For Travelers and Beginners · CEFR A1

Survival Japanese Online Course

12 Fun & Practical Zoom Lessons

Start speaking Japanese with confidence, even if you're a complete beginner.

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Japan travel

Course Level

Beginner (CEFR A1)

Small Groups

Max 7 students

Live Lessons

50 minutes via Zoom

12 Topics

Everyday Japanese

Course Description

Planning a trip or short stay in Japan, or just arrived and want to learn useful Japanese quickly? Study from the comfort of your home via Zoom, with immersive, small-group online lessons and real conversation practice.

No Japanese is needed. Designed for complete beginners to early elementary learners (CEFR A1), every class uses original Japonin (JOI) resources with romaji and English support. Live, interactive lessons give you plenty of opportunities to speak and ask questions.

What You’ll Learn

  • Learn basic Japanese phrases before your trip or short stay
  • Introduce yourself and use useful, everyday Japanese from the moment you arrive
  • Use Japanese for shopping, transport, and dining
  • Ask for help and describe basic symptoms at a clinic or pharmacy

Real-Life Topics & Phrases: What You’ll Learn in Class

12 Practical Topics for Real-Life Situations

Below are the main themes covered in the course, with learning goals and sample phrases you’ll be able to use right away.

On smartphones, you can scroll the table horizontally.

TopicGoalSample Phrase
Self-Introduction Say your name, country, and job when meeting someone for the first time Hajimemashite. Tom desu. Yoroshiku onegaishimasu.
Asking for Locations Ask where places or objects are located Toire wa doko desu ka?
Restaurant 1 Enter a restaurant and respond to common questions Nan-mei sama desu ka? — San-nin desu.
Restaurant 2 Order food at a restaurant Ramen o hitotsu, onegaishimasu.
Transportation Ask a station worker which train to take Sumimasen. Kore wa Akihabara ni ikimasu ka?
Shopping 1 Ask if the store has what you are looking for Sumimasen. Chizu wa arimasu ka?
Shopping 2 Request items or ask for alternatives in a store Mou chotto yasui no, arimasen ka?
Accidents Ask for help during unexpected trouble Tasukete kudasai!
Health Describe basic symptoms at a clinic or pharmacy Onaka ga itai n desu.
Telephone Make a hotel reservation over the phone Ku-gatsu juu-go nichi wa aitemasu ka?
Hotels & Inns Ask about services at your hotel or ryokan Chekku auto wa nan-ji desu ka?
Sightseeing Ask for local information and take photos Sumimasen. Shashin onegaishimasu.

These 12 themed lessons are taught in a flexible, modular format, so you can join in any order.

AMD
Lilly
Working Holiday
Genki
Emerio

Meet Your Teachers

Japanese Teacher ISHIBASHI Kaori

ISHIBASHI Kaori

Survival Japanese Instructor: 20 Years of Teaching Experience

▶ Learn more about Ishibashi sensei

Qualifications & Background

  • Graduated from Meikai University, Department of Japanese Language
  • Completed 420+ hour teacher training at Tokyo Central Japanese Language School
  • Passed the Japanese Language Teaching Competency Test
  • Taught at language schools in Chiba, Kyoto, and Osaka
  • Corporate Japanese instructor in Kyoto and Osaka

“This course is designed for learners who want to acquire basic Japanese quickly. It’s perfect for those who have never studied Japanese but plan to travel or work in Japan. It’s also a great way to simply experience Japanese for the first time.”

Japanese Teacher MIYOSHI Miho

MIYOSHI Miho

Survival Japanese Instructor

▶ Learn more about Miyoshi sensei

Qualifications & Background

  • Completed a 420-hour Japanese Language Teacher Training Course
  • Licensed Junior High School English Teacher (Second-Class License)
  • Work experience at an IT company and a children’s English conversation school
  • Currently working as an English class support assistant at an elementary school

“If you are new to Japanese, planning to travel to Japan, or preparing for a business trip, I invite you to experience the language with me.”

Build Your Own Program of Study

Study on your schedule. Flexible lessons, move between classes freely. Get fluent, fast.

Online reservation system for scheduling Japanese language classes Learn More

Frequently Asked Questions

Survival Japanese refers to essential Japanese phrases used in daily situations like shopping, transportation, and visiting a hospital for health issues while in Japan. This course focuses on practical expressions that are especially helpful for beginners, travellers and short-term visitors.
Absolutely! This course is designed for complete beginners. No prior knowledge is required. With romaji support and optional English explanations, it's perfect for anyone starting from zero.
It depends on the learner, but many students can start using basic phrases after just a few lessons. The course is especially helpful if you're preparing for an upcoming trip to Japan or starting a new life here.
All 12 topics are offered in a modular format, so you can start with any topic. For travelers, we recommend hotel, transportation, or sightseeing lessons. For new residents, lessons like shopping or health may be most useful.
The classes are conducted primarily in Japanese, but all lesson slides include English translations. Our experienced instructors are there to support you, so don't worry — you’ll always be able to follow along.
Yes! You can also take our Beginner Level 1 classes in parallel to improve your overall conversation skills. For a full list of class options, please visit this page.
Japonin(JOI) uses a flexible ticket system. You can choose from several ticket options depending on your schedule and preferred frequency. For details and pricing, please visit this page.
No textbook is required. Your teacher provides all materials using slides and Zoom screen sharing. Romaji (alphabetized Japanese) and English translations help you follow the pronunciation and meaning, even if you cannot read Japanese yet.
Classes are limited to 7 students, usually 2–3 per class, giving everyone plenty of opportunities to speak, ask questions, and talk to your teacher.

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