Want to learn Japanese but not sure how to incorporate it into your busy day? Here's the Japanese study routine I used while working full time (45 hours a week) to teach myself Japanese. This routine might seem a little intense, but using this, I was able to pass the N1 in less than four years of study. Use all or just a few of these ideas to add Japanese into your daily life and boost your level quickly and efficiently!
This routine contains methods and advice for those looking to increase their actual Japanese level. For those taking the JLPT very soon, be sure to check out my detailed guide on How to Pass the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT), which has plenty of guidance specifically for acing the JLPT!
1. Study Kanji, Vocabulary, and Grammar and all things for the Japanese Language Proficiency Test AT WORK as much as possible
While immersion study is wonderful, let's face it - the fastest way to learn to read Japanese and pass the Japanese Language Proficiency Test is by studying. And learning all that Kanji Studying kanji usually comes first in my daily routine because it's the easiest thing for me to do during the workday. As an English teacher in Japan, I have some free time at work when class isn't in session. I've spent the last few years using this time to study Kanji and vocabulary on Wanikani during the day. When I was intensely prepping for the JLPT N1, I also used Bunpro to study Japanese grammar at my work desk.
In my opinion, SRS (spaced repetition systems) like Wanikani, Bunpro, and Anki are the perfect Japanese study method to incorporate into your day because you can control the commitment - do 5 lessons here, 10 reviews there, or you can sit down and do a long session if time permits. You can also stop at any time. As opposed to something like studying with a textbook, Duolingo, or reading a book, SRS can be done quickly, quietly, and without needing to concentrate deeply. By working on my SRS during my workday, I can use any free time productively and keep myself practicing Japanese every day.
2. Take Exercise Classes in Japanese for Auditory Input
As I've said before in my post about using podcasts to learn Japanese, listening to lots of spoken Japanese is super important for learning to speak and understand the Japanese language. Over the past year, I've been attending a yoga class once a week, adding a couple hours a week of Japanese listening practice to my routine. This practice has been so helpful for learning all sorts of vocabulary about the body and movement that I hadn't learned elsewhere. It's proven super useful for me, especially for helping me navigate the doctor's office and going to the chiropractor.
Something to keep in mind is that the more interesting, relevant, and useful your Japanese practice is to you and your life, the harder your brain will work to understand it, and the more it will effortlessly retain information without you needing to think about it. So, exercise classes are an awesome way to learn Japanese vocabulary, structures, etc. 100% through relevant and interesting context, rather than studying. By copying and performing the movements of the teacher as they narrate them, you can quite literally engrain Japanese into your body without ever dissecting it intellectually.
Try searching in Japanese on YouTube for whatever type of exercise interests you, or try to follow a short yoga sequence in Japanese here!
3. Read a Book in Japanese while Commuting to Improve Reading Speed and Kanji Recognition
Since I live within walking distance of my job, I don't take the bus home every day, but a few times a week I'll go home via public transport so I can go shopping (my walking route unfortunately doesn't pass a single store). On bus days, I love to read a bit of a Japanese light novel or manga while I'm commuting for some more natural and in-context learning. Plus, it's just more fun to wind down after work with fiction than with... more kanji reviews.
Thanks to graded readers, free reading isn't necessarily limited to advanced learners. Check out Tadoku for graded readers for all levels.
Unfortunately I didn't know about graded readers or Tadoku until I was already at a higher level, so I couldn't take advantage of them. Instead, when I was starting out, I used Japanese children's books because they come with furigana. As a beginner, I especially enjoyed reading あらしのよるに as well as Harry Potter.
When I got to a more advanced level I switched to light novels and books marketed more towards older audiences. I enjoyed the Kino no Tabi series
And as I've talked about in my Japanese reading practice series before, I'm currently reading the 天性王女と天才令嬢の魔法革命 (Tensei oujo to tensai reijou no mahou kakumei) series, which is a cheesy isekai novel about a quirky, independent princess and a serious and studious daughter of a duke who fall in love. I'm liking it a lot so far! I definitely recommend it for other queer learners! Although, as is the case with most isekai novels, the kanji can be difficult and sometimes the vocabulary is not very modern, so I'd recommend reading it on the Kindle app so you can easily translate unknown words and find the readings. I use my Japanese Amazon account to read in Japanese on Kindle. It's very easy to make one!
Let me know if you give any of these a try. Especially if you have a commute to and from work or school, reading is a really fun way to up your Japanese time!
4. Listen to a Japanese Podcast while Commuting for More Natural Input
As I said above, I don't take the bus home every day. I try to walk home as much as possible, and on these days, I like to listen to a podcast in Japanese. When I was a beginner/intermediate student, I loved to use Japanese learner podcasts to get tons of simple comprehensible input. I listened to these podcasts over and over again as I built my listening skills during the first two years of my study. I've said it before but I'll say it a million times: lots of understandable input is the key to be able to speak Japanese!
Now that I'm at a higher level, I love the Coten Radio 歴史を面白く学ぶ podcast! This is a history podcast for native speakers, and I learn a lot about both history and Japanese there. I must admit the Japanese level is pretty high and there are a lot of terms that I don't know, but in general it's roughly understandable. I think that my prior history knowledge and the fact that I'm really interested in the subject matter helps to fill in the gaps. If you like history, I definitely recommend this podcast!
5. Do Japanese Duolingo every single day to drill JLPT grammar patterns and vocabulary
Between getting home and going to bed I usually do my Duolingo, which has been the study method here with me from the very start! Most days I'll only do a lesson or two rather than trying to get a ton of XP. As I've said before, I love Duolingo for habit-building, so maintaining my streak is more important to me than devoting a ton of time to Duolingo. Still, I spend about one or two days a week getting a more significant amount of XP in order to stay in my current league or level up if I've fallen behind.
Duolingo is great for allowing us to repeat the grammar we're learning over and over again. Repetition is key for language studies! But one thing I also love about Duolingo for Japanese is that teaches you vocabulary in context. This is specifically very important for the JLPT. There's an entire problem devoted to correct word usage in context (for N1, it's 問題4), and then there's another vocabulary problem where you need to select the correct vocabulary word for the blank. At higher levels this problem will usually include two very similar options, and you need to know word context in order to choose the correct one. So even though WaniKani is my main source for learning new vocabulary, I really like Duolingo for increasing my vocabulary knowledge over time as well.
6. Watch Anime After Work
To be honest, I almost always have at least a bit of anime in my day. Though it used to be a podcast when I was a newer learner, anime and manga have become my main source of comprehensible input these days. I like to watch anime with Japanese subtitles on so I can simultaneously practice listening and reading. Also, seeing the kanji can help a lot to decipher less familiar words.
If you're interested in anime, it can be such a good way to increase your listening time. Any anime can work, and even with English subtitles, as long as you're listening, you can get a lot out of it. In general for newer learners, I would recommend staying away from fantasy anime and leaning more towards slice of life. For a list of some of my favorite shojo and slice of life anime, check out my tips for improving Japanese studies post!
Again, though, interest can compensate for level differences a lot of the time, so if you love shonen anime don't let me stop you! I'm currently watching That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime, which uses a lot of tough vocabulary, but with the help of kanji and my interest in the show I can understand a lot of it! Especially in the case that you would be re-watching a show you've already seen and know the story of, don't be afraid to just watch what you like in Japanese! The more time spent in Japanese, the better!
7. Go to Japanese Class on Weekends
I've been going to Japanese class for four years now, and I don't plan on stopping anytime soon, even though I already obtained the N1. There are many reasons to take Japanese classes, but the main one for me is that it keeps me conversing in Japanese on a regular basis. As of now, I use italki about once every two weeks for a Japanese conversation lesson (sign up for italki with my affiliate link here and get $10 in credits free!).
I also go to my local volunteer-led Japanese class every Saturday, which helps me make friends in Japanese and gives me comprehensible, natural input from native speaking teachers. It also exposes me to a variety of texts on different subjects that I might not read myself, helping me with kanji and reading comprehension. If you're living in Japan, local Japanese classes can be a great way to get involved in your community while learning Japanese, so give it a Google with your area name and see what you can find. Many options are free or very cheap. This is how I found my class, which is only 1000 yen a month and has also been a great resource for making friends after moving. Good luck!
8. Use Japanese in Daily Life for Speaking Practice
Again, this advice applies more towards people living in Japan. It's undeniably easier to speak Japanese if you live here. (Though I'm a big proponent of talking to yourself in Japanese whenever you can!)
Even with the advantage that comes with living here however, sometimes Japanese learners have a tendency to get into our heads and not use Japanese as much as we could. Even now, I often need to remind myself that I'm my own harshest critic in order to work up the courage to speak Japanese. It can be hard, especially if we're not used to approaching people and starting conversations. But, this effort is worth it - each time you practice you're getting closer to your goal.
So even if you feel like it's something mundane, start small conversations about the weather or lunch or anything with your coworkers or the person sitting next you in the bar or at a counter seat in a restaurant. Even if it turns out to be a short conversation, you can take pride in having done your best and practiced Japanese. And sometimes, you'll end up making friends.
This past year I also got involved in volunteering at a recycle shop. I go once a month and help attach price tags and sweep the floor and spend most of the time just conversing with the shop owner and customers. I got this by literally walking in and asking if I could volunteer there, so it's easier than you might think. NPOs are more than happy to accept free labor, and I get the Japanese practice experience of a part time job without any visa issues. Local community centers in Japan will also have tons of information about circles (hobby groups), volunteer opportunities, community lectures, etc. so be SURE to pay one a visit if you live here! If you do have a Japanese teacher or friend, they can help you decipher the information if you're not confident.
Try not to fall into the trap of thinking that you have no opportunities to practice Japanese because no one approaches you themselves. At least for me as an American, this culture isn't necessarily as forward and friendly as we are back home. But there are still situations where it's normal to strike up conversation. Challenge yourself to be the one who makes the first conversational move in your practices. I'm shy too, so I KNOW it can be hard, but it's worth it. And once you get started, it's not as scary as you might think.
The Key Takeaway
This is just a snapshot of what my routine looked like for the year between failing the JLPT N1 and then passing it on my second try. The main point is that there are endless ways to get Japanese into your daily lifeas much as possible, even if you're busy and working. Whether you use all, some, or none of my methods, just trying to get immersed in Japanese in whatever way works for you is the best way to work towards your goals. Studying is important to pass the JLPT test, but there are infinite ways to study! ファイト！
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