Moving to Japan is exciting, but learning Japanese can be one of the biggest challenges. In this video, I test Ohanasi Kagawa, a completely free online language-exchange platform that connects Japanese learners with real people in Japan through one-on-one conversations.
I have never been good at learning languages from textbooks. Most of the Japanese I can speak today came from making mistakes, talking to people and being immersed in everyday life in rural Japan. That is why I wanted to find out whether it is possible to recreate that experience online.
During the event, participants are matched for two one-on-one conversation sessions. For part of the session, you practise Japanese, and for the other part, your conversation partner practises English. Staff members guide you through the event, assign the virtual tables and make sure that beginners feel comfortable. In this video, you will see my genuine first experience using Ohanasi Kagawa, including my slightly embarrassing Japanese, my conversation with Junpei and my honest opinion after trying the platform.
What surprised me most was how personal the conversation felt. It did not feel like a formal Japanese lesson or another language-learning app. It felt more like meeting a new person and naturally practising Japanese together.
Ohanasi Kagawa sponsored this video, but they did not provide me with a script or tell me what to say. Everything shown in the video is my genuine first experience using the platform. Try Ohanasi Kagawa for free: https://ohanasi.co/janyukari
Whether you are preparing to move to Japan, studying Japanese from abroad or looking for a free way to practise speaking Japanese with native speakers, this platform may be worth trying.
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00:00 Why learning Japanese is so difficult 01:39 Testing Ohanasi Kagawa 03:33 My first conversation in Japanese 06:02 Switching to English 07:21 My honest thoughts
