How can I make Japanese friends? This is something that people ask me constantly and is something that can be difficult when learning Japanese. Even living here in Japan, it can be difficult to make Japanese friends. And having friends will help you learnt he language even faster.

So what does ukulele for beginners have to do with learning Japanese. Everything! It’s how you make Japanese friends. You find people with common interests.

The biggest problem I see with those that are having difficult making Japanese friends is that they look for anyone who they can speak Japanese with. Rather than a friend, they tend to view people as Japanese speakers. By joining a club or participating in something you are interested in, you will find people who have the same interest and friendship becomes much more natural.

Recently, I have been learning to play the ukulele and joined an ukulele for beginners group. Some of the people I already knew, but I ended up making a couple new friends as well. I didn’t have to work at it. We just started talking about ukuleles and Hawaiian music, and pretty soon we were friends. I don’t think of my friends as ways to practice Japanese, but as interesting people who I can talk about things that I enjoy.

So go buy yourself an ukulele and join your local ukulele group (that is a metaphor for joining your local club to meet knew Japanese friends)!

I have had two great submissions and I wanted to post those videos here for everyone to see. Feel free to leave helpful comments you might have and when you get the chance please make a video yourself and post it as a video response.

I have also made a new video titled Learn Japanese. It is the first part of a two part series with various tips on how to learn Japanese faster and more efficiently. You can find the video below:

Learn Japanese

I have talked about a lot of this stuff on the website, but I think this video helps sum it all up. Also, some people are better watchers than they are readers.

So please check out the video and let me know what you think. Please leave comments and give it a like if you find it helpful.

Learn Japanese

It’s true that not all tools are very helpful, and they certainly aren’t all equal. However, there are also tools that can help accelerate your learning. For example, Anki has the ability to help you learn more material, quicker, and better than using regular flash cards. And yet I find there are a lot of people who aren’t willing to give it a try or put in the time to set it up.

Let’s face it, there are no short cuts to learning Japanese. You need to put in the time and practice. But there are tools that can make that time more efficient. This doesn’t mean that you need to try out every single learning tool. But it will probably be worth your time to try out the ones that a lot of people (especially the one’s who can speak) use.

I have also been trying to clean up around the house and have some Japanese books I need to get rid of. I have listed them all below along with prices. If you are interested, please comment below. I will be responding in the order the comments show up so it is a first come first serve basis. I also have some special edition “Initial D” manga if anyone is interested. The books are about the series rather than part of the story and each one has a special collectors item (paper ae86, stickers, team cards, etc)

Payment can be made through paypal.

Remembering the Kana

$10 including shipping

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Kanji Power Handbook for the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (practically brand new)

$15 including shipping

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Langenscheidt’s Pocket Dictionary: Japanese

$10 including shipping

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Handbook of Learning Japanese and Life in Japan

Free + $5 shipping

While I was at the beach this morning I wrote a post on my personal blog about the importance of getting away from your computer and office to get work done. I figured I would write a bit here on Japanese Words about how important it is to do the same thing when you are studying.

When I was a college student, I spent a lot of my time studying near a computer or studying while I listened to music. While this is something that most of us do, it isn’t actually very effective. The problem is that it is difficult to focus and easy to get distracted. Most of us will look up when we hear an e-mail hitting the inbox. Or start singing our favorite song if it comes on.

Learning Japanese isn’t just about the amount of time you spend studying, it is also about the quality of that time. Find yourself a nice quite spot where you won’t be bothered and can really focus. You will be able to learn much quicker.

Also, remember to take small breaks. If you study for too long without breaks your concentration and ability to learn weakens. Small breaks aren’t a waste of time, but a method to keep you studying strong.

For those who don’t know, Mochi (もち) is the Japanese word meaning sticky rice cake. They are very very good!

I have titled the series “Adventures in Miyakojima”. Since many of my family and friends don’t speak Japanese I am commentating in English, but there is also some speaking in Japanese as well. Check out the video and let me know what you think.

The final deadline is April 23 (Japan time), so remember to send your essay in soon!

Eri Kobayashi

Eri is originally from Tokyo where she has spent the majority of her life. After high school, Eri moved to California to study abroad. She spent her first two years at a community college, and then went on to graduate from CSU Sacramento with a BA in Family Consumer Science. After working in the US for a short time, she returned to Japan to work for a company in Tokyo. Currently, Eri lives in Miyakojima and teaches English to children. She also teaches Japanese on Edufire.

Masa Kitada

Masa is also Japanese, and is originally from Hiroshima. Having a fascination for plants and insects, Masa graduated from Tokai University with a degree in Entomology. He now works for the Japanese government as a plant quarantine inspection officer. Since he does a lot of field research as well as working at airports, Masa studies English both because he enjoys it and because it is a necessity for his job.

Nick Lancaster

Nick is originally from California. Having a fascination with ninjas as a kid (ninja turtles anyone?), he eventually became interested in the samurai and feudal Japan. While pursuing an international business degree at CSU Sacramento, Nick went abroad to study at Waseda University to live in Japan and improve his Japanese. He enjoyed it so much he returned to Japan after graduation to work for a University in Tokyo helping students come to Japan. He currently lives in Miyakojima enjoying the beautiful oceans of Okinawa.

I mentioned in the last post I wrote reviewing White Rabbit’s Japanese Flash cards, Japanese Kana cards, and the Kanji Poster that I would be holding a contest to give away some of the cards that White Rabbit Press was kind enough to donate. Shortly afterwords I had to leave to Tokyo for a friends wedding (I’ll try to get some pics up soon) and just got back a few days ago. Upon arriving back in Miyako, I had to start preparing for my wife’s parents who came to visit yesterday from Nagano. So without any more delay, here are the details for the contest:

THE PRIZES

1. Japanese Kanji Flash Cards 1 (2 sets)
2. Kana Flash Cards

THE CONTEST

I thought quite a bit about what the contest would be, and what I finally decided on was a short essay. The essay should be about why you started learning Japanese and your interest in Japan (assuming you have one lol). Their is no minimum length, but  please keep the maximum within one page (single spaced, 10 font).

The essays will be reviewed by myself, my wife, and one other person. The winnering essays (with the permission of the writer) will be posted on Japanese Words as inspiration for others. Writing in Japanese is highly encouraged!! The winners will also be invited to write a guest post about their Japanese studies and experience with Japanese and Japan. A total of three winners will be chosen (2 for the Kanji cards and 1 for the  kana cards). Please specify which set you are entering for. Each person may only apply for either the kana cards or the kanji cards as the essays will be evaluated separately. Winners will be required to pay for shipping.

The Rules

• Submit one essay (send to Japanesewords(at)gmail.com) no longer than one page (single spaced, font 10), describing your interest in Japan and studying Japanese.
• In your e-mail please include your name, how long you have been studying Japanese, and which cards you are entering for. Each person may only apply for one set of cards. (Essays for the Kana and Kanji cards will be evaluated separately).
• **ALL essays must be submitted by 6:00pm on April 23 (Japan time)
• Winners will be contacted via e-mail for shipping information.

I look forward to reading your essays and hearing all about your experiences with Japanese. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.