Hope to Go to Japan in 2020...Want to Eat, Breathe, Speak Japan...HOW to Begin? (culture, travel)
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Japanese is probably one of the easier (if not the easiest) Asian languages to learn. If you have interest and the time, you can learn it.
The grammar is a bit different, but has similar concept as European languages (like tenses).
One issue with Japanese is formal vs informal. Most likely you will learn the formal form. Just be aware that among friends or on the street, they will use informal form. They are different enough that new speakers won't be
If you do learn it, just use romanji for pronunciation. If you feel up to it, you can learn the Japanese alphabets (Hiragana and Katakana). Definitely do not try to learn Kanji (Chinese characters).
I'll try, but going at Olympics time is more important. If I happen to make it for the festival, then great!
How does one blend in to attend Olympics games?
Anyways, its nice that you have a lot of gusto to learn fluent Japanese to attend Olympics games...but you can easily attend Olympics games without fluent Japanese.
If your entire motivation is to not stick out....being fluent in Japanese won't correct that issue. One stands out because they are being or acting different. Some newly arrived foreigner trying to practice their Japanese at the Olympics Games will stick out way more than some newly arrived foreigner who just watches the Olympics Games.
Last edited by Tiger Beer; 11-02-2016 at 11:52 AM..
It's now August 2018 & that time is getting near! Well, I don't just want to learn Japanese for this trip alone. I'm 1/2 Japanese & always wanted to learn it, so my personal reasoning is much more deep-rooted.
Aren't there apps out there by now that will say it in Japanese out loud if I speak English into it?
I hope to travel to Japan for the 2020 Summer Olympics. I want to start researching how to plan the trip & eat, breath, sleep Japan & it's culture. I want to start learning the language too.
Please give me info on how to begin this journey:
- links to learn the language as easily, yet as thoroughly as possible
- planning a nice, trip for least 2 weeks
- things to see & do
- iPad apps that will help
etc., etc., etc. I'd like this to be an ongoing thread because I'll keep returning to it.
There is a television program devoted to the 2020 Olympics and tourism in and around Tokyo.
I would suggest viewing the various programs on NHK World that deal with travel destinations,such as Seasoning the Seasons, Train Cruise, J-Trip Plan, Journeys in Japan, and so on. There are probably programs on NHK World and TVJapan that deal with using Japanese. It's been awhile since I watched one of those.
I travel all over and have never bothered learning the language except for a few key phrases. I mean how in depth into Japanese do you want to get? Learn some basic phrases, it should be fine. Most people in first world countries know English and signage is often in English as well as the mother tongue.
It's now August 2018 & that time is getting near! Well, I don't just want to learn Japanese for this trip alone. I'm 1/2 Japanese & always wanted to learn it, so my personal reasoning is much more deep-rooted.
Aren't there apps out there by now that will say it in Japanese out loud if I speak English into it?
They're expecting a large influx of foreign visitors. If you visit an information bureau in Tokyo, they can probably help you set it up. I've seen the app on one of the shows. There's a crash training program for volunteer guides to assist travelers. English should be no problem.
lchoro, good to know thanks (& I meant thanks to you above for that link too).
Jdawg8181, it would be nice to learn how to do simple conversation when traveling: Ordering foods in a restaurant, buying things when shopping, etc. at the least.
Just buy Genki I. Learn Hiragana, Katakana, and then start doing Kanji like it outlays in that book. I go to Japan around 2x a year, though I'd like to go more. If it wasn't such a reversal of my career to work there or most places in Asia, I'd move. It's a fun country. Good luck during the Olympics, I plan on going too. You might want to go before though because I feel like Kabukicho is going to be a lot less than it has been. They've pretty much cleaned up the touts, and while I don't like them, they gave the area it's dirty red light district charm.
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