One of the most effective approaches when it comes to achieving a high level in a foreign language is immersion. This means immersing yourself in videos, books, magazines, and other materials produced by natives in the language you are learning.
One detail is that immersion happens alongside your usual language study, that is, the learning of vocabulary, grammar, structures, your routine study. The more advanced you are in your studies, the more immersion starts to take over the time invested in the language you are learning. In other words, the more advanced you are, the more you will end up consuming native content.
With this in mind, in this article we will present a list of YouTube channels that you can use as a means to immerse yourself in the language.
Understanding that there are different levels among Japanese language learners, we will categorize the channels into beginner, intermediate, and advanced.
It is worth noting that the immersion focus here is audiovisual content, and in some contexts, it includes subtitles.
Without further ado, let's get to the list.
Table of Content
Comprehensible japanese
Our first recommendation is the channel Comprehensible Japanese.
As the name suggests, this channel aims to use simple and understandable language for beginners of the Japanese language and also for some intermediate students. It is presented by Yuki.
The channel features several videos on various topics, including showcasing terms from Japanese culture.
And the videos have an average duration of 6 to 15 minutes, making them easy to consume for almost any beginner of the Japanese language.
Imersão Japonesa com Asami
The second channel on the list is Japanese Immersion with Asami.
Like the previous channel, the idea here is to explain and speak in Japanese in a calm language for beginners and students at the intermediate level of the Japanese language. The channel features various themes and subjects, ranging from stories, movies, anime, etc.
An interesting detail about this channel is that during the video, you are asked questions about the topics being discussed, which also makes you think in Japanese.
The videos on Asami's channel last around 11 to 30 minutes, and some others are longer, about 1 hour, meaning it is excellent content for immersing yourself in the Japanese language even if you are a beginner.
The Peppa pig (Peppa piggu) and George the monkey channel
Yes, cartoons. Because they are directed towards children, the vocabulary and expressions used are easy to understand.
Specifically, these two cartoons have channels on YouTube with constant content, meaning there are many videos to immerse yourself in. One suggestion is to just listen while doing something that doesn't take up much of your attention, because they are quite easy to understand and if you get lost in something, you will soon understand again.
Both channels have long average video durations ranging from 20 minutes to 1 hour. It’s a great option for those looking for something understandable who don't find cartoons boring.
One note is that immersion also needs to be fun, so if you can't stand watching children's cartoons, consider looking for other content even if you don't understand it as much, but that captures your curiosity.
Benjiro Beginner Japanese
The next channel has a similar proposal to the others but with a different approach, Benjiro Beginner Japanese aims at the beginner audience of Japanese, the idea of the channel is for you to learn and immerse yourself through conversations he has with native speakers of the Japanese language.
An interesting detail is that during the conversation he leaves a floating notepad next to him, showing the meaning and significance of the words used during the conversation, simultaneously.
The channel hasn't posted a video in 3 years, but it has several videos already uploaded with conversations with various Japanese people, the videos have an average duration of 50 minutes.
It is a rich source for those who are beginners and also intermediates in the Japanese language.
Onomappu
Now moving on to channels with a slightly more intermediate level, we present Onomappu.
Onomappu is a channel that features videos on various everyday topics of the Japanese language, including culture, with the option to add subtitles in several languages, including many videos with subtitles in Portuguese.
The channel was born with the proposal to show onomatopoeias of the Japanese language, and is explained in several videos while talking about various topics. The channel is very active and the videos tend to last between 6 and 8 minutes. For those who are beginners, going to intermediate is a great way to step up and for those who are already intermediate to keep moving forward.
もしもしゆうすけ (Moshi moshi yusuke)
Moshi moshi yusuke is a channel created by yusuke, the channel compiles 3 forms of learning and immersion. Also aimed at intermediate audiences.
The first form he calls File Series, where he walks through the streets and talks with Japanese people, an important detail is that he adds subtitles for every sentence in Japanese spoken during the video.
The second style he calls the Monologue Series, where he walks the streets and talks to himself about various subjects. Introducing some places and streets in Japan. This style also has Japanese subtitles.
And last but not least the Conversation Series, where he takes people speaking in Japanese, sometimes native Japanese teachers, and comments on various topics.
The videos have an average duration of 10 to 20 minutes, and the channel has very active posts.
Archipel
For those who are more advanced, the Archipel channel is an option; it is a channel that focuses on documentaries about Japanese artists and creators.
It is a channel that brings together interviews and videos around the universe of illustrators, mangakas, game creators, and musicians, even presenting insights on various aspects of Japanese culture.
Videos have 8 to 30 minutes of non-stop Japanese. And despite the specific subjects, it manages to maintain a reasonable consistency of publication.
Some other channels with proposals similar to the ones above:
- Sesame Street
- yuki's japanese tv
- kumamiki
- 気ままにはぴLIFE
- TEDx Japan
In addition to these audiovisual channels, we also recommend some channels with a focus on Podcasts, as they are a powerful form of immersion, but this time with the focus only on listening.
- O podcast konnichiwa
- Sakura tips
- Yuyu no nihongo
- Teppei
If you liked these channel recommendations, share it with your friends and comment what you think or even suggest a channel that you consider essential for immersion in Japanese. Good studies and see you later.