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Japanese Lessons in Birmingham

If you're based in Birmingham and have an interest in learning a new language, you might want to consider Japanese. The city offers a multitude of opportunities for those keen on diving deep into Japanese culture, making it an excellent place to start your journey. By enrolling in Japanese lessons in Birmingham, you’ll unlock the chance to engage more fully in the city's cultural events that celebrate Japanese traditions, pop culture, anime, and manga. Studying a foreign language is not just a hobby; it's a gateway to a richer, more exciting social life.

Beyond the cultural and social perks, learning Japanese can significantly enhance your professional prospects. Birmingham's burgeoning business sector is increasingly interacting with Japanese companies, offering multiple avenues for those proficient in the language. It equips you with the skills to be more competitive in the job market, not just locally but on a global scale.

And let's not forget the travel benefits. Knowing the language will drastically improve your travel experience in Japan, making interactions more authentic and enjoyable. It's about expanding your horizons in a world that is more interconnected than ever before. So, whether you're looking to understand the nuances of a Miyazaki film without subtitles or aiming to establish business connections in Tokyo, Japanese lessons in Birmingham offer an enriching learning experience.

Why Study Japanese in Birmingham?

Learn Japanese for Work and Travel

Learning Japanese in Birmingham will open up a world of opportunities, both culturally and professionally. The city is home to a growing number of companies with international ties, including local firms and Japanese businesses like Toyota and Hitachi, that value bilingual employees for their ability to bridge cultural and linguistic gaps. Knowing Japanese can make you a key asset in negotiations, client relationships, and even overseas expansions.

For business owners in Birmingham, proficiency in Japanese adds a competitive edge. In today's global marketplace, the ability to communicate with Japanese partners can streamline operations and open new channels for commerce. Whether it's sourcing products or pitching your services to a Japanese audience, language skills can often be the deciding factor in sealing a deal.

In addition to the professional advantages, mastering Japanese offers incredible benefits for travel enthusiasts. Being proficient in the language will allow you to venture beyond the usual tourist spots and explore the less-travelled regions of Japan with ease. Imagine hiking through remote villages, participating in traditional local festivals, or savouring authentic cuisine at hidden gem eateries, all without language barriers. Your conversations with locals will be richer, breaking the ice for more meaningful connections. Whether you're asking for directions, navigating menus, or just chatting with a local, speaking the native tongue, can transform your travel experience from ordinary to extraordinary.

Learn Japanese for Social

If you're keen on diving deep into Japanese culture, Birmingham is an excellent place to start your journey, especially if you're learning the language. One of the city's cultural highlights is the Cherry Blossom Festival, held at the Red Brick Market Birmingham, located at 119 Floodgate Street. The festival offers an array of experiences that bring Japanese culture to life, from live musical performances to traditional drumming.

Workshops abound at this festival. You’ll get to try your hand at Japanese calligraphy, create a Kokedama moss ball, or immerse yourself in the fine art of Sashiko embroidery. For the shoppers among us, there are pop-up vintage kimono shops, anime and character goods, and even a major charity raffle.

For food aficionados, the festival also goes the extra mile by turning a local coffee shop into a Japanese café for the day. Here, you’ll get to taste a range of authentic Japanese foods, including vegan options, and even sip on some sake.

Learning Japanese will not only allow you to engage more deeply with these activities but also offer you a richer, more nuanced understanding of the culture. Imagine being able to chat with performers, inquire during workshops, or even create your own Haiku poems. Proficiency in Japanese transforms these cultural events from mere spectacles into interactive, enriching experiences that can broaden your horizons like no other.

Learn Japanese for Culture

Learning Japanese in Birmingham can significantly enhance your social life. Among the city's offerings is the Birmingham Language Exchange, hosted at various welcoming cafés and popular pubs throughout the area. This isn't just a chance to hone your language skills; it's an opportunity to meet a wide array of people who share your enthusiasm for Japanese culture, thereby expanding your social circle and potentially forming lasting friendships.

Why should you be a part of this? For starters, there’s no substitute for practising spoken Japanese in a casual environment. While classroom learning and textbooks offer foundational knowledge, the real nuances of day-to-day conversations are best captured in these more relaxed settings. Additionally, the event serves as a rich cultural exchange platform. You'll get to interact with native Japanese speakers, learn about the culture's unique traditions, manners, and perhaps even discover travel gems that aren’t commonly known.

Where to learn Japanese in and around Birmingham?

In Birmingham, there are various avenues for learning Japanese. Local universities such as the University of Birmingham offer comprehensive language programmes that delve deep into the intricacies of the Japanese language, and culture, and are ideal for those who want to become professional translators or teachers. Public libraries in the city also stock a great amount of useful resources to support self-study, from grammar books to multimedia content.

However, for personalised, face-to-face learning, the best option is undoubtedly Listen & Learn. Our courses are tailored to meet your individual needs and proficiency level. Whether you're a complete beginner or looking to advance your conversational skills, our experienced tutors come to you, offering the convenience of learning Japanese near you, right in your home, office, or another place of your choice. Our courses are not just about language mechanics; they're designed to immerse you in Japanese culture, making the learning experience both enriching and enjoyable. Ready to unlock the world of Japanese language and culture? Send us a quick enquiry to get started.

The type of courses we offer:

Face-to-Face 1-to-1 (Individual) General Japanese

This set of Japanese tutorials are less specific and more targeted for those who want to get a range of different things from learning Japanese. Even though all novice students will cover survival Japanese: as well as Japanese to visit somewhere abroad to make solid contacts with the locals, what do you do from there? It depends on your needs. Those who have benefited from these lessons have been those moving or investing overseas, spouses of overseas nationals, people who love to travel all over the world, those interested in Japanese culture and those who just want to pass a specific examination in Japanese. Enquire now about our Japanese Courses or Take A Free Japanese Level Test

Face-to-Face 1-to-1 (Individual) Business Japanese

These lessons in Japanese are meant for those who feel that learning Japanese would make a change in their work. For starters, it is expedient to learn how to say hello/goodbye, as well as basic business protocol; once the basics have been mastered, reading and writing come to the fore. Students who have greatly benefited have been involved in import/export, international negotiations and acquisitions, jobseekers in multinational companies where another language is required and those working in the international academia and government circuits. Even in our most fundamental beginner's lesson, students can anticipate ending the lesson with basic telephone Japanese and e-mail Japanese skills for communicating, as well as survival Japanese if a short visit to the country is needed. Enquire now about our Japanese Courses or Take A Free Japanese Level Test

Face-to-Face Closed (Private) Group General or Business Japanese

Lessons in Japanese are also accessible for 2 or more studying in tandem (Two-to-One Japanese Lessons or Small Group In-Company Japanese Lessons). All those involved must have around the same experience of the language, similar needs for areas of proficiency, and must be able to work at the same time and place. Bookings must be made for all students at the same time. Listen & Learn does not advise classes of more than 6-8 people, although In-Company Taster Japanese sessions can be run with as many as 12 people. Enquire now about our Japanese Courses or Take A Free Japanese Level Test

Skype, Google Meet or Zoom Online 1-to-1 (Individual) General or Business Japanese

You and your colleagues can be trained by our native-speaking fully-qualified Japanese tutors at a time and location to suit you. Classes can take place any day, even weekends, and can happen in the morning, afternoon or evening. If the case may be that your home or office is not convenient, there is always the option to take your classes at the office of your teacher. Study books for the lesson are provided. Enquire now about our Japanese Courses or Take A Free Japanese Level Test

Skype, Google Meet or Zoom Online Group (Closed or Open) General or Business Japanese

Lessons in Japanese are also accessible for two or more people studying in tandem (Two-to-One Japanese Lessons or Small Group In-Company Japanese Lessons). All those involved must have around the same experience of the language, similar needs of areas of proficiency and must be able to meet at the same time and place. Bookings must be made for all students at the same time. Listen & Learn does not advise classes of more than 6-8 people, though In-Company Taster Japanese sessions can be run with as many as 12 people. Enquire now about our Japanese Courses or Take A Free Japanese Level Test

Top Tips For…

japanese Songs

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Forever Love- X Japan

Rock and metal fans will be happy to know they have plenty of options when it comes to enhancing their comprehension skills and vocabulary by listening to Japanese songs, such as Forever Love. This song, famous in Japan and covered by numerous artists, is a love ballad that speaks about the undying love of a man for his wife. The chorus is quite repetitive, so even beginners can make the most out of this track and pick up Japanese words and phrases. Keep the lyrics at hand and give karaoke a try for even more fun! Listen to Forever Love here!

japanese Songs

Handyman - Perfume

Handyman, by Perfume, is a catchy Japanese love song that talks about uncertainty and insecurity in a relationship. The poetic persona, then, sings about the need for a handyman who can fix their problems. The track is quite long (it lasts almost 6 minutes!) but the chorus repeats frequently, making it easy to memorise and sing. By listening to this song, you’ll also fix some terms and expressions into your long-term memory, such as nanto kashite (tell me what to do) or nandaka umaku ikanai no wa (I just don’t know how to say this). Listen to Handyman by clicking here!

UR Love - MICHO

Are you an intermediate or advanced student of Japanese and up for a challenge? UR Love by Micho is the song you need. It mixes rap and hip hop, so the pace is fast and the lyrics are complicated, but by singing along to your favourite Japanese song, your tongue and mouth get used to forming sounds in the foreign language, helping you to become fluent and sound more natural in conversation. Furthermore, you’ll not only improve your pronunciation and intonation to sound more natural but also acquire new vocabulary that you might not find in a text book! Click here to listen to this hit!

japanese Apps

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Lext Talk

Interacting with others in Japanese is crucial to develop your writing and speaking skills. If you find it hard to find Japanese speakers in your area, you can always use apps like Lext Talk. Just create a profile, select your target language and get started! One of the best features of this app is its interactive map, which you can browse to look for new friends in a specific area or region. This makes it easier for you to find partners who speak a certain dialect (for example, you can connect with people living in the Kiki region, who speak the Kansai variety).

japanese Apps

Yomiwa

Yomiwa is a Japanese dictionary and translator very useful for learners and travellers. In addition to translating from Japanese kanji to English, it is also possible to do so to German and French. You can even take a picture of the kanji word or sentence you want to translate and the app will do it for you! It can read horizontal and vertical text and, little by little, the app is being updated with hiragana, katakana and romaji words and capabilities. Plus, the app includes grammar and vocabulary exercises for beginner students, so you can start acquiring knowledge of the alphabet, pronouns, subject-verb agreement and more.

Kana Quiz

Kana Quiz is a nice option for students who love learning languages through games. Select a word in romaji and then pair it up with its kana counterpart or vice-versa. While the game is simple, it’s very effective at helping learners to remember the different Japanese writing systems. Additionally, you can create your own flashcards using images from their database on one side and a recording of you pronouncing the word on the reverse. This way, you’ll have a visual reminder of the term and you’ll also remember how to pronounce it!

Testimonials

From our clients all over the world

"Sanami is flexible and allows me to focus on the areas of Japanese I choose. She is also amazing at providing extra information and notes when I have questions."
Nesia Warner-Thomas

Japanese course in Birmingham.

"The flexibility of the course, support and payment plan are the three main reasons I am so happy to study with Listen & Learn and I would highly recommend this to anyone."
Maddison Culley

Japanese course in Newcastle.

"I really enjoyed my first lesson and can`t wait for the rest of them. Katherine my trainer and I get along well."
Gary Hiscutt

Japanese course in Portsmouth.

"My Japanese lessons are going very well. I enjoy reading articles and talking about them with Hiro-san."
John Balzano

Japanese course in Online.

"The lessons are going really well. Ayuna is very good and I’m surprised how much of my Japanese is coming back to me after so many years."
Catherine Lonergan

Japanese course in Leeds.

Client case studies

Have a look at successful and satisfied clients.

Client photo
Alex Wade Japanese in Oxford
I wanted someone that I could be friends with as I learned the language in my own time, at my own pace. Listen & Learn seemed to offer that kind of person, and I found out very quickly that the tutor provided to me, Chika-san, is exactly who I was looking for

Our Clients Include

From our clients all over the world

Bombardier Transportation UK Ltd
Language learned: French in Derby.

Cook Medical
Language learned: French in Limerick.

SPD Spark
Language learned: Dutch in Bedford.