Thanks to information technology nowadays, learning Japanese isn't as difficult as you think. You can acquire the language quickly, even if you live outside of Japan and don't have access to native speakers. There are various sources on the internet (like YouTube) that can help you learn Japanese! While there are plenty of Japanese YouTube channels, not all of them are useful or efficient for learning. Using the right tools and resources is the key to faster and more effective learning, so in this blog post, I'll introduce 7 YouTube channels to supplement your Japanese studies!
These channels provide informative and entertaining content, and I'll include channels in a variety of categories, so that there's something for everyone!
In no particular order, here they are:
1. NHK World Japan. NHK, or 日本放送協会 (Nippon Hōsō Kyōkai), stands for the Japan Broadcasting Corporation, which is Japan's national broadcaster. It has terrestrial and satellite television channels, as well as domestic and international radio networks. Their YouTube channel, NHK World Japan, offers a variety of interesting videos. All of their videos are well-produced. This channel is useful not only for learning Japanese, but also for deepening your knowledge about Japan and its culture. Most of the videos are narrated in English, and some are in Japanese with English subtitles.
2. Easy Japanese. Easy Language has many language channels on YouTube, including Easy Japanese. This is one of the best Japanese YouTube channels for immersion, and it introduces learners to how Japanese natives speak in everyday conversations. The videos feature interviews with Japanese people on the street, where the interviewer asks their opinions on certain topics. These topics may include things like Japanese public transportation, love, sushi, onomatopoeia, and Valentine's Day in Japan. It's very easy to follow along with, and its captions are in English, Japanese script, and Rōmaji for effective learning. It's not a conventional language lesson, but it's helpful for learning spoken Japanese.
3. Baka Proof. If you're a fan of anime, then the Baka Proof channel is just right for you! This Japanese anime YouTube channel uses famous anime to introduce Japanese phrases, vocabulary and grammar points. The videos on this channel first show a snippet of an anime scene with Japanese audio and English subtitles. Then, there's an explanation [in English] of the Japanese phrases used in that scene. Even if you don't have any basic knowledge, you can easily follow along with the videos and start learning basic Japanese. It's an ideal channel for anime-lovers who want to learn spoken Japanese and eventually watch anime in the original language.
4. TOFUGU. When you get bored of formal lessons and textbook-style content, you'll find the TOFUGU channel fun and entertaining. This channel deals with many aspects of Japanese culture, covering various topics that will keep you focused and entertained. You'll find videos on topics such as Japanese gestures, weird and interesting restaurants in Japan, Hiragana lessons, news, travel and old Japanese myths. All of the videos are narrated in English so that absolute beginners can enjoy the videos. On the other hand, I only recommend this channel as a supplement to normal Japanese studies. This is because the hosts don't speak Japanese in the videos nor do they offer traditional-style lessons.
5. Japanese Ammo with Misa. YouTuber Misa is a cute bilingual Japanese girl who will teach you practical Japanese phrases with grammatical explanations. She gives fun and easy-going Japanese lessons in English, with both Japanese and English subtitles. Whether you're a beginner or advanced learner, you'll find her videos very useful. Her lessons include very basic content (such as how to write Hiragana and Katakana), as well as more advanced explanations (such as the difference between similar expressions and phrases). She also has interesting videos in which she reads manga comics in Japanese or introduces viewers to Japanese snacks. Her content features wonderful grammatical explanations and covers a good deal of useful information. However, most of the phrases she deals with are informal and casual, so it's better to use this channel mainly for learning daily conversations and casual language.
6. Ask Japanese. Ask Japanese is hosted by a multilingual German girl who lives in Japan. This is another channel that features interviews with people on the street. She talks with both native Japanese people and foreigners living in Japan. These interviews cover many different topics, including subculture and personal matters. Videos are narrated in Japanese or English, and you can turn on the subtitles. It may be a bit difficult to keep up with the Japanese, as they speak fast at times; in addition, there's no Japanese script or Rōmaji to follow along with. That said, this channel can be a good tool for listening practice and for learning natural spoken Japanese.
7. Rachel & Jun. YouTubers Rachel & Jun, an American and Japanese couple living in Japan, offer interesting videos covering a range of topics. The couple creates vlogs to show what it's like to live in Japan, culture shock, travel and food reports, interviews with traditional Japanese craftsmen, interesting facts about Japan, etc. If you're interested in Japanese culture and life in Japan, this informative channel will become your new favorite! Rachel & Jun speak mainly English in their videos, and there are Japanese captions. If you're more interested in the language aspect, some of their videos focus on the Japanese language. For example, they sometimes talk about Japanese mistakes that Japanese people make, Japanese words that English should have, Japanese slang on the internet, and so on.
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