Hey guys! So, I’ve been studying Japanese for about a year now. For most of that time, I used Anki for 200+ days (I don’t have the exact stats saved), worked through about half of Genki I, and took a university Japanese class. The class itself felt pretty straightforward since I already had a decent grasp of the basics before starting.
Eventually, I stopped using Anki and the RTK method because I was getting burned out from studying on top of my classes. I ended up quitting Japanese for about eight months during a low point in my life. Recently, though, I remembered why I started learning in the first place and decided to pick it back up!
I’m not starting from scratch or anything. I still know hiragana, katakana, and some kanji, both in terms of reading and writing. However, I decided to give myself a fresh start with my routine.
Here’s what my daily routine currently looks like:
- Bunpro (20–30 minutes): I get my reviews done and aim for five vocabulary items and three grammar points daily.
- Pimsleur (30 minutes): Listening comprehension and conversation were my biggest weaknesses, so I’ve been using Pimsleur to work on those skills.
- Kanji app (15 minutes): I use an iOS app with vocabulary flashcards and kanji writing practice that teaches the correct stroke order. I’m more accustomed to this learning style since it’s similar to Genki. I usually do my reviews and a lesson before bed.
- VRChat (30–60 minutes): I spend time in English-to-Japanese language exchange worlds practicing my output and having conversations with other learners and Japanese speakers. I do this around six or seven days a week, and it’s been one of the most helpful parts of my routine.
- Immersion: I’m trying to watch more Japanese gaming YouTubers, even if it’s only for a little while each day.
- Reading: I do reading practice occasionally, although I get some reading in through Bunpro’s example sentences as well.
- Passive exposure: I listen to J-pop every day and have watched anime for over 10 years. I think both have helped with my pronunciation and familiarity with the language, although I don’t necessarily count them as focused immersion.
I’m mainly trying to improve my listening comprehension, build my vocabulary, and get better at forming sentences naturally rather than mentally translating everything before I speak.
I’d love to hear what everyone else’s routines look like! What resources do you use daily, how much time do you spend studying, and what do you think has helped you improve the most?
I’m also open to suggestions on what I could improve or add to my routine. Thanks!
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