There are a ton of Japanese Language Schools scattered across Japan and especially Tokyo. One school that stands head and shoulders above the rest is “Naganuma School: The Institute for Research in Linguistic Culture.” They have been teaching Japanese in Tokyo since 1948 and they have developed their own teaching method which does not incorporate the use of foreign languages. In other words; they teach Japanese in Japanese.
I attended Naganuma for a few intense courses years ago and my Japanese skills improved quickly. The course was 4 hours a day, 5 days a week. Each hour was dedicated to a different aspect of the language. 1st hour – conversation, 2nd hour – listening, 3rd – reading & comprehension, and the 4th – writing Kanji.
In addition to the time spent in the classroom we were required to do at least 3 hours of homework every night. If you miss a single night of homework you might not catch up.
I suggest Naganuma Institute for someone who is determined to learn Japanese at a fast pace, in a strict environment.
If you’re interested in learning the basics before you visit then pick up, “Genki 1: An Integrated Course in Elementary Japanese 1 (Japanese Edition). This book outlines in 23 structured lessons all the fundamentals of the Japanese language. It’s a great place to get started.
