day
reverse/forward format for this. Some people think that direct instead of actually using the language. This becomes especially
translation is a waste, but if done in limited amounts it can be quite important as you move up in the language.
useful for practicing your sentence structure which will come in

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What to do with Leeches Are you Having Issues with Transitive vs. Intransitive?
There will come a time that you will encounter a word or grammar Many times in English the transitive verb is also the intransitive
point that just simply won't stick. You keep drilling it and practicing verb. For example, look at the following two sentences:
but, as soon as you remember it, you forget it. It never seems to
quite stick the way things normally stick. I opened the door.
(transitive – you are doing something to an object)
These words and grammar points are sometimes called leeches,
which I think describes them quite well. They just kind of hang on The door opened automatically
to you sucking your energy until you end up ripping them off. (intransitive – the door is doing the action, it isn't doing
These leeches will probably end up taking up a decent part of your anything to an object)
time studying, but I'll go over some tips that will make them a lot
easier to deal with. These two sentences in Japanese would use different verbs:

Do you really Need this Word?

ドアを 開けた。
The is the first question you have to ask yourself. Do you really
doawo aketa.
need to be reviewing this word or can you just delete it from your
[(I) opened the door]
flashcard system and go about your day? For example, some
phrases or words you encounter might be limited expressions that
simply aren't used that much or unique idioms that are interesting ドアを 開いた。
to know, but can probably be guessed from context in the future doawo aita.
(and you don't personally want to use them). [The door opened.]

If it is a word that is fairly common, but not common enough that As you can imagine, this sometimes causes a little confusion and
you see it every day, it might be a keeper. Think of your flashcard headaches. At the lower levels (N5~N3) these often don't cause
system as a spare brain for those words that you will probably use too much trouble. And, in real life they will usually only cause
some day, just not every day. You should be able to pick up every minor mis-communications. But, for higher levels (N1, N2) they will
day words and review them just from exposure. start to grill you on these a little more.

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So, it's important to get these right when you first learn them
instead of stumbling over them later. I still find myself tripping over If you don't have a chance to get real conversation practice, you
these from time to time. can instead just talk to yourself. Yes, you will probably make
mistakes, but you can fix those later. You just need to get the word
The best way that I have found to combat these is to study them in memorized for now. Also, be careful not to just repeat the English
a clear context. This usually means a nicely written example and the Japanese word you are learning (if you are talking to
sentence or it could be a clear picture that illustrates the action that yourself). Actually, use the word, but putting it in a sentence. To
is taking place. Without that, it will be pretty difficult to get them be most effective, about something that is happening in your life,
to stick. you can see or clearly imagine.

Another thing you can do is to act these out while saying the word. Give it a Break
Imagine going through the situation, and really playing the scene Anki will automatically kick a word out if you miss it enough times.
up. To bring back the example of 開ける (akeru, to open sth), you You have to manually add it back in when you want to learn it
could make a dramatic gesture of throwing the door open every again. At first, this could be a little annoying because it'll take you
time you practice this word. by surprise. But, actually it is quite useful.

Use it (a lot) Although no one is still quite certain how the brain learns things.
Some words that don't stick, just don't lend themselves to rote There seems to be times, for whatever reason, that the brain is
memorization. Also, language is a skill that is best learned by doing incapable of remembering a particular thing. If you give it a little
it as much as possible. So you might just have to start using the more time though, the situation inside the brain might shift and
word as much as possible. This also goes for grammar items that allow you to learn more easily.
you just can't seemed to get the hang of too.
So, if you can, leeches are good to just let rest for awhile. You can
To start, when you are doing your regular vocabulary drilling with pull the card out, or “ignore” it with Memrise or Anki will mark them
your flashcard system, write down all your leeches that you got for as leeches. Either way, let the words rest for a few weeks or even
the day. Hopefully, this will be a pretty short list, maybe even just a month and then get back to it.
one word. Try to work these words into conversation if you have
the chance to talk to a native. In the meantime, you might come across the word again in
conversation or reading and you might just end up learning it from

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context. After all, if you don't see it that often, it might not be very
useful to know. If you do find some common expressions or phrases that a word
uses, you should include it in the English definition on your
Similar Meanings
flashcard. For example, I recently started practicing the word 波乱
There are times when you will guess a word incorrectly while (haran), which means “troubles.” according to the WWWJDIC, but
practicing because you happen to know two or more words with there are already several words that I know in Japanese that are a
very similar meanings. For example, 状況 (jyoukyou) and 状態 little similar, like 面倒くさい (mendoukusai) – trouble.
(jyoutai). Both share a kanji, start with the same sound, but have
slightly different meanings. 状況 refers to the condition or situation So, I needed to differentiate the new word. I looked up the word in
whereas 状態 refers to the state of affairs or the state of a 英辞郎 on the Web and got 'stormy marriage' as one of the phrases
condition. Both can be translated as 'condition' in some contexts, that used it. So, I put that as one of the definitions:
so they can be easy to get mixed up.
troubles; stormy (marriage)
This is one reason why Japanese to Japanese dictionaries can be
incredibly useful. Sometimes a word in English can have several This can really help you picture how and why you use the word
definitions, all of which are different words in Japanese. Using a which is just as important as knowing the meaning.
Japanese only dictionary as well as looking at some example
sentences can get around this problem. For example, Weblio (and Use them All or just One
most other Japanese to Japanese dictionaries) contain lists of Using one or all of these strategies can keep leeches from ruining
collocations for you to see what words your vocabulary word is your day. You don't want to spend any more time on these than
commonly used with. you absolutely need to. They can drain your motivation and
energy.
But, let's say you are still at a lower level, or are just not
comfortable yet with Japanese to Japanese dictionaries. You can In Conclusion
still use a Japanese to English dictionary, just use a different one. I think SRS is a part of a well-balanced studying diet. You should
Use a few dictionaries to really get a feel for how the word is used. include a good amount of SRS to help you review and lock in things
The 英辞郎 on the Web is good for this. They usually have an you learned. It makes up a good 30 minutes to an hour of my daily
exhaustive list of definitions plus phrases that the word is used in. routine. Try to refrain from doing more than about 30 minutes of

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SRS in one session though. Around the 30 minute mark, you might But, alas, even in our modern age, we still need paper. People have
start to get a bit impatient and unfocused (at least I do). been talking about a paperless office for years too and we still
haven't gotten that either. Paper still has it's place in this world, at
If you need to do some serious cramming (or some serious catching least for a little while longer.
up) try to pace yourself by doing 30 minute study sessions with 4 to
5 minute breaks between. During the breaks, get up and walk One major reason for this is that paper doesn't have to be 'booted
around, stretch, get some blood circulating in your body again and up' or 'opened'. You can just whip it out at a moment's notice to
then sit down and focus for another 30 minutes. practice a few vocabulary words here and there. This makes them
the perfect choice for when you are waiting in line at the grocery
Flashcards store or for the next train.
Remember flashcards? I remember I used to make tons of
Another major reason to use paper flashcards is that they are a
flashcards for my high school Spanish class and then try to look
single purpose device. When you are studying paper flashcards,
through them whenever I could. They still never seemed to stick
you aren't going to get a text, phone call, or push notification in the
though. The vocabulary always kept falling out of my head.
middle of the process. If you are easily distracted by your
smartphone, you might want to switch to paper.
From that experience, I developed a distrust in flashcards. They
just never seemed to work for me. When I started studying
I often carry about 10 flashcards with me on a regular day. I find
Japanese, I didn't even bother with flashcards all that much.
that this is about what I can normally get done in the little cracks of
Instead, I resorted to simply reviewing my textbooks over and over
time I have available for me during the day. I try to do this every
again. This also seemed a bit inefficient, but it got the job done.
day, although there are days I forget to pick up my cards on my
way out the door.
Shortly there after I discovered Anki, and well, gave up on paper
flashcards all together. In a world with high-tech SRSs for free,
Another thing you might want to pick up to help you with your
who needs paper flashcards? After all, I don't have to carry around
flashcards are small flashcard-sized plastic sleeves to store your
a million cards anymore, all I need is a smartphone and I'm ready
cards in. These will help cut down on the wear and tear of taking
to go. I can just pop open my SRS app and look at a few cards and
your cards in and out of your pocket and/or bag as well as offer up
then come home and pick up where I left off on my PC.
a little bit of rain protection. You can usually pick them up at a
stationary store or at a 100 yen store here in Japan.

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Power Labeling
Some recent research in how we learn languages has uncovered Pretty visual, eh? I could have told you that you need to build
that there is no 'language' module in our brain exactly. We actually associations with visual representations, so that your brain can
use our whole brain to learn words and use language. assimilate new words, but that doesn't quite stick as well does it?

So, for example, if I told you I saw a flying pig, you probably Anyway, there is a pretty easy way to create these visual flashcards
wouldn't believe me, but you could easily imagine what a flying pig so that you can really lock in the vocabulary. You can do it with a
looks like even though they don't exist in real life. Your brain can study tool I call 'power labeling'. Basically, you are just going to
pretty easily combine your memory of a pig and your concept of the label everything in your house or apartment using new words.
action flying into some kind of image. Maybe you imagine a pig
with a cape or wings whizzing through the air. For example, you can take the word 窓(mado), meaning window
and write it down on a sticky note. Be sure to write the hiragana
The point is, that the words you are reading now are not how your first on the very bottom, then write the kanji directly above it. This
brain sees words. This is just an easy and quick format for me to is so you can later rip off the hiragana once you have become
convey information to you, but it is not how you really think or use confident with it.
language. The abstract letters of this ebook are actually being
changed into images (or sounds, smells, feelings, or tastes) by your The last step is to write an example sentence using the new word.
brain in a rapid, automatic process whether you are aware of it or
not or at least according to this new theory. For 窓, we could use a simple sentence like the following:
窓を 開けてください
And actually the more abstract language becomes, the more
difficult it is for people to understand. That is why a lot of N1 (madowo aketekudasai)
essays are so incredibly difficult to understand. Please open the window.

So it makes sense to have flashcards that are as concrete as This is an excellent example of something you can use for a more
possible. That are surrounded by images, sounds, smells, tastes, basic vocabulary words. What about something a lot more
and feelings that you can use to plant the word in your head. Give complex?
it roots so it can grow and stay put instead of being washed away.
Here is a lovely example from my N1 So-Matome Grammar book:

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 Teach Yourself Grammar

私は、家では たいてい ジーンズに T シャツを 着ています。 One of the best ways to learn something well is to teach it to
(Watashiwa, iedewa taitei jiinzuni T-shatsuwo kiteimasu.) someone else. If you have to explain something several times over
I wear mostly jeans and a T-shirt when I am at home. and over again to someone, it becomes an easy way to learn the
thing yourself.
This is something you could easily put on your drawer that holds
your jeans and T-shirts, so that you can see it every time you wear So, naturally, the best way to learn a new language is to teach
your jeans and T-shirts. others what you know about the language. This will help you
reinforce what you already know as you are teaching someone else.
All right, how about those tricky abstract words that don't really You are also helping a fellow studier in the process. This is one of
the reasons why I started the JLPT Boot Camp blog.
have an object you can label? For example, there is an N1 word, 経
緯 (ikisatsu), which roughly means 'details, particulars, or the whole But there are some issues with running a blog. First of all, you
have to go through all the work of setting one up. New blogging
story'. This might seem like a hard thing to find a physical object to
platforms like Wordpress.com and blogger make it simpler, but not
match up to.
completely foolproof.
But, what about a grater? A grater breaks things down into smaller
The other issue with blogging is that there isn't exactly a built in
parts, and aren't details and particulars smaller parts of the whole?
way to review. In other words, once you've created the post or
So you could label where you store your grater with this word and
other kind of content it just sits there and probably won't be seen
an example sentence. Or if not a grater, maybe where you store
again by your eyes unless someone makes a comment or
your knives. They are used to cut things into smaller pieces as
suggestion.
well.
And some people blogging just isn't there thing. I mean, music
The idea is to think differently about abstract words, don't try to
isn't my thing, so why should I learn guitar, so that I can play
simply remember the word by connecting it to just the English
Japanese songs? Seems like some extra work if I'm not really into
translation, but connect it to as many other things as you can.
it.

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An Alternative to Blogging For the So-Matome and New Kanzen Master series this is pretty
So teaching something is a good way to learn something, and easy, the grammar phrases are pretty clearly marked in each
blogging is a good way to teach something, but that might not be section.
your thing. What's the alternative to that then?
Now, grammar can be pretty tricky, some grammar points might
Well, there are several alternatives you can use. One method that have several rules. For example, for the は particle, there are
I've been using recently is teaching myself grammar through little probably at least 7 or 8 rules or pieces of information that you need
mini lessons. I was able to basically teach myself all the N1 to know about it. So, it is important to break down one grammar
grammar expressions in about a month using this method, so it can point into several pieces. This way, your brain won't be overloaded
be pretty powerful. with all the extra information at once.

This method involves doing some recording and using that You may also want to look up the grammar point in a reference
recording to help you review the grammar. I have found that book of some kind. I've listed a few grammar resources that you
recording audio is really helpful because there are some great tools can use to find more information about a particular grammar point
that can help you review the grammar on a regular basis so that you have a better idea of how to use it. Generally speaking
automatically. though, a good textbook should have an ample enough description
of the grammar point for you to understand what is going on.
Find some Grammar to Review
Start Recording Mini Grammar Lessons
First, you will need some kind of grammar textbook to work with.
This can be a Minna No Nihongo book if you are just starting out After you have found a good grammar point, and you are pretty
with N5 and N4 or it can be a So-Matome or New Kanzen Master familiar with it, it is time to do some recording. A smartphone
book for the N3 and above levels. For more details about different works great for this, the iPhone has the Voice Memo app and
books, check out the guide on how to select a good book. Android also has an app simply called Voice Memo or there are a
few alternatives you can use as well. Alternatively, you can just use
After you have gone through a particular section of the book and Audacity and a computer microphone to record your voice that way,
did all the exercises, isolate the grammar points that you have too.
learned. There is usually a grammar section in every textbook that
will present the grammar point they are focusing on for that unit. Once you have your audio recording gear setup, it's time to do

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some recording of the particular grammar point. The main idea
behind these recordings is to give as much information as you need For example, if you got は and が confused, try to understand what
to understand the grammar point clearly, but not too much as to the difference is between them. Then, record some notes on what
bore your future self to death because you'll be listening to these those differences are, so you won't make the mistake again. Try to
recordings on a regular basis in the future. imagine that you are the teacher and you are explaining the answer
to a student who has gotten it wrong.
At first, recording these mini grammar lessons will seem a little
awkward, and you'll notice that you might even leave out a few Drills (sometimes) Kill
things by accident. But, over time, you will get better at explaining SRS (and drilling in general) is the most efficient way to digest raw
the grammar points and understanding what is important about vocabulary in relation to its English translation. It has been
each one. It's a powerful way to take a different direction with how scientifically formulated to help you remember the vocabulary you
you study your grammar. need to memorize quickly and smoothly. It is perfect in every way
except one thing.
When I did this, I recorded the audio and then listened to it for a
good 20 minutes or so a day on my walk to work. I was able to It can get pretty darn boring sometimes. So, you might be
learn all the grammar from the So-Matome book in around a wondering “Am I doomed to daily drilling for half an hour until I get
month, which is pretty powerful. my level up?” and be curious if there are any alternatives to just
sitting and eating your Brussels sprouts every day.
Grammar Corrections
Another thing you can use audio for is to use for notes on mistakes Thankfully, no, you aren't doomed to the doldrums of drilling.
you made on the questions. Usually at the end of a particular There are a few alternative methods to learning vocabulary that
section of a book, you will have some questions to check your don't involve daily drilling, but instead rely on your creativity. I
understanding of the grammar point. recommend giving them a spin every once in awhile when you need
to do something different.
Try to analyze why you made those mistakes. If you made the Hybrid Technique
mistake because you just didn't know the grammar point, you need
to really go back and review. If you made the mistake because you You really don't need to choose between one or the other either.
confused one grammar point with another, make a note of it. The best technique is to blend both together and use the combined

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strength of the two systems. language. And it is important to review and understand the
grammar and vocabulary at that level.
A lot of words will, for whatever reason, just click on the first time
through. Your brain locks them in place and that's that. But, there As you start to advance in your learning (somewhere around N3)
will always be those words that don't get rooted and you keep you'll want to shift away from spending a lot of time on language
messing up - those words that you just can't remember or you get knowledge and focus more on language skills. I think that this is
confused with other words. one of the biggest hurdles people hit when they reach the N3 level,
they don't switch over their study plan to be more skills-based.
With those words, I usually try something different. Obviously the
connection that SRS is trying to make just doesn't work for my At N3+, you'll want to start reading and listening to a lot of
brain, and the mnemonics aren't helping either. So, I'll copy those different material so that you can see words and grammar points
words out and spend a little time working on them in a different used in different contexts. You will also see kanji used with new
way. words that you can practice guessing the meaning and
pronunciation of. These are all important skills that can not be
So, if you are looking for a more balanced study diet, I recommend learned by rote memorization or a SRS. You need to do them in
trying to do some Vocabulary Mind Mapping to help map out words order for you to master them.
in your head.
Intensive vs. Extensive
Language Skills
There are two kinds of listening and reading practice you can do:
You should try to be practicing language skills as well as language intensive and extensive. Intensive listening is probably something
knowledge all the time. In other words, don't pack your week with that you are used to doing if you've been studying Japanese for
7 hours of SRS and nothing else. You'll need to balance yourself awhile. This is where you listen to a usually short recording and try
between skills and knowledge in order to really master the to catch 95% of everything that is said. You try to understand all
language. the words, grammar, and phrases. You might listen to the
recording a few times to understand everything as well.
When you first start studying a language you'll want to focus pretty
heavily on language knowledge, especially foundational grammar Intensive reading is much the same thing. You are reading a
and the first 2000 or so words on the language. For Japanese, N5 shorter text that you have to look up a lot of words for and making
and N4 levels cover most of the foundation you'll need for the

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sure you know the whole meaning of the passage.

Extensive listening is the opposite of intensive. This involves

listening to longer pieces and the objective isn't to understand
every single word, but more like the overall ideas in the recording.
You might listen to the piece only once like if it's a TV show or a
podcast for example. The idea is to gain more exposure and a
better feel for vocabulary and grammar you already know, but
haven't quite mastered yet.

Extensive reading involves reading material that is pretty easy and

you can quickly make your way through. You are looking to
increase your reading speed and comprehension speed so that you
can easily recognize words that you already know. You are just
making the whole process a lot more automatic.

Both styles of practice are actually necessary in order to become a

great listener or reader. Extensive is better for comprehension,
vocabulary usage, learning some new words and fluency. While
intensive is good for checking grammar, learning new words,
practicing your accent, and discovering structure mistakes. To
become a great listener, it is a good idea to blend both of these
together.

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 Comprehension Reading
Sitting 20 minutes Steps:
N3+ 8.5 1) Pick out a book or blog article that is appropriate to your level.
2) If it is an article from the internet, print it out. It'll be easier for you to take notes. Or you
Fluency can use the free Adobe Reader app (PC, mobile) to add notes to it.
Grammar 3) Read through the entire article, or 2 pages of the book. Don't look anything up, and try
your best to move through the material quickly, but still read for details.
Kanji 4) Don't get hung up on what you don't know, you can go back to it later.
Listening 5) After the first reading, write down what you think are the main ideas of the passage. This
could be important points the author made or events if you are reading a novel.
Reading 6) Read the article or 2 pages again, this time slowly.

Speaking 7) When you come across a word you don't know, take a best guess at the meaning of the
word by using context clues. You don't need to spend an incredible amount of time on this,
Vocabulary just make a quick guess. (Reading Tips)
8) After you take your best guess, check it with a dictionary to see if you are correct.
Writing
9) Write down the definition on the page behind the page you are reading or as a sticky note
if you are using Adobe Reader. This will keep you from cheating.
• An appropriate level reading
book 10) If it's a common use word, be sure to throw it into your flashcard system for review.
• Japanese to English 11) Now, read the passage again and check if your first guesses about the main points of the
dictionary, or for N1 a reading were correct or not.
Japanese to Japanese
dictionary
• pencil
• Flashcard system
 Essay Writing
Sitting 20 minutes Steps:
N4+ 9 1) In order to write an essay, you'll need to have a topic first. This can be a little tricky the first
couple of times. Think about something you can react to, like a news story, a movie, a book, or
Fluency even something that happened to you.

Grammar Another thing you can do to get some ideas is to find some random images and try to form a story
from them. For example, you could visit Flickr.com, they have the most interesting images from
Kanji the last 7 days you can look at for ideas. Or if you are really in the mood for something nutty, you
can try out random plot lines to write stories from.
Listening 2) Once you have an idea to write about it's time to start writing. The easiest place to do this is on
a computer. You might want to try that the first couple of times before writing on paper just to get
Reading
started. A computer will help you by giving you the appropriate kanji so that you don't have to
worry about that.
Speaking
3) Keep a grammar textbook nearby to peek at every once in awhile to see if you can add anything
Vocabulary to your writing from it. You don't want to try to force the language too much. Don't worry about
making mistakes either.
Writing
4) Don't be afraid to try out a FEW new words. Don't jam the essay full of everything you possibly
can. If you DO add a few words (that are new to you), be sure to add them to your flashcard
• Notebook or Computer system.
• pencil
• Japanese to English 5) After you are done writing the essay, either submit it to a website like lang-8.com or have a
native speaker look it over and proofread it.
dictionary, or for N1 a
Japanese to Japanese 6) For an extra challenge have your native speaker friend point out WHERE the mistake is, but not
dictionary WHAT the mistake is. Then, try to correct it yourself.
• Grammar textbook
• Flashcard system
 Note Taking
Sitting 5~10 minutes Steps:
N5+ 9 1) Play the listening material.

Fluency 2) While the CD is playing, think about the following details: What is the relationship of the people
in the conversation, are they mother and daughter? Husband and wife? Boss and employees?
Grammar What are they doing now? What are they (probably) doing next? How do they feel? Happy? Sad?
Where are they? Are they at work? At home?
Kanji Write all of these details down as fast as you can while still listening. It's okay (and advisable) to
take notes in romaji or whatever you can write fast. For an extra challenge of course, you can take
Listening notes in kana or even kanji if you wish, whatever is easiest for you. The point of this exercise is
not to make good notes in Japanese though.
Reading
Remember it is important to think about context. On the test, there will be little context (usually
Speaking just a short sentence about the relationship of the two or three speakers), you'll only be listening to
a recording without any images to tell you where they are or give you clues to what is going on in
Vocabulary the dialog. You'll have to imagine it all yourself.

Writing 3) After you've finished listening, check your notes against the listening script. Be sure to look up
any words you don't know. Were you correct? If you had some problems with listening, check out
these listening tips for help on what to improve.

• Listening Material 4) Listen to the CD one more time and try to listen for what you missed.
• Notebook or scrap 5) Don't forget to add any new words you didn't recognize to your flashcard system. Also if you do
paper and a pencil know the word, but didn't recognize a particular conjugation of the word make note of the grammar
• Japanese to English structure. You might want to listen to the CD one more time and listen carefully for the missed
dictionary, or for N1 a conjugation. This will help build the link in your head.
Japanese to Japanese
dictionary
• Flashcard system
 Test Taking
Desk 1 hour+ Steps:
N5+ 10 1) You want to follow the times for the different sections exactly. Make sure you set your timer to
the exact time and don't look at the test booklet until you hit the start button.
Fluency
Continue through the whole test without stopping the timer, looking up any words in your dictionary
Grammar or peeking at the answers. You'll be able to check the answers soon enough when you are finished.
This includes also staying in your seat. In the real test, you will not be given the opportunity to get
Kanji up and stretch so you'll have to make do with what you can do while sitting down.
This may seem a bit over the top, but it's best to try to simulate the testing environment as much
Listening as possible, especially if you are not a good test taker.
Reading 2) After you have finished the test, check your answers and see how you did.

Speaking 3) Generally speaking if you scored less than 80% on a particular section, you should consider that
a weakness to improve. If that means you are weak in all areas, then use the 50% rule to help
Vocabulary prioritize what you need to improve.
4) Be sure to go over the questions one by one with a native speaker if you can. If you can't, try
Writing your best to figure out the answer to the question on your own. If you are simply stumped, you
can go get some help online.
• A Practice or Mock 5) After you've checked and asked about all your incorrect answers. Go back over the test and
Test analyze what type of questions you got wrong. For any grammar points you missed, go to that
• pencil page in your grammar textbook and circle the grammar point with a red pin. You can then review
• Some kind of Timer these points in your final month before the test.
Spend a little time critically thinking about why you got the question wrong? Did you not
understand the vocabulary or grammar? Did you misread a question or section of the passage?
Did you mishear something in the listening? The answers to these questions will help you focus
your efforts on your weaknesses and form a Test Taking Strategy.
Mentally Demanding Activities You might not want to make comprehension reading a part of a
These first activities we are going to go over demand that you are daily routine, but once a week, or 2 or 3 times a month will be
pretty focused in order to practice them. Make sure you are fairly great practice for the test.
alert and have a bit of time to do each activity. Although these
activities are a bit strenuous, they can be invaluable when you take I personally spend 20 to 30 minutes on my commute to work
the test. reading essays. There are days when I'm not so focused, but I try
to force myself to be focused for that train ride. Afterwards, I can
Comprehensive Reading indulge in rocking out to some music on my iPod or just a relaxing
On the JLPT, you'll be tested on your ability to comprehend the walk into work knowing I've done some good studying for the day.
reading passages on the test. You'll be given several reading Essay Writing
passages and then asked questions about the main ideas of
passages of various lengths. This section seems to give a lot of Okay, so you are probably asking yourself right about now,
people headaches because they are not used to reading a lot in What?!?! I have to write an essay for the test? Well, no you don't
Japanese. have to write an essay, but being able to write one and use the
proper connectors is incredibly important because you will be
So, it is important to not only know the vocabulary and grammar
reading essays on the test that you'll have to answer a few
necessary for your level, but to also practice the skill of reading.
comprehension questions about.
Not only practice the skill but also build up your reading stamina.
On the higher levels of the test (N2 and N1) the vocabulary,
Also, the third grammar section of most of the tests has a text that
grammar sections, and reading sections are all combined. This
you must fill in the appropriate grammatical item. Being confident
makes for a much longer testing time, 105 minutes for N2 and 110
of what item goes where will really help you to answer these
minutes for N1.
questions quickly and smoothly.
During that entire time, you'll be reading and answering questions
for the test. If you aren't a student at a Japanese college or aren't It will probably be a bit daunting at first to write an essay in
working at a Japanese company, chances are you need to build up Japanese. Remember to start small and write longer and longer
your stamina for this. Without adequate prep, this huge block of essays as you get more and more confident with your writing skills.
time in another language is enough to make your head spin. Don't be afraid to make mistakes either, that's how you learn.
Comprehension reading will help stop that from happening.

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If you want to get really into it, you could even start up a blog with the details afterwords. This is difficult on a lot of different levels.
your essays. It's great to be able to share your ideas and thoughts First, you have to focus and take decent notes. The whole time you
with others and who knows, you might get some comments and be are doing this, you have to analyze the listening for what are the
able to practice your Japanese with some native speakers. most important points that the question might ask about. And to
top it off you are doing this all at the very end of the listening
Again, like comprehension reading, I wouldn't recommend this as section when you are probably the most tired.
an every day activity, but it might be useful to do this a couple of
times a week or a couple of times a month. These questions may seem a bit unfair, but you can imagine this
exact same scenario in real life. For example, you attend a meeting
How I usually practice this is I try to summarize a TED talk that I that a co-worker wasn't able to make it to and that co-worker asks
watched. These talks are usually about academic topics and are you some questions about what went on in the meeting. So,
generally pretty interesting. I'll try my best explaining the talk to although it is incredibly difficult, it will come in handy in real life.
my wife and work out the details with her, then put pen to paper.
Just as with most of these other mentally demanding activities I
Note Taking would recommend only doing this 1 or 2 times a week or even 2 or
During the listening section of the test, you'll be listening to some 3 times a month if you don't have much of a problem with listening.
sections of dialog and then asked some questions about them. One
of the biggest problems people have with this section is listening, I occasionally do this in the morning before I head off to work. You
staying focused and getting all the details. can sometimes squeeze it in if you have a few free minutes to
spare. What is really good for this is a JapanesePod101 Premium
This is especially difficult in N3 and above. At those levels the final Subscription. With the premium subscription, they separate the
section of the listening involves listening to a dialog, which is dialog out for you so you can listen to just the conversation and
usually quite long somewhere around a minute and a half, and then take notes on that.
answering questions about it. The questions for this section are not
Test Taking
printed in your question booklet and you do not hear them before
the dialog starts. Taking the JLPT is much like a sporting event. Like an athlete, you
must train doing different kinds of drills that focus on different
In other words, you are given a long dialog usually with 3 speakers language skills. For example, a football player might go for a run
where you'll have to take good notes because you'll be asked about for a half an hour every day to increase his speed. Someone

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studying for the JLPT might go through flashcards for half an hour a time to maneuver. I take another practice exam (they usually come
day to improve his vocabulary. These activities both focus on one in packs of 2) the week before the real exam at the same time as
skill of the athlete or learner. They are the most efficient way to the real exam is going to be. I guess this doesn't have to be so
improve that one skill, but on game day you have to use all those exact, but the idea is to calm your nerves and get a feeling for what
skills together in order to be successful. the test will be like the next week.

That's why athletes have scrimmage games before league games. One side note about choosing exams. There are past exams
These scrimmages are meant to get the players ready for the available on the 'net that, shall we say, 'fell off a truck'. These past
challenges they will face in a real league game. The same is true tests should be eyed with a bit of caution. They tend to have
for those preparing for the JLPT. You should play a scrimmage mistakes, incorrect answers, bad listening quality or listening that
before the real test otherwise it'll be difficult for you to know what cuts off in the middle. Do yourself a favor and spend a few bucks
to expect. You'll also be able to learn how to use different to get the official copies of the past test and save yourself some
strategies and what works for you and what doesn't, as well as be hassle.
able to get a feel for time management.
Mock Tests are available at White Rabbit Press:
The point of taking a practice or mock test is to treat it like the real
test as much as possible. This will help you to calm your nerves for N5 N4 N3 N2 N1
the real test and give you a realistic picture of what you need to
Mock N5 Mock N4 Mock 12 12 12
work on. Treating it like the real deal gets your mind primed and
Tests Test Test
ready for the big day.
Past Tests 2009(incl. 2004- N/A 2009-1 2004-
Taking a mock or practice test is also one of the only times where (pre- N4) 2006 2006
you'll see the exact questions you got wrong and right. This is 2010) 2009(incl. 2009-1
invaluable feedback on what your strengths and weaknesses are. N5)
You unfortunately don't have this opportunity when you take the
real test because they no longer release past tests as of 2010.
*For the 2009 past tests N5 and N4 were sold together and so were
N2 and N1.
I usually take a practice test about 4 months before the exam.
That way I can refocus my study efforts if I need to and have some

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And I've made all of the official JEES practice tests available at my
website (for free):
N5 N4 N3 N2 and N1

The blog posts on JLPT Boot Camp also contain some information
on what the differences are between the old tests and the new
tests as well as some notes and Anki drill cards.

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 Studying an Exercise Book
Sitting 15 minutes Steps:
N5+ 6 1) Pick out an exercise book that focuses on your weaknesses for the JLPT. I wrote up a short
guide to help you with choosing a good exercise book in the appendix.
Fluency
2) Choose a section to do of the exercise book. Try to make it short, something you can do in
Grammar* about 15 minutes. The So-Matome series have days built into them, you can use these as natural
dividers.
Kanji* 3) Try to complete the section in about 15 minutes, you can time yourself if you want to, but it's
not necessary. The reason for having a time restraint is to help keep you focused for those 15
Listening* minutes; it is also great practice for the test. If you feel you can get it done faster than 15
minutes don't be afraid to reduce the time and challenge yourself a bit.
Reading*
4) After you are done, check your answers. If you are studying a grammar, vocabulary or kanji
Speaking book put a big red circle at the head of the section that introduced the points you got wrong. For

Vocabulary* example if you got a question wrong about わけだ, go back to where this point was explained and
circle it.
Writing You don't want to answer any of the questions with pen however, because you might want to go
*depends on what kind of drill book through these exercise questions again in the future.
The reason for the red circles is so, in the last month before the test, when your study time is all
• Exercise Book the more precious, you can skim through your exercise books looking for red pen and study just
• pencil and red pen what you were having trouble with and not everything. You can perform a bit of study triage, if
you will.
• some kind of timer
(optional)
 Casual Writing on Twitter
Anywhere 1 minute Steps:
N3+ 4 1) Setup a Twitter account if you haven't already. And go to Twitter search at
http://search.twitter.com
Fluency
2) Search for a topic that is of interest to you. It could be anything from hiking to skiing. Type
Grammar the search term in Japanese.
3) Reply to one of the messages that catches your eye in the search stream and follow that
Kanji person. Asking any kind of question is a good way to get a response and a follow back (where the
person will see your updates)
Listening
4) Some people won't follow back or reply, but that's okay, you still got your practice in. Again,
Reading Japan is a lot more privacy-oriented than other countries, so some people won't follow/respond to
people they don't know.
Speaking
5) You can also visit sites like http://twitter.grader.com to see the most popular people in your area
Vocabulary if you are in Japan. Or if you are outside of Japan you can check your favorite city and see who is
the most popular and follow them.
Writing Again, remember to at least introduce yourself or ask them a question so you can get some
interaction out of them. Don't be a dead fish, you really don't have anything to lose by trying out
• Some kind of internet- your Japanese and seeing where it takes you.
connected device (PC,
tablet, smartphone,
etc...)
 Casual Writing on Blogs
Anywhere 1 minute Steps:
N3+ 4 1) Once you've picked out a blog that you want to read from the variety of blog directories out
there. Read through the article and try to understand as much as you can.
Fluency
2) Be sure to use the variety of tools (like Rikai-chan, etc...) that are available for you to read and
Grammar practice Japanese with a web browser.
3) Try to write a comment that contributes to the article or possibly asks a question. You want to
Kanji try to get some interaction with the blogger. Don't be afraid to make mistakes either. It's just a
blog.
Listening
4) If there is an RSS feed, you can use that to read the blog in a blog reader like NewsBlur. This
Reading is a great way to remember to keep up on that particular blog.

Speaking

Vocabulary

Writing

• Some kind of internet-

connected device (PC,
tablet, smartphone,
etc...)
 Dictation
Sitting 10 minutes Steps:
N5 4 1) Once you have chosen an unheard appropriate-level listening material with a script (very important!).
Play the piece all the way through first.
Fluency 2) Try to understand as much as you can about the main points of the dialog the first time through.
Grammar 3) Now, select a small section of the dialog (about 10 to 15 seconds) and listen to it.
Kanji 4) Write down as much as you can of the sentence (on paper or in a text document on your PC). You can
try to write the kanji if you want to practice writing kanji, but it isn't necessary.
Listening
5) If you had a hard time writing everything down, listen a second time and fill in what you missed. You
Reading might want to do this in another color pen so you can check what was difficult for you to hear.
Speaking 6) Continue on through the dialog, selecting small sections like this until you come to the end.
Vocabulary 7) Lastly, check your sentences against the script for the dialog you listened to. What kind of mistakes did
Writing you make? If you had problems with a particular grammar point, be sure to take your grammar book and
circle that chapter or section with a red pen. That way the month before the test you can save time by just
reviewing these difficult grammar points.
• Appropriate-level 8) OPTIONAL: If you really want to lock in what you just learned and you have some extra time, you can
listening material with practice writing 2 or 3 of the sentences you had the most trouble with. Just write out the sentences as
a script fast as you can 5 times while repeating them out loud. This is a way to get yourself used to
• pen and paper seeing/hearing the correct grammar so that it will look weird if you make the same mistake again. You
can also combine this with 'Dueling Speakers' afterwards to get some speaking practice, too.
Tips: You can slow down the audio if it is going too fast for you. If the audio is too dynamic (gets really
soft and really loud) try using the compressor filter, it's under Effect -> Compressor.... The default settings
should work just fine.

Tutorial Video (on YouTube)

 Dueling Speakers
Sitting 10 minutes Steps:
N5 4 1) Open Audacity and open the audio (with a script) that you want to practice with.
2) Plug your headphones in and 1st listen to the part you want to practice following along with the script.
Fluency
3) Now, select a part that you want to practice.
Grammar
4) Hit record and record your voice. You will hear the voice of the recording in your headphones but it
Kanji won't show up on the recording, so you will have a good clean copy of your voice.
Listening 5) Now play back the two tracks together. Where do you and the voice you are emulating not match? Try
to practice those parts again until you have a pretty good match. Doesn't have to be perfect. You might
Reading end up going crazy if you try to make it perfect.
Speaking Tutorial Video (on YouTube)
Vocabulary
Writing

• Appropriate-level
listening material with
a script
• headphones
 Studying with Music Videos (PVs)
Sitting 20 minutes Steps:
N3+ 4 1) Pick out a PV from http://www.musicpv.jp (tutorial: pv-tutorial.mp4).

Fluency 2) At first, listen to the song 2~3 times to get comfortable with the rhythm and see how much of
it you can understand.
Grammar
3) Click on the link to the lyrics (歌詞 or かし in Japanese). Musicpv.jp has lyrics for most songs,
Kanji but occasionally you might get an error message that they couldn't find lyrics. If this is the case,
Listening you'll have to move on to another song. Alternatively, you can try jplyrics.com

Reading 4) Listen to the song while reading the lyrics. This is so you can link the sound and kanji/kana
together in your head. You might want to hum along so you can get comfortable with how the
Speaking song is sung.
Vocabulary 5) Look up any words you don't know. You can use a browser tool to help you with meanings on
Writing jplyrics.com (browser extensions don't seem to work on musicpv.jp lyrics).
6) Practice ondoku with the lyrics a few times and try to get as comfortable as you can with the
• Internet surfing device words. Try to think about the meaning of the words as you do this part.
(tablet, PC, Mac) 7) You can try to echo the song, by playing a little bit, pausing, and then singing it. Work your
way through the song until you are pretty comfortable.
8) Finally, you can try to sing-along with the song to help you practice the rhythm.
 For this exercise you'll probably want to use a pencil instead of a
Not so Mentally Demanding Activities pen to answer the questions. Or you can also write your answers
The following set of studying activities aren't quite as demanding as on a separate piece of paper, which is what I tend to do. This is so
the first four. Because of this, they can be done on a much more you can go back and re-do the questions in the future.
regular basis. They do require a little bit more focus than some
other activities that I will talk about in a little bit, but you don't have When I first started studying for the test, I always thought I would
to be feeling like a million bucks to do these. never go back and answer the practice questions again. “I'll
already know the answers so what is the use?” I thought to myself.
Studying an Exercise Book But, I was dead wrong. Usually after about 2 months or so, you'll
Exercise books are great tools that can help you study specifically forget most of the test questions (if you don't review them). This is
for the test. I'm not talking about Minna No Nihongo, Genki, or a great time to go back to the questions and do them again to
Japanese for Busy People. Those are all great books that can be check your progress. You'll be amazed at how much your score can
used for studying Japanese in general, but to prepare for the test change for good or bad.
specifically, you might want to pick up an exercise book full of JLPT-
like questions. If you are concerned about pencil marks messing with your mojo,
you can always use a different symbol to mark your answer choices
These come in many shapes and sizes. From all in one exercise the second time around. What I sometimes do is use a circle the
books to ones that are specific to just one skill and level. They are first round, then circle all the other answers when I'm finished
meant to help you prepare for how the questions will be asked on checking my results. Then, the second round I'll use a triangle to
the test. It's one thing to know the grammar, but it is a little mark the answers. Third round, a square... You get the idea.
different to be able to answer specific questions about it.
I usually work on an exercise book once a day. Anything more than
Some of the more popular exercise books that you might have that can get a bit dull. You also might start getting test-only
heard of are the So-Matome, the New Kanzen Master, and the Japanese syndrome where the only way you can use Japanese is if
Nihongo 500 series of books. These books all have their different it is presented to you in test form, not a good thing.
subtleties to them, but no matter what book you choose, this study
strategy will help you get the most out of them. If you are looking for recommendations for good books, I
periodically review books on the blog. I also always recommending
picking up books at White Rabbit Press, they are usually the most

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affordable for worldwide shipping and have a nice clean site. before using this activity.

Casual Writing I personally do casually writing on a somewhat regular basis via

There are two forms of writing in any language, fancy writing and social networks like Facebook by posting my updates bilingually.
casual writing. Fancy writing is more reserved for things like That way others can possibly check my handiwork or learn from my
reports, newspapers, essays, and novels. This is the kind of translation. Either way, my English-speaking friends and Japanese-
language that you will see in the reading section of the test. speaking friends can join in on the conversation.

Then, there is casual writing. This is the kind of writing that is The three other main places where I get casual writing practice are
reserved for emails, text messages, and social networks. It is Twitter, emails, and blogs. Let's go over each one and their
closely related to the spoken language and even recently has advantages and disadvantages.
started to include facial expressions and feelings in the form of
Casual Writing with Twitter
emoticons or kaomoji as they are called in Japanese.
Twitter has come out of nowhere to be it's own little
Both are important to learning a language. Casual writing can be miniblogging/social networking service. Some people love Twitter,
useful as a more structured way to practice conversational some people hate it, some people can't figure it out. It seems to
Japanese. It is also a great way to simply practice vocabulary and get a mix of reactions from people.
expressing or explaining situations to someone. All of which will
come in handy on the test for the listening section. If you aren't already on it though, I would recommend hopping on
just to try it out. Practicing with Twitter might suit some people
If you are interested in a 'maximum efficiency' study strategy this amazingly well, while others might be shaking their heads in
isn't it. This is more of a general language practice activity. In my frustration. You never know until you try right?
personal opinion though the more you use the language the more
comfortable you will be with it and this can pay off in other ways. I personally have an off and on love affair with the service.
Also, socializing on social networks and keeping in touch with Sometimes I get on and do a lot of posting and really get into it.
Japanese friends can help when you ask them for favors (like Other times I'm simply too busy to keep up. The advantage of
asking them to check your Japanese essay). Twitter though is that your friends generally don't seem to notice if
you've been gone for awhile since the service is so ephemeral to
But, if you don't have time, you might want to try something else begin with.

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 interaction/practice/fun on Twitter.
Twitter has exploded in the States of course, but it wasn't until
somewhat recently (2010) that it really started to take off in Japan. Third, I would recommend having an account that is only for
And like everything else about Japan, Japan has it's own quirky way Japanese. Don't try to blend English/Japanese. If you pretend to
of using the service. be Japanese and other people don't know your native language,
they will most likely only use Japanese with you, even if you can't
Twitter Tips understand one bit. This is great, real-world, get-your-fingers-dirty
First off, people don't usually use a clear picture of themselves practice.
unless they are famous celebrities. This is because privacy is highly
valued in Japan. This is of course starting to change, but you'll see The other reason for this is you don't want to anger your English-
a lot of people on Twitter with manga characters for their avatars or only speaking friends or Japanese-only speaking friends when you
have a picture of the back of their head looking at something. This post an update in either language and they can't understand it. I
is perfectly normal in Japan. always find it a bit annoying when I go to follow someone on
Twitter and think they are English or Japanese speaking and find
Second, one big misconception of Twitter is that it is all about you out that they speak Russian 80% of the time instead. This usually
posting updates about yourself. This is true to some extent, but results in me dropping them.
the real power of Twitter comes from interacting with other folks
that share similar interests. Keep in mind when you write that you Unfortunately the trick of posting bilingually doesn't work on Twitter
want to start or continue a conversation not just throw random bits as well as it does on Facebook due to the 140 character limitation,
of information out for no reason. so it is best to just stick to one language and leave it at that.

So for example, if it's hot out, you probably shouldn't say As anyone who follows my Twitter account knows, I'm an on and
off Twitter-er. I used to tweet all the time, I was almost addicted to
something like 暑いですね because there isn't a whole a lot a
it, but I've been too busy of late to do a lot of tweeting. But don't
person can do to respond to that. Try to rephrase it into something let my experience discourage you from at least trying it out. Give it
that might get some interaction like 暑いときは冷やすために何をす a few weeks and a few tweets and see what happens.
る？(What do you do to cool down when it's hot?). This is more
likely to get a response and thus allow you to have more

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Casual Writing via Email Casual Writing via Blogs (commenting)
Email can be another great way to communicate with people in Blogs are another source of reading material that is generally pretty
more than 140 characters. Although it can be a slightly bigger easy to digest. No one is writing any thesis papers online about a
commitment, it can be more rewarding if/when you meet someone certain topic. As a matter of fact, most of the blogs I've seen in
that can be a good friend and someone that you genuinely want to Japan are rather simple affairs.
talk to.
In Japan, a lot of people consume content via their cell phones
I keep in touch with a couple of my Japanese friends from time to (and more increasingly smartphones) so blogs are formatted with
time in a mix of Japanese and English. I find it useful as over time, this in mind. They usually don't have long posts, have fairly simple
your Japanese will improve and usually your old friends will be the themes, and are written in short paragraphs. A lot of the travel
ones that notice that and give you a pat on the back. blogs I've seen have a lot of photographs and a few comments
under each one.
I don't have a lot of tips on emailing because I honestly don't do it
very often, but it can be a method you might want to try. If you This makes for pretty light reading and easy commenting. Again,
haven't meet any Japanese folks in real life and are looking for a this isn't the most maximum efficient way to study for the JLPT, so
penpal, a great site that gets recommended a lot is if you are pressed for time, you might want to try something else.
http://interpals.net. It's a completely free service that allows you However, it can be a way to change things up every once in awhile
to connect with others interested in language exchange. and get some Japanese practice in the process.

It should be noted that this is a language exchange and not a Also, in the spirit of complete language immersion, you can replace
dating service. I would recommend against going on here and the time you usually spend reading about your hobbies and
looking for love; it just isn't the place. It might happen organically, interests in your native language with time spent reading about
but don't go into it thinking that way. Also, it is really difficult to your hobbies and interests in Japanese.
keep a penpal connection going. People get busy, things happen,
and you fall out of contact, so be patient with it. There are a few main blogging sites (like blogger.com in the states)
in Japan. One of the major ones is Ameba. There are a variety of
sites listed under this service. The formatting is a little strange,
because most of the blogs have a narrow format suitable for cell

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phones, but you can still find a few gems here and there. A good to try reading blogs if you are just a beginner. The sooner you start
place to start is there most popular ranking page. seeing native materials the better, and with all the tools available to
help you read Japanese on the web, there are really no excuses for
A competitor to Ameba is FC2, which is a blog directory sorted by you to not start even on your first day with Japanese.
category and popularity. This directory can be real hit or miss.
Some categories have some great blogs in them, others not so Dictation
much, but it is a good alternative to Ameba. You probably have that look on your face like the time your mom
told you that you had to eat your brussel sprouts. What? Dictation?
There are also two independent blog ranking sites that might be I thought this studying Japanese stuff was suppose to be fun! I
worth checking out as well. One is a place call Blog Ranking and know this because I once had the same reaction myself. It seems
another is Blogmura. I've found some gems on both of these sites like such a tedious task that was once used in medieval times as a
for everything from travel blogs to how to save money. form of torture.

There are also some big professional blogs in Japan like LifeHacker, And it can be a bit tedious, but sometimes you need to eat your
which has a lot of useful tips for making life easier. From there you vegetables before you can sink your teeth into that steak. Dictation
can also visit, Gizmodo, Kotaku, Tabroid, Roomie and My Lohas that can be appropriate in some situations and for some students'
offer up some of the same. Another interesting blog that I check learning styles. It is most helpful for learners that like to see things
into every once in awhile is Pouch, which is an written down. If you are more of a visual learner and have a hard
entertainment/fashion blog. It is more geared toward a female time learning just from speaking and listening, this might be the
audience though. perfect activity for you.

Commenting on blogs shouldn't really be a scheduled thing to do, You might be asking how does this help? Well, first off it helps you
more like something to do in your free time to have fun studying improve your accuracy with the language. If you listen to a
the language and get some casual Japanese practice. It will help sentence and keep missing particles or verb endings, chances are
on the test with some of the vocabulary though. I tend to read you are also missing those verb endings and particles in your
blogs and comment only when I have free time and want to read speech as well. Once you've discovered some of your grammar
about a particular hobby. weaknesses, you can use this to focus your studies on those
grammar points.
Although I rank this as an activity for N3 and above, don't be afraid

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Dictation also improves listening comprehension and focus. You particularly useful for dictation because it is hard to get back to the
have to stay focused through the entire sentence in order to get it exact point to listen again.
all and write it down. This careful and active listening is an
invaluable skill for Japanese and for the JLPT. Luckily, iPhone has a forward 15 seconds or backward 15 seconds
feature. This is really handy because you can skip back and re-
Dictation also involves a lot of connected activities. Not only are listen to a particular section that you missed.
you listening to the sentence being said, you are also writing it, and
also reading it as well. You can also, of course, repeat back the To activate this feature though, the audio needs to be labeled an
sentence that is being said while you write it so that you can 'audiobook' (or a podcast). This is really easy to do. Just right click
actually practice all 4 skills at one time. on the audio and select 'Get Info'. Then click on the 'Options' tab.
Finally, select 'Audiobook' as the media kind and hit OK.
Obviously, this task doesn't allow you much creativity. You aren't
using your own ideas with the language which is really a key part of Then, all you have to do is put it in a playlist and throw it onto your
learning and becoming fluent in a language, but you are practicing iDevice. Then when you play it, you'll see forward and backward
the raw skills of using the language. I wouldn't overuse this arrows that make it easier to skip forward and backward in the
activity, but it is something to practice on a regular basis. audio.

Tutorial Video (on YouTube) The Slightly More Difficult Way

There is a iPhone app called 'Hokusai' that you can use just like
Dictation on an iPhone
Audacity to select a part of the audio to listen to over and over
What if you are not around a computer that often and can't use again. There is even a feature to select songs from your music
Audacity? What if you prefer to do dictation on the road or at a library, too. So you can listen to them section by section that way.
cafe? Well, there are two ways you can do it on an iPhone, the
easy and simple way, or the slightly more complicated, but more The other way to do it is to have a Dropbox account that you can
powerful way. use to store the audio in. Or you can sync files via iTunes as well.
This is a little more involved, but might work out better for you in
The Easy Way the long run.
When you copy an mp3 over to your iPhone, it usually treats it as a
song, so you can skip forward or backward. But, this isn't Dueling Speakers

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I remember when I first started learning Japanese, I thought pronunciation. Also if you speed up the audio, it can be a great
Japanese pronunciation was pretty easy. Kana are pretty way to practice speaking a lot faster to increase your fluency.
straightforward with their pronunciation and there are very few
exceptions for when they are pronounced differently, which makes Studying with Music Videos (PVs)
it easier to learn to pronounce than say French. Studying with music has numerous advantageous to it. Even if you
are not a music nut, it can really help you out in the sense that it is
The real differences come up with stress and intonation. For some a relaxing way to get a little more practice in. Finding a catchy
words, it really doesn't matter where you put the stress, but other song to sing along with helps keep the words in your head and
words and phrases can sound strange or become hard to allows you to have fun while you study.
understand because the intonation is slightly off.
Even if you are at a beginners level of Japanese, listening to
Of course to make matters worse, some regions of Japan use Japanese music can help you get more comfortable with the
different stress patterns. For example, Kansai-ben can sound fairly language. It also brings you a little closer to the culture and at the
different than the standard dialect sometimes, even though people very least will give you something to talk about with your Japanese
are using the same words. friends.

So, being able to use the correct intonation and stress can help you Some recent studies have shown that listening to the music of a
be understood, and it can also help you understand what is being foreign language can help you learn where one word ends and the
said. Sometimes the best way to practice listening is to practice other begins. In other words, it assists your ability to recognize
speaking. patterns in the language. This pattern recognition is a critical first
step to acquiring good listening skills. So, the sooner you can
Of course, if you use Japanese a lot in conversation, you'll start to master it, the better off you'll be.
pick this up naturally from whoever you are talking to. This is how
some foreigners will end up picking up Kansai-ben intonation. But I listen to Japanese music when I just need to relax and don't feel
if you don't have the opportunity to chat a lot or if you are just like studying so hard. Watching a few music videos (PV in
starting out, how do you get this rhythm and intonation down? Japanese) to pass the time while I eat a snack or drink my morning
coffee is a great way to pass the time and 'study' a little bit.
I sometimes use a study technique I call 'dueling speakers'. This
helps you to clearly see where you are making mistakes with your I use a website called musicpv.jp, which is a usually pretty good site

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to find good music videos. One problem with the site is that the
lyrics they provide are not 'selectable'. This makes it impossible to
look up words with browser tools. If you really need to know the
pronunciation of a particular word in kanji, you can visit another
site, jplyrics.com. There you can highlight the kanji and see the
readings with browser tools. You still can't copy the lyrics out,
though.

PV Tutorial Video (click here to open the video)

(YouTube video)

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 Ondoku
Anywhere 5 minutes Steps:
N5 3
1) First off, listen to the listening you have chosen paying attention to the
Fluency
pronunciation. Pay close attention to any kanji that you might not be completely
familiar with.
Grammar
2) Read the script out loud as fast as you can and time yourself.
Kanji
3) Underline the parts that you had trouble saying quickly and any other difficult to
Listening
pronounce Japanese words.
Reading
4) Listen to the listening again, pay attention to the parts that you had trouble
Speaking
with.
Vocabulary
5) Practice the parts of the dialog you had trouble with. Repeat them multiple
Writing times until they roll off your tongue.
6) Read the script out loud as fast as you can again and time yourself again. This
• Listening with a script
time try to beat your previous time.
(Textbook dialog,
JapanesePod101, etc...) 7) Listen to the CD a third time. This time though, pay attention to the intonation
• audio player of the dialog.
• timer
8) One last time, read the script out loud as fast as you can matching the
intonation as best as possible. Try to act out the script as much as you can.
9) OPTIONAL: One last time, play the listening and try to match the dialog as best
as you can. You want to speak at the same time and speed as the speakers in the
listening. This will help you get a feel for native-speaker speed Japanese.
 Accelerated Reading
Anywhere 1 minute Steps:
N4+ 4
1) Find some appropriate level listening material with a script and listen to it one
Fluency
time while following along with the script.

Grammar 2) Repeat step 1 until you are fairly comfortable with the sounds and can read at
that pace. (This may just be one time.)
Kanji
Listening 3) Speed up the tempo of the piece with Audacity by 10% (or more if you want a
challenge).
Reading
4) Listen to the piece again and try to follow along with the script. Make sure you
Speaking
are able to read at that pace.
Vocabulary
5) Repeat steps 3 and 4 until you can't keep up, you need a break, or your brain
Writing
starts to 'fog'.

• Appropriate level 6) Try to read through the piece one more time as fast as you can. Pay attention to
listening material each word and make sure you are comprehending the piece not just blindly reading.
• Audacity (free)
 Shiritori
Anywhere 1 minute Steps:
N4+ 4
1) Start out by saying a word in Japanese.
Fluency 2) The next person in line has to say a word that begins with the same mora as
Grammar the last mora of the word you said. So for example,
Kanji Player 1: きれい (pretty)
Listening
Player 2: いたい (painful)
Reading
Speaking 3) Keep playing until you run out of ideas. One rule to keep in mind is that no word
Vocabulary can end with the ん sound because no words in Japanese begin with the ん sound.
Writing 4) For added difficulty, players can say the word and then use the word in a
sentence to check usage.
• Absolutely nothin'
 I bought ...
Anywhere 1 minute Steps:
N4+ 4
1) The first person starts out by making a simple sentence with one item. For
Fluency example, りんごを買った。(I bought an apple.)
Grammar
Kanji 2) The second person adds another item. For example, りんごとバナナも買った。
Listening 3) This continues until someone can't add another item or they forget one of the
Reading items in the list.
Speaking 4) For added difficulty, you can have categories that the words need to belong in
Vocabulary like animals, food, buildings, etc...
Writing

• Absolutely nothin'
 The 'if' game
Anywhere 1 minute Steps:
N4+ 4
1) The first person starts off by making an 'if' statement. For example, お金持ち
Fluency
だったら船を買う。 (If I were rich, I would buy a boat.)
Grammar
Kanji 2) The second person has to use the last part of the sentence to make a new 'if'
Listening sentence. For example, 船を買ったらびわ湖に行く。(If I buy a boat, I will go to
Reading Lake Biwa.)
Speaking 3) Keep going until you run out of ideas. Again, it's a good way to use your
Vocabulary imagination and help the time go by waiting in line.
Writing

• Absolutely nothin'
Easy Activities I tend to do Ondoku almost every day on my walk to the train
The following activities are things that can be done with a minimal station. I do it while looking at my iPhone which probably isn't the
amount of focus. That's not to say you can do them after 3 hours safest option, but allows me to do two things at once. Try to work
sleep and a few too many, but they can be done during those times it into your normal routine if you can, it will greatly speed up your
when you don't feel highly motivated to study for the JLPT. speaking confidence as well as reading and listening speed.

Accelerated Reading
It's important to have some activities that are easy to do on a
regular basis so that you can keep the exposure to the language Reading is one of the toughest sections of the test, and probably
up. You want to increase your 'language endurance'. This will the most common complaint about it is not being able to finish in
come in handy for the test which is incredibly long at the higher time. A lot of times you can answer the questions correctly if you
levels (well over 4 hours when you include all the instructions by just had more time, but the clock stops and you are scrambling to
the proctors). It will also be necessary if you are planning to work fill in the answers.
in a Japanese speaking environment where you will hear Japanese
all day, every day. Accelerated reading can help you speed up your reading (as well as
improve your listening skills) by forcing you to read faster. The
Ondoku basic idea is that the audio will push you to read faster and your
Ondoku literally means 'out loud' in Japanese and although this task brain will get used to identifying and reading the kanji and kana
may seem very simple and of not much value, it can really help faster.
with your fluency as well as reading speed. The best part is that it
doesn't really require much focus, so that you can easily find time If you don't have a recording of particular reading that you want to
to do this activity. do this with you can always head over to Rhino Spike where a
volunteer will read it out for you or you can get your conversation
The basic idea behind ondoku is to practice the mechanical moving partner/tutor/teacher to read it out for you into a smart phone and
of your lips at a higher speed. Although, at first this may seem do it that way.
rather robotic, it can actually make you more comfortable with the
speaking process. The higher the speed at which you can speak, I've just started to use accelerated reading to improve my reading
the higher the speed at which you can probably read and listen. skills. I don't do it too often, but for some challenging reading
passages, it can really help out.

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Games software out there that can really help you learn the language. You
One aspect of language learning that is just now really getting fully just have to know where to look.
explored is the realm of gaming. There is some special wiring in
Educational Games meant for Japanese
our brains for games. Everyone loves to play games of any kind
whether they are old, young, man or woman. There is a game out There are a number of video games, specifically Nintendo DS
there for everyone. games, that are particularly good for practicing kanji and doing
some reading. They are meant for Japanese, but shouldn't take too
So, gaming might seem like a perfect way to study a language. You much figuring out in order to use them and practice with.
can have fun and stay motivated while at the same time learning a Incidentally, the few games meant for English-speaking learners of
second language. It seems a bit too good to be true, and it kind of Japanese are pretty sad. If you find any that fit the bill, by all
is. Gaming is far from the holy grail of language learning, but it can means let me know though.
be one more tool in the tool belt.
One note of caution though before I start talking about Japanese
In general, games are an important place to get more exposure to DS games. The original Nintendo DS and DS Lite were both region
a language. What this means is it will help you increase your unlocked, which means you could play Japanese DS games on an
listening and reading stamina as well as your general comfort level American DS and vice versa. The Nintendo 3DS unfortunately does
with the language. It will also help you review the grammar and not have this feature, so if you want to play these games, you'll
vocabulary you already know, too. have to:
A) Have/Buy an original Nintendo DS (Lite) from any region
What playing games will not do is teach you new vocabulary and B) Have/Buy a Japanese Nintendo 3DS
grammar (at least in an ultra efficient matter). It also isn't the most C) Find a creative alternative (hint: go ask Google)
efficient way to study and prepare for the JLPT as most video
games use casual Japanese or even slangy Japanese. So, you I'm lucky enough to live in Japan where it seems like Nintendo DSs
might be spending some time looking up words that aren't on the are given out at immigration as you enter the country so I've been
test, and might not even be using yourself in conversation because set since I got here. If you do find yourself in Japan and want to
it would sound funny for you to do so. pick up a Nintendo 3DS for cheap try to find a recycle shop, like
Hard Off. They will most likely have a good selection of used 3DSs
Having said all that though, there are some good games and some for a pretty reasonable price, or you can splurge and buy a brand
new one off the shelf.

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 A great website that has a huge selection of these types of games
Tadashii Kanji Kakitori-kun Kanken Taisaku is quite a mouthful for a is Big Fish Games. They have an English and Japanese site so if
game, but it is an incredibly helpful kanji drills DS game. It you want to you can play the English version of the game as well as
contains all of the commonly used joyo kanji for you to practice. Be the Japanese version. This way you can see both sides. If you
aware though that this game is meant for Japanese school kids so a have trouble navigating the Japanese site, you can use Google
lot of the drilling material is a little academic in nature. The game translate to help you find your way around.
itself though is quite fun and easy to get into.
On of the big advantages of Big Fish Games is that you can play the
Casual PC Adventure Games game for an hour for free, which might be just enough time for
In the early days of computer gaming, there used to be these most people. You can see if the game has difficult Japanese in it or
games called adventure games. The main objective of the game not, or if you just like the overall story. Either way, doesn't cost you
was to navigate through a story collecting clues and trying to solve anything to try it out.
the mystery behind it all. They were usually quite involved and
could last for hours. I grew up playing these games with my For more details on how to use casual games to study Japanese, I
brother, who used to help me solve all the puzzles. wrote an extensive article about it on the blog. Be sure to check it
out.
Well, if you are feeling a bit nostalgic about some of these games,
Smartphone Games
they live on in a new genre called casual gaming. These are games
designed for those who aren't into hardcore gaming, but just want With the ease of programming apps for smartphones comes a
a simple story to make their way through. They usually have plethora of great smartphone apps to help you learn Japanese. I
somewhat predictable plots and OK graphics, but they do offer up a personally own an iPhone and find it to be almost invaluable for
lot of Japanese reading to do. language learning. There are so many tools in just one device. I
don't have time to list all the apps/games imaginable here, but I'll
In the games, all of the instructions are in Japanese. This includes go over a select few that I use on a regular basis.
things like tutorials as well as explanations for the different puzzles
and the different riddles you have to solve. This makes them pretty I have used Japanese Flip for a few years now. It's a good basic
ideal for language learning as you have to understand what is going flashcard app that is separated out into the different JLPT levels.
on before you can advance in the game. However, I recently discovered StickyNotes: Kanji, which is far
superior. It includes example sentences, and several different kinds

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of lists including the JLPT levels and grade levels. Also, the overall long car ride.
design and feel of the app is pretty slick.
One other aspect of this game is that you can learn new vocabulary
If you are looking for some kanji practice I've always used iKanji from your friends and nobody has to crack a dictionary. It will also
Touch, but I've noticed another app that has a lot more features reinforce your understanding of the word if you have to explain it to
called Japanese LS Touch. Also, the app named simply Japanese a friend that hasn't heard it yet. This can make for a fairly painless
has a lot of cool features including a dictionary and a function that learning experience.
automatically makes flashcards for you.
I usually play it while waiting in lines at theme parks, which I love
There are also an enormous amount of apps for the Android that to visit. It can make that hour in line fly by. So, the next time you
are incredibly useful, but unfortunately I don't have much are with a friend that knows Japanese, give it a try.
experience with them so I can't really recommend any. But, be
sure to try to stock up on some apps and see if they work for you. I bought …
There are new apps coming out all the time so you might want to This game goes by many names, including the alphabet naming
do some regular searching to keep your smartphone fine-tuned. game and the basket game, but no matter what you call it, it is a
simple game that you can play while waiting in line. It doesn't
Real World Games
require any writing or board of any kind.
Yes, people in fact do still play games in the real world. I can
recommend only a handful of games that I regularly play when You've probably played this game in English at some point, and this
waiting in line with other Japanese learners or native speakers, but is just the Japanese translation of it. It is also very good for
they do come in handy from time to time. training your memory, too.

Shiritori The 'if' game

Shiritori is a great game that you can play with other speakers of The final game that I sometimes play is the 'if' game. This is a little
Japanese whether they are native or not so native. It's often bit more advanced than the last two and might be a bit slower
played in grade school in Japan, so most native Japanese speakers because it takes a little bit more thinking, but that just means
will know how to play it right off the bat. Another good thing is you're learning a lot more in the process. This game also really
that it doesn't actually require you to have any materials of any helps with conjugation which can be really helpful for increasing
kind, so you can play it while waiting in line for something or on a your fluency.

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 Non-electronic Stuff
Unfortunately, it only really practices one grammar point, the There are a plethora of new gizmos out there that can do
conditional, but it can be fun to use your imagination and your everything from tell you where the nearest McDonald's is to map
vocabulary to come up with some interesting ideas. The better out your run, so you can post it on Facebook. Those are all fine
your imagination, the longer the vocabulary will stick in your head. and good, but paper hasn't died out quite yet for a few reasons.
Fillers
1) It doesn't have to be booted up or switched on. Now,
In today's busy world, nobody every has time for anything. It granted, I have an ancient iPhone 3G that is just barely staying
seems like you wake up and you are running as fast as you can to alive, but even modern phones have to still be switched on and the
get everything done just before you go to bed and wake up and do app has to be selected. In those few moments of fiddling with your
it all over again. phone, you could possible eat up a few of the precious seconds you
have free to study, so having paper to whip out and flip through in
One of the biggest complaints I here from my students is that they a few quick seconds can save you some time and hassle.
simply don't have the time to study. They work long hours and get
home exhausted. I'll hear them tell me that there is simply no time 2) It's a single-purpose device. Flashcards and cheat sheets
to study for class ever. serve only one purpose - they only have information that you are
going to study on them. They don't have games, text messages, or
But, surprisingly there are plenty of moments throughout the day email to distract you with. They are only for studying.
that you can use to study. There are those moments where you are
waiting at the bank, waiting for a train or bus, or just waiting for For these reasons, having a few pieces of paper in your back pocket
someone to answer the phone. These are moments when you can can be extremely handy from time to time. I personally carry 10
practice and review Japanese. You'll be amazed by how much this flashcards with me every day so that I can whip them out anytime
adds up. I'm free and take a little peek at them.

So, it is important to have some material on hand to make use of But, you can also pack along other things to help you study with as
these spare moments of your day when you can study, because you well including cheat sheets for grammar or even lists of phrases
might as well make use of as much time as you can. that you want to remember. When I'm focusing on studying
grammar, I usually write up a small cheat sheet of all the grammar

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points I'm having trouble with along with an example sentence to vocabulary and kanji apps.
go with the grammar point. Then, throughout the day, I can slip it
out of my back pocket and take a peek at it periodically. Be sure to make use of PDFs

Electronic Stuff Some materials are available as a PDF, for example,

Smartphones do actually come in handy though. If you have a little JapanesePod101.com has PDFs available with a subscription. I
bit more time on your hands than a few spare seconds, you can usually load these up into iBooks and sync them with my iPhone
whip out your handy smartphone and hammer away at some vocab and read them while listening to their podcast. Android has similar
or apps. Since new apps are coming out daily, and I've already functionality with the free Adobe Reader app.
gone over some smartphone games in an earlier section, I thought
I'd just go over some general principles of how to make the most of Another great app to use is the Kindle app available for both
your smartphone. Android and iOS as well as for the actual Kindle device. When you
sign up for the Kindle service, they will give you an email address to
Choose apps that have some kind of SRS built into it. send PDFs to. This is an extremely handy way to simply attach
your PDF to an email and send it off so that it is available on all
Usually apps have this built in, but there are a variety of different your devices. And of course, all the Kindle features are available for
systems that fall under the 'SRS' category. Try to get something these PDFs like the ability to save your place and resume reading it
that mentions the Leitner system. This is a fairly robust SRS that on a different device.
can help you learn a lot of information fast. There are other
adaptive systems out there that can be better, though so keep your You can even create your own PDFs of things with a free tool like
eyes peeled and be sure to read the reviews for the app. Bullzip PDF Printer. This completely free tool acts as a printer in
virtually any version of Windows. All you have to do to turn
Stay away from phrase books and travel guide apps something into a PDF is open it up and print it to the Bullzip Printer
just like you would to a normal paper printer.
I personally have yet to find a good phrase app for the iPhone that
isn't for beginners. Phrasebooks and apps are great when you are Think about Getting an Evernote Account
literally just starting to learn the language. They will help you dive
in to a conversation with a native head first, but once you've Evernote is a popular web app that allows you to synchronize your
graduated past newbie, it's time to ditch them in favor of notes across several platforms. It has an app for iPhone, PC, Mac,

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and Android. It will help you file and tag your PDFs, audio files, activities.pdf' to help you pick out which activities should go where
notes, photographs, etc... A cool feature is that you can search on your calendar.
text in photographs so you can literally take a picture of something
and file it away that way. Don't try to overload yourself at first. If you are used to studying
about a half hour a day then try to bump that up to 45 minutes or
The free version gets you 60MB of uploading per month which is an hour tops. Don't schedule yourself for 3 hours of studying every
pretty good for just notes. The premium subscription gets you day right at the beginning. Build slowly over time. Even if you are
1GB/month. Which would be valuable if you are uploading a lot of in a rush, make sure you don't overload yourself otherwise you'll
media files. Although the free account will probably suit the get burnt out too quickly.
majority of your needs.
My personal story with this was when I tried to memorize all my
This app can be especially handy if you want to take a picture of White Rabbit flashcards. I was fanatical about trying to remember
something and then later be able to search it. For example, if you every single vocab word on all the cards, but I just simply got burnt
want to take a picture of your notes for later look up, this can be out. I was trying to look at flashcards every moment I had free.
invaluable. One thing to note though, as far as I know the image And although you can build yourself up to that eventually, don't try
search only recognizes roman letters not Japanese kana or kanji, so to start out that way. Slow and steady wins the race.
just be sure to make some notes in English if you want to do some
searching. Reminder: Kill your Darlings
I recently read 'On Writing' by Stephen King. It's a book about
Fill in your Calendar writing books from the master of horror writing. In it he goes over
Here comes the fun part where you get to start laying out your all the basics of how to write a good book and stay motivated. One
study plan for the next few weeks. It may seem a bit tedious to big thing that I took away from that is the advice to 'kill your
create a layout like this, but if you schedule it, you'll be a lot more darlings'. Let me explain.
likely to do it than if you just tell yourself that you'll do it 'later'.
We tend to do things we like to do. For example, we tend to write
Remember that calendar you color coded two weeks ago? Well, about things we like to write about regardless of whether that
now it is time to fill it in with some activities. You can use the study writing is essential to the story or not. When Stephen does a
activity reference cards in the separate PDF labeled 'study- second draft of all his books he sometimes has to 'kill his darlings'.

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He has to cut out the boring stuff that doesn't move the story
along, no matter how much he likes that part of his story.

The same is true about how you go to lay out your study plan. You
mustn't schedule in a lot of activities that you love to do simply
because you love to do them. Make sure your plan focuses on your
weaknesses so that you are a well-balanced learner going into the
test. This requires that you take a good hard look at what your
weaknesses actually are and plan accordingly.

Of course, I'm not saying to only eat your brussel sprouts and stay
away from the ice cream either. Be sure that you schedule in fun
activities to keep you interested in the language and your eyes from
rolling into the back of your head just don't overdue it.

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 Keep to your Schedule
Beyond this Book Keep to a schedule as best you can. Sure, there will be days that
All right, congratulations, you made it through the 2 month you feel tired and listless, but at least crack the book or take a peek
intensive course on how to study. I hope you had as much fun at the flashcards. You'll find that the hardest part is just getting
going through this book as I did making it. But, of course, it started and creating that pattern. Once you've done something for
doesn't stop here. Your journey has only just begun. 21 days, it starts to become pretty natural. So, even if you aren't
putting in 110% every time you do a study activity, keep at it so
You might be starting out at a beginner level of Japanese and want that you establish that rhythm.
to just pass the N5 or you might be struggling to finish off that
stubborn N1 test. No matter what your level is, you are going to And, make sure you have a schedule. One of the biggest mistakes
have setbacks and times when you just aren't motivated to I did when I started studying was to simply study 'whenever I felt
continue. The road is definitely long to get to language mastery, like it'. Needless to say that didn't last long. I know from
but the pay offs are big. experience that if you follow this 'whenever' style of studying the
best you can hope for is N4 (maybe N3). N2 and N1 take a lot of
When I first came to Japan, I was completely lost. I could hardly discipline and a lot of studying (up to 2 to 4 hours a day). You
order at McDonald's and now I'm able to read a lot of things can't get to that level just studying 'whenever'.
without too many issues as well as ask my fair share of questions to
the guy at the electronics store. It took a considerable amount of Don't Overwork Yourself
time for me to reach this level because I made a lot of mistakes
Stick to your schedule, but don't overdue it. Whatever you do,
with my studying.
don't burn out. Burning out could mean you step away from your
books for a month or even more and that is a lot of time lost in
So, I'm going to leave you with some final advice to help you
language learning. Build up your schedule gradually over a few
achieve your Japanese learning goals. Some things that I learned
weeks or even months. Adjust it for what you want to do with your
the hard way through my 7ish years of studying Japanese on my
life.
own. Don't be a dummy like I was.
You do still need to socialize and have friends after all. There might
be some nights that you're going to have to stay in and catch up on
your studies, but don't make it the norm. Trust me, I've been

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there. I've been so far buried in a prep book or some listening stressed out and that will definitely affect your score on the test, so
practice that I realize I haven't seen my friends for a few weeks, don't do that to yourself. If you don't pass one time, there is
and the only interaction I've had is with people at work. Don't go always a next time. Focus on progress and not perfection. As long
there. as you are learning something new every day, you aren't going
backwards, so stick with it.
If you feel yourself having a craving to just veg out and not do
anything, but say, watch Simpsons reruns, use this to motivate When you Hit the Wall
yourself by making it a reward. Tell yourself that it is perfectly fine Despite all this planning and goal-setting if you study Japanese for
to sit through a Simpsons marathon as long as you put in a good 2 any length of time, you will inevitably hit the wall. Maybe you get
hours of studying beforehand. You should try to reward yourself your test results back and they aren't what you thought they were
with little things while you're studying anyway. going to be. Maybe you have been studying for awhile and you
don't really feel like you are making any progress. Maybe you go to
It's just a Test, not the Language talk to your Japanese friend and the words just get all jumbled up.
The JLPT is a test of your Japanese input (i.e. listening and
reading). It isn't the entire language by a long shot. You still need Whatever the reason there will probably be those bad days when
to be able to speak it and write it to be truly called 'fluent'. So, you just want to call it quits and move on to something else. But
although getting an N1 qualification will get you a lot of job part of you still wants to keep going because you don't want to give
interviews and generally prove that you are comfortable with up quite yet. We've all been there, if not about Japanese, certainly
Japanese, it isn't everything. about something else. So, how do you keep moving forward?

And you shouldn't treat the test as everything. It is a benchmark to Take a Look at your Goals
help you learn the language and it forces you into good listening It is important to have a clear reason for why you want to study the
and reading habits that you may not have otherwise acquired by language in the first place. That's why we spent an entire week on
studying the language by other means. It also forces you to be a that earlier. Try to go back and think about why you started
well-balanced learner of the language. You aren't going to be studying in the first place. Has that goal changed? Have your
incredibly heavy in one particular area after studying for the test. circumstances changed?

If you try to over-think the test too much you are bound to get You may very well decide that learning Japanese is no longer

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something that you need to study and put so much effort into and But, it can also cause unwanted stress and anxiety. For some
that is okay. You shouldn't stick to something you don't feel people, the test can be a challenge to overcome, for others it may
passionate about, but I encourage you to at least take a look to see seem like an impossible barrier. If it isn't motivating you to
if you are still passionate or if you can find another aspect of the continue and you don't need it for a job, you might want to think
language that you can get passionate about like writing kanji, about just dropping it completely.
idioms, or manga.
After all, it is just a paper test and like all paper tests, it only covers
You might want to change your goal to be something other than reading and listening. These are vital skills, but it isn't the whole
the test (blasphemy, I know). If the test is keeping you up at night, language. It might be more motivating for you to practice chatting
and it shouldn't really, it's just a test, then is there something else with people or even doing some writing.
you want to be able to do with the language? Do you want to be
able to travel and book hotels? Do you want to have a small Are your Study Methods Motivating?
conversation with people you meet? Do you want to be able to talk When you focus too much on the JLPT you might be tempted to do
about the latest news and express your opinions about them? a lot of drills to maximize your study time. Doing drills and working
through workbooks is great because you can visually see your
You might want to take some time to look at a different kinds of progress with the number of pages or drills you have done. But it
goals that are more suitable to your lifestyle and what you want to might not be the most motivating.
do with Japanese. If passing the N1 in 3 years is going to benefit
you, then go for it. But, if not, maybe there are other aspects that Randomly reading through some fun blogs or chatting with friends
you can explore while you wonder your way toward the eventual might not seem like the most efficient way to learn the language,
goal of N1 or maybe just N2 (nobody says you have to go to the but it is still valuable practice. Not only are you learning precious
top). communication skills, you are also using the language with your
ideas, not your book's ideas. This makes it more personal. And if
Is the JLPT right for you?
it's more personal it will be easier to remember.
The JLPT offers a great system of levels to help you measure your
progress. There are books specifically designed for each level so So if you are in a funk about studying. Try to shift your prospective
you can easily buy and study things that are helpful to you. It also on it. Try a different way to study for a few weeks. Challenge
gives you solid deadlines to shoot for with your studies. yourself with something difficult or something that scares you.
Taking this 'jump' might just be the thing that restarts your whole

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study habit.

Ganbare!
Thank you again for purchasing my guide and supporting my
website at JLPTBootCamp.com. I'm truly honored that you chose
to spend time with me and I hope you got all the information you
need to study for the test and take yourself to the next level.

If you have absolutely any questions or suggestions for this kit,

please let me know by emailing me at [email protected]. I
will be sure to get back to you as soon as I can. I am passionate
about making this kit the ultimate guide to passing the JLPT in less
time and with less pain.

Furthermore, I wish you the best of luck in pursuing your Japanese

learning goals. I hope that you achieve them faster and with less
pain after going through this kit. Hearing about one of my students
succeeding definitely brightens up my day and makes this all worth
it.

頑張ってください！

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 Beginners
Appendix of Further Guides If you've been studying Japanese for about 6 months and can
comfortably read hiragana and katakana without too many
Here are a few more guides to help your studies along. These mistakes; If you are capable of putting together a basic sentence
aren't absolutely necessary so I didn't want to include them in the in Japanese and consider yourself almost ready for N5, then you
main section of the book, but you might find them useful for when can rightfully call yourself a beginner.
you go to pick up reading or listening materials or to find some
good apps. You might think that this is too early to start reading, but it really
isn't. The sooner you can get your hands on native materials and
Choosing an Appropriate Level Reading Book start to puzzle them out for yourself the better. Don't worry about
It can be a pretty daunting task to choose a book to read for your making sure you understand all the grammar perfectly or if you can
studies. Indeed it is hard to even know where to start looking for a understand it naturally. The very act of puzzling out a few
good book that will provide a good learning experience for you. In passages here and there is enough to help you remember the
this section, we are going to go over a few book-choosing basics grammar and make it more meaningful to you (because you worked
that should help you maximize your use of a book that you are so hard to get that little nugget of info out).
reading. Children's Books and Young Adult Books

You might be thinking to yourself that book selection really isn't Ok, you probably read children's books in the title and almost
that big of a deal. That it is a relatively simple process and you are yacked. I understand your pain. You are (probably) an adult and
mostly correct. But, if you choose a book that is, for example, too the thought of cracking a children's book is pretty hard for you to
high, you might not make so much progress. Or, if you choose swallow.
something too low, you might not be unlocking your full potential.
I was there once as well. When I walked into a used book store
Let's first go over some categories of reading materials that can and picked out my first children's book 'Alice in Wonderland' in
help you learn the language. Japanese, I thought to myself “What am I doing?”. But, I learned a
lot from that book. Mostly because it had a lot of pictures in it and
I was also pretty familiar with the story. So I could easily imagine
the situation and I didn't have to spend too much time looking up

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words I didn't know. I could just fill in the blanks in meaning. It pack a lot of the same benefits of children's books as well as add
also got me used to reading all kana. This is a skill that is a little some more difficult grammar and vocabulary. Another advantage
hard to pick up because the Japanese language is meant to be used that young adult books have over children's books is that they use
with kanji. kanji with furigana. This will help when you are first starting out
with kanji.
But, on the test, and some other situations, you'll see text that is
written solely in kana. This can be a bit difficult to decipher at first, Young adult books are more appropriate for N4 or N3 learners. I
so it takes a little bit of practice and children's books are a great know a few people at the N5 level that try to tackle them though,
place to get that practice. so if you have the motivation and the will, it is definitely do-able.
You just might have to look up a lot of grammar points or simply do
There is now a selection of multilingual children's books that can be a lot of guessing from context.
picked up for the iPhone or iPad as well. A lot of these will have an
English version and a Japanese version (with audio) of the Some good recommendations that fit this category are movie
interactive book. These can be just the thing for those that are not novelizations, like some of the books written from Disney movies,
able to make it to Japan to pick up a few of these in a used book like Toy Story or Monsters Inc. These books closely follow the movie
store. and are very easy to get through. These books don't have as
many pictures as children's books, but they do have a few pictures
A few children's books that I highly recommend are Blue Quoll's Mr. at the front as well as a few sometimes spaced throughout the
Wolf and the Ginger Cupcakes and their newer title Goldilocks and book.
the Three Bears, and WingedChariot's Scruffy Kitty. Blue Quoll now
has several books with translations in several languages. All of One thing you can do if you start reading these books is watch the
them seem to be pretty natural and well-done. movie before reading it. You'll be amazed how well it matches up
and you can learn new words without having to look them up.
Be aware of cheap or even free multilingual children's books,
sometimes these often contain bad translations. There is usually a Manga
lite version of most books that you can check out and see if the Manga is another great source of reading material for some of the
translations are okay, or just check the reviews before you buy. same reasons as children's books are a good choice: they have a lot
of drawings. Also, you'll be reading mostly spoken Japanese
Books meant for young adults are a little more difficult, but can instead of written Japanese. This can be a very useful way to

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practice both the skill of reading as well as learn new vocabulary Unfortunately, I would only recommend this option to those living in
and phrases that are used more in the spoken language. Japan because you really need to be able to flip through the pages
to see if the material is a good fit for you or not. Also, magazines
They are a bit deceptive though. Manga are comic books after all, subscriptions in Japan are a lot more expensive then they are in
but they can be pretty difficult to decipher. Luckily, most of them other countries. They are sometimes more expensive than just
have furigana for all the kanji so you can look up words pretty getting the magazines in the store, so I don't recommend picking
easily. There are also English versions available of most of the up a subscription either.
major manga so you can read it in English and then in Japanese, so
that you have a general idea of the story. Intermediate Learners
If you have been studying Japanese regularly for about a year to
Be careful when selecting manga to weed out any period pieces two years; if you have passed or feel pretty close to passing N4; if
(like a manga about the Edo period) or any manga that involve you have a firm understanding of the fundamental grammar of
some kind of fantasy world, like Dragon Ball-Z for example. These Japanese; then you are probably an intermediate learner. Some of
kinds of manga will be packed with words and phrasing that isn't these texts are still going to be challenging, but it is better to sink
often used (and sometimes can't even be clearly understood by the your teeth into them now and know what you are up against.
general public).
This is where reading can really start to be fun, too. Your reading
And if you think manga is just a bunch of stories about unnatural speed should start to accelerate so that you can read a book at a
looking caricatures interacting with each other, think again. There pretty good speed, maybe not close to native speed quite yet, but it
are in fact a lot of manga about semi-everyday things like high is getting there.
school or salarymen, so they are worth at least a look.
Children's Newspapers
Magazines
If you grew up in the states, you probably fondly remember Weekly
If you are interested in Japanese fashion or Jpop, magazines can be Reader. It was a weekly publication that we all diligently read once
a big boon for you. There are also a lot of tech magazines that a week and answered some questions about. The idea was to
have articles on the latest iPhone or Android apps for example. If provide some good quality reading practice that was toned down
you are already familiar with these topics, these could be a good for kids. The articles were short and there weren't too many big
challenge for you. words.

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 biography that is lining bookstore shelves is the Steve Jobs
Well, as you might have guessed, Japan has pretty much the same biography. You can, of course, get the English version of this book,
thing. Now, you can get a subscription to some of these too and practice by reading both.
newspapers, which might be worth it if you want to do a lot of
reading and you like news, but there are also some free online Translations
versions available as well. Another great resource are books that have been translated from
English into Japanese. Since these are translated, they have two
My personal favorite that I check from time to time is Yomiuri's advantages: 1) There is an English version of what you are reading
Online Children's Newspaper. There are also a lot of little, easily to help with your understanding and 2) The actual writing in these
digestible articles on this site on other topics. books tends to be simpler than something written in Japanese by a
Japanese author. Think about it, a translation is trying to
Sometimes, there will be articles about a pretty difficult topic like approximate the English and so can't use as much complicated
sumo wrestling that has a lot of unusual vocabulary, but you'll find wording as a Japanese author would use.
more than a few that use pretty simple vocabulary. This material is
rated for the N3+ crowd, so it might be a little too difficult, but it A really popular example of this is the Harry Potter series. Heck, if
doesn't cost anything to give it a try. They publish a new article you were a pretty big Harry Potter fan, you could buy the entire
every week, so just enough to have a solid stream of content. series in Japanese and read your way through them, by the time
you reach the end, you'll be pretty darn fluent and know all there is
Mainichi Shinbun (free registration required for some sections) is to know about Harry in two different languages.
also a slightly more difficult newspaper that might be worth a try as
well. It does still have furigana in brackets for the kanji on some Self Improvement Books or Textbooks for Adults
pages or you can always use rikai-chan or rikai-kun to help you with Self improvement books offer two advantages in one. First of all,
vocabulary if you get stuck. However, this is more appropriate for you learn how to do something new like, say, carrying on a
N3+ reading. conversation more easily, plus you are helping to improve your
language skills. It's pretty much a win-win situation.
Autobiographies and Biographies
If you are familiar with a particular person's life history, you might These types of books are written to be clear and easy to read. The
want to look into picking up a biography in Japanese about that author doesn't want you to give up learning something mid-way, so
person. For example, at the time I'm writing this, a really popular

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she usually writes in such a way that it is very easily consumable. tips on how to do just about everything in life; Pouch, which is a
Often times there will be a lot of short chapters to help you feel general lifestyle blog; and 1101.com, a blog by Mr. Shigesato Itoi a
your progress as opposed to gigantic 30 to 40 page chapters. famous copywriter. You can think of Mr. Itoi as Japan's Seth Godin
in a way.
Another good thing about these types of books is that they will use
more logical connectors than other types of literature. Logical Novels
connectors are those little bits of the language that glue different At the intermediate level, you are at place where you can start to
sentences together like 'and', 'but', or 'so' in English or words like read actual novels meant for adult readers. These will be packed
しかし、それで、でも in Japanese. These connectors help a with visual vocabulary sprinkled with some good examples of
dialog. They will be most helpful for practicing 'story-telling'
particular passage flow and are an integral part of native literature.
vocabulary, which is very useful for everyday conversation.
Another unique idea for language learning and language practice is
The thing to look out for with (well-written) novels is that they will
to learn another language in Japanese. This might be for more
not contain much recyclable material so to speak. Good authors try
advanced language learners, but I picked up a Japanese book once
to avoid cliches and overused phrases, which makes these texts a
that taught Spanish. In other words, it taught Spanish in Japanese.
little bit more difficult than what you see in a young adult book or
This is definitely a different twist that will help you look at the
even translations. These are books written by a native speaker that
language from a different angle. So, if you are familiar with
is trying to create something unique, which makes it a little more
another language this might be something you want to try.
difficult for Japanese language learners to absorb.
Blogs
However, it is pretty easy to get yourself caught up in a book and
Blogs are never really meant to be a tour de force of well-written its imagery. This is an excellent way to visualize the vocabulary
prose. The general pace and tone of your average blog is pretty instead of looking up some abstract word in a dictionary. You'll be
casual, making them great sources of reading material when you able to actually see it in your mind's eye as you are reading.
are starting out. They are also on the web which makes them very
accessible with Rikai-chan for Firefox or Rikai-kun for Chrome. Advanced
If you are finishing up your prep work for the N2 or the mother of
A couple of blogs I recommend and some readers of my blog have
them all N1, it is time to join the big leagues of reading. There are
recommended to me are: Lifehacker Japan, which is a blog full of

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plenty of reading drill books out there for you to practice reading, definitely have to get used to and comfortable with in order to pass
but they are only there to really give you a good foundation. In the test. I recommend reading through at least one of these books
order to build up your comfort level with the vocabulary you are before you take the N1, and you might even want to take a peek at
going to have to do some 'real' reading. them starting with N2.

And that's okay, reading can be a lot of fun once you get into it. To give you a taste of what this literature is like, you can check out
And like I said before with self improvement books, you are getting Mr. Itoi's blog ほぼ日刊イトイ新聞 (Mr.Itoi's almost daily Newspaper).
a two for one deal. You are practicing your Japanese plus learning He writes an essay about every day about all sorts of stuff. His
more about a different topic (told from a different perspective than blog also links to other similar reading that you can check out.
what you are probably use to).
Alternatively, if you want to have a little variety and read from a
This is especially true at this high level. You'll have no problems couple of different authors, you can check out some literary
finding something that is enriching while at the same time helping magazines. One that has prime examples of JLPT-like material is 中
you to practice your Japanese. 上級のにほんご or Middle-Advanced Japanese. They offer
international subscriptions as well. There is another popular literary
Literature
magazine, PHP. You can find them in every bookstore in Japan.
This is where it's at. If you ever wondered where the JLPT They are smaller than a regular magazine and come in a couple of
organization digs up those essays from, you've found the place. A different flavors. Just look for the big PHP letters.
lot of these writings are borrowed from literature and critiques,
especially at the two higher levels, N2 and N1. Newspapers
I remember a line out of the old 80s movie 'Black Rain', a movie set
These pieces are a pretty good test of your reading skills. They in 80s Japan, where there is a bartender that says something to the
contain a lot of logical connectors, that you will need to know in the effect of “I've been here for 10 years and I still can't even read the
grammar section of the test as well as for the reading section. headlines.” She says it as if, that was one of the easiest things to
They also contain a lot of abstract vocabulary, the kind of stuff that do in a language, especially Japanese.
is hard to visualize.
Well, reading and understanding newspaper headlines probably
And most importantly, a lot of the writing is abstract and full of ranks up there as being one of the most difficult things you can do
tricky metaphors and ambiguity. This is something you will

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in the language. These are super compressed, kanji-packed my opinion. One big reason for this is that they are often laden
encrypted messages that even some Japanese might have to take a with difficult and often-times specialized vocabulary. I would
best guess at. Needless to say, this is some pretty good reading recommend maybe holding off on these unless you have a keen
practice. interest in Japanese politics because they are usually about the
current political issue.
Also, it is important to keep up on 'the pulse' of Japan if you will. A
lot of the reading and actually some of the regular questions of the However, if you do accept the challenge they could be good prep
test go along with common topics of the day. For example, recently for the JLPT. All the major newspapers have an editorial section
it seems like they've had a bit of an environment kick with the that you can check out online for free: Mainichi, Asahi, and Yomiuri.
tests.
High School or even College Entrance Exam Prep books
It is also beneficial to get used to the 'soul' of Japan if I may use I haven't tried this route myself yet, but there are entrance exam
that word. Japanese authors tend to write about certain topics and prep books at every major bookstore in Japan. They are usually
tend to have a certain angle on things. This 'soul' is a bit hard to divided out with one book for each topic of the exam. You can
put your finger on, you can't really describe it, but it's there and usually find a good book or two for the reading sections of these
something that can really only be picked up through exposure. exams.

Newspapers are widely available online these days, so you can The topics will be a bit different than what you will see on the JLPT.
check out a few of the big newspapers online like Yomiuri Online or For example, they will usually be a lot more academic in nature.
Mainichi. Both of these are traditional newspapers. Neither of You might see a passage on biology for example or history. They
them have that long of articles though. Or you can, of course, go will most definitely use vocabulary that is not found on any JLPT
to where people in Japan get their news, Yahoo Japan, which is word list, but they will give you some good practice and good word-
probably the best news aggregator. guessing practice as well.
Editorials
You can find these in a bookstore under the 国語 (Japanese for
Editorials or 社説 (shasetsu) in Japanese are quite commonly
Japanese people) section or do a search on amazon.co.jp for 高校
featured on the test and for good reason. They are sometimes
some of the hardest things to read and understand in Japanese in 入試問題集 国語 (Questions for the Japanese section of the High

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School Entrance Exam). about the words that you really had no clue what they meant.

In theory, someone with an N1 is about the same as a native high Were there 3 or 4 words you didn't know? 5 or 6? the whole
school graduate minus all the slang and colloquialisms that make up thing? Well, you should try to aim for about 2 to 4 words per page
natural language, and someone with an N2 can speak at about the that you don't know. This includes phrases that you are not familiar
same level as a junior high school graduate so you would think that
with at all. For example, you might know わけ and では and ない,
these readings would just be good for those studying for the N2,
but actually they are still great prep for those prepping for N1 as but do you know the whole phrase わけではない and its nuances?
well.
Repeat this process for two or three more random pages in the
Testing the Book
middle of the book. If it passes the test for all the pages then this
Now that you have found a book (or other reading material) that book should be about your level.
you like from one of the categories above, you should probably give
it a once over before spending some serious time on it. There are a Check for the Hyper Dragon Kick
couple of factors that you should at least keep in mind before you Different books are written for different folks. Good authors use
start reading more in depth. language that emulates the environment that the book is taking
place in. They will use vocabulary and phrasing that is appropriate
The Level of the Book
for the books setting, including the time period of the book, the
We all have a different set of vocabulary based on our experiences class of people that are speaking, even the area where the
and study methods. Some books will match up with that vocabulary characters are from.
very well while others will be a complete mismatch. Either the
vocabulary is about a specific topic that you are unfamiliar with or it So, it is a good idea to double check if the author hasn't added any
will simply be too difficult. Either way, you should check the of this into the mix. For example, a lot of fantasy manga has a lot
material with a simple test: of completely useless vocabulary that is used for the different
moves of a character for example, or some sci-fi technology. These
Open to the first real page of text and try to read through it things are not useful to you. I can pretty much guarantee you right
completely. How many words did you completely not know? I'm now that the Japanese word for Hyper Dragon Kick isn't on a JLPT
not talking about words you have a good guess about. I'm talking vocabulary list.

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 In Japan
Also, you might be a big fan of samurai and shogun, but keep in People living in Japan have it a lot easier than those living outside
mind that the characters in these novels will speak old Japanese. the country. You basically have two main options in Japan – New
It's a little like reading the Lord of the Rings in English. The or Used.
characters will speak an older dialect that might not be that useful
to you and your studies for the JLPT. Although, if you get into
samurai, I encourage you to keep reading as a hobby. New – Bookstores
There are bookstores at almost every major train station. You
Where to Buy Books
might have to look a little around the station, but chances are,
Ok, now you know what kinds of books to buy, and how to select a there is at least a moderately sized one that you can duck into and
book that is appropriate for you, but where do you buy these things check out. A moderate-sized bookstore will most likely be stocked
to begin with? There are numerous places you can turn to, to pick with a decent selection of magazines and small, palm-sized novels.
up a few books or other reading materials depending on if you are
in Japan or out of Japan. Larger, city-block-sized bookstores will have everything from foreign
books in English to an extensive collection of self-help and how-to
But, keep in mind, no matter where you shop, there are some books. These can sometimes be an absolute maze to move around
things a little different about reading in Japan. One big thing to in, but well worth the adventure. My advice is to just go and
look out for is bigger novels are often broken down into sets so that explore, take a look at a few books and see if you can read them.
they can be digested on the train. For example, for The Da Vinci
Code, there were two books published in Japan a 上 (up or first Some popular bookstores in Japan are Kinokuniya, which
half) and 下 (down or last half). There are some sets that even incidentally have stores in America too and Book 1st but there are
include 3 books, 上, 中, and 下. several bookstores throughout Japan to choose from. You can also
use Amazon.co.jp to buy books as well. Some of the website has
So if you are going to be reading a novel make sure you get the been translated into English, but not all of it.
whole set. Sometimes if you are buying a new release at a book
Used – Recycle Shops
store they will release each volume of the set over time, so you'll
have to go back to the store in a few weeks to buy the next book. Japan has a lot of recycle shops that sell books for somewhat
cheaper than their original cover price. You should be able to find

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books in these kinds of stores that are about half the cost of what yourself though.
they were new, which can be a great bargain. These too can easily
be the size of a whole city block. However, they are mostly found White Rabbit Press
out in the suburbs, so you might have to do a little searching. White Rabbit Press will most likely give you the best deal on any
kind of Japanese study material that you would want to pick up for
Often times there will be a section at the front of the store that will the JLPT. They offer a ton of drill books and reference books that
have best sellers that have been liquidated. There have been more can only be found in Japan. I would rank them as an incredibly
than a few times, I've seen some brand new books that used to sell valuable resource if you are outside the country.
for Y1500, marked down to Y300. And they are still great books,
it's just that the retail store didn't have the space to store them. Also, if they don't carry a particular book that you are looking for
and it is JLPT related, I'm sure you can ask them to carry it for you.
Also, with a recycle shop, you can always sell your books back to They are a pretty small shop and usually respond to shopper's
the store if you keep them in good condition. But, the one requests. They also have pretty good flashcards and probably the
advantage I think of used books is that you can mark them up with best kanji poster available.
abandon and not really care that much. Also, if you are living here
temporarily, you can leave them behind without sweating it too Forwarding Companies
much. There are a few companies out there that will actually forward mail
and packages to your address outside of Japan. The basic idea of
A really popular chain of used bookstores is called Book Off. They these is that you buy an item in Japan and have it shipped to their
are generally located in a big yellow building with a blue sign. warehouse. They slap a customs declaration on it for you and ship
There are several other kinds of recycle shops though, so look it to you.
around.
This is a somewhat expensive process, but if you are buying a lot at
Outside Japan one time, it will really help you cut the cost of getting study
It is admittedly a lot tougher to get native materials if you are materials to you from Japan. Also, forwarding services might be
outside Japan, but I would argue that it is even more important the only way to get some things out of Japan without having to
that you get native materials if you are outside Japan because you actually come here and buy it yourself.
are not getting that much exposure to the native language. There
are a few tricks you can do to make the burden a little bit easier on The one big organization that is pretty reputable is Tenso.com.

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They have a well put together website in English that will walk you probably be used almost every day that you are studying, which
through the whole process of shipping stuff back to your country. makes it one of the most important things in your JLPT prepping
They will charge a reasonable handling fee depending on the size of arsenal.
your package, but the shipping is the same rate as you would get at
the post office. Choosing a good dictionary is pretty important because the
definition you get out of the dictionary will be the one that gets
Flutterscape.com is another alternative that does the same thing, lodged in your head possibly forever. If you have a bad dictionary
but if you know what you are doing, you can list your own items or an incomplete one, you might not end up getting the whole
and earn a small profit for exporting items from Japan. They are picture.
setup more like a market place than a general forwarding place, so
you can also view listings of items in English of popular Japanese There are basically two big divisions of dictionaries out there:
products, everything from fashion to little cutesy dolls. Japanese to English or Japanese to Japanese. Both have their
advantages and disadvantages.
I would recommend using forwarding companies if you are going to
make a big order (around Y10,000) because it will probably save Japanese to English dictionaries
you money. This is also true if you want to pick up a lot of JLPT Japanese to English (or your native language) dictionaries are
drill books or study books as well. probably some of the first types of dictionaries that you will use.
Obviously, you need to first look up words in your native language
A great use of forwarding companies is to go on Amazon.co.jp and before you know enough Japanese words to use a Japanese to
pick up a few used books to read, they shouldn't cost that much. Japanese dictionary.
For example, the entire Harry Potter series used might be around
Y3000 (they are currently going for Y250 each shipped). You ship And contrary to popular belief sometimes, there is nothing wrong
them to Tenso to get forwarded and you can have a pretty big with using a Japanese to English dictionary of some kind. They
library of material for a reasonable Y6000 or Y7000. offer you a quick and relatively straightforward answer to the
question - "What does this mean?" You should use your years of
Reference Materials learning your native language to your advantage and use that to
Dictionaries are absolutely critical for language studying. You can help you learn Japanese.
not get by without one. They are a vital reference tool that will
Just remember to treat the English word you look up as a hint to

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the meaning of the word and not the complete definition. There Japanese, I recommend one in romaji.
are hardly ever any direct translations between two languages
except for maybe basic physical nouns like cat or dog. Any kind of WWWJDIC (online)
abstract word is more likely going to have a slightly different
meaning and connotation to it. The WWWJDIC is the mother of all online dictionaries. It has a
huge database that is stocked with lots of helpful information like
Random House Dictionary (paper)
example sentences (pulled from the Tanaka Corpus), alternative
The Random House Japanese to English dictionary may seem like a spellings, and even sound files for most of the common words. It is
step backwards for some people because words are alphabetized by the standard dictionary that is used by several different Japanese
their romanizations. But I still recommend this dictionary for most dictionary apps, including the popular iPhone Imiwa? app and the
learners, especially those just starting out. There is also kanji corresponding Aedict app for Android.
available for all of the words in the dictionary. So, it is not purely in
roman letters. Denshi Jisho (online)
The WWWJDIC is good and all, but the interface is straight out of
You might scoff at the idea of using such a dictionary because you the 90s. If you are looking for all the power of Jim Breen's
might have already learned and mastered kana and have no awesome dictionary with an amazing interface slapped on to it,
problems using and reading kana. But, in my opinion, it is a lot then you should head on over to Denshi Jisho. One powerful
easier and faster to look up words in romaji that is alphabetized the feature is a lot more intuitive kanji lookup interface that utilizes
way we are used to then to learn the Japanese way of alphabetizing kanji radicals and generally looks a lot more pretty.
(at first). Learning how to alphabetize in Japanese may earn you
some bragging rights, but it won't be particularly useful until you It also has mobile interfaces for smartphone users and even old-
work in a Japanese company, so taking the time to learn it now, school Japanese keitei, so you can do a quick look up without
probably isn't worth the investment in time. having to install the app on your phone.

As matter of fact, I still use this exact dictionary on occasion to look 英辞郎 (eijirou) on the WEB (online)
up a word when I don't want to go through all the trouble of
英辞郎 on the WEB is a neat little database of Japanese to English
opening up a browser and doing a search or I'm away from my
words put together by ALC. This dictionary is a lot more
trusty smartphone. If you are going to use a paper dictionary
comprehensive than the WWWJDIC in terms of words and
without all the fancy tools to help you type and look things up in

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definitions of those words. It doesn't have very many example Japanese in the search box and select 'Japanese' in the from box,
sentences, but it does have a lot of examples of natural and 'English' (or your native language) in the to box. Or the
expressions. opposite if you are looking for how to say something in Japanese.

This is a great place to look up idiomatic phrases and expressions They usually have plenty of examples of sentences, but sometimes
that can't be found in other Japanese to English dictionaries. If you the results don't match the exact word you were looking for. It
are banging your head up against the wall trying to figure out what does have furigana built in to the interface so if you have any
a particular phrase means in your reading, this is the place to go. problems reading the kanji, you can read it pretty easily.
They also have an iPhone and android app just do a search for 英辞
Japanese to Japanese Dictionaries
郎 (eijirou) in the app store.
Japanese to Japanese dictionaries are not for the faint of heart.
A small word of warning though, this site is meant for Japanese They contain definitions in Japanese and are usually meant for
English learners (not English-speaking Japanese learners like us). native Japanese speakers. On top of being a bit difficult to use and
So, the interface is going to be in all Japanese, but don't let that understand, there are literally hundreds of options available. You
intimidate you. It's just a dictionary and as such has a pretty can get katakana dictionaries, kanji dictionaries, electronic
simple interface. It just won't have any advanced features like kanji dictionaries, you name it, they've got it.
lookup by radical. My advice is if you are in a pinch, look up the
kanji with another dictionary then copy and paste it into 英辞郎. So, it is important to go into the buying process knowing exactly
what you need, otherwise you risk getting a bit lost and buy a
Tatoeba bigger dictionary than you need. To be honest, I don't have a lot of
Tatoeba is a free resource for looking up example sentences. For experience using Japanese to Japanese dictionaries, yet. I only use
Japanese, they have the Tanaka Corpus which is the same resource them here and there to look up a particularly difficult word to wrap
that the Jim Breen's WWWJDIC uses. The difference is that my head around.
Tatoeba is a little better organized for sentences and also includes
translations in more languages as well as some user-contributed As I said before, you can usually get a general idea of a word from
sentences that are not in the Tanaka Corpus. Japanese to English dictionaries and a few example sentences. The
rest of your knowledge of the word is going to have to come from
To look up an example sentence for Japanese. Just type a word in reading/listening to it and using it. No definition is ever going to be
definitive, at least in my opinion.

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The one major advantage that a Japanese to Japanese dictionary Goo is probably the one Japanese to Japanese dictionary that I use
has over a traditional Japanese to English dictionary is that on the on a semi-regular basis. It usually has clear to the point definitions
JLPT, words that are deemed above the level of the test will be and is generally pretty fast.
defined in Japanese. So, if you are not used to reading definitions
in Japanese, this can sometimes throw you for a loop. Excite 辞書 (online)
The Excite dictionary seems to be incredibly in depth. This is, in a
What's even more troubling is that sometimes the definitions might way, its main fault. If you are looking for something fairly simple
even be more complicated than the word it is defining. That's why and to the point, this is not it. But, if you'd like to spend a few
it makes even more sense to at least be able to understand simple minutes reading up on all the possible uses of 行く then this is
definitions of words in Japanese, and hence it is worth your while to definitely the place to be.
start using a Japanese to Japanese dictionary while you are
studying for the N2 and N1 tests. Yahoo 辞書 (online)

One exercise you can do with these Japanese to Japanese In a lot of ways, Yahoo is the Google of Japan. They have a lot of
dictionaries is look up a word that you already know quite well and services that range from shopping to their very popular auction site
read the definition. This will help you get a better understanding of (eBay is virtually non-existent in Japan). So it is only fitting that
how words are defined in Japanese and increase your comfort level they round out their arsenal with a dictionary. This one is a little
with Japanese to Japanese dictionaries a little bit. more to the point than Excite, but a little more in depth than Goo in
my experience.

Goo 辞書 (online)
Paper Dictionaries
The online Goo dictionary is an incredibly thorough dictionary. It
There are hundreds of paper dictionaries out there. One that is
offers up English, Japanese (国語), and even a Chinese dictionary often recommended for Japanese learner's is this one. However,
all in one place. You can see all the definitions in one search or
there are numerous 小学国語学習辞典 (dictionaries meant for
elect to just see one of them. Although this site is overflowing with
elementary school kids) out there. You may think you want to go
advertisements, it is pretty useful to look up words from time to
for something a little more, but these dictionaries usually contain
time.
somewhere between 25,000 and 35,000 words, which should be

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enough to get you through N1. dictionary isn't going to have. And the best part is they are
completely expandable so you can switch out dictionaries and add
If you are in Japan, I recommend cruising through your local apps to help you study.
bookstore (or recycle shop) and taking a look to see which one fits
you. If you are out of Japan, the one from White Rabbit Press will It's true that there are some Japanese to Japanese dictionaries that
do the job pretty well. It has pictures and pretty clear definitions to are not available in every iTunes store. But, there are ways of
help you out. getting around this (buying an iTunes card while in Japan or via a
3rd party that is willing to do it for you). However, for the most
Electronic Dictionaries part, the app stores for both Android and iTunes are expanding
Almost every Japanese person in the world has an electronic daily with new apps to help you learn more Japanese, faster.
dictionary. I think they are given to them when they graduate
elementary school or something. Even if they don't study English at The only downside I can see is some people are not big fans of
all, they will still, for whatever reason, have one on the ready in smearing their finger grease all over a screen and prefer something
case of an emergency that requires it. physical to type on. To which I say, you can buy a keyboard for
either iDevices or Android devices and use a stylus. Trust me, a
This would lead you to believe that they are an essential tool smart device is still better than an e-dictionary.
needed for language study. It might even make you feel that you
are not a part of the cool crowd if you don't have one of these Japanese Thesauruses
miracle machines.
Thesauruses, called 類語辞書(るいごじしょ） in Japanese, are an
But, in my opinion, they are really just a big waste of money. There incredibly useful tool when learning the language because you can
are several disadvantages to having an electronic dictionary, right link new words you have learned to old words that you know or
from the start. They are rather big, fairly fragile (I've seen a few discover new words that are related to something you have just
smashed electronic dictionaries), and they only serve one purpose – learned.
looking stuff up. All this for somewhere around $500 or more.
They might not be very useful to you if you are a beginner to an
I say scratch that and get some kind of smart device, i.e. an iPod intermediate level of Japanese because you just might not have
Touch ideally, but any kind of smart thing would work, Android or enough vocabulary for them to be useful. But for upper
iOS. These devices pack a lot of punch that a dinky little electronic intermediate to advanced learner's they can be very powerful tools,

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especially when 国語 (Japanese to Japanese) dictionaries can possibly another look at the grammar point.
provide some rather cryptic definitions at times.
Also, a grammar book might just go over a particular part of
Weblio Thesaurus grammar point that you need to know at that level, but you might
This site is a lot more thorough with its synonyms. I usually got 3 want to know everything about the grammar point and not just that
or 4 times more synonyms to work with than Yahoo. This can be one thing.
good or bad depending on what you want to use it for. Again, the
interface is all in Japanese, so it is most suitable for intermediate For example, the infamous は particle has a lot of different rules
learners or the brave of heart. that are associated with it, but some of them aren't necessary until
you get to a higher level, but some studiers prefer to know what to
Ruigo Tamatebako (Synonym Treasure Chest)
look for at the higher levels.
This is a very straightforward website that gives you just a list of
synonyms to use. You can really get lost, and even if you don't Tae Kim's Grammar Guide (free)
know any Japanese at all, it is pretty clear where everything is. It's
a great resource if all you need is a synonym. Tae Kim has a pretty extensive online guide to Japanese grammar
available. It takes you through the basics of Japanese on to the
Synonyms.net more advanced topics and gives you plenty of examples to work
This is a site that provides synonyms for several languages. The with so that you can get pretty good feel for the grammar. His
interface is available in English, but the database is not as thorough explanations are especially sharp, and a lot of people have
as some of the other thesauruses I previously mentioned. Still, it contributed to it over the years.
might be very useful if you are just starting to learn Japanese
because you can make your way around the site pretty easily. Also, The only issue I've ever found with the Tae Kim guide is, is that it
the results contain English words as well. can sometimes be a little difficult to find a particular grammar point
you are looking for. This is especially true if it is a little more higher
Grammar Guides level grammar point. Also, some grammar points seem to be
There are plenty of specialized books for each of the levels the go missing from the guide, like certain phrases and expressions.
over the grammar for that particular level, but it is handy to have
an extra grammar guide that gives you some more examples or Jgram.org (free)

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Jgram is handy little site that lists the grammar points according to more explanations.
each of the levels of the test. The explanation of the grammar
point is very straightforward, but the real power of this site is that Japan Times Grammar Dictionaries ($$$$)
they provide numerous examples of the grammar point being used
so that you can get a feel for what it is like. It even has an email These hefty volumes cover pretty everything you need to know
list that you can use to get a grammar point a day sent to you. about Japanese grammar. There are currently 3 volumes available,
basic, intermediate, and advanced. These dictionaries are just what
Although this site doesn't go into a lot of detail, often times it will you might expect them to be. They list all the uses of a particular
point you to other books where you can find more information grammar point, give you example sentences and throughly explain
about the grammar point if you are having trouble. Overall, this is everything.
mainly a site to look up example sentences for a particular grammar
point. They can be quite useful if need that level of detail. I personally
use them on a regular basis for researching different articles and
日本語表現文型辞典 or Dictionary of Japanese Grammatical lessons for the blog, but I'm not sure how useful they would be
Expressions ($$) outside of that. I would recommend these if you are a self-studier
and aren't able to find or afford a great tutor that can basically act
This rather thick pink book is pretty through for most of the as a human version of this.
grammar expressions you'll encounter at the N3 and above levels.
There are 335 expressions in the dictionary and each entry includes Flashcard System
usage notes, a sample dialog, sample sentences, as well as a list of In order for vocabulary to get 'locked in', you should try to record
exceptions and rules on usage. The back section offers translations every new word you are exposed to when you can. This will help
of the meanings of each of the expressions in English, Chinese and create a visual record of what you learned as well as help you to
Korean. remember the word by giving you a visual and kinesthetic memory
of it. The very act of recording it will help tell your brain that it is
It has saved me many a time, when I couldn't figure out a important and needs to be kept.
particular grammar point on my own. I sometimes feel like if this
book could be combined with New Kanzen Master some how, you There are several ways of recording and reviewing the new words
would have the ultimate grammar study book. I highly recommend and phrases that you encounter. The main method that you use
picking it up if you are at the N3 level and sometimes need some

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will depend on what kind of learner you are and how organized you chance you'll be able to recall it in the future. You may also want to
are. It will also depend on where you pick up the new vocabulary take some notes like what other words does the word collocate with
as well. If one method doesn't work for you. Give another one a (appear together with) usually. Also note the part of speech if you
try. can.

For the JLPT, you will see several vocabulary lists floating around Another use for a vocabulary notebook is to write down things that
that are labeled for the different levels of the test. Pretty much you want to say. This is a great way to do an 'imaginary' home
every electronic way of studying vocabulary has one. These are stay. While you are going through a normal day, think about how
just the standard words. On the more difficult tests (N3 and above) you would say what you are saying in your native language in
there will inevitably be more words than what is on these lists. Japanese. Write that down in the notebook and look it up later.
However, they are a good foundation to work with, just be aware
that you will have to go beyond that foundation if you hope to pass The one big disadvantage that I can see with notebooks is that the
the higher tests. information can not be shuffled around. This means that how you
record the information into the book is how you will study it in the
Vocabulary Notebook future. This isn't good for memory because your brain will learn to
Vocabulary notebooks can be an incredibly useful way to write remember the sequence of how the vocabulary is written in your
down the small little things you learn about Japanese during your book, making it more difficult for you to recall the word or phrase
studies. You can use it to write down words you saw in a book or randomly.
overheard in a conversation.
So, it makes sense to take what you need from your notebook and
Something that is really handy to do with a vocabulary notebook is plug it into some kind of practice system like paper flashcards or
quickly jot down something that you have heard in a conversation, Anki so that the information is randomized. This will help with your
so that you can do some more research later on. This will help you recall a lot more.
not only remember the word, so you can use it later, but it will also
allow you to do a little more legwork later so you have a better idea Also, the smaller the better with these. You want it to be
of the vocabulary. something portable, preferably something you can fit in your
pocket, so you can always have it with you in case you encounter a
Don't be afraid to draw a picture illustrating a word or adding extra new word. If you are handy with a smartphone, some of the newer
notes on its usage. The more you think about the word, the better models, like the iPhone 4S have Japanese/English dictation, and

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you can use those to take notes with as well. You might even want Context, especially, is crucial for learning and using vocabulary.
to scrap writing altogether and take a quick voice memo that you This is something that will be tested over in the usage section of
can later transcribe on to a flashcard or transfer into Anki later. the test (section 5 of the vocabulary and kanji part). You not only
This might be handier than carrying around a pen and paper need to know the meaning, but how it is used in a sentence. That
everywhere you go. includes knowing the part of speech as well as what kind of context
it is used in.
Good Ol' Fashion Flashcards
Audio Flashcards
Flashcards have most likely been around for centuries if not
millennia. They are by far probably one of the most basic ways to Audio flashcards aren't the typical tool you see in the language
practice vocabulary. They also have the added advantage of being learning tool belt. Chances are you probably have never even
able to be shuffled and randomized. They might not have any heard of using audio flashcards before. I never had until someone
fancy Spaced Repetition System built into them, but they can do recommended it to me. And I wish I had found out about the idea
the job in a pinch. earlier.

You might just think there is only one way to make flashcards, Audio flashcards essentially involve you recording your own
Japanese word on one side, English on the other. But, you can language tapes. You can do this by saying the word or phrase in
actually get a little more creative than that. If you have the time to English than the word or phrase in Japanese on a recording. You
put a little extra work into it, you can put the opposites (antonyms) then use these as your own little language on tape system.
and similar words (synonyms) on the Japanese side of the card as
well. This will help build stronger pathways in your brain and in There are a ton of free tools that can help you do just this. The
turn help you to recall the word faster. main thing you need to buy is some kind of portable mp3 player
that you can use to play back the recording while you are going on
In addition to antonyms and synonyms, why not add a drawing as a walk, taking the train to work, or even driving to work. Any
well? Be creative and draw something funny. The more horribly situation where it is inconvenient to set yourself down and read a
drawn the better. And, if that wasn't enough you can add an drill book. Audio flashcards are an ideal tool.
example sentence as well as information about where you saw the
word. Was it in writing? Spoken? In a novel? An ad for Coca-Cola? You may think that since your pronunciation is non-native, these
All of these will help you understand the context of the word. recordings aren't all that useful, but they still have their uses.
Pronunciation is important in learning Japanese, but it is also

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important to know the word in the first place. from just constantly having the Japanese radio on in the
background or the TV for that matter. Passive listening in some
If you are concerned about having a native speaker do the ways can just be down right distracting and unproductive.
recording for you, you can always use RhinoSpike. This incredibly
generic looking, but incredibly powerful website helps connect you Instead, you should try doing some active listening. This means
with a native speaker that can record your audio for you. In actually focusing on the listening and trying to pick up as much as
exchange, you might be asked to do a recording for them or for you can. This holds true with mixed language, where there is
another user. It is a bit of recording exchange website if you will. Japanese, but explanations in English, recordings, too. If you are
not focused on the listening, you might as well not even be
A great piece of free audio recording software that is available for listening at all.
most platforms is Audacity. This program is definitely no-thrills, but This might lead you to believe that you have to sit down and
it is free and gets the job done incredibly well. It is, in fact, the diligently listen to your audio flashcards, which let's face it, is
same program I use every week to record the podcast. completely boring. However, you don't have to just sit still while
listening to the audio flashcards. I actually you can do a lot of
The recording process is pretty straightforward with this program other things at the same time, they just can't involve words.
just click the big red circle and click the blue square to stop. The
only piece of advice I can give you is to be sure to run your For example, it is a very bad idea to read a book while studying
recording through the compression filter before exporting them as your audio flashcards, but eating breakfast and listening to your
mp3s. This will make it so all of your recordings use the full range flashcards is a great idea. While you are eating, your hands are too
of the recording and don't come out too loud of too soft. busy to go through paper or electronic flashcards, but you can still
listen to things.
How to Use Audio Flashcards
There a lot of audio learning programs out there that will tell you Another great way to use audio flashcards is while you are on a
that you can learn language while just listening to a language. walk. There is something about walking that helps some people
There is this idea that you can passively listen to material and concentrate more. I think the rhythm of your pace helps to keep
through the process of language osmosis, it will enter into your you focused as you walk down the street. Just be sure to keep
head and be there forever. watching out for cars.

But passive listening isn't all that useful. You really can't learn a lot You can also listen to flashcards while you are getting ready in the

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morning. I sometimes listen to a few while I'm brushing my teeth Since Anki is so widely-used, you can easily find close to a hundred
and doing my hair and taking out the trash in the morning. This is decks on AnkiWeb that have been pre-made. There are a lot of
pretty extreme, but if your goal is to pass the test in less time, it is decks that correspond to the individual JLPT levels that you can just
important to squeeze in practice where you can, especially if you take off the shelf and start studying without doing any of the
are busy as me. drudgery of putting together a deck yourself.

And all of this for absolutely free (except the iOS app)! That's
Anki probably the best part.
Anki is the old standby Spaced Repetition System (SRS). It has
Memrise.com
been around for quite some time now and is becoming more and
more feature rich as it develops. It is basically a standalone Memrise is an upstart website that has a pretty remarkable system
program that you can install on any desktop (PC, Mac, or Linux) for learning things. It was created by some really smart folks, one
and also has smartphone versions as well, although I've heard the of which is a Memory Grand Master. In other words, they know a
Android version needs a little work. few tricks about how to remember and recall information. And the
whole system has a lot of behind the scenes stuff that intelligently
The main advantage with Anki over some other SRSs is that you helps you remember your vocabulary or basically anything.
can tell it HOW well you know the word. What this means is that if
you know it really well, you can click the easy button and it won't Another thing I like about this site is that it is based on game
show the word for awhile. Whereas, if you just barely know the theory, so everything has a points value associated with it. This
word, you can click the hard button and it will show the word to makes the whole vocabulary learning experience almost addictive.
you again a lot sooner. I love trying to rack up as many points as I possibly can so that I
can move up a little in the rankings. There is also a friending
It also has a lot of bells and whistles that you can tweak and play system, so you can become mempals with other users and
with to customize it and make it your own. It is fairly offline as encourage each other to study harder by giving each other high
well, so you can study in the middle of nowhere without the fear of fives.
losing your connection. It does have a handy syncing feature
though that will allow you to sync your deck across multiple Although, memrise is still in beta, it is a pretty functional site with a
platforms and computers if you'd like. lot of features. Right now they are cleaning up the courses for
JLPT, which should all be finished and cleaned up by the time you

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read this. I'm a moderator at the site, so if you see anything a miss
please email me, and don't forget to be my mempal if you do join. Connotations or feelings:
I'd love to see you there! compliment
affection
Evernote love
Evernote is a web app that allows you to file away just about
anything from photos and video to random notes on things. They Situations:
have several different apps that enable you to really track a bunch romantic date
of different things. girlfriend
boyfriend
How it works is that everything is a note that can be titled and art
tagged. This is most handy for phrases in my opinion, because you museum
can take a phrase you just learned and file it away based on tags so
that you can easily retrieve it later. Just brainstorming the different situations where these types of
phrases can come up can be extremely helpful for when you want
So, take for instance a great phrase like this one: to use it again.

Evernote starts out with 60 megabytes of storage free per month,

言葉では 言い表せないほど 美しい
which should be enough to keep notes and the occasional
kotobadewa iiarawasenaihodo utsukushii photograph. Upgrading to their premium service gets a gigabyte a
beautiful beyond words month which is quite a lot to work with.

You can file this away as a note and tag it with not only the
vocabulary used, but also feelings, connotations, or even situations: Honorable Mentions
New programs to practice vocabulary crop up every day. There are
Vocabulary: probably hundreds of them out there waiting to be discovered.
言葉 Here are a few more that a few people I know swear by:
言い表す
美しい iKnow.jp – This site used to be called smart.fm, and used to be

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free. They have since switched to a paid system. This site claims General Reading Tips
to have a smart spaced repetition system that learns from your
Reading is a skill that is sometimes thrown to the side recently. It
mistakes and becomes personalized to your way of learning. It is
is often seen as a boring thing to practice, and a lot of people
quite similar to memrise, but is more feature-rich, and has more
learning a language tend to steer clear of it. It can also be viewed
tracking as well. Also, most of the main courses have been created
as the 'old' way of doing things and remind people too much of the
by the staff at iKnow.jp and so are theoretically cleaner and more
boring drill and kill that they went through in their high school
accurate.
language class.
Mnemosyne takes a slightly different approach to Anki in that it
However, reading is a necessary skill, not only for the test, but also
takes care of the scheduling for you. Instead of giving you times to
in real life. People in Japan do a tremendous amount of reading.
choose from when it shows you your answer, it simply tells you to
There are big bookstores at pretty much every major train station
grade your answer. The program then decides what time is best to
and usually a small one at more minor stations. And if you ride the
show you the card again. Furthermore, statistical information about
trains at all, you will most likely see at least a handful of people
how your memory works gets uploaded, anonymously, to a central
reading on the train. Also, if you live in Japan, you will have to
server where it is used to further improve the studying algorithm
read notices that are sent to you in the mail, and if you work in
behind the program.
Japan you will inevitably be doing a lot of reading in Japanese.
Supermemo – Despite the incredibly generic looking website, this is
So, the skill of reading is still alive and well in Japan and it is
a pretty powerful piece of software. It essentially allows you to cut
important to not only be able to read, but to be able to read fast
up native materials and use them for spaced repetition. Although a
and accurately. This is especially true for the JLPT. So, you should
bit difficult to setup at first, some people absolutely swear by this
start early with your reading practice. It will be a steep climb at
system.
first, but it'll gradually get easier and easier the more you work at
it.
Readthekanji.com – Although this isn't really a flashcard system per
se, it is worth mentioning here. This site has lists of vocabulary
In order to improve your accuracy and speed, you need to practice
words for each of the JLPT levels and it tests you by having you
a few techniques. These will greatly accelerate your learning and
type in the words. This site has specific features that track your
reading speed overall. It will also take a lot of headaches out of the
exposure to kanji as well as some other Japanese only features,
reading process, something that can hurt your motivation.
which makes it unique from some of the other options on this list.

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It's worth pointing out again that it is important to pick the right Put in a dummy word – If the word you don't know is a noun or
book for what you want to do. If you haven't already, I encourage
名詞 in Japanese, then substitute in もの until you get a feeling for
you to go back and read the reading materials section to help you
pick out a reading material that is right for you and where you can what the word means.
purchase materials.
Look at the kanji – This is a little more advanced because you
Learning Unknown Words have to have a pretty good understanding of kanji, their meanings,
and how those meanings can change. But a lot of times you can
Chances are, if you are reading native material and even if you
make an educated guess at what the word means from the kanji.
aren't, you will encounter words that are new to you. If you aren't
encountering any new words, you should probably pick up a
Finally, after you have spent some time taking a crack at the word,
different book, because half the reason you are reading is to learn
it is time to look the word up. After you find the meaning, be sure
new words.
to re-read the sentence to make sure your understanding of the
word is correct. If your understanding is still a little foggy, try to
So, when you encounter a new word, your first reaction is to
look at some example sentences in your dictionary to get a better
immediately reach for the dictionary to look up the meaning. But
understanding.
before you do that, try to guess the meaning of the word. There
are a variety of different tactics you can employ to get this job done
Was your guess before correct? Was it pretty close? The reason
of course:
why it is a good idea to practice your word guessing skills is for two
reasons: 1) If you struggle to understand the word, you are more
Check the context – How is the word used? What are the words
likely to remember it, and 2) You won't have a dictionary with you
around the word you are trying to figure out? Try out a few words
for the test, so you are going to have to guess the meanings of
and see if anything makes sense. Look for examples of the item
words there, too.
marked off with words like 例えば. Sometimes the word is clarified
Mark up your Books
or defined later on with a word like つまり. Look for a more in
Don't be afraid to take notes in your books. This is another reason
depth description after the word as well. The author might go into that used books are great for practicing reading. You can write all
more detail and this can key you into what the word means. over them and nobody is going to care. Be sure to write down

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definitions of hard words in the margins and grammar explanations read more and more in each reading session. I usually do my
as well. This may seem like a lot of extra work, but again, the reading on my train ride home, which makes a convenient 20
more you concentrate on the meanings of the passage, the more minute block of time to use. I try to push myself to read more and
you will understand and remember from it. more in my book in single session. I usually start off slow with
maybe just one page, but then slowly start to move through the
Divide and Conquer material faster and faster.
If you are reading a thick book, be sure to slice it up into smaller
sections to keep you from getting de-motivated and bored. The You can also force yourself to read faster by doing accelerated
best kind of books are books that are divided up into small, easily reading.
digestible chapters. This is where collections of essays or literary
magazines like PHP are great reading resources. 2) I read easier material just for fun

If the text isn't divided up into little bit-sized pieces, make your This may seem really obvious, but a lot of people just read essays
own. Break the book up into 5 page segments and don't try to from past tests and reading comprehension drill books to prepare
make your way through War and Peace if you are just starting to for the JLPT. These are both very useful obviously, but it is also
study for N4. Take small steps at first. You'll naturally get faster handy to do more general reading that you enjoy doing. Why is
and faster with more practice. that?

The Mental Game Well, because you want to decrease or completely eliminate reading
A big part of being able to read (and speak) fast is mental. A lot of anxiety. That's why it is important to read something easy,
people believe they just can't do it that it is too hard to read something that is actually below your level, but is simply fun or
through Japanese text at a good speed. I was once there, too. I interesting for you to read. It could be a good fiction book or a
thought for sure I was never going to be able to read at a good how to book that goes over how to do a hobby or craft that you are
speed, but now I'm doing a lot better with speed for a few reasons: learning.

1) I started pushing my limits with reading For example, I worked my way through Harry Potter slowly. Is
there a lot of JLPT vocabulary in it? Well, a little, but that's not the
I really tried to push the speed of my reading, challenging myself to point. The main reason I worked my way through this book is to
just have fun while learning a few vocabulary words at the same

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time. scandals have kept coming, but as for companies that cause
problems, I think there are some common features.' literally
translated or more naturally as: 'Recently, even though our
Break Sentences Down company has suffered several scandals, I think those companies
Longer Japanese sentences can get really complicated, really quick. that cause problems have some things in common.'
That's why it is important to break apart some of the more longer
sentences to make them easier to understand. This can get a little It is a lot easier breaking that big monster down into it's component
tedious, but you shouldn't have to do it too much. parts, so that you can fully understand it. At first, this will be a
little slow, but it's only for those sentences that you have serious
Let's take a look at a pretty complicated sentence here: issues with. Not the entire reading passage.

How to Increase your Reading Speed

最近、企業の不祥事が相次いでいますが、問題を起こす企業には共
When I ask people that are studying for the JLPT, what their
通点があると思います。 biggest hurtle for passing the test is, reading always seems to crop
up a lot. After all, it seems like vocabulary and kanji can be drilled
away, but reading is a skill that you have to practice. And it is often
So, the first part is pretty easy, we have the clause – 企業の不祥事 neglected in a lot of Japanese textbooks, probably because there is
が相次いでいますが (our company keeps having scandals, but) at a huge focus now on speaking.

first we can separate out. Then 問題をお起こす (causes problems) Reading has started to get associated with that old way of learning
a language, where you had to do drill after drill and rote
modifies 企業 (company or undertaking), which is marked by には,
memorization was the key to everything. The kind of learning that
which makes it the subject of the second clause 共通点がある(have conjures up images of your high school Spanish class (at least for
me). I can imagine Latin class was a lot like that, but reading can
some common features) and finally this is all marked off with と思 actually be useful, and believe it or not fun.
います (I think).
However, when test takers go to take the test, what seems to
happen the most is that they can't finish the whole test in time.
So, if we start at the front, we have 'Recently, our companies
You have to remember that you will probably be at least a little bit

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nervous (if it is your first time) and you will be pressured to read do so, and it really hasn't been a problem for me. It is comfortable,
fast which can lead to mistakes, and mistakes lead to re-reading and I'm a bit lazy about it.
the passage and wasting more time, which you don't have very
much of. People like to be comfortable, like what is familiar to them. You
always hear the saying 'humans are creatures of habit.' and we
That's probably why another thing I hear a lot is “If I had more definitely have a lot of habits that we fall into. We will general
time, I could easily pass the test.” But, the reason why there is a avoid situations where we feel nervous or uncomfortable. That's
time limit on the JLPT (and other language exams), is that they why a lot of us have a hard time speaking a language. There are
want to test you on what is automatic for you, not just what you so many things you want to convey but if you don't have the words,
have stored in your long term memory, but what you can readily it can be pretty uncomfortable, so we shrug it off and say to
use. This is the true measure of your level. ourselves 'someday'.

So, what is the answer to this major hurtle that a lot of people But, let's take a look at why we get so nervous and uncomfortable
seem to crash into? The answer is quite simple really, you have to in the first place. We're nervous and uncomfortable because we're
increase your reading speed. It needs to be at a pretty good rate, in a new situation that we're unfamiliar with. But aren't new
probably higher than what you are comfortable with, in order for situations where you learn the most? If you do the same thing
you to complete everything and get out of the test. every day, you can't break through language plateaus, and you
can't break the limit on your reading speed.
Break the (Reading) Speed Limit
We all tend to settle into a certain speed of doing things, especially I teach a regular set of classes every week, but about once every 4
if we have never had any pressure on us to complete something. months are so, I'll pick up another class. I'm usually a little nervous
For example, my English reading speed has never really gotten very before I teach that first class because I don't know the students, I
good. I just never had the need to read something at a pretty might have just started teaching the particular textbook that was
good clip for one reason or another. I probably read English slightly assigned to me (or I designed a lesson from scratch that I'm not
faster than I can read it out loud. sure will work or not). It's tough because there have been times
where I'm standing in front of a group of students and I'm pretty
This in turn has lead me to just get audiobooks which I speed up, sure that the class I'm teaching isn't the right fit for them.
and that is now how I 'read' things. Even though there are some
clear advantages to reading faster, I was never really pressured to In those situations, I'll start to sweat a little bit, hesitate. I'm a bit

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out of control for a few moments while I think of something else, or
how to adjust the class to better fit who is in it. The first few times Take some kind of reading material that you are working with,
I did this, it was pretty obvious, I made a little bit of a fool of graded readers are an excellent resource but anything your level
myself, but I learned from those situations and moved on. Now will do, time yourself reading 2 pages of it. Try to read as fast as
when I get nervous, I get a little excited because I know I'm going possible and time yourself doing it. The key here is to read at a
to learn something new. pace where you are still comprehending everything not just blindly
reading along, but actually understanding the whole story.
The pressure of being in front of a group of students, pushed me to
a higher level. If I had taken it easy and taught smaller, highly I should add that this material should be something that you have
structured classes my whole life, I would have been comfortable never read before or haven't read in a while (about 6 months or
but I wouldn't be as versatile as I am today. I can confidently say so).
that you could send me into a classroom with just about any topic
or grammar point, and I could probably teach a halfway decent Try to do this on a fairly regular basis (once every two weeks is a
lesson without any materials. good period of time for most people) and log it somewhere. If you
are doing a lot of reading, you will probably want to do it more
Taking a leap outside my comfort zone allowed me to learn more. I often, maybe once a day. Or, if you are a slower studier, once a
was a bit clumsy with it, but it improved with time. Now, it is your month might work for you as well.
turn.
This number will probably fluctuate a lot, sometimes going up or
Push yourself Out of the Comfort Zone sometimes going down depending on how difficult the exact
If you always read for fun, you will see good steady progress to a excerpt you happen to be reading was. Try to look at the overall
point. And I think it is important to do a lot of reading in Japanese trend of the graph. You can think of it as a lot like dieting, don't
for fun, just because well, it's fun and you should have fun with a look at the day to day, focus more on the month to month or so.
language you are studying.
You might have a big goal of being able to read at a certain pace,
But every once in awhile, you will need to push yourself past your but between here and there be sure to set little mini goals to try to
comfortable reading speed in order to progress with the language, hit on a regular basis. This will keep you thinking about the
and eventually, if it's your goal, to pass N1. This can be done with progress instead of those fluctuations I was talking about earlier.
regular reading progress checks.

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One thing to note is that in English reading speeds are usually this to set goals, so you know how much you need to increase your
denoted in WPM or Words Per Minute, this is also how translation speed by every month (or week).
gigs are paid (a certain amount of money per word). But in
Japanese, things are measured in characters. So, you'll want to To do this, you will need a reading material of your level. It helps if
keep track of your speeds in characters and not words. the reading material is written horizontally instead of vertically,
because the JLPT doesn't contain much vertical text. For example,
Speed Reading – Step by Step I only usually see one short reading at the N1 level each time and
Is it possible to speed read in a foreign language? Do you think that's it. Unfortunately, most Japanese books are written vertically
you can increase your reading speed to a point that you could read and not horizontally. Vertical text is still good practice, but
a good page of text in Japanese in well under 3 or so minutes? practicing with horizontal text will prepare you more for the real
Well, I set out to try with a few tried and true methods that have thing.
helped speed up my native language reading, which was actually
pretty bad before. To start, count all the characters in the first 5 lines of text. Then
divide the number of characters by 5. This will give you the
Taking a few steps to train your eyes and concentration for speed number of characters per line. In my particular case, I counted 197
reading can be a huge boost. Just having the better focus to help characters, divided by 5 and got 39.4 characters per line.
you could give you a few extra minutes on the test, so doing a little
extra training can't possibly hurt. Are you ready? Let's go through Now, to create your baseline score, set a timer to 2 minutes and
a few steps so that we can dynamically increase your reading start reading the passage. The important thing is to read for
speed. comprehension. Don't stop to look up any words, just guess at
their meaning and keep going. If you need to re-read something to
This method that we are about to walk through is a modified get a better idea of a particular sentence, feel free.
version of Timothy Ferriss's method of speed reading. I adjusted it
through trial and error to be a little more compatible for second Finally, multiple the number of lines you read by the average
language learners. characters per line (plus the extra few characters on the half read
line), and divide it by two. This is how many characters you can
Step 1 – Create a Base Line read per minute. Initially, I could read at 108 characters per
Before we test anything, we need to be able to know what your minute. This was okay, but not a healthy score for reading at the
reading speed is before we try to speed it up. You can then use N1 level.

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Step 2 – Pre-read a Material words that you don't know and check your understanding of the
These speed reading techniques are really effective for native passages by working with a native, or you can also use practice
readers of a particular language, but can be difficult to apply for tests, or drill books that actually have comprehension questions in
non-natives. Which begs the question of why you would want to them to check your comprehension.
go through all this work in the first place? I mean why waste the
time training your eyes when the speed reading techniques I'm After you have comprehended everything, it is time to up the speed
about to walk through are designed for natives? by re-reading the material.

Well, a couple of reasons. First, you want to be able to speed read Re-reading has been proven to increase the speed of
the parts of the reading that you do know really well. Even at the comprehension when reading similar level texts, so if you are
N1 level there will be a few lines of text in the reading that are reading passages from practice tests or drill books it should help
pretty simple really. They are there to introduce some background boost your comprehension for future passages on the test,
for a piece before moving on to the truly difficult part to especially if you speed up your reading speed.
comprehend.
Step 3 – Go Too Fast

So, being able to speed through all the fluff is a big advantage. Reading is a lot like speaking, a lot of test takers will get into a
Also, if you can quickly scan a particular passage before you read mental block where they believe they are only capable of a certain
for comprehension you can get an overall snapshot of the main idea speed, but if you push them past that speed, they usually discover
and this will help you to understand things better because you will that they are much more capable than they think. It's like there is
have more context to work with. a little switch in your brain that is constantly holding back the speed
of your reading/speaking. You need to break off that switch.
Also doing this training is pretty simple, it only takes about 20 to 30
minutes and then you are done. And you can use the same So, we are going to practice reading too fast, so that reading at the
technique to read in your native language. So, it doesn't hurt to faster speed you need for the test won't seem so strenuous. We
give it a try. will also be training your eyes and focus so that you can do this
automatically for your reading on the test and in real life.
In order, to prepare a passage for you to practice it, you need to
pre-read it first. Read through it for comprehension, look up any First thing you'll need is some kind of tracker for your eye. A pen
or chopstick will do just fine. You are going to use this to help keep

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your eye focused on the words as you scan through each line of In this step, we are going to make use of your peripheral vision so
text. Trackers are also useful tools for the real test so don't be shy that you can do a little extra reading with the corners of your eyes.
about using your pencil to help you track when you are doing the
real thing as well. First Stage – 1 minute

First Stage – 2 minutes Repeat the same method above, but this time start from two
characters in and finish two characters short. This way you can use
Read each line of Japanese text in 2 seconds. Use your tracker and your peripheral vision to read faster. Again, keep focused on the
run it along the bottom of the line of text, reading each character task at hand, don't day dream. Don't be too concerned with
as you come across it. Read every character and stay 100% comprehension, but of course if you can, try to comprehend as
focused for the entire 2 minutes. Do not day dream. Don't think much as you can.
about comprehension at all at this point. Just practice moving your
eyes. Second Stage – 2 minutes

Second Stage – 3 minutes Repeat the same method, but this time start 4 characters in and
finish, 4 characters from the end. Again, no day dreaming, stay
This time, double your speed. At this point, you are not even trying focused on the task at hand. The important thing is to train the
for comprehension just training your eye to follow the tracker and movement of your eyes at this point. If you don't stay focused for
absorb the characters as fast as you can. Again, no day dreaming, the entire 2 minutes, repeat it until you can.
stay focused the whole time. It might be a little tough to do so, but
it will pay off with a better ability to stay focused during the real Third Stage – 3 minutes
thing. If you need to repeat this step because you lost focus, do it.
This is going to pretty tough, but finish off with 6 characters in on
Step 4 – Bonus Level each side and keep focused for the whole 3 minutes. This is as
There is an extra little boost you can do to get your speed up a little much about staying focused as it is getting the eye movements
more. It is not absolutely necessary in order to get a good speed, down at this point. Focus for the entire 3 minutes, again, if you
but it can give you a little help with your reading speed and of lose focus, repeat it until you've got the movements down.
course, it only take a few minutes of training.
You are going to be fighting against some natural habits that you

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have established over the years of reading in your own language JLPT with relative ease.
and reading in Japanese that you might have to fight back for a few
weeks or months before this becomes an automatic skill that you The chart below gives comfortable reading times for each of the
can use at will. levels of the test. When I say comfortable, I mean if you are
capable of reading unfamiliar material at this speed, you should be
Step 5 – Add Comprehension Back in able to read everything on the test 4 times, this includes the
Now that you have gotten the method down, it is time to give it a reading passages and all the answers to the questions, but not the
try and see the effect. Take a brand new piece of reading material instructions. Since the instructions are the same for every test. I'm
that you haven't read yet. Time yourself for 2 minutes like you did going to go ahead and assume you have memorized them.
before and see how much you can read and comprehend.
Afterwards, factor out your characters/minute reading speed. Be careful though, you do need to read the instructions for the
information retrieval section (the last section of the reading). They
How did you do? There was probably a noticeable increase in your usually include some background information about the questions
speed. And if you continue to practice and master this, you'll see and how they relate to the passage. The reading of this is include
even more speed increases. in the total number.

Another handy thing to do is speed read through your grammar drill Below is just the total speed needed for each level. For N5 through
books for review. I start by reading the sentences carefully for N3 there are separate speeds for the Grammar and Reading Section
comprehension and make sure I understand the grammar point and the Vocabulary and Kanji Section because these are
well, then speed read a group of sentences making sure to read administered separately.
every character. This helps in a couple of ways, it increases
concentration, helps you quickly review your grammar points, and
increases your reading speed with the kind of grammar that you are
going to see on the test.

Setting Goals
Now that you have a good baseline to work with and a solid
method for improving your reading speed, it's good to move toward
increasing that speed to a point where you can read through the

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 Vocabulary and Grammar and Reading Now set a realistic goal of when you'd like to achieve that. Keep it
Kanji challenging, but don't overdue it. Goals should be motivating not
depressing. Ideally, you want to get up to speed about a month
N5 50 characters/minute 35 characters/minute
before the test, this can give you some room to adjust your goals.
N4 60 characters/minute 60 characters/minute
N3 65 characters/minute 65 characters/minute But, if that is too much, don't worry too much about it. This is just
a comfortable speed for the test. It is still possible to read slower
N2 105 characters/minute and pass.
N1 105 characters/minute
Now count how many months (or weeks if you like) are between
To get these numbers I counted out the characters for each now and the date you set to reach your goal. Divide the number of
question on the official practice tests and averaged them and then characters you need to improve by the number of months (or
multiplied that number by the number of questions for each weeks) and you have your goal of how much you need to improve
section. These aren't perfect of course, but they should be each month.
accurate enough to give you a good goal.
You can think take these and post them on your calendar or
These are basically the minimum speeds you need to read at, in schedule them on your smart phone or other reminder system.
order to get through the test successfully. You should probably aim
for at least 150% to 200% of these speeds in order to give yourself You'll need to test yourself more often than every month though.
some time to re-read difficult sections and check your answers. Try to test yourself at least 7 or 8 times a month and take your best
score. Remember to use the same book if you can. This can be a
To help you get up to that speed, we need to set some regular drill book or a great source of material is old pre-2010 practice
goals for you to hit. In order to do that, you need to first subtract tests. These tests are formatted differently, but the reading
your baseline from the target that you want to reach. For example, questions are mostly the same.
in my case, my baseline is 108 characters per minute, so subtract
that from 157.50 (150% of 105 characters/minute), I get 49.5 Remember to push yourself to read faster and break out of your
characters per minute. comfort zone, that is the only way you are really going to break the
speed limit and get your speed up to where it needs to be.

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Listening Material sentences of key vocabulary from the unit. They also sometimes
contain the transcript of the hosts, too.
JapanesePod101.com
When you consider they publish around 4 or 5 units a week, that is
This website has an amazing library of material and it just keeps
a lot of content you can work your way through. Also, if you pay
growing. Couple this with their active staff that help you with any
for the subscription, you have access to the entire (5gig+) back
questions you might have as well as check your sentences if you
library of lessons. So, even if you sign up for a month and cancel,
put them in the comments, and you've got a pretty good
you can download all that content.
combination going for you.
If you are a little worried about the sticker price being a bit out of
Jpod101's extensive library includes material from newbies to semi-
your budget, you can sign up for their mailing list and wait a few
N1 level with their advanced audio blog series. They also include a
months. They have sales fairly periodically, so you can pick up a
few special series on the JLPT, but they only have up to N3 level at
steep discount if you wait awhile. Conversely, you can just do a
the time that this ekit is being published. They also have a bank of
google search for coupons 'Japanesepod101 coupons' and see what
JLPT questions to go through to help you study for the test.
you come up with.
Japanesepod101.com has essentially two packages, a basic and a
Erin's Challenge
pro. The pro version might be worth your while because it chops
up the lessons into their separate parts so that you can later group
Erin's challenge is a free website that includes a lot of short skits
all the dialogs together and do some listening practice with them.
that include video and subtitles. It is a great little site that has a lot
It also includes access to their word lists and word studying
of tools. Currently, there are only about 50 episodes (each about 2
materials as well as line by line audio where you can listen to the
to 3 minutes long), but it seems like the Japan Foundation is
dialogs as separate lines of speech. They also give you the ability
keeping the website updated and with any luck, there might be a
to record your voice and play it back so you can check your
few more coming out soon.
pronunciation.
I think Erin's challenge is unique in that it has video so it helps you
The basic plan just unlocks the PDFs that go along with the lessons.
understand the situation a little bit more. It is still definitely
The PDFs are extensive though. Some of the new ones contain
material for learners, all the scenes are really staged and don't
almost 10 pages of thorough grammar explanations and example
include that much slang, also everyone clearly enunciates

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everything they say, which is of course nothing like real life, but you practice with that. It only takes a few minutes to get a good
do get a lot of good practice. recording and then you can practice with that.

NHK World Books

Unfortunately, not everything is available via the internet. Some
NHK World also has a series for Japanese learners. It focuses a lot materials still come the old fashion way. Although they will usually
on business Japanese and set phrases more than grammar. Each cost a little bit more (than say free like NHK World), I think you'll
week they have a new episode. They don't pack a whole lot into find that they are well worth the extra coin.
each one, usually just a handful of phrases, but they have very
clear explanations of all the elements in the listening. The key advantage in getting a textbook is that they will have a ton
of exercises for you to go through so you can check your
NHK will be good for listening up to about a N4 level. The listening understanding. I live in Japan, and hear Japanese all the time, but
is fairly easy and straightforward. If you are looking for something I have bought some listening textbooks from time to time to
more difficult, you will probably have to look elsewhere, but if you practice some of the more difficult aspects of listening like long and
are just starting out, or if you are working in Japan, it might be a short vowels.
good fit for you.
N5 and N4 Levels
RhinoSpike
Minna No Nihongo CDs
RhinoSpike is a rather bare bones, but extremely powerful site
Minna No Nihongo is an excellent series of books for those who are
where you can request a native speaker to make a recording of a
serious about learning Japanese. They differ from Japanese for
particular piece of writing. This could be literally anything, for
Busy People in that I feel like they are made more for those who
example, if you want to practice LifeHacker articles you could
are living in Japan or are going to be spending a lot of time here.
submit it to the service and get your own recording. The
recordings are then available to everyone, so make sure you don't
They give you what you need to know directly, without too much
submit anything you don't want out on the Internet.
hand holding. The books themselves are all in Japanese, you'll
need to buy the extra English book that has grammatical
Alternatively, with the availability of smartphones everywhere, you
explanations in order to see any English, so they follow an
could just ask a native friend to read something for you and

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immersion style of learning. Press they usually have a good deal on books as well.

The two sets of 4 CDs for these books, one for the first beginner N3 and Above
book and another set for the second beginner book, can be quite
pricey. They are worth it if you are using these two books for your So-Matome Listening Series
primary learning source or if you are taking a class that uses the So-Matome has a listening book for N3, N2 and N1. These books
Minna No Nihongo books. Personally I find this to be a little too contain two audio CDs of listening exercises to keep you going, so a
much for too little. Especially when you can get a huge library of lot of content.
content at Jpod101 for cheaper, but if you need the full set (and
sometimes you do), go for it. The key advantage So-Matome has is that it is very user friendly.
They have a lot of pretty diagrams and cartoons to keep you from
The Genki Books' CD-ROM
drowning in kanji. They also offer explanations for a lot of key
The Genki Books are more widely available than Minna No Nihongo, points (NOTE: not everything) in English, Chinese and Korean. This
and also a lot more up to date. If you get the new revised edition makes things pretty easy to understand and easy for you to get
of the Genki books there is a CD-ROM that includes MP3s of the through.
listening for the book. This used to be sold separately and cost an
arm and leg, but they have chosen the more modern and cheaper What So-Matome lacks is thoroughness. They will only give you the
way of delivering the audio, making it a nice alternative to the core of what you need to know and not much past that. For some
pricey Minna No Nihongo CDs. people, that is all you need. If you are getting a lot of exposure to
the language at work or just chatting it up with friends, these books
I haven't used Genki that much, but I do know that the books are should be a good match for you. If you are looking for the
focused a lot on pair work and some group activity. In other words, encyclopedia of listening comprehension, you are going to have to
they are more useful in a classroom situation than in a study by look elsewhere.
yourself type situation. Still they are very through and very clear
and easy to use. The New Kanzen Master Series
That elsewhere is the newly-revised Kanzen Master series. If you
Also note, there is sometimes a noticeable difference in price have been following the test for awhile you know that the Kanzen
between buying the book here in Japan and in the states. Check Master books used to be the books to get if you are studying for
prices and make sure you get a good deal. Or try White Rabbit

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the JLPT. At one time, they were practically the only books to get a few questions to a native because there are minimal explanations
for the tests. Now, of course you have other options, but they are of answers. Usually the book just gives you the answer and
still a force to be reckoned with. expects you to know why you got it right or wrong.

The primary advantage to picking up the new Kanzen Master series The New Kanzen Master listening books are available for the N3, N2
is that they are thorough, almost painfully so. To give you an and N1 levels currently.
example the new grammar version of the books contains 211
points, the old one, which supposedly covered N3 and N2 grammar, Other Options
only covered about 176 points. You can of course get a lot of natural listening by picking up a few
Japanese podcasts. These are great for general listening skills, but
The listening book is also pretty thorough. It includes 2 CDs and won't really hone your listening skills for the test. I go over this
plenty of exercises to keep you busy. It also breaks down extensively on the blog, so I'll direct you there if you want to pick
expressions into different categories so you can quickly identify up a few podcasts. The only real issue with Japanese podcast
phrases and respond to them easily. I especially like the (meant for native speaker audience) is that they don't usually come
explanations about listening strategies that you can use for the test. with transcripts, so it is hard to check your listening skills.
They give you specific strategies for each type of question. These
are practically priceless. The same also goes for jDramas and Japanese movies. These can
be great for increasing your overall exposure to the language which
The only downside of the New Kanzen Master series is that it is all can help you be more confident with the language, but you will
in Japanese (if you consider that a downside). This can get a little need to supplement that with other forms of targeted listening.
confusing when they start explaining listening strategies and start
using grammatical terms that you might not be completely familiar Listening Tips
with. From time to time they also use terminology and phrases for
Listening can be quite challenging and one of the hardest skills to
things that have much simpler names, but for whatever reason they
pick up. You will eventually have to hone this skill in order to pass
use more long-winded descriptions.
the higher levels. It is something that you can not learn per se,
you must practice the skill over and over until you've reached a
It might not be a book you want to start out with when you first get
higher proficiency with it.
to the N2 or N1 levels, and even if you have been studying for the
N2/N1 for awhile, expect to be looking up a few words, and asking

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It is really less about memory and more about having the skill, you've probably experienced the same expression on their face.
much like a baseball player when they are pitching a ball. They I've made the mistake a few times in class or in Japan trying to
aren't thinking about every little muscle movement, if they did they strike up a conversation with someone, but speaking way to fast
wouldn't be able to perform their best. They have to simply rely on and above their level. It is a frustrating problem to run into.
their reflexes and something similar happens when you go to use
your listening skills. I originally thought if I just kept studying vocabulary and practicing
my grammar that I will eventually just be able to understand
When you read something, you have the time to go back and re- everything quick enough to improve my listening skills. However,
read it if you miss something. But, you usually can't go back and that wasn't the case. There is no way you can learn absolutely
listen to something that you've heard. You can ask someone to every word and phrase that could come out of someone's mouth.
repeat something, but in the meeting room for example, it might be There will always be a gray area to deal with.
a little too embarrassing to keep asking your superiors to repeat
everything they say. In a conversation, you have multiple chances to ask for repetition.
But, in a meeting or on the test, you won't be able to do that. You
That's why it is important to be able to get the main points of the have to simply keep going, so try not to hang on a particular word
conversation the first time you listen to it. This involves a couple of you don't understand because that will only fog the rest of your
skills. Skills that I was never really taught in school, and I've had to comprehension.
figure out the hard way. It wasn't until I took a systematic
approach to listening that my score improved enough to pass N2. It's like that famous I Love Lucy Clip where Lucy is trying to make
chocolates and she can't keep up. So, she just starts dropping
No Turning Back them down her shirt and shoving them in her mouth. You don't
When I first started learning Japanese and trying to get a hang of want to start stuffing chocolates down your shirt. You want to keep
listening skills, I tried to understand every last word that came out going.
of someone's mouth. My brain kept getting hung up on a word and
it would get stuck in a loop trying to figure out what that word was Getting stuck on one word while you are listening to something is
before I went back to listening. This lead to me spacing out a lot of very similar. My advice is to skip it and move on to the next string
times while I was trying to talk to someone. of words because they'll be coming at you fast, so you need to be
ready to get the overall idea of the listening. Use a sheet of paper
If you've talked to anyone whose first language is not your own, as your backup memory by dumping those key words you don't

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know on to it. Later when the listening is over you can take a peek addition to listening to what is being said. This helps build a strong
at these words again and see if you can put together the main connection in your head.
points of the listening that way.
You can practice note taking with some listening sources or you can
This is a strategy that will help you on the test as well as real life. do note taking on the fly. If you are chatting to a native speaker
There will be a few times when you hear a word over and over and you hear something new, it is important to write it down.
again, but still can't quite guess what it is about. Sometimes if you Again, this is to help you remember by keeping it in your head a
listen for long enough it'll just lock into place. Other times, you'll little longer, but also, it has been recorded so that if you do forget,
need to eventually look it up or ask the speaker if you can. you can refer back to it later.

However, on the test, you won't be able to ask the CD to repeat As for how to take notes, this is largely up to you. Different
itself. You only get one shot, so it is better to train yourself to listen people's minds work different ways. But, I'll try to run by some
without being able to get someone to clarify. The best way to train pointers to help you survive.
for this is with a prerecorded dialog that won't stop or slow down
for you, which is exactly what you will have on the test. The Mind Map Method
This involves writing notes in a rather non-structured organic way.
Learn to Take Structured Notes
Once you are done it'll end up looking like a web of words
I was a terrible note taker in school. I never was able to take notes interconnected with lines. It works really well when you are taking
despite being taught several times on the best way to do note notes during a casual conversation. Sometimes during these types
taking, I still failed miserably. So, when I started preparing for the of conversations, information is presented out of order as opposed
N2 and realized that the new revised N-tests involved listening to a structured lecture where like information is usually presented
questions where they didn't give you the question beforehand, together. It's pretty basic really.
where you absolutely had to take notes. I knew I had to practice
some good note taking in order to survive. First draw a circle and write the main topic that is being discussed
in the listening that you are listening too. For example if you are
This is a skill that needs to be practiced for the test and for real life. listening to two people discuss the merits of watching “ギャングラン
It also helps you to remember what you have listened to, even ド II” (Gangland II) or “ラブラブフィーバ” (Love Love Fever), your
without referring back to your notes. The very act of writing down diagram would look something like this:
what you hear involves you seeing the word as well as writing it in

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 question the speakers will make a decision that eludes to the
previously mentioned details. So for example, if they are ordering
at a restaurant, one speaker might say something like 'I'm going to
have the special.' and hopefully you wrote down which menu item
was on special so you can choose that one.
Now, anything related to these two topics should be 'attached' to
them as you hear them. Now, let's imagine ラブラブフィーバ has a Japanese or English?
really かっこういい actor in it. But, ギャングランド II has some action
The other big question is whether you should take notes in
stars. We could add on some extra information like so:
Japanese or in English. Obviously, the preferred option is to take all
your notes in Japanese. But, this can be pretty difficult. Especially
if you don't have a lot of Japanese-writing experience, which
chances are you probably don't have that much. I do a lot of my
writing in Japanese with the aid of cell phones and computers, so
my speed writing skills are not what they should be.

If you are like me and can't write hiragana at the same speed as
roman letters, you might want to consider taking notes in your
native language or romaji. The advantage of using your native
And you can keep on adding information as the conversation
language is that you probably don't have to think that much about
continues. This is an especially effective technique for the last
the writing process. You can simply put it down on paper in a flash.
listening question on the N2 and N1 exams. These questions will
However, you might run into issues as you translate the Japanese
just have four answers printed in your booklet, and you don't get to
to put it down on paper, and then translate it again to answer the
hear the question before hand. There is simply a conversation that
question (if it's the test). So, this may actually slow you down a bit.
you must listen to and then answer two questions about
afterwards.
The alternative is romaji which is a pretty good option as well. But,
I have some problems reading Japanese words written in romaji
You can use this method to draw 4 bubbles with the 4 answers
quickly. I'm so used to words appearing in kana that it takes me
inside them and then start attaching details to each one as the
awhile to puzzle out what is written. You may have a better time of
conversation progresses. Usually about half way through the
it though, so try both. You want to go into the test confident of

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your note taking abilities. So confident that you can do it
automatically during the test. This is especially true at N2 and N1, That's why it is helpful to start working on building up your stamina
where note taking is essential to pass the test. early. You want to have a good solid focus for the test. Meditation
will also help you prepare as well. But, you will probably have to
One resource I recommend on helping you with your note taking practice listening to a lot of Japanese in order to bring your comfort
skills is the New Kanzen Master N2 Listening Book. It will walk you level up.
through a few examples of note taking and help you to hone your
skills. The only downside is you have to be studying for the N2 in If you are in Japan, this is where a lot of TV watching can really
order to understand the tips they go over. But, if you are at the help you. If you are out of Japan, try to get some Japanese
level, be sure to pick it up. It will probably increase your score by podcasts or movies to listen to. You can also recycle practice tests
about 5 points. and listening workbooks by playing the CD for these on shuffle on
your mp3 player or computer. Try to gradually increase the length
Listening Stamina of exposure to Japanese step by step. In time, listening should
On the JLPT, the listening section ranges from 30 minutes in N5 to become pretty easy.
around an hour for N1. If you are not used to listening to (and
focusing on) Japanese for long periods of time, this will certainly be Diagnosing Listening Problems
a struggle for you. You might start to completely lose all focus Listening is a pretty big hurdle when you first start studying a
toward the end if you are not used to it. language. One big thing that always got me was that I am a very
visual person and so I need to see something written down before
And even if you are used to listening to a lot of Japanese. This will it 'clicks' in my head. For other people just the fact that you often
be focused listening where you will have to pay attention to almost can't easily go back and re-listen to something can cause them to
every word in order to come up with the right answer. get anxious and distracted.

This is one reason why I recommend taking a practice test before So, how do you improve listening? Well, that all depends on what
the real thing. The main reason for this is for you to get a feel for aspect of listening you are having trouble with. There are actually
what the actual test is like as well as walk through the test taking a lot of things that can go wrong that can affect your ability to
process and see how your mind holds up because at the higher listen. Luckily, I have made a short little list of questions you can
levels, these tests can be as much about mental stamina as they work through to try to diagnose the particular problem that you are
are about your actual knowledge. having:

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Does the Listening Seem to Go too fast? This can be pretty difficult. It was difficult for me at first, but it is
well worth the effort and your Japanese will be a lot better off
Does the listening seem to go by too fast for you to quickly process because of it.
all the words? When you look at the script can you understand it if
you read it slower? Can you only pick out a few keywords while the Do you Have a Hard Time 'Keeping the Info All in your
rest seems like gibberish, but the dialog is easy to read? Head'?

This a problem with listening not being so automatic for you. You A lot of times there is that question on the exam that deals with
have to stop and process each of the little bits of listening in order dates or times for something. They usually start off talking about
to get the whole picture. You need to make the comprehension of one particular date, then mention a few more along the way, and
the little bits automatic. You need to eliminate or greatly reduce eventually come back to the original date or say something like '2
that brain processing time so that you have more time to form days after that date'.
conclusions, answer questions, and, in real life, respond to the
person that is talking to you instead of standing and staring there My original strategy for these types of questions was to just make a
dumbly. guess and move on. It was too hard to keep track of the dates and
numbers in my head, so I just gave up. But, there is another way
A great way to do this actually is to do Ondoku. As you force to go about these questions.
yourself to speak faster and faster, you break that little part of your
brain that wants to slow things down and process everything. Once First of all, taking good notes is an invaluable skill, not only for the
you release your brain from this burden of having to process test, but obviously in real life. I never managed to learn to take
everything, you can focus more on other things. good notes in college, but I learned how to take good notes for the
JLPT, because it is absolutely essential you take good notes to
I think for analytical learners, like me, we want to process all the answer some questions correctly. If you are studying for the N3,
parts of the language and make sure things are correct and double- N2 or N1, the New Kanzen Master Listening books for these levels
check our understanding. It is how we learned to do a lot of other (N3, N2, N1) do an amazing job walking you through how to take
things. But, in order to use the language well, and in order to get good notes.
the listening questions right on the test, you'll need to set yourself
free and stop processing every little word. The second thing you can do is try to simply visualize the situation
in words. It is next to impossible to write fast enough to get all the

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points of conversation down on paper, but if you can visualize what and build up your ability to do that for longer periods of time.
is going on during the conversation you can track and comprehend
a lot more. I've found that closing your eyes is one of the best Of course, doing a little meditation won't hurt either.
strategies for this, so that you can block out what is going on
around you and just focus on the listening. Do you often Listen to a Dialog, and think you don't know
any of the Words, but Then When you Look at the Script
Do you Easily get Distracted? Realize you can Recognize all the Words?

This is a really big concern for a lot of people. It is really difficult to This has got to be the most annoying problem with listening. You
focus and listen to something for a long period time. If you add in struggle through a listening, get all stressed out and think you need
the fact that you have to listen in a foreign language, this makes to practice more vocabulary, but then when you take a look at the
the task pretty difficult. You can very easily get distracted and your script you realize you have studied these words before. In some
focus can stray. cases, they can be really simple words, too.

Building up your listening stamina is a big factor here. When you This problem happens when you have learned or studied a word in
first start learning a language, there is a tendency for your brain to written form, but haven't linked it to the audio of the word. It
'push out' the new language because you don't recognize it. You tends to happen with more visual learners that like to see
need to build up your stamina with the language so that it becomes everything written down. It is also an issue that comes up when
comfortable to you. you do a lot of vocabulary learning with a flashcard system that
doesn't include audio.
About a month before the test, I usually switch my iPhone (but it
can be any digital audio player thing) to just Japanese dialogs, JLPT One way to link up the sound of a word with the written form of the
listening questions, and Japanese songs. In other words, a word is to do some eye shadowing. This is where you listen to a
constant stream of Japanese. The trick here is to start small and piece of listening while reading the script for it. This locks in the
work your way up. The first week, just listen to Japanese for 10 audio and visual together. You can do this with any listening
minutes, then the next week add a few more minutes. material that you have the script to. I highly recommend doing this
after you have done a practice test or a listening drill book for the
Try to avoid doing this when you are tired and just want to relax. JLPT. It helps lock in what you just learned and reinforces your
The point here is to try to focus on the words as much as you can listening skill.

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 flashcard about it, or at least go back and review it after a week.
Do you Listen to a Dialog, Catch some Key Words and are
sure you have the Right Answer, but Find you are These kinds of mistakes are actually quite valuable to find because
Completely Off? they help you uncover those hidden misunderstandings that you
have. If you catch them early enough, they won't have a chance to
This is just down right annoying. You listen to the listening dialog fossilize and it'll be that much easier to fix.
or piece, confident you understood the main ideas because you
picked up most of the main keywords; you answer the question Where to Go Online for Help
with confidence; then, you check your answer only to find out you The JLPT is taken by well over a half a million people, somewhere
are completely wrong. around 700 to 800 thousand to be exact. And that is just the test.
There are easily millions more that are studying Japanese on a
Anyone that has taken the JLPT has had this experience. The usual regular basis and it is becoming more and more popular with the
cause of this annoyance is a misunderstanding of the grammar or rise in popularity of modern Japanese culture.
missing the meaning of an expression. The JLPT listening
questions are designed to not only test your vocabulary, but also That means that there are literally millions of people in the world
test your ability to comprehend the twists and turns of normal sharing the exact same experience as you. And just like you, they
conversation. are probably running into stumbling blocks with the language. With
the mighty power of the internet at your hands, it has become
They will inevitably test your ability to listen for things like negative increasingly easy to find the answers to the questions that you
questions and conjugations of verbs that can change the meaning. might have about something.
The Listening section (and the reading section) will not only test
your reading skills, but also your grammar and vocabulary skills. If So, don't be afraid to reach out and ask questions of your fellow
you are having problems with overall comprehension it might be Japanese studiers. In my experience, the Japanese learning
because you have a hard time recognizing certain grammar community is one of the most helpful and responsive groups of
structures. people I've ever had the pleasure to talk to. They will usually do
their best to answer your questions or do some leg work to give
When you get a question like this wrong, be sure to take the time you a better understanding of what you're having problems with.
and look up the grammar point. Don't just assume it will magically
fix itself. Take a little bit of time to do the research and make a

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There are probably hundreds of sites out there on the Internet that always eager to answer questions and earn the highly coveted
can help you with your questions, but I can easily narrow it down to karma that they get when their comments are upvoted.
just 3 that are the most responsive and best choices for those of
you that are taking the JLPT: Reddit is a community, so if you plan on using it a lot, I highly
recommend contributing as much as you can. You might think you
JLPT Study Forums don't know anything about language learning, but you probably
http://www.jlptstudy.net/forum/ know more than at least a few people about learning a language,
so get in there and try your best to help out.
This is a great little site with a fairly responsive community in their
forums. Although it can be a little slow at times in these forums, JapanesePod101 Forums
they will usually answer any questions you might have about things http://www.japanesepod101.com/member/go.php?r=24360&amp;i=l0
specifically pertaining to the tests as well as the occasional
grammar points and vocabulary. This site also contains lists of This is also a pretty good place to find support for some of the
vocabulary and kanji for N5-N2 that are regularly updated. questions you might have. You have to get a free account in order
to post messages. Although you don't have to subscribe to a basic
Reddit or premium subscription, a lot of the conversation that takes place
http://www.reddit.com/r/LearnJapanese/ here is about the various lessons.

Be a Contributor not just a Taker

Despite the fact that Reddit is one of the biggest websites on the
Internet, you might have the misconception that this is just a big It is always important to try to give back to these communities as
hang out for college stoners. That might have been true at one much as you can. This might seem a little difficult at first because
time, but now the site is an incredibly rich resource for getting you are just a beginner, but don't be afraid to jump in and clarify
quick and accurate answers. What is really cool is the something if you feel it needs it. These communities thrive off
upvote/downvote system which helps good comments float to the users helping other users, so to keep them healthy you should try
top and bad ones stay out of sight. to give back when you can.

How Reddit works is you can either post a link or just post a little Helping others understand a grammar point or particularly difficult
mini article yourself or both. You can post your questions here and vocabulary word is also one way of reviewing the language yourself.
generally expect an answer back within 24 hours or so. People are If you teach something you tend to know it a lot better than if you

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just study it. You also never know when you'll need someone to with. It is important to have one, two or possibly three of these to
help you out of jam in the future, too. study with to give you some framework to learn from.

Choosing an Exercise Book General Books

There are a variety of exercise books out there that are available to The Minna no Nihongo series is generally considered a good starter
you for the JLPT. It gets to be pretty hard to choose a good one book. It is mostly for those living in Japan, but it has a lot of
that will help you learn the material that you need to learn in order exercises and a lot of examples of each type of grammar point. It
to pass the test. Although you can get there several ways from the is what I studied when I first came to Japan. This textbook is also
inexpensive to the somewhat expensive, you have a lot of choice. probably most suited for self-learners because there are a lot of
writing exercises and the speaking exercises that do exist can be
I'm just going to try to go over the few key books that can really done with a tutor or a native pretty easily.
help you at each level. These can change from year to year, so be
sure to ask your fellow classmates or friends that are studying for The one problem with Minna no Nihongo in my opinion is that the
the exam what their recommendations are. Or if you do have a series has so many 'parts'. First, there is the main book, then the
tutor or teacher, ask them what they are used to teaching. The workbook, then the English translation of the grammar rules, and
more comfortable they are with the book the better they will teach on top of all that the CDs to go with it all.
it.
The whole set ends up being pretty costly, but is worth it if you
From time to time, I review exercise books in a little more depth have the money because you will have a complete system and
over at the blog. I've covered a lot of N3, N2, and N1 books in won't have to worry about buying something else that might not be
detail, so if you are studying for any of those levels, I probably your level.
wrote up something a little more in depth at the site.
The Genki series is basically the main competitor to the Minna no
The N5 Level Nihongo series for serious Japanese studiers. It is very well written
and the overall layout and design is just a lot more pleasing to the
Being that the N5 level is the beginner level of the test, there are
eye than the spartan Minna no Nihongo. This makes it a lot easier
numerous general purpose books out there for you to study with.
to study with because it just flows a lot more smoothly.
None of the series are particularly better than the others, they
really just have their own advantages and disadvantages to work
The main disadvantage of the Genki series is that it was meant to

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be used in a classroom. This is great if you are in a classroom, but not as difficult as the real test. This may lull you into a false sense
that might not be the case for you. Still, you can make this work if of security so be sure to either pick up a mock test to test your
you have a tutor or simply a native friend that is ready and willing level or pick up this next book to give you a real taste of what the
to go through the exercises with you. test is like.

JLPT-specific Books A great book that gives you some good examples of what the test
Those general books will provide you with a good foundation of is going to look like is the Tanki Master N5 Book. This book seems
grammar and vocabulary as well as improve your reading, listening, to be the most in line with the level of the test. It's a little thin, but
and speaking skills. But, different books introduce different it covers all the sections of the exam and should get you ready for
grammar points and vocabulary at different times. Sometimes they the test. It is for the most part a drill book with a lot of practice
will introduce points that are on the test, but at a much higher questions for the test.
level. So, what ends up happening is that you have a few holes in
your learning that you have to plug before you can take the N5. It provides some basic strategies and will give you a good sense of
what the test is like. It also packs this into a short course that you
These holes can be plugged by a few books that were specifically could probably go through a month before the test to really
written for the JLPT. They will help standardize your level so that sharpen your sword and be ready for the exam.
you can go into the test a well-rounded N5 speaker of Japanese.
They will also have exercises, questions and strategies that are The N4 Level
designed for the test. This will help build up your confidence and At the N4 level, pretty much all basic grammar rules will be
get you ready for the actual taking of the test. introduced and used. You will be able to understand the grammar
behind most conversational and light reading material. You might
Gokaku Dekiru JLPT N4 & N5 workbook seems like a pretty good not be able to understand all the vocabulary though. The N4 only
deal. You get a drill book for two levels of the test for the price of includes around 1200 or so words, which seems like a lot, and it is
one and it is for the most part. It contains over 800 problems to a good start, but you still have a ways to go before you can watch
work through in order to prepare for the test and covers all the TV shows or read a magazine.
sections of the exam including listening.
General Books
The major complaint I've heard back from people about this book is Again, it is a good idea to pick up a general study book for this
that although the book is pretty good overall, the N5 problems are

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level. The two that are most common for this level are the Minna vocabulary, and one grammar. On the other side of the page there
No Nihongo series and the Genki series that I mentioned earlier for is a brief explanation of the answer and some other helpful info.
the N5 level. You might want to go back and read up on the This is a great little book because you can stop and start it
differences between the two if you are not familiar with them. But, whenever you have free time. You don't have to make your way
I'm going to assume that you are already using one of these through a whole lesson, simply do as many problems as you can
systems. get to when you have a free moment.

JLPT-specific books The N3 Level

The Nihongo Challenge book for grammar and reading practice is a N3 level will start to introduce more grammar phrases and
great book that includes a lot of sentence patterns to practice with. expressions instead of actual grammar points. There is also added
It also includes some illustrations to keep you from going to sleep. vocabulary and kanji that you have to learn as well. N3 is a bit of a
It is from the same publishers as the So-Matome series of books stepping stone to the very difficult N2. You will have to pick up
that are popular for the higher level tests. your reading speed and learn some test taking strategies in order to
pass this level.
It is a book specifically designed for self-studiers, so there are no
group or pair activities just a lot of drills to work through. This can At this point in my studies I started to do a lot more reading,
be a good thing or a bad thing. Overall though, this is a great book listening, and watching real Japanese media. This is pretty difficult
that will help fill in any holes you have with grammar and give you at first, but after a few tries you'll see that it gets easier and easier
some reading practice on top of that. to the point it is no longer a problem for you to use the material.
There are no real general textbooks for this level, just books
There is also a Tanki Master for this level that has the same designed for the N3 specifically.
goodness that the N5 has. This is essentially a short course that
you can take a month before the exam to sharpen up your skills JLPT-specific Materials
and get you ready for go time. It has the added benefit of being There are two major sets of books for this level – the Nihongo So-
just about the same level as the test as well so you get a real feel Matome Series and the Quick Mastery Series. Both of these series
for how difficult it is going to be. offer complete coverage of the test – kanji, vocabulary, grammar,
reading, and listening. Both of them go about presenting the
Nihongo 500 Mon – Beginner is essentially a drill book with 500 material in slightly different ways though.
problems in it. Each page has three problems, one kanji, one

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 vocabulary, and one for grammar. As soon as you turn the page
The So-Matome series is laid out in a weekly study plan type format you can see the answers as well as an explanation of why it is
(except the listening book). This is handy to help you keep on track correct.
and gives you a great study plan to follow. You can of course
speed this up or slow it down however you like to suit your needs The N2 Level
and your learning speed. But, it is handy to have a good division of The N2 level starts to get into some more complicated grammar
the material. and vocabulary. Most of the grammar that you will need to read
formal material or any kind of reading material in general, is
Actually, most of their materials share the same pattern. For 6 days covered at the N2 level. On top of that the test will really challenge
the book introduces different points. Each day usually has a page your test taking skills. Specifically, you will need really good
and a half of material that you can read through and then on the reading and listening skills if you hope to pass the exam.
second page there is a half page of problems to work through. On
the 7th day, there is a mini practice test that goes over all the Because of this skill practice and just the sheer number of words
grammar points presented before, using questions that resemble and grammar points you need to learn for this level, you might
those on the test. need to buy two different books that go over the same material. It
may seem like a waste of money, but seeing things from two
The Quick Mastery Series is a little different in that, it will often different perspectives might help you to understand it better. I
times change up the format as well as offer up cheat sheets that personally bought two different books for grammar, reading, and
you can quickly check before the test to make sure you remember listening practice. I recommend doing the same unless you are
everything. I didn't count, but it does seem to have more problems pretty good at test taking.
to go through as well. One thing I like about this series over the
So-Matome series is that it will show you a little more information JLPT-specific books
about conjugating the adjective, nouns, na-adjectives, etc... that There are numerous books for this level that cover the different
come before or after the grammar point. skills, but the two series that stick out and are the most popular are
the So-Matome series and the New Kanzen Master series. Both
It is also worth mentioning that there is a 500 mon book for this series cover the major skills needed to pass the test – grammar,
level as well. This is another quick and easy way to get some kanji, listening, reading, and vocabulary. They just go about
practice in whenever you have the time to do a few problems. presenting the material in different ways.
These books have 3 problems on each page- one for kanji, one for

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 practice test toward the end of each one that goes over the section
The So-Matome series has a lot of hand-holding in it. It gives two of the test it covers.
example sentences for every grammar point as well as conjugation
information. For each example sentence it also offers up an English My biggest issue I have with the New Kanzen Master series is the
translation which makes it easy to make flashcards out of the utter lack of explanations for the answers. This can make it really
material. Also, having the English translation offers a little bit of a hard to find out why your answer was incorrect. For example, for
guide so that you don't get so lost with the material. the scrambled sentences in the grammar book it simply gives you
the answer (e.g. 1), it doesn't give you the sequence of the words
One of the problems with So-Matome though is it's simplicity. It (e.g. 2->3->1->4). This is where having a native who can explain
doesn't go into enough detail about what kinds of statements need these things can come in handy.
to go before or after the grammar point and in what situations
exactly is the point used. Also, in general, the questions are easier These books also use all Japanese, which is good immersion
than the actual test. The drill questions are actually written more practice, but sometimes they use vocabulary words that aren't often
like the old 二級 test where they simply asked you what grammar used in Japanese in place of katakana words that would have made
point goes in the blank. The new version of the test is a little more things a lot easier.
complicated than that.
My recommendation is to try the So-Matome books first, then move
The New Kanzen Master series is definitely not for the faint of on to the Kanzen Master series if you have the time and money.
heart. The entire book, even the strategies, is in Japanese, so it is Otherwise, you can try the New Kanzen Master books first and hope
best that you have some kind of tutor, native friend, or some other for the best, but be careful.
kind of back up material to explain some things to you. It is,
however, the same level as the test so it will give you a solid
grounding in what the test will be like. The N1 Level
At this level, you are probably doing almost all of your learning
I also like this series because they have a lot of solid test taking outside a classroom through books, TV and other media. You
strategies that can help you score higher on the test. Just these should be able to understand the main points of just about anything
strategies alone can boost your score by 5 to 10 points in each you read or hear. You should be able to see the big picture of the
category. There is also a lot of bang for your buck here. These language. Now all you need to do is just fill in the blanks with what
books are pretty thick and contain drills, cheat sheets and a is missing.

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 course). The practice questions are roughly the same level of the
I recommend picking up and reading a lot of literature at this level test and so will give you a feeling of how the questions will be
to learn a lot of the grammar and vocabulary you will need for the asked.
test. This will also help increase your reading speed which is
extremely important at this level, so try to do as much reading as Again though, the New Kanzen Master series is all in Japanese.
you can of different kinds of novels and literature. You'll find that And there are some parts that aren't explained as well as they
you'll start to pick up more and more vocabulary naturally this way should be. That's why having a tutor or simply a native speaker to
instead of having to pour through boring drill books. ask questions to can really make this book powerful.

JLPT-specific books Browser Extensions

Again, at this level, there are two main series of books the So- A handful of really helpful and free extensions to Firefox or Chrome
Matome series and the New Kanzen Master series. Both series can really help your Japanese learning a lot. Thanks to all the free
cover all the skills you need to learn to pass the test – vocabulary, tools out there, you won't have to manually look up words anymore
grammar, kanji, listening, and reading. And again, the differences you can simply look them up in place. This is so convenient, that
between these books are pretty much the same. you might want to think about converting your reading material into
something that is viewable via a web browser so that you can read
The So-matome series is a good beginner series great for those it that way.
who just passed the N2 exam and don't know much of the N1
vocabulary yet. It also includes translations of all the example Firefox Tools
sentences into English, Chinese and Korean. It is a lot easier to
There are basically only three tools that I use on a regular basis in
just pick up and study and concentrate on. It also has the weekly
Firefox to help me with my Japanese studies, Rikai-chan, Furigana
and daily division of material that makes it easier to plan out when
Injector and Stylish. These are three different plugins with different
to study as well. But, like the N2 So-Matome series, this series is
purposes so let's go over each one by one.
still a little easier than the actual test.
Rikai-chan is handy little tool that looks up words in-line as you
The New Kanzen Master series has a lot more content and more
select them. It will also look for possible phrases made up by the
strategies to help you with individual sections of the exam. They
words you are selecting which can really be a boon if you are not
also contain more examples of each grammar point and some more
familiar with certain Japanese phrases.
detailed descriptions of the grammar points (in Japanese of

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 on Tools → Add-ons in Firefox. Click add new style and copy and
The one thing to look out for is that you can not copy and paste paste the following:
very well when it is turned on, so you'll have to turn it off in order
to do any copying or pasting. Also, be sure to download the right @-moz-document domain(example.com) {
dictionary that is appropriate for your language. There are now
several Japanese dictionaries available, so pick one up before you body, p, cell, div {
start using it. font-family: "Meiryo" !important;
}
The Furigana Injector is a little different in that it simply injects
furigana, those small little helper hiragana, above the kanji on a }
web page. This doesn't seem to work all the time, and sometimes
the injector guesses wrong, but it is still pretty handy. Be aware Changing 'example.com' to the website you'd like to format. This
that it might end up breaking a few of your sites, so you might will switch the default font to Meiryo, which is available in Windows.
want to turn it off if things start looking a little funky. This font is a lot easier to read at different sizes than the other
standard fonts. Mac users shouldn't have too many issues with
Another cool thing is that you can set the level of furigana it injects Japanese fonts, but if you do, be sure to replace Meiryo with the
so that as you get better at reading kanji, you can slowly adjust it name of your favorite font you use on your Mac.
to show you less and less. It'll even give you a little quiz when you
first install it to see how much kanji you know. Pretty handy.
Chrome Extensions
The last tool might not seem like it has a whole lot to do with Rikai-kun is the equivalent to Firefox's Rikai-chan. It packs all the
studying Japanese, and it doesn't really. But, it is a handy tool that same features as the original, its just available on Chrome instead
will help you make web pages a lot more readable. The plug in I'm of Firefox. This is definitely one tool you should pick up.
talking about is Stylish. This plugin essentially let's you override the
styling of a particular website. The downside is that you need to Inline Search & Lookup is also a handy tool that can help you with
know a little bit about CSS in order to really unlock its power, but your Japanese language learning. The cool thing about this tool is
just setting up a basic style will work wonders. that you can give it multiple dictionaries to look up words with. By
default, it doesn't support WWWJDIC, but you can add dictionaries
Once you have Stylish installed, go to its options menu by clicking to it by feeding a url to use. You can simply copy and paste the

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following URL into the add dictionary menu and you'll be all set up:
Just for clarity, when I say iDevice, I'm only referring to those
http://www.csse.monash.edu.au/~jwb/cgi-bin/wwwjdic.cgi?1MUJ$$ devices that run iOS (iTouch, iPhone, iPad currently) and no other
devices. I'll have a special section at the end for Android users.
This will give you access to Jim Breen's JDIC that has a ton of
definitions as well as sample sentences and sample audio if are Dictionaries
interested in what a word sounds like. You absolutely have to have a dictionary if you are going to study a
language. There is simply no way that you can just absorb the
Smart Phone Apps language auto-magically. But, what kind of dictionary do you get?
A lot of people think that they should pick up an electronic Well there are a few options for the iDevice that differ in price and
dictionary when they start learning Japanese. In fact, almost breadth.
everyone in Japan has some kind of electronic dictionary that they
use to learn English with, even if they aren't all that big of fans of Imiwa? (formerly Kotoba) (free)
English, they'll still carry an electronic dictionary that they got with This should be the very first app you install on your iDevice. It
them from their school days. utilizes Jim Breen's JDIC database to retrieve words and example
sentences. It also has a feature where you can look up kanji by
But, I'd say those times are long gone now. With the advent of typing in the radicals that make up the kanji. Another cool feature
iDevices that are so ridiculously cheap there really isn't a reason to is that it will even find words if you put in a conjugated version of
plunk down some hard earned cash on a simple device that only the word. For example, if you type in 行って it will find 行く. This is
looks up words. Why not spend that money on something that is especially handy if you haven't figured out how to conjugate
expandable and upgradeable? And arguably a lot more handier everything perfectly yet.
because it is smaller.
You can also create word lists and export these word lists as CSV
Also, there are a lot of skills that are better practiced with a touch files that you can then import into your favorite flashcard system so
screen like kanji for example or the simplicity of a one tap flashcard that you can practice them. This is what I do to build courses at
app. All of these are easily possible on an iTouch, iPhone, or iPad, memrise.com.
and to some extent an Android device. Let's go over some of the
apps that are the bread and butter of any well configured iDevice. 英辞郎 (えいじろう) on the web (free)

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This is a free iPhone app for the popular online dictionary of the Vocabulary Practice
same name. Where this app excels over Imiwa? is in its ability to Anki Mobile ($$$)
find idiomatic expressions and sayings as well as rare use of some With the Anki mobile app you can sync with your desktop Anki so
words that are used in say, legal documents and things like that. that you can keep on studying when you are on the go. This app
The one downside is you must be online to use it and there are also includes all the statistics you have grown to love on the
constant ads. desktop version and does its best to replicate the whole Anki
experience on the phone. It is a bit pricey, but worth it if you are a
The Wisdom English-Japanese Japanese-English Dictionary ($$$$) devoted Anki fan.
This last dictionary is very impressive. It pretty much has all the
features that you would normally see in an electronic dictionary, but Anki Mobile also has the easiest ways to add words to your deck.
it is on the iPhone. It has the ability to jump between entries by You can feed in a CSV file of words on your desktop and be ready
highlighting words, you can look words up in kana or kanji, the to go on your iDevice when you sync it up. Or you can choose from
whole nine yards. the hundreds of decks that are available on AnkiWeb.
The one serious drawback is that this app doesn't have the ability StickyStudy Kanji ($$)
to type kanji in by selecting their radicals like what is in Imiwa?. This is a very aesthetically pleasing app. It just looks beautiful all
This can make it a little difficult for you to look up words you see in around and it is also packed with some pretty good decks of cards
text that you don't know how to pronounce. It also comes with a in it. What I like most about this app is that you can set a target
hefty price tag, but it might be worth it if your level of Japanese is date to learn that particular deck and it will track your progress
at that level. toward that goal, telling you how many correct answers you need
to get per day and how many days you have left. Overall, a pretty
Tae Kim's Guide to Japanese Grammar (free) good app.
This is technically not a dictionary, but I didn't really have anywhere
else to recommend this amazing app. Basically someone has taken The one thing I have a problem with is that once a card gets in the
Tae Kim's entire guide and put it into an app that can be used 'mastered' stack you don't see it again until about 2 or 3 months
offline to look up a particular grammar point. Handy for doing later. I think the app should at least remind you of the word a little
some extra research on a tricky grammar point. sooner than that. Also, the import function is a little lacking. It's a
bit difficult to import anything, it would be nice if it had a CSV

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function like Anki has. Japanese LS Touch ($$)
For a little bit more money than iKanji, you can get Japanese LS
Kanji Practice Touch. This app has far more words in it to practice and gives you
Skritter App ($$$$) the option of writing all the words out on screen. They also have a
pure kanji version for a little bit less if you want to go that route. It
By far the best app for learning how to write kanji. The app ties has all the usual bells and whistles including practice decks for each
into Skritter.com's large database of lists and resources and allows of the levels of the test.
you to use them to study various kanji. The app itself also has a
slick design and helps you remember the kanji and words that use They also have a kana app, called Kana LS Touch.
the kanji.
My problem with this app is that it is based on a subscription KanjiBox ($)
service which can be quite pricey compared to other services
($14.99/month). Still if you want to practice writing kanji it is a This is a handy app that is actually a cross between a flashcard app
great source. and kanji practice. What I think is really cool about this app though
is that it will give you some tricky choices to choose from just like
iKanji Touch ($$)
iKanji is the app I've been using for well over 2 years now. It's the test will give you. So for example, if it gives you the word 呼吸
pretty slick, rather simple app. The interface is very nice looking
and it is easy to practice with. I like how I can make personalized (breath), it will give you the choices こうきゅう, こきゅ, こきゅう,
decks pretty easily and there are plenty of options of what to test and こうきゅ, which is something you will definitely see on the
and what not to test. Of course it also includes decks for all the test.
levels except N2 and N3 are blended together into one.
Android Apps
My problem with it is that the system it uses to time the cards out
is a bit strange, it is hard to get caught up with your cards it seems. Aedict (free)
Still, I use it every day and it has been a big boost for me. This is the Android equivalent of Imiwa? for iDevices. It contains
the entire Jim Breen's dictionary and is a pretty bare-bones straight
They also make a kana app, appropriately called iKana Touch. forward dictionary app. You can use it with or without a Japanese
keyboard.

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Simeji (free) Find Vocabulary Words to Learn
Since Android doesn't have a Japanese keyboard built in (like
Finding vocabulary words to study seems like a pretty simple task.
iDevices do) you have to install one of your own. Simeji is the main
Most people will tell you that you should stick to the lists and drill
go to keyboard for this purpose. It allows you to type in kana and
them into your head until you know them backwards and forwards.
katakana with your Android device.
This certainly makes sense. The lists are suppose to contain all the
words for the particular level they represent and they are usually
AnkiDroid Flashcards (free)
pretty accurate.
I haven't personally tried the Anki app for Android devices yet. I've
heard it is rather buggy and hard to use, but it might work better
There are several places around the web that you can pick up lists
on a Android tablet. Anyway, it is worth a shot because it is free
and a lot of Japanese practice apps have the lists built into them.
and there is nothing to lose.
Most of these lists are pretty accurate up to about the N3 level. If
you stick to them for the first three tests (N5, N4, and N3), you
Kaka Flashcards (free)
should do okay on those tests. One particular place I often
Kaka flashcards is an Anki alternative that has some really
recommend to find some well-maintained lists is Jonathan Waller's
interesting features. It allows you to create a deck as a Google
JLPT site.
spreadsheet in Google Docs where you can make it publicly
available to anyone. This makes your deck easy to edit while at the
An alternative to Jonathan's site is going to memrise.com and
same time encouraging others to create and share their own decks.
downloading a list from there. The memrise site in general is an
Also, you can download decks from quizlet.com and StudyStack. It
amazing tool for remembering vocabulary, but if you want to use
also supports handy things like images in the flashcard as well.
paper flashcards or some other kind of flashcard system you can
download the courses that are available. There is download link at
Simple Kanji Quiz (free)
the bottom of every garden page that you can use to download the
This is basically what it sounds like a simple app that tests your
entire course as an Excel spreadsheet.
kanji skills. It has different lists for the different levels of the JLPT
for you to use as well. Very no thrills, but will get the job done if
I say you'll do okay with these lists, because in order to really be
need be.
able to understand the usage of the vocabulary, it's best to discover
the vocabulary in the wild so to speak. That way you can get a
feeling for how it is used and in what context it fits into.

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 words be sure to refer to that section of this kit.
This is a bit difficult for those studying for the N5 and N4 because a
lot of native materials are simply too difficult to get through. And How to Speed Up or Slow Down Audio
even if you spent all the time and effort pushing your way through At first you might wonder why you would ever want to speed up
these materials, you wouldn't really gain that much. This is audio. I mean, generally speaking you want the Japanese to be as
because you don't know enough of the words that surround a new slow as possible so that you can listen and understand everything.
word to really make sense of it all yet. But, you may want to challenge yourself by making the listening
more difficult than it is.
So, I would recommend sticking to textbooks and the lists if you are
at the N5 or N4 level for input. However, for output, do experiment The reason for this is simple: if you can listen to the piece at a
with the words and try them in different situations to make sure faster than normal pace, it should be easier to listen to it at the
you have a pretty good sense for what they mean and how they are normal pace. This is the same reason that the test is more difficult
used. Don't be afraid to make mistakes. than real life Japanese, because if you can get your way through
the challenge of the test okay, then real life should be pretty easy
For N3 and above
for you.
Starting at the N3 level, it is going to be really important to stray
from the lists. There have been more than a few times that I have It is also a good way to stretch the audio material that you have.
come across a word on a test that wasn't on a list, but I had seen it There is a lot to be said about listening to a variety of material to
in a book or heard it in a conversation. And it has been pretty gain more exposure, but it is also valuable to listen to some key
gratifying to be able to answer that question with full confidence. pieces of listening several times so that your mind gets very
comfortable listening to it. In other words, it becomes very
Of course, keep practicing the lists that are available at these levels, automatic for you.
too. But keep in mind that these are more for background
knowledge for overall comprehension for the test. Chances are, But after you've listened to a piece a few times, it can get a little
they will probably test you over some different vocabulary in the boring, you need something to challenge you. So let's speed it up
actual vocabulary section, so try to hedge your bets by studying a
mix of both lists and 'natural' words. Speeding Up Audio
I know what you are thinking. If you speed up the audio you are
For more help with choosing what kind of book to read to get more

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going to get a bunch of Japanese speaking chipmunks which isn't yourself.
very useful for your studies and your right, chipmunks speaking
Japanese is not good for your studies (or your mental health). Audacity Chains Walkthrough Video (click here to open the
video)(YouTube video)
Instead, what we are actually going to do is speed up the tempo of
a particular piece of listening. This maintains the speaking pitch of Steps to Create Chains
the speakers voice, but just compresses it down into a shorter piece Here are the steps in the video to create a chain:
of audio. Luckily, there is a free piece of software that can do just
that called Audacity. 1) Open Audacity

Audacity is available for all platforms including Mac and Linux (and 2) Click the File Menu and select Edit Chains...
of course everyone's favorite Windows). If you are on Windows, I
actually put together a pre-packaged version that has everything 3) Click the 'Add' button to add a new chain.
setup for you. All you have to do is unzip it into its own folder and
work with it that way. 4) Name the Chain (e.g. Speed Up 10% or Slow Down 10%) and
Click 'OK'.
For Mac and Linux, you'll have to go to the Audacity download page
and pick up a copy of the program from there. Be sure to also get 5) Select the chain and in the right section of the window double-
the Lame MP3 encoder if you need it (it is a separate download). click on -END-.

We'll be working with chains in Audacity. These are like macros in 6) Double-click on ChangeTempo command and click on 'Edit
office software, basically they are a series of commands that are Parameters'.
sent to the program to automate mind-numbing tasks like
formatting numbers or, in our case, speeding up audio. 7) Type in how much you want to change the tempo by. Positive
numbers, like 10, increase the tempo (speed up the audio) by 10%,
If you haven't worked with chains before I put together a short while negative numbers, like -10, decrease the tempo (slow down
tutorial on how to set them up and use them. For Windows users, the audio) by 10%. Click OK. Click OK.
the chains are already set up for you so you don't have to create
them, but for Mac and Linux, you'll have to create the chains 8) Double-click on -END- again.

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 Test Taking Strategy
9) This time, double-click on ExportMP3 and click OK.
Test strategy is often overlooked as an unnecessary part of
preparing for the JLPT. For some, it seems a bit like cheating for
10) Click OK to save your shiny new chain.
you to try to 'game' the test to get a better score. For others, it
Steps to Use a Chain seems like a waste of energy that could be better used on other
things, like say, learning the language.
1) Click File
But, taking a few minutes to put together a test taking strategy can
2) Click Apply Chain... help you earn a few extra points and sometimes that is all you need
to push yourself over the edge to pass. This is an especially big
3) Select the chain you would like to use (e.g. Speed Up 10%) and pay off at the higher levels where you might spending hundreds of
then you have two options. You can click on 'Apply to Current hours studying material that you need to get down for the test, and
Project' to speed up and save the current opened file or you can you come up short a few points just because you didn't take a few
click on 'Apply to Files...' to speed up a group of files. You can minutes to lay out a strategy.
select multiple files, so this is an easy way to speed up an entire
CD. Also, the test-makers have already factored in the fact that you will
most likely know at least some basic test-taking strategies. After
4) The files will process one by one if you selected multiple files, all, they aren't going to just hand you a passing grade without any
and Audacity will save these sped up files in a new directory called sweat.
'cleaned' of the directory where you opened the files from.
The new, post-2010 tests have had some changes made to them to
5) You can then either save them over the old files or move them to make them more practical and less about grinding through a set of
another directory to work with. vocab and grammar. You really need to know what they are trying
to test you for and what types of questions are worth the most
6) Enjoy your sped up or slowed down files! points so that you can spend more time on those and less time on
questions that aren't going to affect your score that much.
As a side note, you can use this to speed up audio books or
podcasts that you want to get through faster as well. Pretty slick. We are first going to go over some basic strategies and rules of

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thumb that you can use to make your own attack plan from and
then I'll go over some of the more common strategies at the end. So, generally speaking, you are going to want to attack the
questions that take the most thinking power (for you) right off the
bat. This way you can grind through them when you are the most
Brain Juice alert. Save the questions that can be answered quickly for later
Do you ever wonder why Steve Jobs wore that same turtle neck when your brain is more worn down.
and jeans? Or why Mark Zuckerberg wears that hoodie all the
time? It's definitely not because they are pieces of cutting edge Note here that I said the questions that take you the longest to
fashion. It is, in fact, the polar opposite of 'trendy'. answer, NOT the most difficult questions for you. Depending on
what questions are most difficult for you, you might want to just
So, why the not-so-flashy duds? Well, it turns out that these two put them off until the end and put down your best guess, but we'll
guys prefer to wear the same or similar thing every day so they go over that later.
don't have to waste time making that choice every day. By the way,
it has been rumored that Einstein wore the same thing every day, You may also want to alternate between easy and difficult to give
but that one at least is a myth. your brain a little time to wind down before you dive back into it
again. This is where taking practice tests and mock tests will really
The take away here is that there is this general, completely help you get an idea of your speed and what takes you longer to
unproven theory that we only have so much energy for decisions answer or wears you out.
every day. If that 'brain juice' starts to get depleted it takes us
longer and longer to make decisions, and we get worse and worse Questions that take the most 'Juice'
at making those decisions. That's why some people believe it is So what type of questions generally take longer to answer? Well,
easier to stick to a new habit if you do it in the morning compared here are the big ones for the vocabulary, grammar and reading
to the evening. sections:

You can definitely feel this effect when you are in the test because For the vocabulary section, the questions that take the longest to
chances are you don't usually sit in a room for 3 hours coloring in puzzle out (and are also worth the most points) are the usage
little circles on a sheet every day. Your brain is going to get tired questions at the end of the section. These questions are where
and it is going to probably try to persuade you just start circling in 1 they give you a word and 4 example sentences using the word.
on the mark sheet and go to sleep. You have to choose the sentence where the word is being used

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correctly. system called IRT. I can't really go into too much detail of how this
system works, because there have been entire books written about
They are not on the N5 test, but are on all the other levels. These the mathematical formulas that go into creating the 'patterns' that
questions take awhile to answer because they will most likely test ultimately decided your score.
you on a nuance of the word and it takes a little bit of time to
figure out if they are using it correctly or not. The important thing to know is that some questions still have more
weight than others. This was also true on the old test where a raw
For the grammar section, the last section called 'text grammar' score was what decided whether or not you passed. Although,
tends to take a little time to think about the correct answer. You some questions have more weight than others, no one can be
have to read around the blank to figure out what is the most absolutely certain of how much weight a particular question has
natural thing to put in the blank. because that information has not been released publicly.

For the reading section, there are a couple of different questions There are some good guesses as to what is worth more points
that can take up some time depending on what level of the test you though. Some of this is just good 'ol fashion common sense, some
are taking. For N2 and N1, the integrated comprehension questions of this is some calculated guesses from some Japanese teachers
(where you are asked about the differences between 2 passages) I've spoken with, and some of this is from some practice test books
can take a lot of thinking power as well as the thematic that are widely published. None of it is proven and all of it could be
comprehension (the long passage that comes second to last). completely wrong, but we have some best guesses.

For N3, there is a long passage (the 3rd section) that can take a lot Generally speaking, the weight of each question increases as you
of brain juice and for N4 and N5 the second section of medium go through the test. In other words, the questions at the beginning
passages can be a bit of struggle to get through as well. are worth less points than the questions at the end. The one
section that bucks this trend is the listening section with its quick
You may want to consider hitting these first, especially the reading response questions, but we'll get to that in a bit.
questions because they tend to take a lot of time for you to think
through the answer. Let's break these down section by section, level by level (The
'points' for each question are relative points and not actual points
Not All Questions are Created Equal on the test):
The scoring for the JLPT is based on a rather complicated curving

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Vocabulary
All Levels Word Formation – These questions test your ability to form
words by asking you to choose the correct suffix or two-part
1 point: verb (like 引き出す, to withdraw or pull out)

Grammar (All levels have the same kinds of questions)

Kanji Reading – For these questions, they give you
sentence with an underlined word written in kanji and you 1 point:
have to pick the kana.
Contextually-defined expressions – This is where you All parts of this section of the exam have the same weight.
have to choose the right word to go into the blank based on
context. Reading
Orthography – These are the opposite of the kanji reading Here is where points start to vary widely.
questions. They give you kana, you have to select the kanji.
They are not on the N1. All Levels
Paraphrases – This is where they give you a sentence with
a word underlined, and you have to choose a word that is 2 Points:
most similar to it.
Comprehension (Short Passages) – These passages are
2 points: usually about one paragraph long with one question. They
are the first part of the reading section of every test.
Usage – They give you a word and you have to choose the
sentence that uses it the most naturally. They are worth the 3 Points:
most points in the vocabulary section. They are not on the
N5. Comprehension (Medium Passages) - These passages
are usually a bit longer (around half a page) and have 2 or 3
N2 questions for one passage. They are the second part of the
reading section on every test.
1 point:

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4 Points: appears second to last, right before information retrieval.

Information Retrieval – These questions involve you Listening

skimming through something like a bus schedule or a flyer to All Levels
retrieve a certain piece of information like the time to catch a
train or the best travel package for someone. 1 Point:

N3 and N1 Quick Response – These are the questions that give you
one sentence and then you have to choose the correct
4 Points: response out of 3.

Comprehension (Long passages) – These are about a 2 Points:

page long and typically have 4 questions. They are the 3rd
part of the reading section on both tests. All other questions except Integrated Comprehension, which
are only on the N2 and N1.
N2 and N1
N1 and N2
4 Points:
3 Points:
Integrated Comprehension – In this part of the reading,
you are giving 2 or 3 passages and asked about the Integrated Comprehension – These are the last two
differences and similarities between them. It comes right listening passages at the end of test. Both of these passages
before the Thematic Comprehension questions. usually start with someone giving some details about
available services or other information. Then, two people
Thematic Comprehension – These questions are very discuss what they are going to do. For example, a waiter
similar to the Comprehension (Long passages), but typically explaining the specials of the day and then two people
ask a question like 'what does the author want to say?' (筆者 discussing what they are going to have.
がこの文章で言いたいことは、どんなことか。) This passage

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So what does all this mambo jumbo mean?
The points that I assigned to these different questions are all
relative to give you an idea of what questions are more important
than other questions. It is probably more useful to have them in a
format that can give you a better idea of what you need to get right
on the test.

In order to pass the new JLPT, you not only have to have a certain
overall score, you also need to pass each section. That means you
need to get at least 19/60 on each section of the exam in order to
pass. For N4 and N5, the vocabulary/grammar section and reading
sections are combined, so you need 38/120 to pass that section.

So let's take these relative points and convert them into what each
question might be worth on the test. That way you know how
many of each you need to pass each section. Now, again, this is
still hypothetical, and the actual points that are given for each
correct answer in each section can (and probably will) be different
between administrations of the test.

In other words, use these numbers as a best guess because they

are not set in stone. The first number is the number of questions
and the second number is how much each question is worth.

The first number is the number of questions that the particular part
of the test has, and the second number is how many points each
question is worth.

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 N1 N2 N3 N4 N5 Vocabulary
Kanji reading 6 x 1.2 5 x 1 pt 8 x 1pt 9 x 1.4 12 x 1.6
pts pt pts
Orthography – 5 x 1 pt 6 x 1 pt 6 x 1.4 8 x 1.6
pt pts
Word Formation – 5 x 1 pt – – –
Contextually-defined 7 x 1.2 7 x 1 pt 11 x 1 10 x 1.4 10 x 1.6
expressions pts pt pt pts
Paraphrases 6 x 1.2 5 x 1 pt 5 x 1 pt 5 x 1.4 5 x 1.6
pts pt pts
Usage 6 x 2.4 5 x 2 pts 5 x 1.9 5 x 2.8 –
pts pts pts

Grammar
Grammar form 10 x 1.2 12 x 1 13 x 1 15 x 1.4 16 x 1.6
pts pt pt pt pts
Sentence Composition 5 x 1.2 5 x 1 pt 5 x 1 pt 5 x 1.4 5 x 1.6
pts pt pts
Text Grammar 5 x 1.2 5 x 1 pt 5 x 1 pt 5 x 1.4 5 x 1.6
pts pt pts

Reading
Short Passages 4 x 1.4 5 x 1.8 4 x 2.4 4 x 2.8 3 x 3.2
pts pts pts pts pts
Mid-Size Passages 9 x 2.1 9 x 2.7 6 x 3.6 4 x 4.2 2 x 4.8
pts pts pts pts pts
Long Passages 4 x 2.8 – 4 x 4.8 – –
pts pts

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Integrated Comprehension 3 x 2.8 2 x 3.6 – – – test strategy. But, let's go over some possible test taking strategies
pts pts below.
Thematic Comprehension 4 x 2.8 3 x 3.6 – – –
(long) pts pts Ready-made Test Strategies
Information Retrieval 2 x 2.8 2 x 3.6 2x 2 x 4.2 1 x 6.4 In order to pass the test, you need to pass each individual section
pts pts 4.8pts pts pts as well as score high enough on the total test. For N2 and N1, the
test is scored in 3 different sections (vocabulary and grammar,
Listening
reading, and listening). You must get at least 19 points in each to
Task-based Comprehension 6 x 1.8 5 x 2.2 6 x 2.8 8 x 2.8 7 x 3.2 pass the whole test.
pts pts pts pts pts
Point Comprehension 7 x 1.8 6 x 2.2 6 x 2.8 7 x 2.8 6 x 3.2 For N3, N4 and N5, the test is score in 2 different sections
pts pts pts pts pts
(vocabulary, grammar, and reading, and listening). You need to
Summary Comprehension 6 x 1.8 5 x 2.2 3 x 2.8 – – score at least 38 in the vocabulary, grammar and reading section
pts pts pts and at least 19 in the listening section.
Utterance Expressions – – 4 x 1.4 5 x 1.4 5 x 1.6
pts pts pts Armed with this knowledge and the chart above you can 'roll' your
Quick Response 14 x 0.9 12 x 1.1 9 x 1.4 8 x 1.4 6 x 1.6 own strategy for taking the test, but hopefully one of the follow
pts pts pts pts pts strategies (or a variation of it) should suit your test taking style.
Integrated Comprehension 4 x 2.7 4 x 3.3 – – –
pts pts Weak Reading, Strong Grammar and Vocabulary N2/N1
Total Points to 100 90 95 90 80
This is a common problem with test-takers at these higher levels
Pass the Test (N2 and N1). You really need to do a lot of reading in order to
become pretty proficient and some people just aren't in to reading.
So, you can focus more on grammar and vocabulary knowledge and
score high enough to compensate for the lower reading score.

That is definitely a lot of numbers up there. Don't worry though, The way to do this is to start off the first test taking session by
those numbers are mostly for reference to help you make your own going back and hitting the reading first. This way you have plenty

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of time to work through the reading questions and then you can Weak grammar or vocabulary, strong reading N1 and N2
jump to the front and work through the vocabulary and grammar
before you run out of time. You should devote a little over an hour This is a problem that is more common at the N1 level than the N2
to the reading section. level. The main reason is that N1 tests you on complex nuanced
grammar which requires you to understand the context and
If you feel like you are going to go over on time for the reading connotation of the words used as well as the grammar point. This
section (around an hour for both N1 and N2), you will need to makes it pretty difficult to study for and so you might want to try to
perform some reading triage. This is where you focus on a few of race through it and on to reading where you can make up more
the high points questions that take less time to answer. If you points.
answer the information retrieval questions, the short passages and
get half of the medium passages right, you will score the minimum This is a pretty simple strategy actually. Just work through the
you need to pass the section. So try to concentrate on those, then Language Knowledge section in the regular order (vocabulary,
move on to the longer, more difficult to answer questions if you grammar, reading). If you encounter a difficult grammar question,
have time. make a quick guess and move on. Don't get hung up on one
particular question, because they aren't worth that many points.
Weak Reading, Strong Grammar and Vocabulary N5 ~ N3 Get to the reading questions as fast as possible so that you can
read through them and not make any careless mistakes.
For N5 through to N3 the vocabulary, grammar, and reading
sections are scored together, but the vocabulary section is Weak grammar, but strong reading & vocabulary N5 ~ N3
administered separately from the grammar and reading section.
This means you can't take time away from reading to work on the Often times, people will struggle with the sentential II questions
vocabulary section and vice versa. (the 2nd part of the grammar section) or the text grammar part (the
last part). These can really eat up a lot of time as you puzzle out
It is also not as important to score so high on reading if you are the answer and read and re-read different sections to try to puzzle
pretty strong at grammar and vocabulary because you can just it all out.
score the necessary points with grammar and vocabulary questions.
The reading section questions are worth a lot of points though, so If you are having this problem, it is best to go through the
try to devote time to them as much as you can. questions in the order that the test presents them. In other words,
grammar first, then the reading questions. If you can't quickly do

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the questions in part 2 or 3 of the grammar section, circle in an that you will probably have to invest regular amounts of time to
educated guess and move on. Try to save time so that you can increasing the size of. That may seem like a lot of work, but there
spend more time on the reading section which contains questions are actually several different ways you can go about learning
worth more points per question. vocabulary that can make it pretty easy going to schedule it in and
not bore yourself with it.
One Final Note on Test Strategies
In order to pull these off, you need to be willing to sacrifice a few But, it is important to think about vocabulary learning first because
answers in order to score well over all. It can become quite a it takes a good amount of time to build up and maintain a good
mental battle to keep yourself from trying to do your best on every base of vocabulary. You can (and really should) involve other skills
single question, but the test is meant to test your ability to quickly in the process of learning vocabulary as well. The reason for this is
understand the language. It is actually testing what has become because words are a lot more complicated than you probably think
automatic to you and not what you can figure out slowly by making they are.
use of some grammar rules you memorized.
The Anatomy of a Word
The part of the language that is automatic is what you can actually From an early age, I was fascinated by languages. I thought that it
use. Which makes the JLPT a pretty good measure of your actual was amazing that people could speak more than one language. I
ability to use the language. also like to learn new things and a language was one massive
chunk of something to learn. There were literally thousands of
Good luck with the test and use these strategies well! words to learn and master. Yes, I was a pretty big geek when I was
younger.
Learning Vocabulary
Learning vocabulary is really the bread and butter of a language. And my original concept of another language was that it was just
After all, in theory at least, if you truly knew all the words of a another set of words that things were written in. I had no idea that
language you would be able to understand it, right? The problem there was this thing called grammar and that other languages
is, there are usually around 100,000 words in any one language, so would say things in a different way. I also thought that to know a
you really need to do a lot of memorizing to get all that down. word in another language, all you need to know is its meaning.

Learning vocabulary will take up a lot of your time and is something But, as anyone that has learned a language can tell you. It is not
just the meaning. There is a lot more to a word. And the JLPT will

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definitely test you and torture you with some of the other aspects English, which has numerous exceptions and even two different
of words beyond just the simple meaning. ways of spelling a few words (American and British spellings).

So, what all makes up a word? Well, there are 6 main parts of a But words in Japanese can be written in 4 different 'alphabets',
word. hiragana, katakana, kanji, and sometimes even romaji. Most words
will appear in only one of these forms most of the time, but authors
Meaning will sometimes switch the way of writing the word for style.
This is pretty basic really. What does the word mean? For most
physical nouns (e.g. cat, dog, house), a direct translation is pretty For example, if an essay has too many kanji in it, an author might
much all you need to understand the meaning. For other parts of choose to switch some of the more difficult kanji into hiragana to
speech, it is a little more difficult. Often times adjectives and keep the essay from looking too formal.
actions don't match up as smoothly as they should. This is where
looking over good example sentences can help you draw a few Or, if the author wants to emphasize something they could use
conclusions. katakana to highlight a word that is normally written in kanji or
hiragana. This doesn't happen very often, but it can really throw
Usage you if you are not careful, so just keep it in mind if you come across
General usage comes down to the part of speech information. Is a strange looking word written in katakana. You might just happen
this a noun? Is it a na-adj that takes a な particle when it is placed to know the word, but aren't used to reading it that way. Obviously
before a noun? How do you conjugate the past tense of this verb? this has a similar effect on native readers, so the author uses it to
Of this adjective? All of these are obviously pretty important to kind of slow the reader down and have them think about the
being able to know and use a word properly as well as to correctly concept in a different way.
understand it.
One quick note about romaji. It is actually sometimes used in
Spelling native Japanese, but almost exclusively in advertising. Of course, a
Now, this can seem pretty simple in Japanese because there are no lot of English words are written in romaji as well, if they are
irregular spellings in Japanese. The language is pretty unfamiliar to most readers, along with the katakana pronunciation
straightforward, kana don't change sounds (that much) depending of the word.
on where they are in a word. This is completely different from

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Pronunciation used or try to make a sentence with it.
This may seem like an easy one to get down. There are hardly any
times where you have to change the pronunciation of a kana. They Spending that extra time with a word can really mean the
all pretty much follow the same rules. One notable exception is the difference between you picking it up and using it right off the bat or
ん sound before certain kana is pronounced 'm' instead of 'n', and being doomed to struggle with it over and over again.
there are a few shortcuts people use when speaking, but for the Collocations
most part, Japanese doesn't have nearly as many exceptions as
English does. Collocations are words or phrases that are commonly used with a
particular word. So, for example, in English, we might say take a
However, you do have to recognize the word when it is said. In nap, take a break, but get some rest. Why do we say that? Well,
other words, spelling is how the word looks, but you also need to grammarians can whip out their copy of Practical English Usage and
know how it sounds. In other words, knowing how a word is give you the smarty-pants answer to that, but the real answer is,
spelled and knowing how it is pronounced does not necessarily that is just how the language evolved to be. Sorry, languages tend
mean you can recognize the sound of the word. At least, recognize to do strange things like that.
it very quickly.
Collocations can also give you a better feeling for how the word is
One big thing you can do to overcome this is when you first learn a used and in what situations. In any language there are a couple of
word, say the word several times over and over again to encode words that seem to mean almost the same thing, but actually have
your mind with the sound. Try to think of the meaning of the word a slightly different way of behaving.
while you do this. That way your brain will link the meaning and
sound together in your head. That is why when you encounter more complicated words (beyond
N4), it is important to take a little bit of time and look at some
This might not be the most normal thing to do when you are having example sentences that use it. This is especially true if you
a conversation with someone, but if they know you are learning the encounter a word that you think you already learned. For example,
language they will often times be patient with you. If you don't there are a couple of words for practice in Japanese, れんしゅう, け
want to break up the flow of conversation, or it just seems to weird いこ, じっしゅう, and some others that could sometimes be defined
for you to keep repeating a word over and over again, try to keep as 'practice'. The difference between these words is sometimes
the subject on the word that you just learned. Ask about how it is what words they are used with. It also has a little to do with

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appropriateness, but we'll get to that very soon.
There is even an age difference sometimes. You can use some
So, when you are at a intermediate to higher level, it is important to words if you are younger, but they would just sound goofy if an
take a little time investigating a word if the definition of it seems to older person used them. Also, using words that are limited to a
be a little too simple (like practice), because chances are it really particular dialect might lead to some misunderstanding if you use
isn't simple. There is probably some quirk to it. them in the wrong place, so if you are learning Japanese through
just some informal chatting, it might be good to know where your
Take a look at a few sample sentences from corpus like the Tanaka chat partner is from.
Corpus, which you can get to at the WWWJDIC website. Look
down through the list and try to see if you can find any patterns to
what words it coincides with. You might want to make a mental Are you Kidding me? I have to Remember all that?
note or write it down on your flashcard, so you'll remember it, and Okay, so that is what makes up a word, and you might be thinking
you'll be prepared because these types of words seem to pop up on at this point that you have to slap all that down on a flashcard so
the usage section of the test a lot. that you can drill it over and over again and be prepared for the
test. Well, the short answer is not exactly. To try to actively review
Appropriateness
all this information would take just way too much time and energy.
Appropriateness is usually used to describe the different levels of
politeness that are dominant in Japanese. For example you might But you should try to keep this in mind every time you encounter a
use different forms of verbs or different verbs entirely depending on new word. Some words are a breeze, they just pop into your head,
whether you want to be casual, formal, talking to a superior, or they are universal, and you can use them from day one perfectly.
want to be humble. These forms are really important, but there are But, you will encounter other words that drive you nuts and those
other things to consider about appropriateness. are the words that you should go the extra mile with and try to pick
up these extra details about.
For example, there is the difference between spoken and written
language. In spoken language, we generally use simpler language You can also pick up a lot of this information from reading a lot or
and vocabulary. In written language, there are a variety of styles listening to a lot of material. This is easy for higher levels, just
though. Essays and opinion pieces will use a lot of bigger more listening and read a lot of native materials. But for the lower levels,
formal words, whereas blog posts will use more of a conversational you might want to check the reading material guide or the listening
style of writing. material guide to find some suitable material for you to use.

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