Hi everyone,
I moved to Tokyo 6 months ago. So far I love everything about it except learning Japanese.
I’ve been studying Japanese for 6 months. But I rarely get to use it. My writing/reading is great. My speech and listening is horrible.
I go to a class and it sucks. Every week we learn 6 grammars and their like “go out and use it.”
When?
Where?
Who?
I’m studying 4 hours a day and its getting exhausting.
I’ve tried apps. People find out im married and aren’t interested. The guys on the apps wanna talk to girls. The girls wanna kick it with my wife.
Work wise, I work in a high up position. I spend most of my day coordinating with offices in US/EU/India to push our agenda here and sometimes rolling up my sleeves and doing it myself. 90 percent in English.
It’s killing me. I’m totally okay being some groups dumb English speaking friend if it means I get talked to in Japanese.
I live near Kichijoji.
by Impressive-Breath831
18 comments
Hey, I’m getting some people together this Saturday for drinks. Some of them are Japanese and some don’t speak much English (I’ve just been communicating via Google translate). I’m sure they would be happy for you to practice with them.
On the west end of the city. Send me a DM if you’re interested in joining.
Check out group activities at your local city hall.
Find a bar you like and become a regular.
Do they need to be friends? I don’t think there’s a lot of people who want to be friends with people they can barely speak to. Hit up some counter bars and izakaya and shoot the shit with strangers to practice your Japanese.
HelloTalk? (It’s an app)There are lots of chat rooms, although I think there are more JPN folks trying to learn ENG
You should try Penpals websites and apps
Start a hobby.. sport, music instrument, majong, whatever..
Go on local izakaya and forces yourself to talk to people around you
Volunteering somewhere
Check at your city hall about events etc..
There is definitely a lot of options to meet and talk to locals
Join something. A sport. Music. Anything. Learn something Japanese – taiko drumming or something traditional like that. It’ll be full of old people that would LOVE for you to learn their thing, and happy to speak all the Japanese you could ever hope to speak.
I can relate to your problem. Mostly the only people who wanted to interact me were only interested in me as an English practice partner. It was almost as if there was a conspiracy to prevent me from gaining spoken fluency. The women were not encountering this problem nearly as much, especially the prettier ones with light hair. This was way back when I was in my 20’s in Fukuoka back in the late 70’s. The advice about finding a local watering hole is good and was what worked best for me. Beyond that, it was pretty hopeless. It takes real tenacity.
Another problem is your relative status as a “higher up.” Younger people will not feel enough common ground, and interacting with women carries with it a whole set of other problems. Men of your status and age are far to busy with their own occupations and family relations to fritter away time pretending not to be annoyed by patiently enduring quasi-Japanesque grunts. Good luck to you.
Hi!
I am exactly in the same place as you.
Living in Tokyo, my best advice would be to go out of the city during weekends.
I had the best time speaking with locals in Nagoya, as people seemed surprised to see a gaijin trying to speak in Japanese.
I’m only around N5 but had some pretty great interactions anyway. Even a Lawson cashier engaged in conversation to ask me what I was doing in Nagoya!
Hellotalk, italki!
Man your post really is frightening haha. I fear that this is what will be happening to me in a couple of months when I have moved to Japan.
I think participating in Community activities might be nice. For example I know there are those groups who are picking up trash on the weekend for example. Or language exchange events via Meetup.
Others have mentioned Hello Talk, however I am a bit sceptical myself. Because it seems like many use it either as a dating app or free english lessons. So I guess this automatically reduces the likelihood of finding someone who just wants to do a normal language exchange.
I follow the free community center classes from our ward once a week. I think every ward offers them. Ours is 2 hours of free talk with the elderly who don’t speak any English.
Every district in Tokyo has sports facilities operated locally that offers a variety of activies for adults from tennis to taichi. Consider checking out a few different ones to find one that is attended by the age group you are looking for.
Welcome to Tokyo! Your experience is quite normal to anyone that lives in Tokyo to be honest
Even if you don’t drink (get mocktails, non alc beer..) go to a bar near your house and become a regular. Ask the customers at the bar for recommendations around the area. They will start taking you around. Get their lines and become drinking friends (nomitomo). this is how they do it. dont be afraid if you font speak japanese as many people are just excited to be speaking to foreigners.
Go out hit the bar scene. Kichioji is lively. Check meetup groups in your area. Go to some language exchange events on meetup in central Tokyo. Start a hobby.
https://activityjapan.com/
How about Try to attend some activities ?
Any hobby?
You can also try to go the スナック or small 居酒屋
Community center. Join one of their clubs. Become a regular at a local yakitori joint.