A Strategy Guide for How to Pass the JLPT

Table of Contents

What is the JLPT?

This is a guide intended to answer questions you may have about the JLPT and to provide advice for how to pass various levels of the test. You probably know more or less what the JLPT is, but just in case, JLPT stands for Japanese Language Proficiency Test. It’s called 日本語能力試験 in Japanese. It’s a standardized test designed to assess non-native speakers’ ability to understand Japanese.

There are 5 levels of the JLPT, N5-N1. You can take any level of the test you want. N5 is the lowest level, N1 is the highest. If you pass the test, you get a certificate. The JLPT is well recognized and can be a handy credential or even a necessary requirement for entry into Japanese universities, job applications, permanent resident applications, etc.

Do I need to take the JLPT?

My personal advice is that all Japanese learners should take the JLPT for the following reasons:

  • To structure your learning and have milestones i.e. N5 to N1
  • To assess your current level and uncover areas of weakness
  • To gain credentials which can be used for academic and professional purposes

As a matter of fact, the organizations that conduct the test, which are the Japan Foundation and the Japan Educational Exchanges and Services, collect various survey data from test takers, including their reasons for taking the test. The top reason, accounting for 60% of the total, was for entrance into an educational institution or employment.  

Speaking of entrance into Japanese universities, according to Japan’s Immigration Services Agency (出入国在留管理庁), one of the following three credentials is required: level N2 or above of the JLPT, a score of 200 or more on the Examination for Japanese University Admission for International Students, or a score of 400 or more on the Business Japanese Proficiency Test (BJT).

Another big reason, accounting for one third of the total, is “to measure my own level of proficiency”. Indeed, the JLPT tests your knowledge and your ability to apply it. Tests are divided into two parts. One is language ability (言語能力) which tests grammar, vocabulary and kanji recognition, the other is reading and listening comprehension (読解・聴解).

A reason not specifically mentioned in the survey data, but was my primary reason for taking the test, was to give my learning structure. Once I graduated from university and turned exclusively to self-study, studying for the JLPT was a great way to keep me on track and steadily progress my level as it offered lots of structured study materials to work with and specific goals to work towards.

In terms of milestones, the following are abbreviated excerpts from the Summary of Linguistic Competence Required for Each Level as stated on the official JLPT website:

  • N5 – The ability to understand some basic Japanese.
  • N4 – The ability to understand basic Japanese.
  • N3 – The ability to understand Japanese used in everyday situations to a certain degree.
  • N2 – The ability to understand Japanese used in everyday situations, and in a variety of circumstances to a certain degree.
  • N1 – The ability to understand Japanese used in a variety of circumstances.

As you can see, if you are looking to achieve some level of practical proficiency in Japanese, it is really the higher levels that you want to work towards. Another good resource to review, also provided on the official JLPT website, is the JLPT Can-do Self-Evaluation List, which lists various common communication tasks that successful test takers, by their own self-evaluation, believe they can do.

Will the JLPT help me learn Japanese?

The JLPT will absolutely help you learn Japanese. Speaking from personal experience, studying for various levels of the JLPT, and practicing reading comprehension in particular, really helped increase my level. I used dedicated JLPT preparation materials (more on this below). Their purpose is to help you pass the test, but just by working with them, you will accumulate a fair amount of Japanese.

Dedicated study materials are somewhat like a textbook or classroom curriculum (but not as detailed). You just need to show up, focus and follow along. Most materials are delivered in a series of short textbooks, each focusing on a different test area, e.g., vocabulary, grammar, kanji, reading and listening. The great part is that it’s not just passive learning, there are lots of practice questions along the way.

Getting back to reading comprehension, by reading the passages in my study materials and various online news and magazine articles, I learned a lot of vocabulary and got used to written Japanese. Another thing that happened with reading practice was building my kanji knowledge. I didn’t even know I was doing it. When I did not know a word, I would have to look it up.

Most words were jukugo (words made from only kanji). Just by looking up words and being repeatedly exposed to the kanji, I became able to read them when I saw them and gained some insight into the constituent kanji. For more information on learning kanji from reading and other ways of learning, I have written about it here. For information about jukugo, I have written about it here.

However, notable exceptions of areas not tested in the JLPT are speaking and writing. The JLPT will not help you much in achieving speaking fluency. You need to practice elsewhere. My top recommendation for speaking practice is to work with an online tutor. Fortunately, there are many platforms available, for example I have written about italki here. For writing, I have written about LangCorrect here.

Is JLPT N3 enough?

This is a common question. Of course, the answer depends on the definition of “enough” for your specific case. If you are seeking employment or entry into a university program and the minimum requirement is N3, then it may be enough for you. But I think this would be rare. In my experience, if there is a requirement, it is usually at least N2. Otherwise, if enough refers to being able to communicate freely in Japanese, the answer is ‘no’. It’s just a milestone along the way.

Do I need the JLPT to work in Japan?

In my experience of job seeking in Japan, the fact that I had a JLPT credential on my resume was looked on favorably, but it was not a strict requirement. Being able to communicate in Japanese at a reasonable level was most important. But let’s not depend on my experience alone, let’s get some expert advice from expat entrepreneur in Japan, Misha Yurchenko.

Misha authored the book Making it Big in Japan: Stories, Lessons and Advice from Expats Living the Dream. He has extensive experience working as a recruiter in Japan and has interviewed expats working in Japan in various professions who gave insight about the need for the JLPT. One interviewee was Austin Zeng, co-founder of the MEXT Scholars Association, who quoted the following data from Mynavi:

Only 20 percent of Japanese companies recruit those with JLPT N2 and above. Just 3 percent of companies recruited people with N3 or lower. Expats and people with technical skills like web development are not typically expected to have passed the JLPT [1].

Another interviewee was Jeffery Goldman who went from teaching English, to coding to crypto and news, who said:

For large companies the JLPT N1 is very valuable and almost a requirement, but at a Japanese start-up company it’s more important to just be able to speak Japanese… Some companies are trying to make English the first language like Rakuten and Mercari [1].

It’s important to note however that, in the book, Misha also provides job hunting advice for those who have a low or no JLPT credential. So even if you never take the test, you are not necessarily out of luck. I can say from my own job-hunting experience, the requirement for JLPT was mixed. In some job descriptions it was required, in others it said, “no Japanese required, we have translators on staff”.     

How long does it take to pass each level of the JLPT?

The time in hours to pass each level of the JLPT is presented in this great article by Coto Academy. As a quick summary, Coto says the time to pass N1 for students with no previous knowledge of kanji is 3900-4500 hours. And especially for these students, the number of hours required increases exponentially from N5-1. By the way, Coto is an excellent Japanese language school with several locations in Tokyo and Yokohama, as well as an online offering. I am a Coto online student!

Is it hard to pass the JLPT?

Let’s take a look at the pass/fail data from 2019 to 2024. This data is made available on the official JLPT website. Over the course of this period, there were 11 test dates. Each test date had 5 tests, one for each of N5-N1, making 55 tests in total. Unfortunately, the data does not inspire confidence, rather it’s a pretty good indicator that JLPTs are hard.

JLPT pass rate summary from 2019 to 2024

  • N5: 49.6%
  • N4: 38.3%
  • N3: 40.6%
  • N2: 39.0%
  • N1: 32.9%
  • Overall pass rate across all tests: 39.0%
  • N5 always had the highest pass rate (and lowest number of test takers)
  • N1 almost always had the lowest pass rate (9 out of 11 tests)      
  • Test scores tended to be higher during the peak Covid years, 2020-2021

I did not take N5 or N4, but I have taken and passed N3, N2 and N1. At the time, I did not find N3 to be too challenging, but my level was probably already above it when I took the test. However, I found N2 and N1 significantly harder than N3. I scored well on N3, alright on N2, but was humbled by N1 and grateful to pass.

To comment on N5 and N4, I’ll have to make inferences based on the data. We see that from N5 to N4 there is a non-trivial drop in pass rate. My guess is that this could be a combination of people who skip-over N5 and go straight for N4 but overestimate their abilities, and people who passed N5, found it easy and subsequently underestimate N4.

I have a hunch that the biggest reason for the low overall pass rate is lack of preparation. My guess is that many people self-assess their level somehow and just take the test with little or no preparation. This is a big mistake in my opinion. One of the most important things I want to say in this article is that preparation is key to JLPT success. We’ll talk about how to adequately prepare below.

Other things that can make the test difficult include whether you excel academically in general. Past academic performance tends to be a strong indicator of language learning success [2]. Another difficult thing is the duration of the test. On one hand the test is long, and it is easy to get fatigued before it’s over. Contradictorily, you are under time pressure. You need stamina to both endure the test and move quickly as you go through it.

To give an example of what it takes to pass a test, I feel that for N3, if you were to study Japanese as a foreign language for 3 years in high school, taking it seriously and getting good grades, and on top of that, you also take adequate time to prepare for the test, like working through a prep book, you would probably be able to pass comfortably.

JLPT Preparation Materials

Below are lists of JLPT preparation books and websites. Some books are one book per level, others are divided into a series of books per level (e.g. one book each for: grammar, vocabulary, kanji, reading and listening). Many of the books have both study sections and practice sections, such as Sou Matome and Shin Kanzen Master. I have direct experience using the first 6 books in the list. The rest I cannot vouch for, but I want to give Nihongo No Mori a special mention, because I used their YouTube content a lot.  

Note: 模擬試験 (mogi shiken) = mock test and can be shortened to 模試 (moshi) or 模擬 (mogi).

JLPT Preparation Books

Websites with JLPT Preparation Materials

How are JLPT scores determined?

Tests are comprised of different sections which differ slightly between N5-N4 and N3-N1 tests, but to pass, you need to achieve at least the prescribed minimum score for each section and the prescribed minimum overall score. See more information here. So, even if you achieve a relatively high score, if you are below the minimum in one of the sections, you fail.

Interestingly, individual test scores are not calculated using cumulative summation of points from each correctly answered question, rather calculation is based on a statistical test theory called Item Response Theory (IRT). In the end, each candidate will get a scaled score. See the section on scaled scores from this document on the JLPT website.

The above-mentioned document states that scaled scores allow for a fairer comparison of test scores across different tests administered on different occasions. No two tests are the same and it is hard to maintain the same difficulty level for every test. But by using scaled scores, a candidate would theoretically get the same score regardless of whether the test they took was comparatively easy or hard. 

I looked into IRT and had a hard time understanding it (I think I would need a PHD in statistics to properly understand), but the following are my (potentially incorrect) takeaways. IRT essentially equates the ability of the person with the difficulty of the test problem [3]. For each test problem a formula predicts the probability that a person will answer it correctly based on their latent ability [3].

There are 3 important variables to be set in the formula: difficulty, discrimination, and pseudo-guess. Difficulty means the probability of getting it correct is low unless ability is high. Discrimination more sharply separates people of differing abilities. And pseudo-guess is an allowance for a correct answer based on chance by just guessing.

So, the overall score depends not just on the number of correctly answered questions, but also on which questions were answered correctly. Correct answers to the more difficult and more discriminating questions can result in higher scores [4]. In the section below on strategy, I will discuss my hunch on which questions I think are the most important to answer correctly.

Strategy to pass the JLPT (including my personal tactics)

  • Study consistently starting well in advance of test day.
  • Have a structured study schedule.
  • Use JLPT specific study materials.
  • Do a high volume of practice with realistic test-style questions.
  • When studying, identify and focus on your weak areas.
  • Do mock tests under timed conditions.
  • Have a test taking strategy, practice employing it, and stick to it on test day.
  • When taking the test, be sure to leverage your strengths and skip over your weaknesses.
  • When in doubt, pick option C (or another letter of your choosing).
  • Prioritize the long reading passage section.
  • Reading section tip: Read the question(s) first before reading the passage.
  • Listening section caution: You don’t get headphones. The sound quality could be poor.
  • Don’t study the night before the test. Instead, try to relax and get a good night’s sleep.

Study consistently starting well in advance of test day. Consistent studying over a sustained period is the key. This will help you retain your knowledge long after the test [5]. Cramming at the last minute might allow you to pass, but you probably won’t retain what you learned. While having a JLPT credential is nice, the real prize is being able to develop skill at using Japanese.

As mentioned, when I decided to take N3, I felt like I was probably at or above the level. I believe I started studying a few months in advance. But for N2 and N1, I felt like I was probably significantly below those levels, so I started studying a year in advance of the test date in both cases. By the way, I took N2 two years after N3, and N1 three years after N2.

Have a structured study schedule. My best advice is how I studied for N1. I did four study sessions per week: 90 minutes on Tuesday and Thursday, and 120 minutes on Saturday and Sunday. I did something similar for N2. The length of time per session and the number of sessions per week depends on how close you are to the level you are targeting, but in any case, make a schedule and stick to it.

Use JLPT specific study materials. I used Sou Matome for N3, and Shin Kanzen Master for N2 and N1. Sou Matome is essentially a six-week prep course. You work on all 5 competencies (vocabulary, kanji, grammar, reading, listening) concurrently. Shin Kanzen Master is more in depth and takes much longer to get through.

Do a high volume of practice with realistic test-style questions. I felt that I learned the most by doing a lot of practice questions. For example, with grammar, if there was a question about a grammar point that I didn’t know, it prompted me to look it up and learn about it. Practice questions are magic. You will be exposed to the things you need to know just by virtue of doing enough of them.

When studying, identify and focus on your weak areas. Doing a large volume of test-style questions even before you start timing yourself will reveal your weaknesses. If you find you’re quite weak in one or two areas, then you know where to spend your time to yield the most improvement. If you start studying well in advance, you will have time to shore up your weaknesses.

Do mock tests under timed conditions. The best way to prepare for the test is by working through mock tests or test style questions with real time limits. Simulate the test. You need to time yourself and know how quickly you can go through all the sections and make sure that you can go through everything in the allotted time. You need to be able to move through the test quickly, there is not much time to think.

As mentioned, I think the most common reason for failing the JLPT is lack of preparation. Do not let yourself fail because you are not used to the test format and what kind of pacing you need to get through it. Practicing how to take the test is just as important as having a strong knowledge of the material. Be very familiar with the test and be ready to execute on test day.

Your goal is likely to just know Japanese; be comfortable speaking, reading, listening to or watching media. Nothing is more satisfying than to be able to communicate and express yourself. But the JLPT is not this. It’s a standardized test. To pass, it comes down to strategy and practice. Practice is not the same as general studying. It’s literally doing rehearsals for the test.

Have a test taking strategy, practice employing it, and stick to it on test day. Practice going through questions in the Language Knowledge (Vocabulary/Grammar) section as fast as reasonably possible, while still maintaining your performance. On test day, don’t rush, but have a sense of urgency. I gave myself a time limit of 20 seconds per question.

If you find yourself dwelling for too long on a question, make a small mark, like a star, on the test paper (not the answer sheet) next to the question. Do not leave the answer sheet blank! Mark an answer. If you still have time at the end, you can come back to these questions. Don’t be stressed if there are a lot of questions you couldn’t confidently answer. The answer you chose on instinct might be right.

Furthermore, the JLPT is multiple choice. There are only 3 or 4 answers to choose from per question. Statistically, you could get 25% to 33% of those questions correct without spending any time on them. I don’t think there are penalties for wrong answers. So, just mark an answer. It’s ok to have weaknesses as long as you can still achieve the minimum passing score on each section.

When taking the test, be sure to leverage your strengths and skip over your weaknesses. If there’s a certain type of question or two in the Language Knowledge (Vocabulary/Grammar) section that you know you are weak at, just skip them on test day. Don’t leave the answer sheet blank. Mark an answer. Literally pick your favorite letter ahead of time A, B or C (I always go with C) and stick to it.

Do not rush through your strong areas to make time to spend on your weak areas. Do the opposite. There are going to be difficult questions in your area of strength. Make sure you have the time you need to answer them so you can maximize your score. In your areas of weakness, you will probably be able to get the easier ones, but the hard ones won’t be worth your time.  

Here’s a personal example. On N1, there was a series of questions relating to a passage about a page long containing about six blanks. You need to fill in the correct word or grammar point in the blanks. I found that during my practice, even when I took all the time I needed, I couldn’t score very well. So, on test day, I just skipped it. I marked ‘C’ for every answer and moved on. This saved me time. 

I used the time in my area of strength, the reading section. For whatever reason, I was generally good at answering the long reading passage questions, but I am not a fast reader, and I needed time to think about the answers. So, part of my strategy was to go through the other questions quickly to give myself as much time as possible to focus on the long reading passages.

Prioritize the long reading passage section. I have a hunch that these questions are the most important ones on the test. My rationale is made of two points. One is that there is a big gap in difficulty level between the reading and listening sections. In my opinion, the reading level is truly representative of the level being tested. The listening level is quite a bit below.

The other point is that questions in the Language Knowledge (Vocabulary/Grammar) section just show that you have some knowledge about the language, but the questions in the long reading passages test whether you really understand the language as an integrated whole. A common question is “What is the author most trying to say?” It’s rarely obvious even if you completely understood the passage.

Can you self-study for the JLPT?

It’s definitely possible to pass the JLPT through self-study. That’s how I did it and I bet it’s the most common way. As a matter of fact, I think all the prep books and almost all the websites listed above are aimed at self-studiers. If you struggle with self-study, you could try to find a class, but the best thing would probably be to work with a private tutor (which you can do online).

How do I start studying for the JLPT?

If you have been learning Japanese for a little while, the easiest way to start studying is by working through prep books. But note that the purpose of prep books is to provide an overview of what you need to know and drills to help you practice. They do not replace conventional textbook learning where you build your foundational knowledge. And you’ll still want to supplement, which we’ll discuss next.

How to practice every skill tested on the JLPT

Reading: as mentioned above, I think reading is the most crucial skill for passing the JLPT. For lower levels, it’s probably easiest to read NHK News Web Easy articles. I’ve also mentioned a few other resources here. For higher levels, branch out to native level news and magazine articles. There is a big gap between News Web Easy and native level; to bridge the gap, you might try Rocket News 24.

Listening: My top recommendation is JapanesePod101.com. Actually, it’s one of my top recommendations for learning Japanese in general. The level system in Jpod makes for excellent practice material for each JLPT level. I wrote in detail about learning with Jpod here. Otherwise, a lot of podcast listening is also a great idea. I made a list of podcasts for all levels here.

Grammar: JLPT prep books will cover the grammar that you need for the test, but you’ll probably want a lot of supplementation (I did). I wrote about all sorts of great grammar resources here. They are mostly written grammar guides (online and paper), but there are video resources from YouTube as well.

Vocabulary: Pick up as much vocabulary as you can from reading and Jpod. This was actually my primary method of building my vocabulary. Do your best to be able to recognize the words you pick up both aurally and visually in kanji from. I have written in detail about how to do this and how to manage your inventory of vocabulary here.

Kanji: A big recommendation I have about learning Japanese in general is to take learning kanji seriously right from the start. Kanji takes time and effort to learn, but there are strategies and tools that lessen the burden. I have written a lot on this topic, but what I most want to point you to are various kanji learning systems that are available (WaniKani is my favorite). I wrote about kanji learning systems here.

Don’t forget about speaking practice! Although it’s out of scope for the JLPT, it’s a critical skill. I wrote in detail about speaking practice here.

What JLPT level am I? What test should I take?

Ways to assess your JLPT level:

  • Take a quiz offered on the official JLPT website.
  • Look through the material on JLPT Sensei and find the limit of your knowledge.
  • Have a private tutor assess your level.

As a rough guide, if you are still learning from conventional textbooks, your level will be N5-N3. If you have moved on from textbooks, you may be ready for N2, or even N1 if you have been doing deep study of the language. Regardless of the level you plan to take, make use of the above strategy and familiarize yourself with the duration and composition of the test here.

If you roughly know your level, you might still be thinking, should I take my level, or aim for the next level up? There is no right answer. There are those who have a good idea that they are at or above a certain level, and those who know they are below their target level and study hard to pass. I was the former for N3 and the latter for N2 and N1. Either way, you need to prepare! I can’t emphasize this enough.  

How to pass each level of the JLPT

Think of an inverted pyramid. N5 and N4 are at the bottom where it’s narrow and the material being tested is lower in volume. But at the top where N2 and N1 are, it’s broad. There is a huge amount of vocabulary and kanji, and the reading sections are at native level and could cover just about any topic. Below is a bullet summary of how to study for each test followed by more detailed information.

Summary of how to study for each level of the JLPT

N5-N3

  • Start studying about 3 months in advance
  • 7 hours per week
  • Use Sou Matome as your study guide

N2-N1

  • Start studying a year in advance
  • 7 hours per week
  • Use Shin Kanzen Master as your study guide

How to pass JLPT N5 and N4

Although I did not take the N5 and N4 tests, I know what taking the JLPT is like and I looked through a lot of preparation materials and the official test guides. I would say these are beginner and lower intermediate levels respectively. It’s probably okay to approach them like you’re a student learning Japanese as a subject in school. Due to the nature of the levels, the material is more restricted and easier to cover.

In terms of the foundation you need, for N5 I would say knowing the material in the Genki 1 textbook or equivalent roughly aligns with N5, and Genki 2 for N4. But you also need real test preparation on top of your textbook study, for this I would recommend Sou Matome. For reading preparation, I recommend doing reading practice with a private tutor. You could read NHK News Web Easy articles together.

How to pass JLPT N3

My JLPT journey started with N3. I was reaching the end of my intermediate textbooks and was looking for a way to continue directing my Japanese studies. This is when I decided to start studying for N3. I used Sou Matome as my test prep material. I actually wrote an article about this here. Note: I think you only need to work through one solid intermediate textbook before attempting N3, but for transparency I used both Tobira and An Integrated Approach to Intermediate Japanese.

How to pass JLPT N2 and N1

As mentioned, for formal study, I used Shin Kanzen Master (SKM) for both N1 and N2. I really recommend SKM because it is a combination of textbook and prep course. You build out the knowledge base needed for N2-N1 and get lots of test-like practice. Particularly for N1, I started formal study 1 year in advance, studying 7 hours per week. As mentioned, I took N2 two years after N3, and N1 three years after N2.

Between tests, for non-formal study, I did a lot of language exchange, watched a lot of anime (in Japanese with no subtitles), and read online news and magazine articles. I think reading had the biggest impact on my ability to pass N2 and N1. I did not seriously study kanji until after I had passed N1, but while reading, I picked up a lot of vocabulary and was able to associate words with their component kanji.  

Is JLPT N1 worth it?

The best answer is “it depends on whether you want it and/or need it”. My personal answer is “Yes”. One of the quotes from the section Do I need the JLPT to work in Japan? stated “for large companies the JLPT N1 is very valuable and almost a requirement”. Although I have not been in a situation where N1 was a requirement, it has still served me well in my life in Japan and particularly when job hunting.

As I write this article, I currently work in Japan. When applying for my job, the interviews were all conducted in Japanese and there was a written component in which I had to express my opinion (in Japanese) on actual challenges the company was facing and what my advice would be to overcome them. Having studied a lot for N1 came in handy for this task. (Note: I typed out my answers. I did not need to handwrite).

I would say the most important benefit of N1 is reading. You’ve probably read somewhere that JLPT N1 is about the level of knowledge that a native Japanese high school senior would have. So, in terms of your ability to read, N1 is a good goal. Remember, JLPT is not subject specific. By virtue of just studying for the test you will be exposed to a wide variety of topics (and associated vocabulary).

Your grammar and vocabulary will also be enriched (even if you learn a few words and grammar points that you might never use outside the test). If you want to enjoy conversing in Japanese with Japanese people, you’ll need a solid base of knowledge and vocabulary to hold up your end of a conversation. That’s what really makes N1 worthwhile.

Will passing JLPT N1 make me fluent in Japanese?

Possibly yes, but probably no. Passing the test and even getting a high score does not mean you can use Japanese. It means you have knowledge of the Japanese language, which is what you need to pass, but practice is what you need to use it. The reality is that you can pass N1 while still being far from fluent, and it turns out this is the case for most people (including me).

Again, see the Can-Do list from the official JLPT website here (test-takers’ self-reported abilities based on their JLPT level). For example, it shows that less than 25% of people who pass N1 feel that they can understand TV news about politics and economics or engage in conversations about things covered in the media.

I suppose this contradicts what I said above about being able to enjoy conversing with Japanese people, but I’ll get back to this. The JLPT only tests passive skills (vocabulary, kanji, grammar, reading, listening). There are no speaking or writing components to the test. These are critical skills. Your writing will likely be better than your speaking because it’s less spontaneous, but even still, words won’t come out naturally.

There is a big difference between being able to understand Japanese and being able to speak Japanese. When I was looking for a job in Japan I worked with a lot of recruiters from English speaking countries. As native speakers, naturally we spoke in English, but I noticed a misconception when they looked at my N1 credential, they assumed I was bi-lingual. It was a big complement, but far from the truth.

I’ve listened to other non-native speakers in action. I know what non-native fluency sounds like and I’m not quite there. By the way, fluent and bi-lingual are not the same thing. I can’t become bi-lingual, but I can become ever more fluent. This is part of the joy of learning a language, you continue learning forever. This is what I do. I continue building on my N1 foundation.

For transparency, I actually could speak Japanese after passing N1. I was able to communicate in various unstructured situations, but it was always (and remains) effortful. I wouldn’t call this fluency yet. Conversely, a non-native person who is fluent could easily fail N1 if they didn’t prepare. And if they did prepare and pass, they might think it was because they were already fluent, but this is not the case.

What to do after JLPT N1?

If you have passed N1, congratulations! It’s a big achievement that takes a lot of time and effort. You’re now ready to start learning Japanese for real. As an advanced learner you can really take control over your learning, and if needed, start specializing in a particular field (mine is engineering). As alluded to above, post-N1 is where you start moving towards fluency, and this takes a lot of time!

Let’s assume there is level N0. If we look again at the study hours proposed by Coto and we do an exponential extrapolation from N1 to N0, for non-kanji background learners it’s about 7000 cumulative hours or 2800 more study hours after N1. If you are interested in learning more about study hours, I wrote about how long it takes to achieve professional working proficiency (not fluency) here.

In my opinion, this is probably the most enjoyable period of learning Japanese. You can enjoy conversation practice and immerse in native materials. I converse with private tutors, listen to podcasts, watch the news, read articles, I read my first book in Japanese, and I’ve found lots of Japanese YouTube channels that I like. In short, you can continue to learn by doing what you want!

References

[1] Yurchenko, Misha. (2020). Making it Big in Japan: Stories, Lessons and Advice from Expats Living the Dream (p. 57). Kindle Edition.

[2] Dornyei, Zoltan. (2005). The Psychology of the Language Learner Individual Differences in Second Language Acquisition. Routledge.

[3] Partchev, Ivailo. (2004). A Visual Guide to Item Response Theory. Friedrich-Schiller-Universitat Jena.

[4] Orr, Cornelia. (2008). The ABC’s of Pattern Scoring. Florida Department of Education.

[5] Walck-Shannon EM, Rowell SF, Frey RF. (2021). To What Extent Do Study Habits Relate to Performance?. CBE Life Sciences Education. Vol. 20. No. 1.

My goal is to provide information that will help you learn Japanese as quickly and effectively as possible. I have spent more than ten years learning Japanese, mostly self-taught, from absolute beginner to an advanced level. I believe its possible to go much faster than I did. Please let me share with you the best learning strategies I have uncovered.

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