You're going to Japan.
Let's make sure you're ready.

1000+ Duolingo days means your foundation is built. This app activates it — speaking, survival Japanese, Toybox business phrases, and a clear path to the retreat.

🏢 Toybox Japan Retreat — End of Year

Days until December 31

—

to become semi-fluid in Japanese

🗣️

Phase 1 · Now

Activate Speaking

🧠

Phase 2 · Jul

Core Vocab

🧸

Phase 3 · Aug

Toybox Prep

🗾

Phase 4 · Sep+

Survive Japan

⚡

Always

Free Tools

📅 Daily Practice Tracker

Tap a day to mark it done. 20 min/day = massive progress by year end.

This Week

Week progress0%

🎯 Today's Focus

One thing. Do this today.

Daily

📊 Retreat Readiness

Pronunciation & Speaking30%

Core Vocabulary55%

Business / Toybox Japanese10%

Survival Navigation20%

These update as you complete sections. Keep pushing — 6 months is plenty of time.

🔤 Word Mode

One word. Point at it. Say it or show it. Simple as that.

👂 Hear the Language

Tap any phrase to hear native-speed Japanese. Use "Slow" when you need to catch every sound. This is how you train your ear.

Checking audio support...

すみません

Sumimasen

Excuse me

Pronunciation Breakdown

🎧 All Phrases — Tap to Hear

Every phrase in the app. Tap the speaker icon.

🗣️ Activate Your Speaking

You have the knowledge. This section gets it out of your head and into your mouth.

The Problem (and the fix)

Why Duolingo alone didn't make you fluent

Duolingo trained your recognition. You can read and hear Japanese. But fluency is production — your mouth needs to learn how to form the sounds under pressure, without thinking. That only happens from speaking out loud daily.

The fix: Shadowing

Pick any Japanese YouTube video. Pause every sentence. Say it out loud exactly like the speaker. Repeat until it flows. 15 minutes of this beats 1 hour of Duolingo for speaking ability.

🔊 Essential Speaking Phrases

Tap any card to flip it. Master these first.

Speak First

すみません

Sumimasen

Excuse me / Sorry

Your #1 survival word. Gets attention everywhere.

🔊

ありがとうございます

Arigatou gozaimasu

Thank you (formal)

Use this in business settings. Always.

🔊

これはいくらですか？

Kore wa ikura desu ka?

How much is this?

Akihabara essential. Point + say this.

🔊

〜はどこですか？

~ wa doko desu ka?

Where is ~?

Fill in: トイレ (toilet), 駅 (station), ホテル (hotel)

🔊

わかりません

Wakarimasen

I don't understand

Honest and polite. Never pretend you got it.

🔊

もう一度言ってください

Mou ichido itte kudasai

Please say that again

Language exchange gold. Use constantly.

🔊

ゆっくり話してください

Yukkuri hanashite kudasai

Please speak slowly

They will appreciate that you're trying.

🔊

日本語を勉強しています

Nihongo wo benkyou shite imasu

I am studying Japanese

Opens doors. Japanese people love hearing this.

🔊

📋 Speaking Practice Checklist

✓

Set up HelloTalk account (free language exchange app)
Find a Japanese person learning English — practice with them daily
Do your first 15-min shadowing session
Search "Japanese shadowing beginner" on YouTube
Say all 8 phrases above out loud 3x each
Seriously — right now. Out loud. Your mouth needs the reps.
Talk to ChatGPT in Japanese for 10 minutes
Tell it to correct you and respond only in Japanese
Find a Japanese Discord server to lurk in
Search "Japanese learners Discord" — read, then try participating

🧠 Vocab Quiz

Test your retention. These are the words that matter most for Japan navigation.

準備完了

Junbi kanryou

📚 Category Flashcards

Tap to flip between Japanese and English

🧸 Toybox Japan Prep

You're not just a tourist — you're representing the company. These are your actual scenarios.

🗺️ Key Tokyo Districts for Toybox

🎮

Akihabara

Electronics, anime figures, hobby shops. The biggest toy/collectible hub in Japan. You'll spend hours here.

Must Visit

🏬

Nakano Broadway

Retro toys, rare collectibles, secondhand figures. Less touristy than Akihabara, more treasure-hunting.

Collector's Gold

🎭

Shibuya / Harajuku

Kiddy Land (massive toy store), pop culture. Good for trend-scouting what Japanese kids are into.

Trend Research

🏢

Tokyo Toy Show

Annual June event. Biggest toy trade show in Asia. If timing works, this is a must for Toybox business.

Business Event

💬 Real Toybox Scenarios

Practice these exact conversations

🏪 At a toy/hobby shop in Akihabara

You're sourcing products and want to ask about wholesale / quantity pricing

You:

すみません、これは卸売りできますか？ Sumimasen, kore wa oroshiuri dekimasu ka? — Excuse me, can this be wholesaled?

Them:

はい、まとめ買いも大丈夫です。 Hai, matome gai mo daijoubu desu. — Yes, bulk buying is fine.

You:

10個買ったら、値引きできますか？ Juu ko kattara, nebiki dekimasu ka? — If I buy 10, can you give a discount?

🤝 Business introduction at a meeting

Toybox team meeting with a Japanese supplier or partner

You:

はじめまして。トイボックスのオースティンと申します。 Hajimemashite. Toibokkusu no Oosuthin to moushimasu. — Nice to meet you. I'm Austin from Toybox.

You:

どうぞよろしくお願いします。 Douzo yoroshiku onegaishimasu. — Please treat me well. (standard business closer)

Them:

こちらこそ、よろしくお願いします。 Kochira koso, yoroshiku onegaishimasu. — Likewise, please.

🍺 Company dinner (nomikai)

Japanese business culture — the dinner matters as much as the meeting

Everyone:

乾杯！ Kanpai! — Cheers! (always wait for the host to say this first)

You:

これは本当においしいですね！ Kore wa hontou ni oishii desu ne! — This is really delicious!

You:

日本に来られて、とても嬉しいです。 Nihon ni korarete, totemo ureshii desu. — I'm really happy to be in Japan.

🃏 Business Card (名刺 / Meishi) Rules

This is serious in Japan — getting this wrong is a big deal

✓

Receive cards with BOTH hands
One hand is rude. Always two hands, slight bow.
✓

Read the card before setting it down
Take a moment to actually look at it. Shows respect.
✓

NEVER write on or fold someone's card
This is genuinely offensive. Treat it like a gift.
✓

Bring Toybox cards with Japanese on the back (if possible)
Even just printing name + title in Japanese = major points.

🗾 Survival Guide

Everything you need to get around, eat, sleep, and not embarrass yourself.

🛬 Arriving in Japan — First 2 Hours

1. Immigration

Fill out the arrival card on the plane. They ask for your address — use your hotel name + address. Say 「観光です」(Kankou desu) = "Tourism" when asked purpose of visit.

2. Get a SIM or pocket WiFi

Right at the airport. IIJmio, Mobal, or airport rental WiFi. You need data. Google Translate camera mode is your emergency translator.

3. Get a Suica card (交通系ICカード)

Rechargeable card for ALL trains, subways, buses, and convenience stores. Get it at any JR East machine at Narita or Haneda. Tap in, tap out. Done.

4. Train to the city

Narita Express (N'EX) or Limousine Bus from Narita. Haneda = 30-40min monorail to Hamamatsucho. Both accept Suica.

🍱 Food Survival

これをください

Kore wo kudasai

I'll have this one (point at menu)

Works everywhere. Point + say this.

辛くないですか？

Karakunai desu ka?

Is this spicy?

Or just point and ask 辛い? (Karai?)

アレルギーがあります

Arerugii ga arimasu

I have allergies

Add: 〜アレルギー (shellfish = 貝アレルギー)

お会計をお願いします

Okaikei wo onegaishimasu

The check, please

Some places have machines — look for them.

🚃 Getting Around

Google Maps works perfectly in Japan

It shows exact train lines, platforms, exit numbers. Follow it exactly. Never miss the exit number — Tokyo stations are massive and wrong exit = 10-min walk difference.

Key phrases for trains

〜行き (~ yuki) = bound for ~. 各駅停車 (Kakueki-teisha) = local (stops everywhere). 急行 (Kyuukou) = express. 終電 (Shuden) = last train — KNOW this time.

Taxis (タクシー)

Doors open automatically — don't touch them. Show driver your destination on phone in Japanese. Expensive but reliable at night.

🚨 Emergency Phrases

助けてください！

Tasukete kudasai!

Please help me!

救急車を呼んでください

Kyuukyuusha wo yonde kudasai

Please call an ambulance

警察を呼んでください

Keisatsu wo yonde kudasai

Please call the police

財布を盗まれました

Saifu wo nusumaremashita

My wallet was stolen

⚠️ Cultural Rules (Don't be that tourist)

✓

No eating while walking
Eat at the stall or find somewhere to stand still.
✓

Phone calls on trains are rude
Put your phone on silent. Text only on trains.
✓

Queue properly. Always.
Japan's queue culture is serious. There are marked spots on train platforms.
✓

Shoes off in traditional spots
Ryokan, some restaurants with tatami. Watch for the step-up at the entrance.
✓

Tattoos: cover up at onsens
Most traditional onsen still ban visible tattoos. Plan ahead.

✍️ The 3 Writing Systems

You'll see all three in Japan — sometimes on the same sign. Here's what each one is and when you'll encounter it.

Hiragana

あいう

The Base Layer

46 characters. Soft, rounded shapes. The "alphabet" of Japanese — every sound has a symbol.

Everywhere

Katakana

アイウ

Foreign Words

Same 46 sounds, sharper shapes. Used for foreign words, brands, emphasis. If you see sharp angular characters — it's katakana.

Menus, brands, loanwords

Kanji

日本語

Meaning Characters

Thousands of characters, each with a meaning. Most complex — but you only need to recognize ~100 for daily survival in Japan.

Signs, menus, newspapers

🔍 Real Signs — Decoded

What you'll actually see in Japan, broken down by script

Train station sign

東京駅

東京 = Tokyo (kanji for "east capital")

駅 = Station

Convenience store receipt

ありがとうございました

ありがとう = arigatou (hiragana)

ございました = gozaimashita (hiragana)

= "Thank you very much" (past tense)

Akihabara shop sign

ガンダム & フィギュア

ガンダム = Gundam (katakana — foreign word)

フィギュア = Figure (katakana — foreign word)

Restaurant menu item

牛丼￥480

牛 = Beef (kanji)

丼 = Bowl of rice (kanji)

￥480 = 480 yen (~$3)

Toy package (Toybox research)

対象年齢：3歳以上

対象年齢 = Target age (kanji)

3歳以上 = Age 3 and up (kanji + number)

⚡ Survival Kanji — Just 15

You don't need to read kanji fluently. Just recognize these 15 and you'll survive.

出口

Deguchi

Exit — on every train/building

入口

Iriguchi

Entrance

男

Otoko

Men (bathroom)

女

Onna

Women (bathroom)

駅

Eki

Station

円

En

Yen (currency symbol)

食

Shoku

Food/eat — on restaurant signs

水

Mizu

Water

火

Hi

Fire / Caution

休

Yasu

Closed / Rest — on shop doors

開

Ake / Kai

Open

閉

Shi

Closed

禁止

Kinshi

Prohibited / No ___

非常口

Hijouguchi

Emergency exit

売り場

Uriba

Sales floor / Department — Akihabara

🔧 Sentence Structure

The layout that messes everyone up. Here's why it works the way it does — and how to use it.

🔄 English vs Japanese Order

This is the whole thing. English is Subject → Verb → Object. Japanese is Subject → Object → Verb. The verb always goes at the end.

English: I (subject) eat (verb) sushi (object)

私は

Watashi wa

Subject

→

寿司を

Sushi wo

Object

→

食べます

Tabemasu

Verb (LAST)

The one rule to burn in

In Japanese, the verb always goes at the end. Everything else shuffles around — but the verb is always last. That's why when you're listening, you have to wait until the end of the sentence to know what's actually happening.

🧩 Particles — The Glue

These little words after nouns tell you what role each word plays. They're why word order matters less than in English.

は

wa — Topic marker

"as for ___" · marks what sentence is about

を

wo — Object marker

marks the thing receiving the action

が

ga — Subject marker

stronger subject emphasis than は

に

ni — Direction / time

"to", "at", "in" · where/when

で

de — Location of action

"at" · where the action happens

の

no — Possession

like 's in English · A no B = A's B

Don't overthink particles yet

For the retreat, just know は (wa) and を (wo). They'll carry you through 80% of basic sentences. The rest you pick up naturally over time.

📐 The Core Patterns — Starting from desu ka

You already know the ending. Here's how to build the front of it.

Pattern 1 — Is/Are questions

[Noun] は [Noun] ですか？

これはラーメンですか？Kore wa raamen desu ka?Is this ramen?

ここはトイレですか？Koko wa toire desu ka?Is this the toilet?

あなたはマネージャーですか？Anata wa maneeijaa desu ka?Are you the manager?

Pattern 2 — Where is ___?

[Place] はどこですか？

駅はどこですか？Eki wa doko desu ka?Where is the station?

出口はどこですか？Deguchi wa doko desu ka?Where is the exit?

トイボックスはどこですか？Toibokkusu wa doko desu ka?Where is Toybox? (meeting context)

Pattern 3 — How much?

[Item] はいくらですか？

これはいくらですか？Kore wa ikura desu ka?How much is this?

10個はいくらですか？Juu ko wa ikura desu ka?How much for 10 pieces?

Pattern 4 — I want to ___

[Verb stem] たいです

食べたいですTabetai desuI want to eat

行きたいですIkitai desuI want to go

買いたいですKaitai desuI want to buy (Akihabara MVP)

Pattern 5 — Dropping the subject (daily speech)

[Object] を [Verb] ます

寿司を食べますSushi wo tabemasu(I) eat sushi — subject dropped

日本語を勉強しますNihongo wo benkyou shimasu(I) study Japanese

The cheat code: drop the subject

Japanese people drop the subject all the time when it's obvious from context. That's why "tabemasu" (eat) can mean "I eat", "she eats", or "we eat" depending on context. Don't stress about saying 私は (I) every time. Just drop it like they do.

🧪 Build a Sentence

Pick a subject, object and verb — watch the sentence form

SUBJECT (は)

OBJECT (を)

VERB (end)