How Will Learning Japanese Change Your Life?

Most people start learning Japanese so they can simply understand and speak the language and while this is going to help with communication and let you enjoy many things …you will notice your life will change, for the better, in many other ways

So let’s go through some of these reasons and find out why learning Japanese will give you so much more than the ability to just communicate. 

You Will Have An Alternative Way Of Thinking/Seeing The World

One of the ways I didn’t expect to change, was how I seen the world. This all sounds a bit wishy washy but when you learn Japanese, you will inevitably learn about the culture, since both are so interlinked.

You will quickly find out that Japanese society is very different than your own and really the deeper you go, the more you find out and the more you can start to see the world through their eyes. Of course you are never going to be able to see the world fully from their perspective, but you can certainly have a healthy understanding.      

Even small things like how they show respect and honour through the language across their culture is just fascinating and it really will change your general outlook on things, even if that is just because you simply now notice how that happens (or not) in your own culture. I like to see it as being able to see things from different angles now, and I do think this makes me a better person and it has changed my life for the better.

You Will Make Friends

Expanding your language skills means you can expand your friendship circle and this is certainly true for Japanese and it can change your life.

The rumours you hear about the Japanese being very reserved almost to the point they are standoffish is true. It can be hard to make friends with them and they don’t often open up and conversations can quickly fizzle out.

However, you will crack a few of them and they will become some of your best friends. Once you get yourself into that inner circle you will find they are amazingly kind and loyal people and are the type of friends we all need more of.

I think it is also really important to note that this is really only going to happen if you can speak Japanese. The stereotype that they are not comfortable with English is true, even if they are really good …they still feel uncomfortable.

Being able to actual connect with them in Japanese is the key to your success here. It’s tough, but it’s worth it.    

(You can read more about – Is Learning Japanese Worth It?) 

You Can Enjoy Anime Properly

I am sure if I did a poll asking what made you start wanting to learn Japanese, I am sure the highest answer would be “so I could watch anime” and if you do actually learn Japanese, this can happen.

It does sound stupid to say that watching something in its native form is superior and life changing …but it is.

This goes for any media, not just anime, so this also includes movies, tv shows, books, manga and even video games.

Too many people are just happy to enjoy English dubs or even read subtitles, which works, but it’s not the same. I am sure if you have studied Japanese for any length of time you know that the translations can be a bit vague at time. A lot of concepts and nuances are not quite the same and while they get conveyed in English to a decent level, it’s just not the exact same.  

Understanding Japanese allows you understand and enjoy all these forms of media on a different level and really does make a difference.

The decision to learn Japanese so you can understand anime is a very valid reason to start, don’t let anyone laugh at you for that choice! 

(You can read more about – Is Anime Bad For Learning Japanese?)

You Can Get A Job In Japan

This may not be a motive for everyone, but it is still an option. If you have any sort of desire to work in Japan or for a Japanese company it should be no surprise that you need to be able to speak Japanese.

They will usually expect that you have passed the JLPT to a N1 level. This doesn’t mean you are fluent, but it does mean you know enough that you should be able to work in the country.

Of course there are is also the huge issue of visas …but you do need the language and having this checked off is going to be pretty life changing if you end up living and working there.

You Will Realise You Can Accomplish Anything

Learning Japanese will affect your life in other ways, outside of the language. You will actually realise you can accomplish anything you set your mind to.

Learning Japanese is hard, very hard and if you where to ask the general public, they would probably say it is not possible ….but you have done it. Even if you are not fluent yet, you are making progress and you are showing yourself the “impossible” can be done.

If you sit back and think about this, it should fill you with a lot of confidence. I remember thinking a few years back how cool Japanese looked, but all those squiggly lines would always mean nothing to me. I am glad I took the time to learn how to read, it may only be a small part of the language, but it did feel like a huge achievement that filled me with confidence and made me understand I can pretty much do anything if I just try, and when you realise this, it can be life changing. 

Visiting Japan Will Be Different When You Can Understand The Language

If you are planning to visit Japan, you are just going to have a better experience if you can speak the language.

You can of course still visit the country not knowing a single word of Japanese and have a fantastic time. The country is set up to accommodate foreign visitors and has plenty of tourist areas with lots of English signs and so on.

However, you are going to be limited to the tourist spots. Learning Japanese is going to give you access to the whole country and just a much richer experience overall.

Taking the time to learn the language before you go is going to benefit you and change the experiences you can have.   

(You can read more about – Can You Visit Japan Without Knowing Any Japanese?)

You Will Find It Easier To Learn About Food

I think Japanese food is well known in other parts of the world …but we have only really seen the tip of the iceberg.

Sushi and ramen are great and you may be aware of a few other things, but really once you learn the language you can really deep dive into the cuisine.

You will find that different areas of Japan have different specialities and trying to navigate all this information just becomes so much easier when you can speak the language.  For this aspect alone it is worth learning Japanese and it will change your life for the better, especially if you get a chance to actually taste all of these foods.

Conclusion

Hopefully you can see that learning Japanese will enrich your life in so many ways and it will make you life better and more enjoyable.

The whole process of learning the language is hard and slow and you can easily reach the point where you want to quit, but hopefully what you have read here today will give you some motivation to push on through and keep trying, as it really is worth the effort.

(If you are looking to learn Japanese, you can follow my plan – Learn Japanese – The Plan For A Complete Beginner)