Ten Weeks to Learn Japanese in Kyoto, Japan

My brother Benjamin Tolan – and you can ask anyone who went to MUS, Crane or Laguna Blanca High School – is best known for his uncanny excellence in whatever he pursues. He can pick up any tune on the flute, saxophone, or piano in just a few listens and dominate in any video game you put in front of him. So when he changed his major to Japanese language two years into university, our family wasn’t worried, nor were we surprised when it culminated in a 10-week sojourn to Kyoto for a post-graduation accelerated language program. 

Here is how my brother Benjamin became a regular at a chicken-skewer bar in Kyoto, Japan:

Q. When and how did your interest in Japanese culture start?

A. When I was a child, I would watch anime like Dragon Ball Z or Naruto, and thought the shows were cool. I didn’t even know they were originally in Japanese. It wasn’t until I took a trip with my family to Japan in 2017 that I really became interested. The food was amazing, the streets were clean, and the cities were all walkable. I couldn’t understand anyone, however, and communication proved difficult. That being said, I could tell everyone was hospitable and kind. Later at home, during a brief stint at community college, I took some Japanese language classes on a whim. I only got two classes in before returning to university, but that was all it took to hook me.

How have you spent the years leading up to your adventure abroad?

I attended UC Irvine, studying Computer Game Science. I have loved video games since I was a kid, so it made sense at the time, but programming wasn’t really for me. The Japanese classes I took at community college, in comparison, gripped me. After some deliberation, I switched majors to East Asian Studies with a Japanese language focus. When I wasn’t in class or studying, I was practicing and competing in tournaments for the fighting game Super Smash Bros. Melee; I attended roughly three tournaments a week for nearly a year. At one point, I was ranked 15th best player in California, known for my skills with the character Luigi. I credit those tournaments for developing my post-high-school social skills, as I made a ton of friends and met a lot of new people. 

Tell us what an average day in Japan looked like for you.

I’m not much of a morning person – thankfully my Japanese classes in Kyoto were in the afternoon. I would usually wake up around 11 am, and after getting ready I would either go out to get some breakfast or watch Japanese television if I wasn’t hungry. My classes began at 1:30 pm, Monday-Thursday. There was a deliberate focus on conversation practice above everything else, though we would still learn new vocabulary or Kanji (Japanese characters). We’d perform skits or just have natural conversations, speaking only in Japanese inside and outside of the classroom. On Fridays, our class would attend extracurricular events, visiting temples, going to festivals, or traveling to different cities like Nara and Kobe. After class, when I first arrived, I would wander aimlessly looking for cool places or restaurants. After a month and a half or so I settled into a few shops, restaurants, and bars that I liked. Once I had a couple drinks and some good food, I would retire back to my apartment around 11 pm.

Who were some of your favorite characters during your stay?

There was a bar with an owner that everyone called “Boss.” He would let me make song requests on the jukebox and even gave me an awesome Goku figurine I keep on my desk. I also frequented a Yakitori izakaya (roughly translated, chicken skewer pub) near my school. The owner was a man in his 40s whom everyone just called “Tenchou,” literally meaning “owner” or “manager.” He was the type who didn’t take himself seriously in the slightest, often cracking jokes while cooking and conversing with regulars. As my Japanese improved, I was able to joke around with him myself, until one day I’d become a regular. If I came at a later time than usual, Tenchou wasn’t afraid to bark out, “Ben! You’re late!” before asking me how I was or what I was doing. His eight-year-old daughter would often come into the shop carrying a resupply of mayonnaise or garnish, and Tenchou would pick her up and twirl her around. Eventually, some other regulars and I went to Karaoke with Tenchou, where I gave my goodbyes and appreciation before my departure to the U.S. I still occasionally text both Boss and Tenchou to update them on how I’m doing. Because of the other regulars and people like Boss and Tenchou, I never once felt lonely in Japan despite being so far from home.

What would you suggest to our readers curious about visiting Kyoto?

In both of my previous trips to Japan, Kyoto was far and away my favorite city because of its surprisingly small scale. It gives a more relaxed vibe than one would find in, say, Osaka or Tokyo. Because Kyoto was originally the capital of Japan, there are still many historical sites like castles and temples you can visit. The slower pace of life was one of my favorite parts; I found myself wandering along rivers until I reached farms and woods on the outskirts of the city. If I craved more energy, I could take the subway to the Kamagawa River area where tourism booms and the city doesn’t sleep. You might be tempted to stay near places like Kamagawa, but my suggestion would be to choose somewhere quieter. You will get a more authentic snapshot of Kyoto by staying in a smaller neighborhood, using the same markets as the people living nearby or even going to the Sentou, or bathhouses, to try something new.