There are so many things one can love about Japan: its rich history, picturesque landscapes, sushi, ramen, anime, manga, kawaii, futuristic technology, and more.
However, if you’re deep into Japanese culture, you know that there’s so much more to Japan than these. You’ll probably agree that one of the most fascinating aspects of Japanese culture is Nihongo or the Japanese language. And good for you if you’re already learning the language!
But if you’re still on the fence about learning Japanese, or you’ve started but have been discouraged for any reason, and you’re wondering about the benefits of learning Japanese… wonder no more. There are, in fact, many reasons why you should learn Japanese.
Keep scrolling and you might just end up taking your lessons, stat!
The benefits of learning Japanese
1. Learning Japanese lets you speak to a lot of people.
Over 128 million people, to be precise.
One of the biggest advantages of learning Japanese is that so many people speak it. While the majority of its speakers live in Japan, the Japanese diaspora can also be found in countries such as Brazil, the United States, China, the Philippines, and Canada.
This means your Japanese language skills will be useful in multiple countries and you can communicate with many people as you wish!
2. You’ll understand Japanese culture better.
The Japanese language is a window into the Japanese culture. While you can study (and be amazed at) the history and rich cultural heritage of Japan, learning Japanese opens your eyes to specific customs and concepts that may not be easily translated into another language.
Learning the Japanese language gives you a powerful lens — a different perspective, if you will — for understanding the origins of traditions, Japanese dishes, honorifics, religion, and more.
Furthermore, no two people have the same cultural views and ideas. Conversing with locals in their native language allows you to communicate with them better and understand how they respond to certain situations.
3. Learning Japanese means you can read manga and watch anime…
Translation is a wonderful thing. It allows us to watch TV shows and movies and read books that we otherwise couldn’t understand unless we speak the source language.
But no translation is perfect. Now and then, translation controversies pop up and you end up questioning what you just read.
How, then, can you make sure that you don’t get lost in translation, especially when watching or reading One Piece, Detective Conan, or Attack on Titan? By learning Japanese.
The Japanese language is very different from English and it’s not uncommon to find Japanese phrases being edited to “make sense” in English. Some shows can also display sensitive subject matters and translators would have to make the language “kid-friendly”. But if you know Japanese, you can consume Japanese media in its original form and get the most out of the material.
4. … And sing along to Japanese songs!
Are you a fan of J-pop (Japanese pop music)? What about Japanese bands like One Ok Rock and Radwimps? Then, learning Japanese should be one of your goals!
The catchy tunes may be good as they are but you’re missing out on the complete experience if you don’t understand the lyrics.
Knowing Japanese slang, onomatopoeia, and some metaphors is useful if you want to get truly immersed in J-pop or Japanese music in general. While you can hum along and maybe mimic a few phrases here and there, nothing compares to the experience is being able to sing all the way through the song and understanding what the song means.
5. It widens your job options…
As the world’s biggest economies become increasingly global, language skills will become more useful and in demand. One of the most practical benefits of learning Japanese is that it gives you a career edge.
Knowing Japanese increases your chances of working in a Japanese firm within Japan or other countries in the world where Japanese companies may be based. While the Japanese people are polite and willing to help if you ask them to, wouldn’t it be so more convenient if you can do things without much aid from them since you can understand the language?
As previously mentioned, learning Japanese will help you better grasp cultural practices and behaviors. This naturally includes the business customs and habits of the Japanese. Being well-versed in this area will help you get adjusted quicker.
No plans of working in Japan or for a Japanese company? Fluency in Japanese can help you land a career in teaching or translating. Considering that those are among the most popular digital nomad jobs, your effort in studying will pay off.
6. … And raises your status in your workplace.
In connection with the previous point, because of Japan’s economic prowess, businesses in other countries strike partnerships with Japanese companies. Knowledge of Japanese will therefore make you a strong candidate if your company needs someone to communicate with potential Japanese partners or clients.
Whether you’re the one who will lead negotiations or you’re translating for your team, your role will be valuable for your company. You even have better chances of promotion! At the very least, you’ll get admiring looks when your colleagues know that you speak multiple languages.
7. Learning Japanese helps you make more friends…
Learning a second language can help widen your circle in more ways than one. And this is true for the Japanese language, too.
The more obvious way learning Japanese can benefit your social life is through improved conversational skills. If you can speak the language, you can converse with more people and make new Japanese friends. You also have increased chances of developing a connection with someone who’s also a fan of all things Japanese.
But aside from conversational skills, bilingual and multilingual speakers also tend to have more empathy. When a person senses this in you, he or she will likely trust you more and be willing to open up to you. That’s a big deal in Japan where most locals tend to be reserved!
8. … And can help you find love!
Learning Japanese doesn’t just help you make more friends. It can also lead to romance!
If you somehow find yourself attracted to a Japanese man or woman, the only way to get close to them is by talking. And since most Japanese speak in Japanese (unless dealing with foreign clients or business partners), you’ll get better chances of forming a bond if you speak Japanese.
Although dating apps have become popular in Japan in recent years, many Japanese still prefer meeting potential romantic partners in person through blind dates, singles meet-ups, or mutual friends. Not only should you have conversational skills but also knowledge of Japanese dating culture for a relationship to flourish.
9. You can have a fuller travel experience in Japan.
One of the most practical benefits of learning Japanese is that it’ll come in handy when you travel to Japan. Not only will you have an easier time using public transportation, but listening to instructions and directions will be so much easier, too.
Knowing Japanese can also help you order food in traditional Japanese restaurants. You can also haggle prices when shopping at street stalls and markets. Your knowledge of Japanese will be especially useful if you plan to visit less popular cities and towns in Japan, where there are fewer locals who speak English.
You can speak English in Japan. But you can make the most out of your holiday if you know Japanese. Plus, the locals will appreciate your effort to get immersed in their culture.
10. You’ll grow confident.
Japan is (unfairly) tagged as one of the hardest languages to learn for English speakers. This stems from the fact that it’s so different from English, from the writing system to the grammatical principles.
So, wouldn’t it be much more fulfilling if you succeed in this self-imposed challenge?
Whether you use apps to learn Japanese or prefer to read Japanese learning books, personal growth can make you feel good about yourself. It boosts your confidence and helps you get used to more challenging situations. Regardless of your reasons for learning Japanese, it always feels good to achieve goals.
11. It will make you smarter…
Learning languages is one of the most challenging things we can ask our brains to do. But it’s also one of the most rewarding.
You can think of your brain as a muscle. Learning Japanese is a workout that requires brainpower, probably more than other intellectual activities. Your brain has to deal with a whole new intricate system of vocabulary, structures, rules, and concepts that differ from those of your native language. It’s hard!
But this mental workout results in cognitive benefits: increased focus and memory, better problem-solving and decision-making skills, improved listening and multitasking skills, and better academic performance.
Bilingualism is considered sexy, and how much more if you’re learning a supposedly difficult language?
12. … And make your brain healthier.
More benefits of learning Japanese, brain edition!
Studying Japanese leads not only to cognitive benefits but also to brain health. Studies show that language learning can help delay the onset of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia by four or five years.
Our brain loves the mental workout it gets from learning languages. As you continue learning and using Japanese, the better you get at it and the more your brain subtly rewires. All that hard work leads to more resilient brains. And who doesn’t want that?
13. Knowing Japanese gives you an edge when learning Korean or Chinese.
Owing to its proximity and history with its East Asian neighbors, Japan makes for an interesting gateway to Korean and Chinese culture. This is true in terms of aesthetics, religious beliefs, food, and yes, language.
Regardless of which language you learn first, you will end up becoming interested in learning the other two. It’ll be easier, too, as the three languages share many recognizable similarities.
A large portion of the Japanese vocabulary is borrowed from Chinese. Written Japanese also extensively uses Chinese characters known as kanji. Japan’s syllabic scripts hiragana and katakana are also derived from the more complex Chinese characters. While Arabic numerals are commonly used, some still use traditional Chinese numerals.
Korean, on the other hand, shares similarities with Japanese vocabulary, sentence order, honorifics, and the use of markers. Wasei-go (“made-in-Japan English) can also be likened to Korea’s Konglish.
Also read: Should You Learn Korean or Japanese? A Decision Guide
14. Learning Japanese can help you understand your native language.
One of the unexpected benefits of learning Japanese is that it helps you understand your first language, too.
It all boils down to perspective. When you form a new perspective, which is what happens when you learn a new language and culture, you begin to see your own culture and language in a new light as well.
Learning a second language is a more technical process compared to when you learned your native language. You become aware of how grammar works, how sentences are formed, and all those intricacies involved in acquiring a new language.
This awareness can lead you to analyze the nuts and bolts of your native language. If nothing else, you’ll begin to notice how your first language works differently from Japanese. And that helps you become better in your native language, too!
15. It’s not that hard to learn!
Why learn Japanese? Well, because you can!
Any language can be intimidating for various reasons. But often, we perceive certain languages to be difficult simply because of how different they are from the language(s) we’re used to. This is true for East Asian languages such as Japanese.
But the truth is that it’s not that hard to learn Japanese. Spoken Japanese is not particularly difficult as the phonetic sounds are limited and there’s not much variation in tone.
The SOV (subject-object-verb) sentence structure may throw you for a loop and the heavy use of particles may confuse you. But other grammar concepts in Japanese tend to be regular. There are no noun genders (inanimate objects do not have genders, yay!), verb conjugation is so much simpler, and plurality can be understood from context. Plus, there are tons of English loanwords!
Granted, written Japanese is a whole nother story. You need a longer time to master kanji but you can start with hiragana and go from there.
In short, learning Japanese poses challenges. But those challenges are not impossible to tackle.
Conclusion
Is learning Japanese useful? After a whole list of benefits of learning Japanese, the answer to this question can only be a resounding yes.
To reap these benefits, you can start by downloading apps to learn Japanese and studying with Japanese textbooks or Japanese grammar books. Getting Japanese workbooks for self-assessment and practice won’t hurt. Better yet, search for Japanese online tutors to get dedicated coaching.
Here’s hoping you find the method that works for you!