VCE Japanese: Your Guide to the Second Language Course Every year, hundreds of students across Victoria select VCE Japanese Second Language as one of their optional courses. Their passion for the Japanese language and culture aside, most of them ask pointed questions about this course: is it difficult? Will there be an oral exam -[…]
27 August 2026∙7 minutes to read
Your Complete Guide to the JLPT Test in Australia Language learners have many reasons to have their skills officially recognised. For many, it's about future (or current) professional opportunities. For others, it's about establishing residency in the country of their choice. Whatever your reasons for studying Japanese, testing your proficiency level is the logical next[…]
31 July 2026∙7 minutes to read
Discover Facts About Japan: History, Culture and Traditions Japanese culture has long been shaped by its strong values and storied history. From the ancient Shinto and Buddhist temples to the bustling streets of Tokyo, the foundations of Japan’s culture carry through to every corner of daily life. Discover interesting facts about Japan’s history and traditions[…]
25 May 2026∙12 minutes to read
Do You Know the Three Types of Japanese Characters? The Japanese writing system comprises three types of characters: kanji, katakana, and hiragana, each of which serves a specific purpose. That's one of the main reasons why language learners consider Japanese one of the most difficult to master, especially reading and writing it. But learning the[…]
14 April 2026∙7 minutes to read
Japanese offers plenty of different entry points, from planning a trip to Japan and enjoying anime or manga to studying the language at school or developing skills for work and university. Lessons can combine conversation with hiragana, katakana, kanji, grammar and listening according to what you want to achieve. Explore Japanese tutors across Australia or learn from home through online Japanese lessons.
Shoguns and Their Impacts on Japan Japanese shoguns ruled the country for more than 700 years, if we take the lean measure. They were often ruthless men, self-indulgent, and neglectful of their duties as leaders. However, more than a few are legendary, both for their wisdom, and their efforts to improve Japanese society. This article[…]
2 April 2025∙7 minutes to read
What Is Anime in the Japanese Anime Culture? Push through the pain. Giving up hurts more. — Vegeta, Dragon Ball Z Manga and anime are perhaps Japan's biggest cultural export – and they make up one of the most recognizable art styles on the planet. Since the nineties, when everyone in the Western world was suddenly[…]
20 December 2024∙10 minutes to read
The Best Way to Learn Japanese Imagine yourself touring Tokyo and Hokkaido, slipping down to Okinawa, with a detour to sample that fabled Kobe beef. Before you exchange your dollars for yen, you should study the language and learn kana - Japan's writing system. You don't need to be fluent in Japanese when you touch[…]
11 February 2024∙7 minutes to read
Kyoto Attractions Everyone Should Visit We find the ancient capital of Japan near the Kamo River. It forms a part of the Kyoto prefecture. Kyoto is the 8th largest city in Japan by population with about 1.4 million residents. Home to hundreds of shrines, UNESCO World Heritage sites, and festivals, the city is often considered[…]
17 January 2024∙7 minutes to read
How to Learn Japanese Let's say you've just enroled in a Japanese for Beginners course. You already know you must master three writing systems: Kanji, Hiragana, and Katana. Furthermore, you'll have to understand Japanese grammar and learn how to speak with Japan's pitch-accent. Japanese beginners have a lot of practice ahead of them. Students undertaking[…]
2 November 2023∙7 minutes to read
Study Japanese at School or After Graduation: How, Why and Where? Japan — a tiny country with a big population, a big heart and a longstanding traditional culture. Australia — a huge country with a small population, a sense of fun and a longstanding indigenous culture (but a short 'white' one). To give you a[…]
10 April 2021∙7 minutes to read
The 4 Main Islands of Japan Japan is made up of four main islands. Honshu, the biggest of the four, is home to the Japanese capital of Tokyo as well as several other large cities. Hokkaido, to the north, is a popular holiday destination, especially when it comes to winter sports. In the south, we[…]
28 January 2021∙7 minutes to read
A Guide to the Japanese Tea Ceremony “You're all late for tea!” - March Hare, Alice in Wonderland 4.1 million tonnes of tea are produced globally every year. This equates to 130kg per second. While China is the largest producer of tea, Japan is famous for its tea ceremony. Preparing tea in Japan is an[…]
30 January 2020∙7 minutes to read
Entertainment in the Land of the Rising Sun Nippon is one home to one of the oldest civilizations on earth and, because of this, has witnessed countless examples of artistry in the forms of sculpting, painting, photography and film-making. Having influenced East Asian popular culture since time immemorial, Japan saw artistry flourish even in the[…]
21 November 2019∙7 minutes to read
Origami in Japan: Culturally Significant or Fun Pastime? To say that origami is strictly Japanese art would be misleading; plenty of other cultures know how to make origami. For instance, children around the world routinely tempt fate with a fortune teller and send paper aeroplanes soaring. More than one paper boat has floated across bodies[…]
29 August 2019∙7 minutes to read
Everything You Need to Know Before Travelling to Japan! "We're fools whether we dance or not, so we might as well dance." -Japanese Proverb Taking a trip to Japan is a brilliant way to learn the Japanese language without taking Japanese lessons at a school or institute. Japan has been a popular tourist destination for[…]
28 June 2019∙10 minutes to read
Enter the Amazing World of Japanese Manga When contemplating Japanese culture, one cannot overlook one particular, fascinating facet. An aspect that not only expresses the soul of the culture but does so in a way that actually stimulates the economy! Manga is not only a Japanese cultural export. These serial graphic novels, usually produced in[…]
17 June 2019∙11 minutes to read
Everything you Need to Know about Japanese Traditions and Culture! You might be preparing a trip to Japan or simply be passionate about the Country of the Rising Sun, what is certain is that Japan will always surprise you. Did you know that Japanese was the 9th most spoken language in the world? The native[…]
16 May 2018∙9 minutes to read
Everything You Need To Know Before Travelling to Japan To undertake a visit to Japan is probably the best way to learn this fascinating and unique language while experiencing why Westerners qualify Japanese culture as"strange". With more than 310,000 Britons visiting the Japanese islands last year, British citizens might only account for 1% of the[…]
14 May 2018∙11 minutes to read
A Cultural Guide To Learning Japanese You might be considering taking Japanese lessons in order to communicate in the 10th most spoken language in the world. It would be a wise choice. Not only are the language and culture rich and diverse, but the Japanese economy ranks 3rd worldwide meaning that the country holds significant[…]
10 May 2018∙10 minutes to read
The Benefits of Learning Japanese There are 128 million Japanese speakers, including 127 million native speakers. The language is ranked thirteenth among the most widely spoken languages in the world. There are about 1 million Japanese diaspora with large populations in countries such as Brazil and the USA, but also countries colonized by the Japanese[…]
5 March 2018∙9 minutes to read
One of the distinctive parts of learning Japanese is becoming comfortable with hiragana, katakana and kanji. At first, that can make reading seem more complicated than learning a language written with the Latin alphabet. In practice, each script has a different role, and learners usually build them up gradually rather than tackling everything at once.
A beginner might start with hiragana alongside greetings and simple sentence patterns, then add katakana and increasingly useful kanji. Working with Japanese tutors in Sydney can help connect the written language with pronunciation and conversation, so reading does not develop separately from speaking.
This is also where individual feedback helps: a teacher can spot whether you need more work on vocabulary, particles, sentence structure or simply recognising characters quickly enough to read comfortably.
The Japanese needed for a holiday is quite different from the language required for an exam, university study or a workplace. Travel learners may prioritise transport, restaurants, accommodation and everyday conversation. Fans of Japanese media might want to understand dialogue, song lyrics or manga with less reliance on translations.
School students have another pathway. Japanese is offered within several Australian senior secondary systems, so learners may be working towards HSC, VCE, QCE, SACE or WACE requirements depending on their state. Japanese lessons in Melbourne can support formal study, while Japanese tutors in Brisbane may also work with adults preparing for travel or the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test (JLPT).
The useful question is not simply “What level am I?” but “What do I want to be able to do in Japanese?”
Regular contact with the language makes lessons easier to build on. A short podcast, a Japanese recipe, a familiar anime episode with Japanese subtitles or a few minutes of kanji review can all create useful repetition between sessions.
Learners can find Japanese tutors in Perth or explore Japanese lessons in Adelaide for support suited to their interests and level.
On Superprof, tutor profiles can be compared by experience, availability, teaching style, lesson format and areas such as conversation, JLPT preparation or school Japanese. This gives you room to choose a teacher whose strengths match the way you want to use the language.
Japanese has plenty of milestones, but learning does not have to revolve around completing a textbook. Building the language into interests and situations you already care about can make practice much easier to maintain.