Matt in Tokyo
@mattintokyo.bsky.social
Japanese and self-improvement.
Check out my Japanese study platform Kanpeki Study.
https://linktr.ee/mattintokyo
Check out my Japanese study platform Kanpeki Study.
https://linktr.ee/mattintokyo
Pinned
If you follow this checklist you WILL become fluent in Japanese, it's only a matter of time:
1. Learn the ~100 hiragana/katakana characters.
(It's the alphabet, gotta start here)
2. Progress through these textbooks:
- Genki I
- Genki II
- Kanzen Master series
🧵 (1/4)
#JapaneseLanguage
1. Learn the ~100 hiragana/katakana characters.
(It's the alphabet, gotta start here)
2. Progress through these textbooks:
- Genki I
- Genki II
- Kanzen Master series
🧵 (1/4)
#JapaneseLanguage
Shibuya would rather let foreigners turn it into a mountain of rubbish than put out a few bins.
It's getting out of control.
It's getting out of control.
January 18, 2026 at 4:30 AM
Shibuya would rather let foreigners turn it into a mountain of rubbish than put out a few bins.
It's getting out of control.
It's getting out of control.
One of the things I LOVE about Japan is everyone takes off their shoes before going inside.
Like seriously why doesn't the West do that
Like seriously why doesn't the West do that
January 17, 2026 at 1:02 PM
One of the things I LOVE about Japan is everyone takes off their shoes before going inside.
Like seriously why doesn't the West do that
Like seriously why doesn't the West do that
A genie appears and offers you two choices:
1. Sound like a native speaker but be forever capped at upper-intermediate level
OR
2. Have native-level ability but have an unshakeable STRONG pirate accent
You'd sound like if Davy Jones was a beginner in Japanese
1. Sound like a native speaker but be forever capped at upper-intermediate level
OR
2. Have native-level ability but have an unshakeable STRONG pirate accent
You'd sound like if Davy Jones was a beginner in Japanese
January 17, 2026 at 9:30 AM
A genie appears and offers you two choices:
1. Sound like a native speaker but be forever capped at upper-intermediate level
OR
2. Have native-level ability but have an unshakeable STRONG pirate accent
You'd sound like if Davy Jones was a beginner in Japanese
1. Sound like a native speaker but be forever capped at upper-intermediate level
OR
2. Have native-level ability but have an unshakeable STRONG pirate accent
You'd sound like if Davy Jones was a beginner in Japanese
Kinda tempted to move to Vietnam and become Matt in Ho Chi Minh
January 17, 2026 at 4:30 AM
Kinda tempted to move to Vietnam and become Matt in Ho Chi Minh
What would a neutral observer looking only at your behaviours conclude?
Would they say "wow this person's gonna reach fluency - it's just a matter of time"?
Useful for assessing whether you're likely to become fluent or not.
Would they say "wow this person's gonna reach fluency - it's just a matter of time"?
Useful for assessing whether you're likely to become fluent or not.
January 16, 2026 at 11:30 PM
What would a neutral observer looking only at your behaviours conclude?
Would they say "wow this person's gonna reach fluency - it's just a matter of time"?
Useful for assessing whether you're likely to become fluent or not.
Would they say "wow this person's gonna reach fluency - it's just a matter of time"?
Useful for assessing whether you're likely to become fluent or not.
No zero days.
Even if you don't feel like it, just study ONE vocab.
Keep the dream alive.
Even if you don't feel like it, just study ONE vocab.
Keep the dream alive.
January 16, 2026 at 1:02 PM
No zero days.
Even if you don't feel like it, just study ONE vocab.
Keep the dream alive.
Even if you don't feel like it, just study ONE vocab.
Keep the dream alive.
What's your favourite JRPG?
Personally Final Fantasy X is the best game of all time
Personally Final Fantasy X is the best game of all time
January 16, 2026 at 9:30 AM
What's your favourite JRPG?
Personally Final Fantasy X is the best game of all time
Personally Final Fantasy X is the best game of all time
Let's be honest natto tastes terrible.
Can we just agree on that?
Can we just agree on that?
January 16, 2026 at 4:30 AM
Let's be honest natto tastes terrible.
Can we just agree on that?
Can we just agree on that?
Japanese is one of the few things in life you can't just buy.
You have to earn it.
You have to earn it.
January 15, 2026 at 11:30 PM
Japanese is one of the few things in life you can't just buy.
You have to earn it.
You have to earn it.
Here's a list of 80 essential kanji beginners should learn first:
1. 人 person
2. 日 sun
3. 一 one
4. 大 big
5. 出 exit
6. 木 tree
7. 本 origin
8. 口 mouth
9. 中 middle
10. 年 year
11. 上 up
12. 目 eye
13. 見 see
14. 生 life
15. 子 child
🧵 (1/4)
#JapaneseLanguage #Kanji
1. 人 person
2. 日 sun
3. 一 one
4. 大 big
5. 出 exit
6. 木 tree
7. 本 origin
8. 口 mouth
9. 中 middle
10. 年 year
11. 上 up
12. 目 eye
13. 見 see
14. 生 life
15. 子 child
🧵 (1/4)
#JapaneseLanguage #Kanji
January 15, 2026 at 1:01 PM
Here's a list of 80 essential kanji beginners should learn first:
1. 人 person
2. 日 sun
3. 一 one
4. 大 big
5. 出 exit
6. 木 tree
7. 本 origin
8. 口 mouth
9. 中 middle
10. 年 year
11. 上 up
12. 目 eye
13. 見 see
14. 生 life
15. 子 child
🧵 (1/4)
#JapaneseLanguage #Kanji
1. 人 person
2. 日 sun
3. 一 one
4. 大 big
5. 出 exit
6. 木 tree
7. 本 origin
8. 口 mouth
9. 中 middle
10. 年 year
11. 上 up
12. 目 eye
13. 見 see
14. 生 life
15. 子 child
🧵 (1/4)
#JapaneseLanguage #Kanji
Do you enjoy learning Japanese?
Or is it more like eating your vegetables?
Or is it more like eating your vegetables?
January 15, 2026 at 9:30 AM
Do you enjoy learning Japanese?
Or is it more like eating your vegetables?
Or is it more like eating your vegetables?
I think the only bad meal I ever had in Japan was a frozen bento at a lodge at the top of Mt Fuji.
January 15, 2026 at 4:30 AM
I think the only bad meal I ever had in Japan was a frozen bento at a lodge at the top of Mt Fuji.
If you can make fluency an inevitable outcome of your lifestyle, then it's just a waiting game.
January 14, 2026 at 11:30 PM
If you can make fluency an inevitable outcome of your lifestyle, then it's just a waiting game.
Here's a collection of the BEST resources I've ever found for learning Japanese.
(All of them are free!)
[Grammar]
a.) Tae Kim's Grammar Guide
https://guidetojapanese.org/
This is a comprehensive, easy to read resource with grammar explanations in English.
🧵 (1/15)
#Japanese
(All of them are free!)
[Grammar]
a.) Tae Kim's Grammar Guide
https://guidetojapanese.org/
This is a comprehensive, easy to read resource with grammar explanations in English.
🧵 (1/15)
#Japanese
Learn Japanese – Tae Kim's Guide to Learning Japanese
Learn Japanese online for free Welcome to my site for learning Japanese! As a small incentive, here is something cool or interesting in Japanese that might motivate you to study. It will be updated often so come again! Here you will find a wealth of information that will help you learn Japanese, all...
guidetojapanese.org
January 14, 2026 at 1:03 PM
Here's a collection of the BEST resources I've ever found for learning Japanese.
(All of them are free!)
[Grammar]
a.) Tae Kim's Grammar Guide
https://guidetojapanese.org/
This is a comprehensive, easy to read resource with grammar explanations in English.
🧵 (1/15)
#Japanese
(All of them are free!)
[Grammar]
a.) Tae Kim's Grammar Guide
https://guidetojapanese.org/
This is a comprehensive, easy to read resource with grammar explanations in English.
🧵 (1/15)
#Japanese
What got you interested in Japan/learning Japanese originally?
For me it was Final Fantasy and Naruto
For me it was Final Fantasy and Naruto
January 14, 2026 at 9:30 AM
What got you interested in Japan/learning Japanese originally?
For me it was Final Fantasy and Naruto
For me it was Final Fantasy and Naruto
Honestly my first culture shock in Japan was how much CABBAGE people eat.
I ordered a Gyoza (dumplings) set meal and one of the plates they gave me was JUST cabbage.
A small mountain of it!
I'd never eaten that much cabbage in my life but it's a regular occurrence here...
I ordered a Gyoza (dumplings) set meal and one of the plates they gave me was JUST cabbage.
A small mountain of it!
I'd never eaten that much cabbage in my life but it's a regular occurrence here...
January 14, 2026 at 4:30 AM
Honestly my first culture shock in Japan was how much CABBAGE people eat.
I ordered a Gyoza (dumplings) set meal and one of the plates they gave me was JUST cabbage.
A small mountain of it!
I'd never eaten that much cabbage in my life but it's a regular occurrence here...
I ordered a Gyoza (dumplings) set meal and one of the plates they gave me was JUST cabbage.
A small mountain of it!
I'd never eaten that much cabbage in my life but it's a regular occurrence here...
I'm gonna be real with you...
If you can't get through a 30 minute study session without scrolling on your phone, you'll probably never reach fluency.
Addictions like that make studying a fight against your own nature.
If you can't get through a 30 minute study session without scrolling on your phone, you'll probably never reach fluency.
Addictions like that make studying a fight against your own nature.
January 13, 2026 at 11:30 PM
I'm gonna be real with you...
If you can't get through a 30 minute study session without scrolling on your phone, you'll probably never reach fluency.
Addictions like that make studying a fight against your own nature.
If you can't get through a 30 minute study session without scrolling on your phone, you'll probably never reach fluency.
Addictions like that make studying a fight against your own nature.
Before I understood this I frequently sabotaged my ability to learn Japanese.
(It applies to ANY skill not just language acquisition)
When we make decisions we usually only think about 1st order consequences.
🧵 (1/10)
#JapaneseLanguage
(It applies to ANY skill not just language acquisition)
When we make decisions we usually only think about 1st order consequences.
🧵 (1/10)
#JapaneseLanguage
January 13, 2026 at 1:02 PM
Before I understood this I frequently sabotaged my ability to learn Japanese.
(It applies to ANY skill not just language acquisition)
When we make decisions we usually only think about 1st order consequences.
🧵 (1/10)
#JapaneseLanguage
(It applies to ANY skill not just language acquisition)
When we make decisions we usually only think about 1st order consequences.
🧵 (1/10)
#JapaneseLanguage
How much Japanese is "enough" for you?
Like how good do you want to be before you'd be satisfied?
Like how good do you want to be before you'd be satisfied?
January 13, 2026 at 9:30 AM
How much Japanese is "enough" for you?
Like how good do you want to be before you'd be satisfied?
Like how good do you want to be before you'd be satisfied?
People always ask what I like about Japan but to be honest it's more that I like Tokyo.
I'm not sure if I could live in a random town in Akita
I'm not sure if I could live in a random town in Akita
January 13, 2026 at 4:30 AM
People always ask what I like about Japan but to be honest it's more that I like Tokyo.
I'm not sure if I could live in a random town in Akita
I'm not sure if I could live in a random town in Akita
Learning Japanese shouldn't require "sacrifice."
I think that's a dangerous mindset.
You have to believe you're genuinely gaining something, not giving things up.
I think that's a dangerous mindset.
You have to believe you're genuinely gaining something, not giving things up.
January 12, 2026 at 11:15 PM
Learning Japanese shouldn't require "sacrifice."
I think that's a dangerous mindset.
You have to believe you're genuinely gaining something, not giving things up.
I think that's a dangerous mindset.
You have to believe you're genuinely gaining something, not giving things up.
Plateaus in learning languages are usually 1 of 2 things:
1. Acclimation
You acclimated to your environment and stopped exposing yourself to vocab/grammar you don't know.
🧵 (1/4)
#JapaneseLanguage
1. Acclimation
You acclimated to your environment and stopped exposing yourself to vocab/grammar you don't know.
🧵 (1/4)
#JapaneseLanguage
January 12, 2026 at 1:02 PM
Plateaus in learning languages are usually 1 of 2 things:
1. Acclimation
You acclimated to your environment and stopped exposing yourself to vocab/grammar you don't know.
🧵 (1/4)
#JapaneseLanguage
1. Acclimation
You acclimated to your environment and stopped exposing yourself to vocab/grammar you don't know.
🧵 (1/4)
#JapaneseLanguage
What's the HARDEST part about learning Japanese for you?
January 12, 2026 at 9:30 AM
What's the HARDEST part about learning Japanese for you?
90% of my foreign friends in Japan went home again within 2 years.
Even people who upend their lives to come live in Japan, only a minority of them stay.
Even people who upend their lives to come live in Japan, only a minority of them stay.
January 12, 2026 at 4:30 AM
90% of my foreign friends in Japan went home again within 2 years.
Even people who upend their lives to come live in Japan, only a minority of them stay.
Even people who upend their lives to come live in Japan, only a minority of them stay.
I recommend NOT say you're "trying" to learn Japanese.
Non-committal phrasing like that is often used to give you the psychological option of backing out again later.
Non-committal phrasing like that is often used to give you the psychological option of backing out again later.
January 11, 2026 at 11:15 PM
I recommend NOT say you're "trying" to learn Japanese.
Non-committal phrasing like that is often used to give you the psychological option of backing out again later.
Non-committal phrasing like that is often used to give you the psychological option of backing out again later.