Listen, if you are the brave person who has chosen to study Japanese you are taking the path less trodden regarding languages and choosing a less commonly learned language will stand out on your resume and will set you apart from the crowd. Congratulations and more power to you! However, learning Japanese can be challenging and if you are feeling overwhelmed, do not be discouraged. Learning to speak fluent Japanese, will give you direct access and insight into the terminology used in these 2 cool Japanese activities that will keep your learning and knowledge of Japanese fresh and interesting.

The first cool Japanese activity you can do to keep your learning fresh is to join a Japanese martial art school. There are many different schools ranging from Jujutsu to Aikido to choose from. Not only will you get in great physical shape and learn self-defense, but this will also help you to learn Japanese quickly because you will be using the terminology associated with your marital art. How many of us have or had our children enrolled in martial arts? And the reason we did was because the practice of martial art is a way of life that encompasses the physical, spiritual and moral discipline with a focus on self-improvement and personal growth. Child or no child, learning a Japanese martial art is a good thing. And who knows? You may make a new friend or two.

If martial arts are not your cup of tea, the second Japanese activity that you can do to keep your learning from stagnating, is to check out other Japanese art forms such as Japanese film, animations or comic books. Anime animations and Manga comic books are everywhere and are made for youth and adults alike. Anime and Manga have many genres typically found in any mass media form. Such genres include action, adventure, comedy, drama, medieval fantasy, horror, romance, and science fiction. Manga books are readily available at specialty bookstores or at major bookstore chains such as Chapters. Anime DVDs series or movies such as Spirited Away (directed by the famous Japanese Anime director, Hayao Miyazaki, won an Oscar in 2001 for Best Animated Film), Ghost In The Shell 2: Innocence plus many more are also readily available in DVD stores or you can download or watch Anime for free online. Or how about some Japanese horror (also known as J-Horror) films which were commercial hits remade in English such as Ringu, Kairo, Dark Water, Yogen, or the Grudge series? You can watch these in their original Japanese version and do not forget the popcorn! These are cool activities to do with your friends and family as you learn how to speak Japanese.

These activities hand-in-hand with an excellent Japanese course will surely be able to make your learning less tedious or abstract. When you incorporate your learning with real-life activities, you will improve your retention, comprehension and verbal skills for Japanese thus making your path to learn to speak fluent Japanese shorter and more enjoyable.