Where Should I Start? 

Here at JapanesePod101.com, we take two innovative approaches teaching Japanese:

Linear Lessons
These lessons start at a single point and progress in a linear fashion. That means each lesson builds on the previous lesson. There is a clearly stated beginning and a logical end. The purpose is to gradually take the listener from one point and give them the tools they need to improve their Japanese. At the end of a linear course you’ll know you’ve come a long way!

Non-Linear Lessons
These lessons are designed to reinforce previous grammar, build vocabulary, and increase your exposure to Japanese. These levels stay consistent throughout and are the ideal way to master your level! As grammar is finite, you’ll find high levels tend to be non-linear.

All though we offer many different levels and kinds of courses, it’s easiest to think of JapanesePod101.com offering 4 major categories. Within each category you can find the perfect levels and course to take your Japanese to the next level!

If you are a true newbie, we recommend starting with Newbie Season 2 “Nihongo Dojo” supplemented by Beginner Season 1 for the fastest and most fun way to get started with Japanese! The Nihongo Dojo is a very structured curriculum and Beginner Season 1 takes a more casual approach based on repetition.

Beginner Levels

If you are new to the language or trying to master the basics, we recommend you start with Nihongo Dojo. This is the perfect introduction to the Japanese Language! If you supplement this with Beginner Season 1 and Survival Phrases, you will get a very firm foundation which will prepare you for the next level at JapanesePod101!

Survival Phrases – Non-Linear
Aimed at the Japan-bound traveler, this 50 lesson series provides the listener with useful phrases, tips, and situations associated with travel in Japan. If you plan to be in Japan for 2 hours or 2 weeks, this series will empower you with the phrases you need to get by in any situation!

Survival Phrases #1 - Indispensable Words

Survival Phrases #50 - Heat This Please

Introduction – Non-Linear
This short series is comprised of three informative lessons designed to introduce the listener to the JapanesePod101.com’s winning teaching formula, the result of months of feedback from our passionate community.

Introduction Part 1 - Eat, Drink, and Be Merry!

Introduction Part 3 - On Cloud Nine

Newbie
Newbie Lessons are designed to take you from zero to hero in Japanese! Currently we have 3 Seasons of Newbie Lessons!

Newbie Season 1 - Linear
Our first Newbie series! This series will gently take you from the most fundamental Japanese to mastering the basic grammatical functions of the language in 25 lessons.

Newbie Season 1 – Lesson 1 – Introductions

Newbie Season 1 – Lesson 30 – Awakenings V

Newbie Season 2 – Nihongo Dojo – Linear
Our most popular Newbie series! This level was designed by Naomi-sensei as a more measured and aggressive introduction to Japanese. Over the course of 25 lessons, you learn via the antics of the staff of Style You, an upscale Tokyo salon.

Newbie Season 2 – Nihongo Dojo: Welcome to Style You 1

Newbie Season 2 – Nihongo Dojo: Welcome to Style You 25

Newbie Season 3 – Linear
This level takes up where Season 2 left off and continues the drama of the previous level. By the end of this level you should be prepared for the Beginner levels!

Newbie Season 3 – Nihongo Dojo: Style You & Beyond 1

This series still in in progress!!

Beginner
These lessons are designed to introduce basic Japanese with the end goal of enabling the student to substantially increase his/her listening and reading comprehension skills.
Beginner Season 1 – Linear
The first JapanesePod101.com lesson! We will introduce you to Japanese with the end goal of enabling the student to substantially increase his/her listening and reading comprehension skills. With over 150 lessons, this level will eventually bring you to a quite advanced level of Japanese.

Beginner Lesson #1 - Self Introduction

Beginner Lesson #170 - Concert Ticket

Beginner Season 2 – Non-Linear
One of our most popular levels! This is designed to help reinforce the Japanese you already learned by reviewing critical grammar points and building vocabulary and introduces slang and well-known dialect forms.

Beginner Lesson S2 #1 - Change of Plan

Beginner Lesson S2 #56 - A Cozy Christmas

Beginner Season 3 – Non-Linear
Following the same premise as Beginner Season 2, this level continues to review and reinforce critical grammar, while building vocab and increasing your familiarity with the language.

Beginner Lesson #171 - B3: Kinoshita in the Komputer Department 1

This series still in in progress!!

Sights & Sounds
This Premium level is aimed at beginners with some exposure to spoken Japanese! Each lesson is based on a photo taken in the Tokyo area to give you a feel for the sights and sounds of Japan while mastering basic grammatical forms!

Sights & Sounds – Non-Linear
Premium Lesson #5 - SS1: Queued Up For a Crêpe

This series still in in progress!!

Intermediate Levels

These lessons are designed for students with previous experience in learning Japanese. The situations, vocabulary, and conversations mimic those that one would encounter in real life. In addition to longer dialogs, increasingly more Japanese is used in the lessons too!

Lower Intermediate
This level takes off where Beginner Lessons finish. In addition to longer dialogs, the hosts use more Japanese in the lesson itself to bridge the gap between Beginner and Intermediate

Lower Intermediate Season 1 – Non-Linear

Lower Intermediate Lesson #1 - Scary Fairy Tale

Lower Intermediate Lesson #55 - Taking a Sick Day

Lower Intermediate Season 2 – Non-Linear

Lower Intermediate Lesson #57 - LI2: Recipe - Fried Chicken

This series still in in progress!!

Intermediate
This level includes even longer dialogs and much more Japanese in the lesson itself. It is designed to give high level Japanese conversations at natural speeds and covers a very wide spectrum of formality.

Intermediate Season 1 – Non-Linear

Intermediate Lesson #1 - Meet Sayuri Suzuki

Intermediate Lesson #85 - A Very Bōsōzoku New Years

Upper Intermediate
This level progresses way beyond Intermediate, featuring very long dialogs and explanations in about 90% Japanese! The perfect way to challenge students ready to take on JLPT 2 and 1!

Upper Intermediate Season 2 – Non-Linear

Upper Intermediate Lesson #01 - We Need a Translator 1

This series still in in progress!!

Celebrity Survival Phrases
This level is designed for celebrities visiting Japan who want to knock the socks off of their adoring fans! While some of the grammar is quite advanced, the hosts take a very laid back English-only approach to the explanations, making this level accessible to learners of every level!

Survival Phrases: Celebrity Survival Phrases – Non-Linear

Survival Phrases #51 - CSP1 Introductions

Survival Phrases #60 - CSP 10 - Leaving Japan

Advanced Levels

Audio Blog
These audio blogs feature native Japanese hosts talking about various topics at normal speaking speed and are designed to provide listeners with exposure to long passages of natural Japanese. No matter your level, listening to these weekly broadcasts while reading the transcripts on the site provide an excellent chance for the listeners to “get their ears used to” natural Japanese!

Miki’s Blog – Non-Linear

Audio Blog #1 - Meet Miki

This series is still in progress!

Upper Intermediate
This level progresses way beyond Intermediate, featuring very long dialogs and explanations in about 90% Japanese! The perfect way to challenge students ready to take on JLPT 2 and 1!

Upper Intermediate Season 2 – Non-Linear

Upper Intermediate Lesson #01 - We Need a Translator 1

This series still in in progress!!

Miscellaneous

With topics ranging from Japanese Culture to news and contests, we offer an assortment of lessons that don’t fit into the above categories but still offer a lot of insight into all things Japanese! From the entertaining to the spooky, there’s a little something for everyone here!

Japanese Culture Classes – Non-Linear
These lessons are for everyone! They introduce and focus on various aspects of the Japanese culture, often presenting useful related vocabulary words, phrases, songs and dialects! Culture classes are conducted primarily in English and cover one topic per episode.

Japanese Culture Class Season 1

Japanese Culture Class #1 - Coming-of-Age

Japanese Culture Class #51 - What’s Up with the Intros? 2

Japanese Culture Class Season 2

Japanese Culture Class #52 - Niigata Dialect 1

This series is still in progress!

News (no seasons)
Keep up to date with the latest and greatest news and features on JapanesePod101.com by tuning into the bi-weekly news program. In these ongoing updates we talk about new features, community members and functions, and many other things related to JapanesePod101.com!

News #1 - Happy New Year!

This series is still in progress!

Kaidan (no seasons)
These Premium offerings are now yearly tradition at JapanesePod101.com based on Edo Period tradition of telling Kaidan (ghost stories) during the O-Bon Holiday. The Japanese are masters of horror and twice a year we tap some of Japan’s great story tellers for these unique scary stories!

Premium Lesson #1 - O-Bon Kaidan: The Abandoned School House [Premium Only]
This series is still in progress!