Before you fly

"Two hours? I'll never remember any of it."

That's the right worry. It's also why the session isn't the whole thing.

1 — Before you arrive. The 50-phrase phrasebook and the listening quiz, the moment you book.

2 — Your session. Two hours, built around your itinerary. Said out loud, corrected, until it comes without thinking.

3 — On the ground. Your phrase sheet, app list and transport notes. Offline, on your phone.

You're not being asked to remember two hours of Japanese. You're being asked to arrive already holding the phrases your own trip needs.

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Two to three weeks before you fly is the useful window — enough time for the phrases to settle before you're standing in front of someone. Flying sooner? The Fast-Track is built for exactly that.

Sound familiar?

The worries most first-time visitors to Japan share

Train system anxiety

Japan's rail network is famously efficient — but if you don't know how it works, it's overwhelming. Wrong line, wrong ticket, wrong direction.

Language barrier freeze

The moment someone speaks Japanese to you and your mind goes blank. It happens — but a few key phrases and the right mindset makes all the difference.

Getting etiquette wrong

Is this a no-shoes area? Should I bow? How loud is too loud on the metro? Small mistakes that can feel embarrassing in the moment.

Not knowing which apps to use

Google Maps, Google Translate, IC card apps, restaurant reservation apps — there are plenty, but which ones actually work in Japan?

The solution

One session, shaped around one trip — yours. We go through exactly what you need: where you're actually going, at your level, with time for all your questions. Travel Japanese lessons built for one itinerary, not a syllabus.

Book your session

A fair question

"Couldn't I just use Google Translate?"

Mostly, yes — and you should. Point your camera at a menu and you'll be fine. Here's where it stops.

It can't hear for you. Pointo kaado wa omochi desu ka? comes at you in under a second while the cashier is scanning. By the time you've unlocked your phone, you're both just standing there.

It needs a free hand. Suitcase in one, ticket in the other, thirty seconds before the train.

It puts a screen between you and the person. Opening with sumimasen and closing with arigatou gozaimasu changes the temperature of every exchange you'll have — even when the middle happens in English.

Use the app for menus, signs and anything long. Learn the twenty-second exchanges — because those are the ones that fill your day.

What's covered

This isn't just a language lesson.

💬PHRASES

The Japanese you'll actually use

Ordering food, hotel check-in, asking for directions, buying train tickets — real phrases for real situations, not textbook exercises. We focus on what you'll actually need on your trip.

🚆TRANSPORT

Getting around without stress

IC cards, JR Pass, how to read station signs — the essentials to get you where you're going with confidence.

🙏MANNERS

Etiquette that matters

When to bow and how deep, rules at temples and shrines, how to behave on the metro, tipping culture (or lack of it) — small things that make you feel like you belong rather than stand out.

📱APPS

The right tools on your phone

We recommend and walk through the translation, navigation, and payment apps that genuinely work in Japan — so you're not downloading things at the airport wondering what to do first.

🗺️YOUR ITINERARY

Tailored to where you're going

Tokyo or Kyoto? City or countryside? Let us know where you're headed — and we'll make sure the session is relevant to your trip.

📄YOUR MATERIALS

Everything to take with you

A printable summary of your session — phrases, transport notes, app list, key cultural tips — plus the 50-phrase phrasebook and the listening quiz to work through before you fly.

🧭PLANS NOT FIXED

You don’t need your itinerary settled to book

Plenty of people book with two cities still undecided, or nothing booked past the flight. Bring whatever you have — a rough idea, a shortlist, a week you haven’t filled in — and we’ll talk it through at the start of the session, then choose the phrases for where you’re actually likely to end up.

That’s a conversation about your direction, not a day-by-day plan. If you want your trip properly mapped out — routes, timings, where to stay — that’s Travel Planning, and it’s a separate service.

Simple process

How it works

Book, and tell us about your trip

Pick a slot and fill in a short form: your dates, destination, and what you're hoping to do. Takes two minutes.

We build your session

Within 2–3 working days your teacher goes through your itinerary and prepares your materials. Your phrasebook and quiz arrive straight away, so you're not waiting to start.

Your session

Private, online or in person in London. Your pace, your questions, your trip.

Between the session and your flight

Your phrase sheet is yours to keep, and the phrases are already in your mouth. Then just show up and enjoy it.

Student stories

What our students say

★★★★★

"Had a brilliant 2hr 'Tourist introduction' course with Anna via VC. Anna was delightful and the slides and tutoring very helpful for someone who knows no Japanese. I now have a cheat sheet of well practised, useful travel phrases, a better understanding of etiquette and useful tips and ideas for our trip. Highly recommended."

— Denise G

★★★★★

"Anna san was a charming guide, very patient when teaching us Japanese words, and very clear. She was able to help us with our pronunciation, and by the end we felt able to say a few phrases in Japanese."

— Monique Alder

Pricing

Two ways to prepare

Your flights are booked. Your hotels are booked. This is the part that decides whether you can actually talk to anyone when you get there.

It doesn’t stop when the session ends

Three things go home with you. All of them are included in the price — there is nothing else to buy.

📑

Your session slides

Everything we worked through is yours to keep — the phrases, your notes, the corrections. Open them on the train to the airport if you want a last look.

🎥

A recording you can watch back

For online sessions, ask at the start and we’ll record it. The whole thing is yours to replay — the explanations, the corrections, and how each phrase actually sounded.

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Daily practice until you fly

A practice page with the phrases from your session, quizzed the way the free one is. Five minutes a day between the lesson and your flight is what makes them stick.

All three come with the session itself — no add-ons, no subscription.

£84 is roughly one checked bag each way, or a couple of hours in a Heathrow lounge — on a trip that's already cost you thousands. The difference is that this is the part you'll use every single day you're there.

Book two to three weeks out if you can, so the phrases have time to settle. Plans not fixed yet? You can still book — we'll cover general travel Japanese and help you plan.

In-person lessons

Held at a café in London, at a spot agreed with your teacher.

Zones 1–2: no travel fee.
Zone 3 and beyond: travel costs plus a surcharge, quoted before you book.
Availability depends on which teachers are free, so we can't guarantee every area or time slot.

FAQ

Common questions

Two hours doesn't sound like enough to remember anything. Is it?

On its own, it wouldn't be. That's why you get the phrasebook and the listening quiz the moment you book, so you arrive already familiar with the phrases — the session is where they get corrected and stick.

Isn't the session just the free phrasebook again?

The phrases overlap, and that's deliberate. But reading a phrase and being able to say it are two different skills. The free PDF is something you read; the session is where you say it out loud, get corrected, and have it stay. And it isn't the same fifty phrases for everyone — we pick the ones your itinerary actually needs, and practise them in the situations you'll actually be in.

What happens after I book?

You'll fill in a short form about your trip. Within 2–3 working days you'll get your confirmation with the video link or café address, and your teacher will prepare materials based on your itinerary. Your phrasebook and quiz are available straight away.

I'm a complete beginner. Is that OK?

Absolutely. These sessions are designed for people with little or no Japanese. No prior experience needed — we start from where you are.

My travel plans aren't fixed yet. Can I still book?

Yes. If your itinerary isn't decided, we can cover general travel Japanese and give recommendations to help you plan. Just let us know where you're at when you book.

Can I join with a friend or family member?

Yes — all sessions welcome groups. Additional participants are £24 per person for the Fast-Track Session, and £72 per person for the 1-Month Course.

Where does the in-person lesson take place?

In-person sessions take place at a café in London. The exact location will be confirmed after booking. For Zones 1–2 there is no travel fee; for Zone 3 and beyond, travel costs plus a surcharge apply and we'll confirm the amount before you book.

Can I have the lesson at my home?

We don't currently offer home visits, but online sessions are available and work just as well — many students prefer them.

What platform do you use for online sessions?

We're flexible — we can use Zoom, Google Meet, or whichever video call platform works best for you.

Can I reschedule or cancel?

Yes. Please let us know at least 48 hours in advance to reschedule or cancel without charge. Rescheduling is available once per booking.

What kind of teacher will I have?

All sessions are taught by experienced native Japanese instructors with specific experience helping travellers preparing for Japan.

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You don't need to learn Japanese.You need about 50 phrases.

"Two hours? I'll never remember any of it."