Japanese With Hikari Review: Is This Online Course Right For You?

Now, getting back to those commenters on forums. It’s true — We can scour the internet for hours in search of free resources, which eats up a large chunk of time. But we are all busy these days, so what is your time worth to you? Would you rather take a lengthy winding path, or a straight one to accelerate results?

Japanese With Hikari directs us to the straight path to achieve faster results, as everything we need is all in one place. In my review down the page, I’ll outline what to expect to help you decide whether this self-paced online Japanese course is for you.

My Japanese learning background for context

In case you’re new here, I have been travelling to Japan for the past decade (although my fascination stems further back) and sharing free itineraries on my blog to help my readers “blend in” since 2017.

In that decade I have used all the different methods for learning Japanese – from various smartphone apps to in-person classes and the combination of phrasebooks and audio. I’ve also picked up some casual expressions from my expat friends living in Japan so I’m not a complete newbie, but I certainly have a lot to learn.

Although I’ve never taken an official test, I can read Hiragana, Katakana and know over 40 Kanji on the JLPT N5 list. From the above resources, I learnt enough Japanese words, phrases and responses to travel around Japan without issue. However, I could not hold a conversation.

Pros and cons of methods to learn Japanese I’ve used

Here are the pros and cons of each learning method I’ve used over the years. Perhaps you have tried them too and can relate:

• Smartphone apps – Handy access as we are always on our phones, but it’s easy to forget or get distracted.
• In-person classes – As mentioned in my guide to Japan travel books, I’ve taken two in-person Japanese courses. It’s helpful to meet others personally and have a native-speaking teacher, but it can be hard to get motivated or find the time to go. We also can’t learn at our own pace, as the courses fit a set timeframe over multiple weeks.
• Phrasebooks and audio books – Effective for memory retention and pronunciation, but doesn’t really explain the how or why of the language.

Why I tried the Japanese With Hikari Course

The above methods are all effective for helping reinforce words and phrases into our long-term memory, but are lacking when it comes to understanding why Japanese language is the way it is. Grammar and other nuances in Japanese are very different from English, which has held me back personally.

It’s been a while since I’ve sat down to take a proper course, as my basics have been enough to get me by all these years. But seeing as I visit Japan 2-3 times annually now, I figured it’s time to expand my knowledge.

I had seen Hikari Sensei’s short videos on social media (where she has amassed almost one million followers combined on her channels), so I was already familiar with her work. But you can still imagine my surprise when she kindly reached out to invite me to try the course!

I was intrigued by her “secret recipe” formula for teaching and the ability to do the course at my own pace. So I thought, why not?

If you’d like to truly understand a new language and decode it, this is where Japanese With Hikari goes above and beyond!

Benefits of the Japanese With Hikari online course

• Hikari Sensei is a native Japanese speaker and certified teacher with over 10 years experience. She’s fluent in both English and Japanese so you can trust you’re learning from the best.
• 30 day money back guarantee if you think this style of learning isn’t for you, so you can try it risk-free with flexibility to pay in four instalments or as a one time payment.
• Once purchased, the course does not expire and is yours forever.
• You do not need any prior knowledge of Japanese, and can start at any lesson if you’re already familiar with some basics.
• Unlike an in-person class that needs to keep moving on, the pre-recorded videos can be re-watched on demand as many times as you need to help reinforce the lesson. Pause, rewind and adjust the playback speed to suit you.

• Workbooks and worksheets provided at the end of each level can be printed out, or used on digital tablets such as an iPad to suit your learning style. These are very helpful and include flashcards, vocabulary slides, grammar connector toolboxes, e-book of words surrounding themes, Kanji, synonym/antonym cheat sheets (I’ve been using these ones a lot!) to name just a few. Perfect for visual learners like me.
• A revision quiz is at the end of each level to test your knowledge before moving on.
• Video demonstrations of different written strokes in Japanese to help you get it correct from the start (something I struggled with in in-person classes where we hurriedly copied them as best we could).
• Learn things that are said in Japanese culture that aren’t really used in English-speaking cultures. For example, I finally learned why my Japanese colleagues would always say よろしくおねがいします yoroshiku onegaishimasu before hanging up the phone in my previous job.
• While I haven’t used it so far, there is also a private Discord channel to meet like-minded students from around the world. This supportive community would be great to practice speaking and listening skills.

Content within the Japanese With Hikari Master Course

Here’s what you can expect within the course:

• Each lesson ranges from 2 minutes to around 10 minutes in length, so they aren’t overwhelming.
• Hikari Sensei speaks in Japanese to help us become more familiar with the language, but don’t worry – there are English subtitles too!
• Overall, there are 145 video lessons with 400 exercises. Each lesson is colour-coded into the following categories and are centred around a theme: Listening & Reading, Vocabulary, Verbs, Expression, Kanji, Grammar, and Special (anything else). Speaking skills are also covered in each and is easy to repeat after Hikari Sensei.
• The course provides explanations of particles and grammar to help decode sentences better.
• PDF summaries of each lesson to download to help us remember and revise offline.
• Once we’re ready, the course includes JLPT N5 practice tests and dozens of tips for passing if we’d like to sit the formal N5 examination.
• A bonus 50 page Japan travel guide packed with tips.

Summing up this Japanese With Hikari review

While I have not fully completed the Master Course, I’m about 20% of the way through. I have already noticed a big improvement in my ability to read and understand sentences in Japanese.

As an example, I’ve gone from picking out a few basic words to knowing the particles and words that tie sentences together. I’m confident that with further study I will be able to hold a conversation in Japanese with this course.

Here’s what I’ve learnt so far:

• Expanded my vocabulary beyond basic words and phrases I’ve shared in my Japanese for tourists cheat sheet PDF.
• Handy to use the colour-coded lessons to focus on parts of the language that will be most useful to me. For example, the Vocabulary lessons are important to me as a traveller. Even if I can’t create completely fluent sentences for now, I can get my message across using a wider range of Japanese words. I can focus on the written sections down the track, as a traveller I don’t need this as often.
• I’m reinforcing which words/phrases to add to change sentences from casual to formal. In my travels I have picked up some casual expressions, so this is good to know to sound more polite.
• Love that I can do the course at my own pace from home when I have time, and I don’t have to commute anywhere.
• Perfect that it can be accessed on any device so I can learn at home or when travelling.

• Hikari Sensei’s passion and love of teaching effortlessly shines through during the course. It’s obvious she has dedicated a LOT of time into crafting her online Japanese courses in a way that is the most efficient for students to learn.
• Taking the course is like having my own personal Japanese tutor. It’s great that Hikari Sensei is always available in the comment section beneath each video lesson if we have a question. I realised some students had asked the same questions I had, and having the answer already there is a bonus.
• Many of the themes covered throughout the course have taken me several years to learn through my travels over Japan and my own independent research. I was impressed to see my decade of learning these aspects of Japanese culture are all covered in one place!

Is learning Japanese still worth it?

These days with apps like Google Translate, you may be questioning if learning Japanese is still worth it. Whether something is worth it comes down to individual values, and only you can answer this.

In my opinion, yes, learning Japanese (or any language) is still worth it. There is something nice about being able to instantly communicate with someone without having to pull out a smartphone to do it for us.

Additionally, we will be able to easily spot a ramen ラーメン or yakitori やきとり shop when we’re hungry, and the sign for one of Shinjuku Station’s 200 exits 出口!

Is Hikari Sensei’s online Japanese course for you?

Combining everything I have said above, this course is for you if you:

• Highly value your time and prefer the convenience of having all learning materials in one place
• Need to learn at your own pace due to other circumstances in your life
• Want to be able to access the course content anywhere, anytime on any device
• Are a visual learner and benefit from graphics/imagery to remember new concepts
• Prefer to either print out worksheets for handwriting, or use them digitally on a tablet/iPad
• Like the ability to pick and choose categories that will be most suited to your usage and proficiency level.

 
You can also follow Hikari Sensei on her Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and Facebook for daily bite-sized lessons.

This concludes my Japanese With Hikari review! Now you know the pros and cons of other Japanese learning methods, how the course solves those issues, benefits, content within the course and even an exclusive discount code if you‘ve decided Japanese With Hikari is right for you. I wish you all the best on your Japanese language-learning journey!

Expert Japan travel itineraries

While you’re here, why not be inspired by my Japan travel itineraries for your upcoming trip? Since 2017 I’ve helped millions of readers like you explore off the beaten path and “blend in” in Japan:

• 2 weeks in Japan itinerary: Blend in along the Golden Route
• 3 weeks in Japan itinerary: From the Alps to the Cities
• 10 days in Japan itinerary to Avoid Crowds
• 1- 7 day Izu Peninsula itinerary: Uncrowded gems
• 7-10 days in Kyushu itinerary: Underrated island gem
• Japan Honeymoon itinerary: Romantic offbeat destinations
• 6 days in Tokyo itinerary for first timers
• 4 days in Kyoto itinerary for first timers
• 3 days in Osaka itinerary for first timers
• 1 day Nara day trip itinerary
• Hiroshima attractions & overlooked spots
• Hiroshima to Miyajima day trip: Ferry comparison
• Stunning places to visit in Japan off the beaten path
• And much more on my travel blog for Japan…

Feeling social? Explore beyond the main touristy sights with my dedicated Japan Off the Beaten Path Facebook Group or come and join me on Facebook, Pinterest, TikTok, YouTube and Instagram for more travel inspiration!

Until next time,

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