Welcome to The Avocado’s weekly discussion of Japanese pop culture! I have spent a lot of time researching language-learning resources over the years. I am always on the hunt for new tools to help me practice and to absorb more Japanese. I find that having lots of options keeps things fresh and interesting for me, so that studying rarely feels like a chore. One of my more recent finds for listening and speaking practice is Naoko’s “Daily Life Japanese” YouTube videos. I was first drawn to the videos because I saw that one of them was a recipe (featured below). I love to cook Japanese food, so learning food and cooking vocabulary is always a bonus. But the reason I stayed with Naoko was because of the all the other features found in the videos.

First, I love that there are Japanese subtitles available (can be used for reading practice and also helps with checking comprehension). There are also visual aids in the videos (some more than others) that assist with comprehension and memorization. I also like that she repeats phrases and words a lot. Repetition helps me so much, especially if I’m trying to shadow. Another great feature is she will sometimes include short “quizzes” to test comprehension. I’ve found resources like this that maybe have one or two of these elements but having them all in one place is so convenient. Sometimes I just want to listen while doing something else (cleaning or cooking, usually). Other times I want to sit and watch and really focus. I can do either with these videos! I’m sure there are other resources like this out there, but right now, I’m working my way through Naoko’s daily Japanese and having a blast.

And, as always…

What have you been watching/reading/playing/eating/listening to lately?

Happy Wednesday! 🙂