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The Curriculum

A path, not a course.

Four stages. A road that echoes the logo it was named for. Each stage builds on the last — and leaves you somewhere real.

Find where you start → Book your first lesson
First WordsLessons 1–5

Both kana systems, self-introduction, your first real transaction.

Everyday TalkLessons 5–15

Polite form, restaurants, telling stories, navigating your day.

Real FluencyLessons 15–35

Opinions, debate, professional writing, complex conversation.

IndependenceLessons 35–55

Live, work, and think in Japanese with near-native confidence.

I Lessons 1–5

First Words

You'll learn both hiragana and katakana — Japan's two phonetic alphabets — in the first five lessons, alongside the greetings, introductions, and simple transactions that let you make an impression on day one.

By Lesson 5 you can read everything written in kana, introduce yourself naturally, and complete your first real exchange in Japanese. That's not a small thing — it's the foundation everything else rests on.

  • Read and write hiragana and katakana fluently
  • Introduce yourself: name, origin, reason for learning
  • Greet and respond appropriately in everyday situations
  • Complete a simple transaction (order food, buy a ticket)
  • Count and handle numbers up to 10,000
Sample lessonLesson 3
0–10 min
Hiragana review — あいうえお through さしすせそMie checks pronunciation, refines vowel sounds
10–25 min
Self-introduction practice — 私の名前は〇〇ですBack-and-forth exchange; Mie plays a new acquaintance
25–40 min
New vocabulary — numbers 1–100 and countersFocus on things you'll actually count: floors, people, yen
40–50 min
Wrap-up + written notesMie sends a summary of vocabulary and next-steps after the call
Sample lessonLesson 10
0–10 min
Warm-up — tell Mie about your week in JapanesePolite -masu form; she prompts with follow-up questions
10–30 min
Restaurant scenario — ordering a full mealRoleplay: menu reading, asking for the bill, allergen vocab
30–45 min
Grammar deep-dive — te-form connections～て、～て construction for sequential actions
45–50 min
Homework & next focus areaOne short writing task to reinforce te-form before the next lesson
II Lessons 5–15

Everyday Talk

The conversational layer of Japanese — polite register, telling stories, navigating restaurants, transport, and shops, and building the vocabulary that gets you through an ordinary day.

By Lesson 15 you can hold a full conversation on familiar topics, recount your day, ask and give directions, and handle the social interactions that actually happen in Japan — not just the textbook ones.

  • Use polite -masu and -desu forms fluently and naturally
  • Navigate restaurants, transport, and shopping without hesitation
  • Recount events and experiences in the past tense
  • Ask and give directions in real Japanese neighbourhoods
  • Begin reading basic kanji in everyday contexts
III Lessons 15–35

Real Fluency

This is where Japanese starts to feel like yours. Opinion-sharing, debate, professional email, and the kind of conversation that goes somewhere. You'll move from polite to natural, from learner to speaker.

By Lesson 35 you can give and defend opinions, write professional correspondence, lead meetings in Japanese, and follow native-speed conversation with comfortable comprehension.

  • Share and defend opinions clearly in Japanese
  • Write professional-quality emails and messages
  • Participate in and lead business meetings in Japanese
  • Discuss complex topics: culture, current events, your field
  • Read kanji-heavy texts with growing independence
Sample lessonLesson 25
0–10 min
Current events discussion — recent news in JapanMie presents a topic; you respond with opinion + reasoning
10–30 min
Business email workshopDraft a meeting-request email; Mie edits for register and nuance
30–45 min
Keigo (polite register) refinementWhen to use sonkeigo vs. kenjōgo — with roleplay scenarios
45–50 min
Vocabulary focus — your industry10 domain-specific terms you'll use in the next month
Sample lessonLesson 50
0–15 min
News article cold read — Nikkei or NHK webFull Japanese text; comprehension and vocabulary review
15–35 min
Presentation rehearsalYour real work deck, presented in Japanese — Mie coaches delivery
35–48 min
Nuanced expression — native idioms and phrasingThe turns of phrase that separate textbook Japanese from real Japanese
48–50 min
Where you standMie gives a candid read of progress and next milestone
IV Lessons 35–55

Independence

The stage where Japanese becomes a life skill, not a study project. Reading native media, presenting at work, thinking in Japanese — the point where the language belongs to you, not the other way around.

By Lesson 55 you can function independently in a Japanese professional environment with near-native confidence. Most students at this stage continue lessons — but the nature of the conversation changes: it becomes peer-to-peer.

  • Read native Japanese media (newspapers, business content)
  • Present, negotiate, and problem-solve in a Japanese workplace
  • Think and process information directly in Japanese
  • Pass JLPT N2 with dedicated exam preparation
  • Operate with near-native confidence in everyday life

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旅路 — Tabiji, the journey.

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