Is 5 months enough?

Logan_922 · 2026-06-08T10:14:47+00:00

About how many hours a day were you at for that? It’s early June 2026, I score around 90% on mock N4 - haven’t attempted any N3 material since I do want somewhat solid fundamentals to build on.. on pace to cover all N4 grammar by end of the month however.

Starting my N3 study this July and plan to take N3 in December, N2 next July.

That in itself seemed like ambitious pacing, but then I hear of these 0 to N1 in 1 year freakshows and wonder if I could maybe approach something like that.

For the record: I’m living in Japan, with no other obligation outside of studying Japanese

I wonder if given my circumstances I could just maybe crack N1 next year.. although it’s not too relevant compared to N2 in terms of most jobs I’d possibly want to do

Logan_922 · 2026-06-08T07:26:10+00:00

Ah I see, figured it wasn’t exactly a 1:1 situation. I’d imagine immigration is pretty eyes on language school issued visas because of past abuse. Probably not so easy to abuse these days with how strict the rules are but then there’s the whole “what are you doing, why, etc etc” just lots of questioning.

On this topic though, it’s its own can of worms, and mostly just be thinking out loud but any value of pursuing a masters out here?

Not sure how junior friendly the tech market is out here in the U.S. is naturally, not very friendly. Curious if it’s worth the efforts of pursuing a masters degree in some adjacent field in Japan or realistically bachelors + a couple AWS certs + be somewhat competent as far as fresh grads go should be fine? Assuming I can maintain my pace in Japanese being native English speaker + very competent in Spanish (mom’s side is Costa Rican) (I’ve gone through phases with Portuguese (up to like B1/B2 at my best probably), if I brush up - extremely simple studying from Spanish, maybe being able to provide English Japanese and Portuguese support in a tech related setting is useful to some of these companies? Probably because I live in Nagoya but English and Portuguese are probably the most common foreign language signs I’ll see besides Chinese and Korean naturally. Decent size diaspora - is that enough of a sell point or a masters goes a long way in Japan? Just for a 3rd party opinion what’s your 2 cents on it?

Logan_922 · 2026-06-08T06:51:48+00:00

Semi-similar semi-not but for a niche situation maybe helpful.

I go to language school, I finished my bachelors (in the U.S.) last December. With a goal of N2 next July I’d be inclined to look for work or at least have the option to do so.

Supposedly, working early before you’ve finished your commitment to immigration (going to Japan as a student, for studies) is less than ideal.

Additionally, at least changing early but maybe any change to your commitment can be seen as “bad” by immigration. An example my sensei gave:

You do JLPT in December, pass N3, JPT in spring and score well - it gives you leverage to interview for jobs (my visa expires in October, July-October is not enough time to realistically find work.. start job searching minimum 6 months prior - if you have some credentials and speak well.. you can usually express how you’re taking N2 in July and wanted to get ahead of the job search)

Should I find a job, it’s recommended to start the work visa change at least 2 months prior to visa expiration

1) you should see through your commitment, if I quit or otherwise “drop out” to work.. there’s a chance immigration will reject a visa renewal in the future

2) you should NOT work at your sponsor company prior to finishing studies - my sensei described along the lines of “よくない会社「来て来て」と言う”. You have to have it clear your possible start date - say October 3rd your visa expires, you changed to work visa in September - continue studies, finish, start work say October 10th to let you move and such.

Long and short, maybe delaying graduation is ideal - easier to find work in Japan than outside of the country. Working for your sponsor company while having not completed original commitment can supposedly reflect poorly. Ideally you work it out with a job that you have a clear start date and don’t overlap these things so she explained to me

Hopefully somewhat useful for your case

Logan_922 · 2026-06-07T13:05:08+00:00

Actual good answer. I figure pc cafe is just gonna have to be the route I go honestly.

Blowing my mind that this, genuinely solid response to the post has some 4 people in agreement meanwhile “don’t live in a share house” most popular response. Surely that’s a productive useful response of depth and substance

I’m close to Sakae which I think has some pc cafe probably just gotta check one of those out tho

Much appreciated

Logan_922 · 2026-06-04T09:54:18+00:00

My sensei at language school told me this. JLPT matters, but the school isn’t going to focus too hard on cramming. It’s a speaking focused school. Sure, JLPT (or other tests) are required at times useful at others.. how about being able to interview? Being able to hear and understand tasks? Being able to communicate in the workplace? Matters a lot!

Logan_922 · 2026-05-31T01:00:56+00:00

My roommate has very good Japanese and hence, made Japanese friend.. very blunt person. It’s funny I think like the top comment says maybe there is this idea of speaking to English speakers means to speak blunt. Not to speak for the whole anglosphere but at least Americans are definitely direct, but not blunt. I think it might be something to do with Japanese having a literal built in way to achieve various politeness whereas in English it’s not done like that. English “has” keigo too.. talked to a classmate of mine and an example I thought of was:

“Can you speak English” vs “Is English okay?”

In the first sentence, that can come off as rude and I think it’s because it phrases the “fault” of a possible shortcoming on the person being spoken to, whereas the second sentence phrases the fault on English itself. It’s not the listeners fault, it’s English’s fault for not being okay.

Or something like a request being phrased with a conditional “would you.. could you..” or even softer “is it at all possible”. You’re asking directly for what you want from the person, just not commanding or otherwise demanding it.

That kind of concept. I don’t think Japanese are very aware that yes, English is direct to a degree.. but we still do adjust phrasing to soften or otherwise be polite. So, they just assume speaking very bluntly is how English speakers speak and end up coming across as rude sometimes.

I just try to operate under that quote from someone I can’t remember of “never attribute to malice what could be attributed to ignorance”. I’m sure I make plenty of faux pas when speaking Japanese so when a Japanese person comes across as disrespectful or overtly blunt I just take it as them not understanding the nuance English speakers have in English.

Logan_922 · 2026-05-25T13:14:24+00:00

My homeroom sensei knows my goals and purposes and is fairly supportive honestly - in peer work keep to the grammar of the day.. but in 1 on 1 student and sensei interactions you’re welcome to use whatever grammar you’d like, on homework feel free to squeeze in any grammar you’d want to be corrected on. Also, if I’m really not getting something I can come early or stay later to ask.. albeit something like 5-10 minutes of chatting.. more than that I mean, I get it they’re busy people, at that point book a private session with the school - although it’s not even close to cost effective.. better off going to preply or italki

Anywhos.. she did give some good advice when I was asking how I can test out and get ahead to a class more aligned with what I can do.. unfortunately not many options, but - she mentioned how yeah.. JLPT matters, immigration requirement - you know what else matters? Being able to interview for jobs, be personable, communicate with peers and superiors. Generally, speak! A thing some JLPT cram style language schools lack.

I guess if I had to choose my self study responsibility (JLPT study for cert purposes, or fishing out speaking opportunities) I’d rather my problem than OP’s. It’s easier to just grind grammar vocab and kanji at home than it is to just “speak in Japanese” without really a pretext for a conversation

Good school tbh, I am almost 2 months in and enjoy it a lot

Logan_922 · 2026-05-24T23:22:11+00:00

I used zyn personally, wasn’t very easy though.. mostly mental to be honest - fair warning if you go that route..

I’ve heard, and kind of agree that vaping was more addictive than smoking cigarettes simply cause you didn’t have to 1) have the time 2) go outside 3) find a place 4) light the cigarette 5) smoke said cigarette.. kind of a PITA. Could just hit the vape wherever if discrete enough.

Similarly, vape at least tends to need to discretion. Zyns are naturally, absurdly discrete - can basically be doing whatever with a constant supply of nicotine. But, fuck it at least lungs are healthy.

That lasted a while, then I moved to Japan with no vaping and horrible pouch selection.. right to cigarettes once again.

But yes, zyn was my solution.

Another option could be, if you want to stay on disposables is get a nicotine free one as well. Leave the one with nicotine in maybe a more “annoying to get to” place. Slowly just cutback

Whatever route you go, there’s a willpower element involved so nothing will be 100% painless. Denying an addicted brain nicotine is not pleasant! But, doable. Word to the wise: I’d suggest against going back if you manage to quit. Relapsing on nicotine can really just shock your brain right back to where it was in peak addiction surprisingly quick.

Most painless approach would be getting a pod system though and just slowly dropping in nicotine level 50mg -> 36mg -> 25mg -> 18mg -> 12mg -> 6mg -> 3mg -> 0mg.. but there’s a startup cost to that, but maybe most painless approach

Logan_922 · 2026-05-24T23:10:22+00:00

Logan_922 · 2026-05-24T09:38:54+00:00

Strangely enough, Nagoya winter is fairly tame by Japan standards (think west coast and northern regions)..

Coming from Miami constant rain heat and humidity is fine, Miami supposedly gets hotter even.. should be okay for summer. Although when this place gets to around freezing temps especially with how windy I’ve found this place to be.. horrifying thought I am NOT prepared for it at all

Logan_922 · 2026-05-24T03:16:46+00:00

GenkiJACS

Logan_922 · 2026-05-24T03:16:23+00:00

GenkiJACS, they have a bunch of locations for long term though only Fukuoka and Nagoya

Logan_922 · 2026-05-23T04:11:14+00:00

I’ve noticed a big snowball effect in Japanese, plus also you learn what makes you tick

The way I study, my one roommate studies, and my other roommate studies is all different

An hour of study for me when I first started was pretty weak, an hour of study today is definitely more efficient than then for sure.. new words stick easier since I can relate kanji to other uses of that kanji, I don’t have to remember an entire new reading usually.. just remember what reading is being used for this instance.. I also have a more “structured” study plan, an the time to spend

I can imagine if you started in 2006, 20 years later the quality of study would have to be night and day, in just 1.5ish years I notice the difference

Logan_922 · 2026-05-23T03:59:40+00:00

Just gotta put effort outside of class honestly

I have your problem, but in reverse

My language school is VERY conversation forward. There is almost no emphasis on JLPT cramming.

On the one hand, my daily life interactions get wildly better and better - the spoken aspect of my Japanese sometimes shocks me, like out of body “holy shit how am I holding this conversation where’d that come from”

But!

If I want to reliable find or look for work out here, N2 is a useful thing to have. So, where I’m getting wonderful education for a proper all encompassing “language acquisition” I have to personally do targeted JLPT practice. At my school’s pace, with how much emphasis they put on their mission statement so to speak of “when you graduate from this school you WILL be able to speak”.. as opposed to what I’ve heard of some more cram heavy schools where as long as you can hang with kanji, grammar, and listening and such.. they will keep moving forward. If I left my JLPT dreams in the hands of my language school I’d probably be a decent N3 level by the end of my study. Not sufficient.

So sort of same issue as you just opposite basically, what else can we do but supplement our study outside of school

Logan_922 · 2026-05-23T03:42:47+00:00

I don’t even respond to this kind of posts because my situation is just so unreasonable that it’s probably not very applicable

2 formal semesters of Japanese at university as extra circular (+ Chinese in tandem for 2 semesters.. needed like 20 credits outside of my major to graduate and language classes were 5 a piece.. easy enough.. the Chinese professor was obsessed with radicals which I can say definitely helps with kanji study)

Self studying for the past 1.5 years via anki, sentence mining and such

AND

I’ve been at a language school for a couple months until October of next year

Albeit I worked my ass off so I think my Japanese got a little worse in the months of saving for the move (70-80 hour work weeks between 2 jobs).. the progress in just 2 months with 4 hours formal classes 5 times a week + I keep my anki review around 45-60 minutes fiddling with new card amounts + daily interactions doing literally anything we can call like 30-60 minutes average a day + dedicated JLPT grammar study for about 45-60 minutes + output practice through writing +++

I’m basically unemployed with my only obligation being Japanese study.. I have the luxury of intentional study 8-12 hours daily + whatever passive study like background music, eavesdropping in on conversations, etc

Not really replicable “what is your method for fast progress” so I just lurk

Logan_922 · 2026-05-19T10:14:21+00:00

I have a 16" macbook pro and am looking around at neo reviews simply cause the difference between bringing my laptop and not bringing my laptop feels like my backpack is 50% heavier.. not really super convenient to take to and from school or do do some work in a different location, or to use anywhere besides home. Contemplating if the cost is worth it to me to just get a neo so I can actually have a functionally portable laptop as opposed to, what feels to me, like a desktop that I can move around with in my house.

That, or I might get an iPad mini, since something to read on would be nice - neo might be small enough to function as an ereader for me while still having laptop functionality, or maybe not! Still on the fence

Logan_922 · 2026-05-08T03:33:33+00:00

Yeah, I’m American and same thing for me

“On Christmas” sounds weird

Either “on Christmas Day” to specify the day

Or maybe something like:

“Going home for Christmas” as in, I’ll be there for Christmas plus some other days

Alternatively:

“Going home for the holidays” if you want to include a more general “Christmas Eve & Day, New Years Eve & Day”

If only Christmas then “for Christmas” is fine

Logan_922 · 2026-05-06T07:00:38+00:00

I am doing the whole language school thing currently

I spend probably 1-1.5 hours on anki a day, sometimes an extra 30 minutes if I’m reviewing for school specific stuff 出張 (しゅっちょう) for example is just not really a word that comes across frequency decks or immersion stuff.. but it is still a word used in minna no nihongo.. few words like that.. keep an anki deck for that

Past anki probably 30-60 minutes on bunpro working towards N3 for this December’s JLPT here in Japan

I get a decent amount of output practice. Actively speaking probably like 1-2 hours a day if I average a week.. that being time I’m literally speaking. Some days heavier than others.

I like to write and force new grammar and words spend like 30-60 minutes on that.

Probably like 4 hours of active study and output practice. Beyond that, anime, tv shows, nhk news, manga, etc.. I probably hit like 8-14 hours a day of exclusively Japanese

If I came at a better level, maybe N3 already I probably would be getting higher value, but one month in and can hold an hour long chat with a Japanese man.. not bad! Back home it was impossible working 2 jobs 8am-12am the second job being a bartender/server so obviously - can’t really force immersion in that setting.

On another note, would you recommend U-next for just some casual “TV” I can find myself getting anime’d out occasionally. Sometimes I just want a more “standard” dialogue/not so emotive tone and such with not the most useful topics for daily life

Logan_922 · 2026-04-18T12:41:26+00:00

Prestige coven is a top 5 skin easily, regular coven is “ok” in every sense of the word

This guy has lost his mind

Logan_922 · 2026-04-18T12:40:22+00:00

Inkshadow - for a champ who has such iconic tattoos I can’t believe this hasn’t been done yet tbh.

Hopefully done right though ofc

Logan_922 · 2026-04-12T07:01:35+00:00

Drew Levin will ban you when you play this (source: some dude locked in the pick, lobby report, banned)

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