Jumpstart your Japanese

Master the basics quickly and effectively

Akamonkai is one of the fastest-paced Japanese language schools in Tokyo and ideal for students who want to attend a Japanese university or find a job at a Japanese company after becoming fluent in the language. Thanks to the school's high intensity, you will be able to acquire a solid foundation of the Japanese language with our online beginner course, that you can easily build upon as you will already have mastered the basics of the Japanese writing systems and grammar and vocabulary.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Can I try the course for free?

    Yes, before committing to buying the course, you can try the first day's lessons for free! Just click the "Free Preview" button. However, you will not be able to access the online community until you have purchased the course.

  • Who created the 3-week Akamonkai Beginner course?

    It was created by Go! Go! Nihon in partnership with Akamonkai Japanese Language School, the largest Japanese Language School In Japan as an introduction to the Japanese language and to help students get ready for studying full time in Japan.

  • How do the online classes work?

    We have lessons using video, text files, audio files and more to help you learn easily. For some lessons you could be shown with a conversation video, back up grammar slides and also repetition videos for you to practice with, other times it might be with an audio file and downloadable vocabulary sheet, we show you the best materials to help you understand new topics quickly. There are opportunities for you to create your own videos to share with us so we can check your understanding and progress. We also have a community where you can engage with other students on the same journey as you, ask questions, compare notes and even engage with the course leaders.

  • Are there live classes?

    Although you will be able to interact with teachers, Go! Go! Nihon staff and other students through the community, you will not have live classes. The lessons are pre-recorded and created to help you learn as quickly as possible using our online platform and allows you to complete lessons at your own pace.

  • Can I still join at any time?

    When you start each day will be triggered one at a time until all lesson are available. You can study at your own pace as you have access to the material for 6 months after you join but we do recommend trying to do a days material each weekday as it’s how courses are taught in Japan!

  • Can anyone take this course?

    The course was designed to help get students ready for full-time studies in Japan, but anyone who would like to learn how to speak in Japanese is welcome to take the courses and will find them a very useful brief introduction to the language

  • Will I get a certificate for finishing a course?

    You will get a certificate from the school when you complete the course, but you need to complete 100% of all of the course lessons in order to receive it.

  • What will I learn?

    See below for the course curriculum.

Course curriculum

  • 1

    Course introduction

  • 2

    Welcome to the course!

  • 3

    Week 1 - Day 1

  • 4

    Week 1 - Day 2

    • Day 2 - Previous Day Grammar Homework Answers!

    • Day 2 - Hiragana Practice

    • Day 2 - Vocabulary

    • Day 2 Lesson 1 - Video (Ordering at the restaurant)

    • Day 2 Lesson 1 - Grammas slides

    • Day 2 Lesson 1 - Video Repetition

    • Day 2 Lesson 1 - Practice

    • Day 2 Lesson 2 - Video (Thinking what to order in a restaurant)

    • Day 2 Lesson 2 - Grammar Slides

    • Day 2 Lesson 2 - Video Repetition

    • Day 2 Lesson 2 - Explanation

    • Day Lesson 2 - Practice

    • Day 2 Lesson 3 - Video (Asking someone about a person you don't know)

    • Day 2 Lesson 3 - Grammar Slides

    • Day 2 Lesson 3 - Video Repetition

    • Day 2 Lesson 3 - Practice

    • Day 2 Lesson 4 - Video (Asking who has ownership of an object)

    • Day 2 Lesson 4 - Grammar slides

    • Day 2 Lesson 4 - Video Repetition

    • Day 2 Lesson 4 - Practice

    • Day 2 - Grammar Homework
  • 5

    Week 1 - Day 3

    • Day 3 - Previous Day Grammar Homework Answers!

    • Day 3 - Hiragana Practice

    • Day 3 - Vocabulary

    • Day 3 Lesson 1 - Video (Giving information)

    • Day 3 - Lesson 1 Grammar slides

    • Day 3 Lesson 1 - Video Repetition

    • Day 3 lesson 2 - Video (Asking where is a place)

    • Day 3 Lesson 2 - Grammar slides

    • Day 3 Lesson 2 - Video Repetition

    • Day 3 Lesson 2 - Practice

    • Day 3 Lesson 3 - Video (Asking the maker and the price of an item)

    • Day 3 Lesson 3 - Grammar slides 1

    • Day 3 Lesson 3 - Video Repetition 1

    • Day 3 Lesson 3 - Practice 1

    • Day 3 Lesson 3 - Grammar slides 2

    • Day 3 Lesson 3 - Video Repetition 2

    • Day 3 Lesson 3 - Practice 2

    • Day 3 Lesson 4 - Video (Buying an item)

    • Day 3 Lesson 4 - Grammar slides

    • Day 3 Lesson 4 - Video Repetition

    • Day 3 Lesson 4 - Practice

    • Day 3 - Grammar Homework
  • 6

    Week 1 - Day 4

    • Day 4 - Previous Day Grammar Homework Answers!

    • Day 4 - Hiragana Practice

    • Day 4 - Vocabulary

    • Day 4 Lesson 1 - Video (Talking about breakfast)

    • Day 4 Lesson 1 - Grammar slides 1

    • Day 4 Lesson 1 - Video Repetition

    • Day 4 Lesson 1 - Practice 1

    • Day 4 Lesson 1 - Grammar slides 2

    • Day 4 Lesson 1 - Video Repetition 2

    • Day 4 Lesson 1 - Practice 2

    • Day 4 Lesson 2 - Video (Talking about this evening plans)

    • Day 4 Lesson 2 - Grammar slides

    • Day 4 Lesson 2 - Video Repetition

    • Day 4 Lesson 2 - Practice

    • Day 4 Lesson 3 - Video (Talking about homework)

    • Day 4 Lesson 3 - Grammar slides

    • Day 4 Lesson 3 - Video Repetition

    • Day 4 Lesson 3 - Practice

    • Day 4 - Grammar Homework
  • 7

    Week 1 - Day 5

    • Day 5 - Previous Day Grammar Homework Answers!

    • Day 5 - Hiragana Practice

    • Day 5 - Vocabulary

    • Day 5 Lesson 1 - Video (Asking what time is it)

    • Day 5 Lesson 1 - Grammar slides

    • Day 5 Lesson 1 - Video Repetition

    • Day 5 Lesson 1 - Practice

    • Day 5 Lesson 2 - Video (Asking from what time to what time is the test)

    • Day 5 Lesson 2 - Grammar slides

    • Day 5 Lesson 2 - Video Repetition

    • Day 5 Lesson 2 - Practice

    • Day 5 lesson 3 - Video (What time you go to sleep)

    • Day 5 Lesson 3 - Grammar slides

    • Day 5 Lesson 3 - Video Repetition

    • Day 5 Lesson 3 - Practice

    • Day 5 Lesson 4 - Video (What time you woke up)

    • Day 5 Lesson 4 - Grammar slides

    • Day 5 Lesson 4 - Video Repetition

    • Day 5 Lesson 4 - Practice

    • Day 5 - Grammar Homework

    • Week 1 Review
  • 8

    Week 2 - Day 6

    • Day 6 - Previous Day Grammar Homework Answers!

    • Week 2 Overview

    • Day 6 - Hiragana Practice

    • Day 6 - Vocabulary

    • Day 6 Lesson 1 - Video (Talking about plans for the spring vacation)

    • Day 6 Lesson 1 - Grammar Slides

    • Day 6 Lesson 1 - Video Repetition

    • Day 6 Lesson 1 - Practice 1

    • Day 6 Lesson 1 - Practice 2

    • Day 6 Lesson 2 - Video (Going somewhere with someone)

    • Day 6 Lesson 2 - Grammar Slides

    • Day 6 Lesson 2 - Video Repetition

    • Day 6 Lesson 2 - Practice

    • Day 6 Lesson 3 - Video (How do you come to school?)

    • Day 6 Lesson 3 - Grammar Slides

    • Day 6 Lesson 3 - Video Repetition

    • Day 6 Lesson 3 - Practice

    • Day 6 - Grammar Homework
  • 9

    Week 2 - Day 7

    • Day 7 - Previous Day Grammar Homework Answers!

    • Day 7 - Hiragana Practice

    • Day 7 - Vocabulary

    • Day 7 Lesson 1 - Video (Asking someone's birthday)

    • Day 7 Lesson 1 - Grammar Slides

    • Day 7 Lesson 1 - Video Repetition

    • Day 7 Lesson 1 - Practice 1

    • Day 7 Lesson 1 - Practice 2

    • Day 7 Lesson 2 - Video (Asking when something is done or was done)

    • Day 7 Lesson 2 - Grammar Slides 1

    • Day 7 Lesson 2 - Grammar Slides 2

    • Day 7 Lesson 2 - Video Repetition

    • Day 7 Lesson 2 - Explanation

    • Day 7 Lesson 2 - Practice 1

    • Day 7 Lesson 2 - Practice 2

    • Day 7 Lesson 3 - Video (Inviting a friend)

    • Day 7 Lesson 3 - Grammar Slides

    • Day 7 Lesson 3 - Video Repetition

    • Day 7 Lesson 3 - Practice 1

    • Day 7 Lesson 3 - Practice 2

    • Day 7 Lesson 3 - Practice 3

    • Day 7 - Grammar Homework
  • 10

    Week 2 - Day 8

    • Day 8 - Previous Day Grammar Homework Answers!

    • Day 8 - Hiragana Practice

    • Day 8 - Vocabulary

    • Day 8 Lesson 1 - Video (Talking about lunch)

    • Day 8 Lesson 1 - Grammar Slides 1

    • Day 8 Lesson 1 - Grammar Slides 2

    • Day 8 Lesson 1 - Video Repetition

    • Day 8 Lesson 2 - Video (Giving a personal impression)

    • Day 8 Lesson 2 - Grammar Slides

    • Day 8 Lesson 2 - Practice

    • Day 8 Lesson 2 - Practice 2

    • Day 8 Lesson 2 - Practice 3

    • Day 8 Lesson 2 - Practice 4

    • Day 8 Lesson 3 - Video (Asking and giving a personal impression)

    • Day 8 Lesson 3 - Grammar Slides 1

    • Day 8 Lesson 3 - Video Repetition 1

    • Day 8 Lesson 3 - Practice 1

    • Day 8 Lesson 3 - Grammar Slides 2

    • Day 8 Lesson 3 - Video Repetition 2

    • Day 8 Lesson 3 - Practice 2

    • Day 8 Lesson 3 - Show Us!

    • Day 8 - Grammar Homework
  • 11

    Week 2 - Day 9

    • Day 9 - Previous Day Grammar Homework Answers!

    • Day 9 - Hiragana Practice

    • Day 9 - Vocabulary

    • Day 9 Lesson 1 - Video (Giving an impression about the school)

    • Day 9 Lesson 1 - Grammar Slides

    • Day 9 Lesson 1 - Video Repetition

    • Day 9 Lesson 1 - Practice 1

    • Day 9 Lesson 1 - Practice 2

    • Day 9 Lesson 2 - Video (Asking someone's birthplace)

    • Day 9 Lesson 2 - Grammar Slides

    • Day 9 Lesson 2 - Video Repetition

    • Day 9 Lesson 2 - Practice

    • Day 9 Lesson 3 - Video (Asking who's the owner of an object)

    • Day 9 Lesson 3 - Grammar Slides

    • Day 9 Lesson 3 - Video Repetition

    • Day 9 Lesson 3 - Practice 1

    • Day 9 Lesson 3 - Practice 2

    • Day 9 - Grammar Homework
  • 12

    Week 2 - Day 10

    • Day 10 - Previous Day Grammar Homework Answers!

    • Day 10 - Hiragana Practice

    • Day 10 - Vocabulary

    • Day 10 Lesson 1 - Video (Asking questions to a teacher in class)

    • Day 10 Lesson 1 - Grammar Slides 1

    • Day 10 Lesson 1 - Video Repetition 1

    • Day 10 Lesson 1 - Practice 1

    • Day 10 Lesson 1 - Grammar Slides 2

    • Day 10 Lesson 1 - Video Repetition 2

    • Day 10 Lesson 1 - Practice 2

    • Day 10 Lesson 1 - Practice 3

    • Day 10 Lesson 1 - Show Us!

    • Day 10 Lesson 2 - Video (Talking about the student's dormitory)

    • Day 10 Lesson 2 - Grammar Slides 1

    • Day 10 Lesson 2 - Video Repetition 1

    • Day 10 Lesson 2 - Practice 1

    • Day 10 Lesson 2 - Grammar Slides 2

    • Day 10 Lesson 2 - Video Repetition 2

    • Day 10 Lesson 2 - Practice 2

    • Day 10 Lesson 3 - Video (Talking while looking outside the window)

    • Day 10 Lesson 3 - Grammar Slides

    • Day 10 Lesson 3 - Video Repetition

    • Day 10 Lesson 3 - Practice 1

    • Day 10 Lesson 3 - Practice 2

    • Day 10 Lesson 4 - Video (Asking where is the trash can)

    • Day 10 Lesson 4 - Grammar Slides

    • Day 10 Lesson 4 - Video Repetition

    • Day 10 Lesson 4 - Practice

    • Day 10 - Grammar Homework

    • Week 2 Review
  • 13

    Week 3 - Day 11

    • Day 11 - Previous Day Grammar Homework Answer

    • Week 3 Overview

    • Introducing Katakana and Kanji

    • Day 11 - Katakana and Kanji Practice

    • Day 11 - Vocabulary

    • Day 11 Lesson 1 - Video (Talking about the food you like, and don't like)

    • Day 11 Lesson 1 - Grammar Slides

    • Day 11 Lesson 1 - Video Repetition

    • Day 11 Lesson 1 - Practice 1

    • Day 11 Lesson 1 - Practice 2

    • Day 11 Lesson 2 - Video (Talking about a what kind of TV shows you like)

    • Day 11 Lesson 2 - Grammar Slides

    • Day 11 Lesson 2 - Video Repetition

    • Day 11 Lesson 2 - Practice 1

    • Day 11 Lesson 2 - Practice 2

    • Day 11 Lesson 2 - Show us!

    • Day 11 Lesson 3 - Video (A teacher praises a student)

    • Day 11 Lesson 3 - Grammar Slides

    • Day 11 Lesson 3 - Video Repetition

    • Day 11 Lesson 3 - Practice 1

    • Day 11 Lesson 3 - Practice 2

    • Day 11 Lesson 4 - Video (Talking about one's understanding of Japanese news)

    • Day 11 Lesson 4 - Grammar Slides

    • Day 11 Lesson 4 - Video Repetition

    • Day 11 Lesson 4 - Practice 1

    • Day 11 Lesson 4 - Practice 2

    • Day 11 - Grammar Homework
  • 14

    Week 3 - Day 12

    • Day 12 - Previous Day Grammar Homework Answer

    • Day 12 - Katakana and Kanji Practice

    • Day 12 - Vocabulary

    • Day 12 Lesson 1 - Video (Declining an invitation)

    • Day 12 Lesson 1 - Grammar Slides

    • Day 12 Lesson 1 - Video Repetition

    • Day 12 Lesson 1 - Practice

    • Day 12 Lesson 2 - Video (Saying why you do something)

    • Day 12 Lesson 2 - Grammar Slides

    • Day 12 Lesson 2 - Video Repetition

    • Day 12 Lesson 2 - Practice 1

    • Day 12 Lesson 2 - Practice 2

    • Day 12 Lesson 3 - Video (Asking and answering why)

    • Day 12 Lesson 3 - Grammar Slides

    • Day 12 Lesson 3 - Video Repetition

    • Day 12 Lesson 3 - Practice 1

    • Day 12 Lesson 3 - Practice 2

    • Day 12 Lesson 3 - Show Us!

    • Day 12 Lesson 4 - Video (Receiving an invitation)

    • Day 12 Lesson 4 - Grammar Slides

    • Day 12 Lesson 4 - Video Repetition

    • Day 12 Lesson 4 - Practice 1

    • Day 12 Lesson 4 - Practice 2

    • Day 12 - Grammar Homework
  • 15

    Week 3 - Day 13

    • Day 13 - Previous Day Grammar Homework Answer

    • Day 13 - Katakana and Kanji Practice

    • Day 13 - Vocabulary

    • Day 13 Lesson 1 - Video (How do you eat?)

    • Day 13 Lesson 1 - Grammar Slides

    • Day 13 Lesson 1 - Video Repetition

    • Day 13 Lesson 1 - Practice 1

    • Day 13 Lesson 1 - Practice 2

    • Day 13 Lesson 2 - Video ( How do you say this in Japanese?)

    • Day 13 Lesson 2 - Grammar Slides

    • Day 13 Lesson 2 - Video Repetition

    • Day 13 Lesson 2 - Practice 1

    • Day 13 Lesson 2 - Practice 2

    • Day 13 Lesson 3 - Video (Talking about Mother's day presents)

    • Day 13 Lesson 3 - Grammar Slides

    • Day 13 Lesson 3 - Video Repetition

    • Day 13 Lesson 3 - Practice 1

    • Day 13 Lesson ３ - Practice 2

    • Day 13 Lesson 3 - Show Us!

    • Day 13 Grammar Homework
  • 16

    Week 3 - Day 14

    • Day 14 - Previous Day Grammar Homework Answer

    • Day 14 - Katakana and Kanji Practice

    • Day 14 - Vocabulary

    • Day 14 Lesson 1 - Video (Deciding what to order at a restaurant)

    • Day 14 Lesson 1 - Grammar Slides

    • Day 14 Lesson 1 - Video Repetition

    • Day 14 Lesson 1 - Practice

    • Day 14 Lesson 2 - Video (Asking about a teacher)

    • Day 14 Lesson 2 - Grammar Slides

    • Day 14 Lesson 2 - Video Repetition

    • Day 14 Lesson 2 - Practice

    • Day 14 Lesson 3 - Video (Asking about a birthday present)

    • Day 14 Lesson 3 - Grammar Slides 1

    • Day 14 Lesson 3 - Video Repetition 1

    • Day 14 Lesson 3 - Practice 1

    • Day 14 Lesson 3 - Grammar Slides 2

    • Day 14 Lesson 3 - Video Repetition 2

    • Day 14 Lesson 3 - Practice 2

    • Day 14 Lesson 3 - Practice 3

    • Day 14 Lesson 4 - Video (Asking how many did you buy?)

    • Day 14 Lesson 4 - Grammar Slides

    • Day 14 Lesson 4 - Video Repetition

    • Day 14 Lesson 4 - Practice

    • Day 14 Grammar Homework
  • 17

    Week 3 - Day 15

    • Day 15 - Previous Day Grammar Homework Answer

    • Day 15 - Katakana and Kanji Practice

    • Day 15 - Vocabulary

    • Day 15 - Lesson 1 (Talking about the cost of living)

    • Day 15 Lesson 1 - Grammar Slides

    • Day 15 Lesson 1 - Video Repetition

    • Day 15 Lesson 1 - Practice 1

    • Day 15 Lesson 1 - Practice 2

    • Day 15 Lesson 2 - Video (Comparing the cost of living)

    • Day 15 Lesson 2 - Video Repetition

    • Day 15 Lesson 2 - Grammar Slides

    • Day 15 Lesson 2 - Practice

    • Day 15 Lesson 3 - Video (Talking about studying)

    • Day 15 Lesson 3 - Grammar Slides

    • Day 15 Lesson 3 - Video Repetition

    • Day 15 Lesson 3 - Practice 1

    • Day 15 Lesson 3 - Practice 2

    • Day 15 Grammar Homework

    • Day 15 - Today Grammar Homework Answer

    • Day 15 - A message from our teachers

    • Day 15 - Final Video on Flipgrid!

    • Week 3 - Review quiz

    • Week 3 Review
  • 18

    Next steps

    • What's next?

    • Extra resources

    • Before you go... we have a few more questions!