If you are learning Japanese, then you may want to supplement your studying. One of these ways is by watching Japanese TV shows. In the era of streaming, this is possible to do at home.
It is said that watching TV shows in a particular language can help you to learn the language. However, you will want to find something you enjoy watching.
If you do not enjoy the TV show, then it is less likely that you will want to carry on with it.
Even so, you may become hooked on these shows that you end up binge-watching them anyway. After all, there are many funny variety TV shows, as well as gripping dramas.
In case you are struggling to start, here are 10 Japanese TV shows that every Japanese learner should watch.
Why Does Watching Japanese TV Shows Help You To Learn Japanese?
When it comes to watching Japanese TV shows, you will find that you are never disappointed. They are full of goofy and silly scenes, as well as twists and turns.
Often the variety shows are wonderful to watch, especially because they are so different from our own. If you have favorite Jpop idols or actors, then often you will see them on the variety TV shows doing something a little crazy.
There are also many Japanese dramas too, which are known as Jdramas in the Western world. They can be full of emotion and very gripping to watch.
While the TV shows themselves are enjoyable, it can be important to watch these kinds of programs while learning the Japanese language.
This is because you will hear the words and phrases you have been learning within a natural sentence.
You may also pick up new ways of speaking Japanese, or new sentences and words altogether.
This is because you will see physical expressions of how the language is used, and this can help you to become even better at speaking Japanese.
How Can You Watch Japanese TV To Learn The Language?
Even though you might want to watch Japanese TV shows, where exactly can you watch them? Fortunately, we are in the age of streaming. Because of this, you can watch Japanese TV online.
This includes Netflix, Amazon Prime, Viki, Youtube, HBO, and Hulu. If they are not on Netflix or other popular platforms, then you can use a VPN to watch Japanese streaming sites.
This includes the Japanese versions of Netflix and so on.
You may need to pay for a subscription if you are using a streaming platform. However, it is possible to watch Japanese TV shows for free on the likes of Youtube.
10 Best Japanese TV Shows That Every Learner Should Watch
Here is a list of some of the best Japanese TV shows to watch if you are learning the language:
Variety Shows
Variety shows are fun to watch because they often include guests. It doesn’t matter if you know the guests or not either. They are fun and silly and can give you a break from a Jdrama.
1. The Class That You Want to Take Most In The World (Sekai Ichi Uketai Jugyou)
This TV show has two hosts who are joined by what they call a class. The non-famous guests (who are experts within their field) are often sat together with well-known celebrities too.
The topics can be very serious, but it is always done in a very light-hearted way. Not only will you learn some cool stuff, but you can hear some great Japanese vocabulary too.
Where can you stream it?Hulu (you will need a VPN)
2. Why Did You Come To Japan? (You Wa Nani Shi Ni Nihon E?)
The great thing about this show is that it takes place at Narita airport. The presenter talks to foreigners who have traveled to Japan for the likes of studying, meeting friends, or working.
It is a good way of hearing Japanese people speak in a way that is easy to grasp. It is also fun to see why people travel to Japan. Often you will see English translations on the screen.
You may have already heard of Terrace House due to it being on Netflix. It is a reality show that includes three women and three men who all live in the same luxury house.
It is all about the different relationships and is exciting, despite nothing really ever happening. The dialogue is very casual and natural, making it a great TV show to learn Japanese.
This colorful TV show is a mix between educational, talk show, and comedy. It includes different animals which the guests interact with. Some of the guests are very famous, so you might recognize them.
It can be funny to see how the many different guests act too. If you are looking to learn any words to do with nature, then this TV show will be very helpful.
If you have heard of the Jpop group SMAP (who split up in 2016), then you will be interested in this variety show. Even if you are not clued up on who they are, you will want to watch this.
It is hosted by SMAP and includes comedy, cooking, and interviews. The SMAP members compete in teams to cook delicious meals.
At the end is a song performed by SMAP, and it includes skits too.
This TV show is a legal-based drama that centers around Miyama, a defense lawyer. His main goal in life is to find the truth in every case he is able to work on.
You may even notice that it is Jun Matsumoto if you are a big fan of the Jpop group, Arashi.
This show is a great one to stream if you want to know Japanese terminology centered around the legal business.
Where can you stream it?Amazon Prime (you will need a VPN)
7. Alice In Borderland (Imawa No Kuni No Arisu)
If you like horror, then this Jdrama is going to really interest you. It is based on the highly popular survival-based horrors. This is because it includes different games throughout Shibuya that must be completed in order to live.
It is very dark and can be gruesome, so only watch it if that is the kind of drama that you enjoy getting stuck into. Otherwise, move on to the next drama!
For those who are looking for an LGBT Jdrama, then this will be right up your street. It involves Yuki and Akira who meet in their teens. It follows them throughout their life and into their twenties.
It shows the differences between the two characters and how they feel as gay men in Japan. One of them is under pressure to conform to society, while the other lives in a ‘fantasy’ where they can feel free.
If you love TV shows where the characters switch, then you will love Switched. It involves Zenko stealing the body of Ayumi, who is a popular high school student.
She has only just recently been asked out by the guy she has a crush on.
It involves a lot of morals when it comes to things like envy and bullying. Even so, it is full of dramatic twists and turns. You will become hooked!
This Netflix TV show centers around the lives of different women who socialize and work in Tokyo. However, the main protagonist is Limi Nara. She is a photographer who enjoys capturing the daily goings on in the city.
It focuses on the downfalls of photos on social media, as well as the ‘Insta-famous’ who live their lives online. It is a wonderful Jdrama for modern enthusiasts of the Japanese language.
If you are currently learning the Japanese language, then you will want to supplement it with TV shows.
Not only does it help you to hear the language in a natural environment, but you will notice that you can pick up the Japanese language a lot faster.
Fortunately, there are many different Japanese TV shows available to watch. There are also lots of different ways to watch them too.
Just make sure that you pick a show that you enjoy. If you are bored with the TV show, then move on. You will learn quicker if you feel that you can binge-watch a Japanese TV show.
Hi, I’m Jason Patrick, and for as long as I have been alive, I have been obsessed with Japanese culture. From the sights and sounds of Japan’s many cities to its culinary delights that have become famous worldwide, I simply cannot get enough of this wonderful nation!
I hope that, by exploring this website, you all will develop a much deeper appreciation for Japan, and that it may even influence you to pay it a visit yourself eventually! It is definitely a trip of a lifetime, and whether you experience it firsthand, or through my own website, I’m sure you will become just as passionate as I always have been!
