Japanese Learners, Relax! 10 Fun Ways to Take a Break from Learning Japanese

If you’re a Japanese learner feeling exhausted, you’re now in the right place! Here are 10 fun ways to take a break from learning Japanese, sure to replenish your energy on the road to becoming nihongo jouzu (proficient in Japanese).

Minasan, konnichiwa!

Embarking on a journey to master a new language, like Japanese, can often be a daunting task. It’s not uncommon to feel tired and frustrated, particularly when the fruits of your labour aren’t immediately visible.

You might catch yourself thinking,

“The grammar rules seem endless, and the more vocabulary I learn, the more there seems to be. It’s like I’m stuck in a loop of constant studying, but progress feels so slow.”

“I’ve been diligently studying Kanji every day, yet I still struggle to remember them.”

If this is you, you’re not alone!

I totally get it. Each time I open my textbooks and see the mountain of grammar and vocabulary waiting, it’s like being reminded of a never-ending journey. It’s both exciting and, honestly, a bit daunting.

In a time like this, it’s important to take a step back and find some refreshing, non-Japanese related activities, and here are the 10 fun ways to take a break from learning Japanese that I did.

10 Fun Ways to Take a Break from Learning Japanese

1. Browsing Pinterest

Okay, it might sound stupid. But trust me, it’s surprisingly therapeutic. There’s something incredibly calming about scrolling through an endless array of cute and ultra-cute wallpapers for my iPhone and iPad.

Just take a look at these cuties!

I also found some cute Blue Lock’s fan arts which now I set it into my iPad’s wallpaper.

The best part about this method is that you can dive into any topic that piques your interest, be it skincare routines, the latest 2024 wallpapers, or even scrumptious food recipes. It’s a delightful, stress-free world where your preferences lead the way.

2. Watch movies or anime

Watching movies or anime can be a great way to take a break from the intensive parts of language learning. Forget about the hassle of mining words for your Anki deck or pausing at every sentence to dissect the language.

Instead, give yourself permission to simply immerse in your favourite movies or anime. Enjoy the stories, the characters, the visuals. Let the language flow over you without the pressure to analyse every word. It’s a refreshing way to engage with Japanese while giving your brain a much-needed rest.

3. Read manga or novel

Reading manga or novels is definitely one of my go-to relaxation activities. I particularly enjoy diving into Korean manhwa and Chinese novels about reincarnation and revenge. Sure, Japanese manga is fantastic, and I do indulge in it, especially using apps like Langaku to help with language learning.

p/s: I shared a method on how to learn Japanese using manga with Langaku app that you can check out below wink.

But, honestly, reading manga can be a bit hard on the eyes sometimes (maybe I do need that eye checkup, LOL).

By the way, I just revisited the manhwa ‘Marry My Husband’ because of its new live-action drama adaptation. It’s interesting to see how there are some changes like the additional scene of aeroplane staff harassment and how Jiwon cut her hair short during her full-makeover.

4. Reading tea on social media or news

Indulging in the latest social media gossip, cough ‘hot tea’ in my target language has become my little secret weapon to enhance my language skills.

I find myself particularly drawn to those slightly spicy Twitter (X) fights (and yes, it’ll always be Twitter for me).

It’s amazing how, amidst this casual scrolling, I inadvertently pick up new expressions and phrases. Their clever wordplay and sharp comebacks turn out to be unintentional, yet effective, language lessons. It’s an enjoyable and engaging way to learn without the feel of traditional studying.

5. Playing online games

My love for gaming has always been a huge part of my language learning journey. It all started with Hatsune Miku, where reading the lyrics inspired my interest in Kanji, and even led me to buy my first PS Vita.

I stumbled upon this website with many fun games to play. One of my favourites is “Office Fight,” where you get to throw paper at your virtual coworkers and the ultimate final villain – the boss. It’s oddly satisfying and a perfect stress-reliever. Perfect for adults juggling full-time work and language studies.

It was hard to get a screenshot while trying to beat the boss LOL.

It was fun and if you’re an adult need working full-time while also jugging with language learning on the side, this game is perfect.

Then there’s “Idle Pet Business,” which is just pure, adorable fun. Clicking on the animals to earn money, hearing those cute sounds, it’s like a mini-escape.

When talking about games, you cannot forget to mention the addictive world of restaurant war games. My experience with Burger Shop was quite amusing. Initially, there was no tutorial, which had me hilariously fumbling with customer orders – a real test of my on-the-fly problem-solving skills! A tutorial at the beginning would have been handy.

6. Take a Brisk Walk

If you feel like your brain is too crammed with countless kanji and confusing grammar points? That’s my cue to take a brisk walk. There’s something about striding through nature or your neighbourhood that refreshes the mind. Plus, if you pretend you’re walking through the streets of Tokyo, it almost feels like an immersive language experience!

Or maybe not, tehee.

7. Watch Videos of Successful Language Learners

Watching videos of people who’ve mastered Japanese is my secret sauce for motivation. It’s not just about their success stories; sometimes, it’s their bloopers and struggles that remind me that we’re all human.

My personal favourite is speaking Japanese for only 24 hours. There’s something inspirational seeing another language learner like you trying their best to speak in Japanese, and it’s amazing to see their progress after a few months or year.

8. Reorganize Your Notes

When flashcards become overwhelming, I reorganize my notes. It’s surprisingly satisfying, like a brain declutter. And who knows, you might find that long-lost grammar point hiding under a pile of all those messy notes!

9. Take a Look Back at Your Progress

Sometimes, I flip through my old notebooks and tonnes of kanji handwriting practise books. Seeing my progress – from those shaky hiragana to complex sentences – is a mini celebration.

It’s a reminder that, hey, I’ve made progress!

What used to be daunting ehem kanji now feels like a piece of cake. Now, kanji is my best friend.

10. Relax!

And finally, just relax! Grab a green tea or matcha latte, take a sip and remind yourself that learning Japanese is a marathon. You got this!

That’s all from me on 10 fun ways to take a break from learning Japanese. See you guys next time with my personal grammar books recommendation for learning Japanese!

Mata ne!