*This article is an email interview conducted online with an Indian Japanese learner. For more details, please refer to the content below.
A. Background & Motivation
1. Can you briefly introduce yourself and describe how/when your interest in Japanese first began?
My name is Deepraj, I am a Phd student studying mathematics. My interest in Japanese began at a very young age when I was in the seventh standard. My friend gifted me a CD of the anime ‘Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood‘. It was 64 episodes and I was fully engrossed in the anime.
2. Did you have early exposure (through anime, fandom, travel, Japanese friends) that made you curious?
Yes, my first exposure to Japanese culture was through anime. The storylines and character designs were interesting and gripping. Even though the costumes and the environment in anime were foreign, the themes discussed were relatable even for an Indian boy living in the countryside.
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B. Goals & Timeline
3. When did you officially start studying Japanese, and how long did your formal learning last? (if any)
There was no “formal” learning. Ever since day one, I have studied Japanese on my own, following publicly available resources. This started during the summer vacation of 2018. I was bored and the book ‘Japanese by Tae Kim‘ flashed on my computer screen.
I opened the pdf and looked at it to understand concepts laid out by the great master Kim. I finally got the courage to learn the language. I had practised the basic grammar of the language within a month and to my surprise, I was able to read Japanese sentences posted on social media platforms.
4. Did you set specific targets (e.g. JLPT levels, travel goals, job requirements)? If so, how did those evolve?
No, I am an unorganised person by nature, a quality I am not proud of. But Japanese for me wasn’t a goal to be pursued, rather a hobby to enjoy alongside my everyday activities, an attitude I still maintain to this day.
Although, initially I had a yearning to go to Japan and live the Japanese life, my interactions with Japanese people online made be averse to the idea. Not because they were terrible people but rather the culture they described to me seemed off-putting and restrictive to me as a person. That is not to say I dislike the way the Japanese (society) functions, they are an efficient bunch. But their values are so distant from me, I realized how out of place I would feel if I do decide to build a career there.
C. Methods & Resources (Beginner → Advanced)
5. At the start, which tools did you rely on (textbooks, apps, classes)?
All the resources I used were free. As a student I had to finance things myself, I couldn’t rely on my parents to fund a hobby. For understanding basic grammar I used ‘Tae Kim’s Grammar‘ guide. You can still access that book online for free. On top of that, I followed Youtube channels like, Japanese ammo Misa, Japanese from Zero, Japanese pod 101 etc.
As I began climbing the Japanese language ladder, I started to see more first-hand Japanese content like Noga Radio, Coten Radio, kaidanshi nanashiro etc. These were channels that were made by Japanese for Japanese.
But what helped me the most in this Journey was the language exchange app ‘Hellotalk‘. Regular interactions with natives on this app kept my language skills in check.
6. As you progressed, how did your resource use evolve—did you move into immersion, SRS, courses, community?
They didn’t evolve too much, because I had from day one tried an immersive form of learning. I wasn’t competing against anyone and thus I took a laid back approach.
7. Were there one or two “game‑changer” resources, textbook, podcast, app, metho, that transformed your learning?
Yes. The first is ‘Grammar guide by Tae Kim‘ and the second is ‘Hellotalk‘.
D. Immersion & Cultural Connection
8. Did you spend time with native speakers? If yes, how? How did that influence your fluency?
I never interacted with any Japanese person in person, except for one time when I was in Delhi, where I got ignored by three Japanese guys. All my interactions were online. My approach to learning through interacting with the natives is the reason why I have a relatively natural accent. But that also means that I mostly know words that are used in everyday parlance and am more or less ignorant of more technical terminology in Japanese.
9. What role did Japanese media, anime, TV dramas, manga, play in your learning? Was it a help or a distraction?
It was definitely not a distraction. The media kept me interested in Japanese culture and Japanese language, although my anime consumption has reduced, my love for Japanese ghost stories keeps me in the loop of the culture.
E. Challenges & Motivation
10. What were your biggest struggles or learning plateaus (e.g. mid‑intermediate stage)? How did you address them?
There were periods when there was no progress. Nothing much to address, I just let the stage pass and after some time I was back learning Japanese. This was never a significant part of my life.
11. Did you ever feel demotivated or considered quitting? What mindset or strategies pulled you back? tools, or community?
No, when I didn’t study I just didn’t study. Yes, there were periods of over enthusiasm for sure. But they didn’t last long.
F. Pronunciation, Input & Output, Kanji
I can speak quite well, I can have a conversation about normal everyday things but beyond that my vocabulary falls short. One thing that I am good with is my pronunciation although my accent is still foreign.
12. Did you pay special attention to pronunciation or pitch‑accent? How did you train that (e.g. self‑recording, feedback from natives)?
Yes, one thing I was keen about was that when I speak I should sound Japanese. To that end I focused a lot on listening and speaking. Listening to Japanese podcasts and joining group calls where people spoke Japanese is still part of my daily routine.
13. How important was speaking/writing practice for retaining and internalising the language?
Not significant. I am not much of a reader. Although reading social media posts has improved my reading, kanji still continues to be my weak spot.
14. How did you handle kanji learning, rote memorisation, mnemonics? What worked or didn’t?
I never focused on memorising kanji. In my humble opinion, one doesn’t plan on joining a kanji competition, memorising kanji is a waste of time. One must instead focus on reading and memorising vocabulary. The more vocabulary you learn the more kanji you learn and you have a context for the reading as well.
15. Did you notice kanji knowledge helping or hindering your progress at any point?
Learning kanji is important. Japanese cannot be read without kanji. Although since it wasn’t my focus I put it to the side and just focused on listening and learning new words though that.
16. What was the first thing you could do in Japanese that made you feel proud or excited?
When I learned how to make puns.
G. Advice, Insights & Things You’d Change
18. What are 3 things you would tell beginners to do differently or earlier?
- i) Don’t focus on kanji,
- ii) learn about pitch accents,
- iii) don’t speak anime Japanese, you sound lame.
19. What do non‑beginners (intermediate or advanced learners) often overlook but shouldn’t?
- i) The culture of Japan (for the textbook bugs)
- ii) Pitch accents
20. Looking back: is there anything you’d do differently if you could re‑start your Japanese‑study journey today?
No, I am very satisfied, it’s been a long and fun process and I wish to continue it.
* This is the end of the interview. If you have any questions for the guest, please leave them in the comments.
* If you wish to share your story with us, please reach out to us at campus.inb@gmail.com For more information, check our careers page.
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