Three months ago I had to decide whether to go all-in on a full Japan Studies degree or continue with online business and marketing—and I chose business because it fits what I do now and what I want long-term. But I haven’t given up on Japanese at all. With my Japan trip coming up (Tokyo Half Marathon, Kyoto Marathon, and living there temporarily), I’m super motivated to get a head start on the basics—writing, listening, and actually trying to use the language in real life. In this video I show exactly how I study Japanese fully on my own in a way that feels simple and doable. I start with hiragana (because honestly, the alphabets are challenging) and practice characters by matching them to sounds, then I reinforce it with free podcasts—taking notes and trying to write down what I hear. I also push myself to speak Japanese in public here in Copenhagen at Japanese spots (even when I’m nervous and people stare), because there’s just no way around speaking if you want to learn. To make it more fun and immersive, I watch Studio Ghibli with English subtitles and try to pick up words and phrases over time. It’s difficult, but it’s also genuinely enjoyable—and I know it’ll help so much once I’m back in Japan and speaking with my Japanese friends.