Is it Possible to Pass JLPT Level N2 in Less Than Three Months?

Here is a good news to share; I passed JLPT N2 !! やっと日本語能力試験Ｎ２級に合格したよ！！

After a two and a half months of literally vigorous and focused study at JLPT Academy that started from April 14, 2018 to June 23, 2018, I took the N2 exam on July 1, 2018 in first attempt. Before the exams, I used to search on the internet to get tips on how to pass JLPT N2 (Japanese Language Proficiency Test Level N2) in 6 months. Their posts were inspiring and when I realized that the time is not enough, I started searching to check if it is possible to pass JLPT N2 in 3 months. It was unbelievable while reading the blogs written by those people who had achieved their target in 6 or even 3 months. Now, it is possible to say that if your current level is N3, you can pass level N2.  

The first thought to try for the JLPT N2 exam surfaced on the mind somewhere in December 2016, but came to know from one of my sensei that I was not even near to the Level N3 (After her evaluation of Japanese reading/listening ability). Before those classes, in 2015 and 2016 I had attended a few classes at a volunteer organization in Gyotoku. The classes were conducted by an organization that supports 'Hikikomoris'. Those classes helped me to refresh what I studied for JLPT N4.

In December 2016, one of the ads in Craiglist offering Japanese language lessons for 1000 Yen per hour triggered my desire to prepare for the N2 exam. I contacted the sensei who had given the ad and went for the trial lesson/interview. Though my desire was to start preparation for N2, I was informed by the Sensei that my level of Japanese was not sufficient to read and understand the text books for Level N3!! That was tough for me to accept, but unfortunately that was the fact.

A gap of more than 6 years, it was too hard to bring back the interest in Japanese language study. The classes started in February 2017, were in Yokohama and I had to travel from Higashi Ojima on weekends. More than one hour travel to the classes, I had to keep myself motivated and energized on weekends. Support from wife and kids were commendable. Continued the classes for almost 6 months, which in total had given me around 80 hours of study of materials for Level N3.. At the end of the lessons, I had started talking in Japanese.

Later I realized that level N2 is not a simple task and need more focused and systematic preparation. In February 2018, I came across an ad of JLPT Academy in Facebook regarding their JLPT preparation courses. Applied for N2 exam in March and started the power-packed JLPT N2 level preparation course from April 14. The nearest train station I used to reach the classes was Ogawamachi in Toei Shinjuku line. The lessons were on Saturdays, starting from 9:30 in the morning and ending at 5:45 in the evening with a one hour lunch break.

All grammar, vocabulary, Kanji, Reading and Listening practices were included in the classes, taught by two teachers, one in the morning session and another in the afternoon session. In total, ours was a group of 3 students. Initially it was hard to catch up to the tight schedules and targets that the teachers set on us. A lot of homework and self study were required to memorize especially the new vocabularies learned in the classes.

How Seriously We Can Trust Google Translation?

Most of the foreigners use Google translator to understand the content of the Japanese mail or material they encounter with at office or during daily life. I still use Google translator to understand the whole context of a long text written in Japanese language, but I do not depend on the meaning suggested by the translator. 

Google translator helps me to understand an overall meaning. For me, reading and understanding of a two-page material written in Japanese language will take more than 25 minutes. Typically, we read approximately 200 words in one minute (highly dependent on age, native language or not etc). Quick readers can finish a page of around 600 words in a coupe of minutes. I do use Google translator to shorten the time of understanding the context meaning, which will help to read quickly. 

Google translator app for smart phones is one of the best tools that assists expatriates in Japan. Translation app has camera function, which can read Kanji characters and show equivalent meaning in any language the user choose to display. You will get an approximate meaning since most of the Kanji characters represent a conecpt. 

When it comes to the written material or mail, google translation still gives an approximate meaning, but is not an accurate one. Japanese language writing style is different from person to person. The difference in writing style and its impact on the meaning was noticeable. Most often it produces opposite meaning for the passages/e-mails written by some individuals, while it produces nearly accurate meaning for others.

Translation of technical news produce satisfactory results compared to the news related to social issues. Below is a news appeared in one of the leading Japanese newspaper about the recent controversies surrounding Huawei.

Original Japanese Newspaper Article

米国をはじめとする先進各国で、情報漏洩やサーバー攻撃を防ぐために中国製の通信機器を排除する動きが強まっている。主な標的は、中国最大の通信機器メーカーで第5世代移動通信（5G）関連の技術力に優れるとされる華為技術（ファーウェイ）と、同じく大手の中興通訊（ZTE）だ。

ファーウェイについてはここ数日で、目まぐるしい動きがあった。米政府の要請でカナダ当局が同社創業者の娘である孟晩舟・最高財務責任者（CFO）を逮捕したことが明らかになった。また、英BTグループがファーウェイ製品を基幹ネットワークに採用しない方針を表明した。

日本政府も、各府省庁や自衛隊の通信機器の調達について、安全保障上のリスクを重視した新指針を導入する方針だ。名指しは避けているが、やはり中国企業を念頭に置いた措置だ。

Google Translation in English

In the advanced countries including the United States, movement to eliminate Chinese-made communication equipment is strengthening to prevent information leakage and server attacks. The main target is China's largest telecommunications equipment manufacturer, Huawei Technology (Huawei), which is said to be excellent in technology related to the 5th generation mobile communication (5G), and also a major Zhongxin communication (ZTE).

For Huawei in the last few days, there was a rapid move. At the request of the U.S. government, Canadian authorities arrested Mr. Meng Funabu, Chief Financial Officer (CFO), the daughter of the founder of the company. In addition, the British BT Group announced its policy not to adopt Huawei products as its backbone network.

The Japanese government is also planning to introduce new guidelines focusing on security risks regarding procurement of communication equipment of each government agency and the SDF. Although I avoid the name, it is still a measure taken with a Chinese company in mind.

My Translation in English

The United States and other advanced countries have started to eliminate Chinese telecommunication equipment manufacturers due to concerns of information leakage and Cyber security. The main targets are Huawei, a leading 5G technology provider and China's largest telecommunication equipment manufacturer and Zhongxing Telecommunication Equipment Corporation (ZTE).

The US Government moved quickly against Huawei for the last few days. Canadian authorities have arrested the Chief Financial Officer and the daughter of the founder of Huawei, Ms. Meng Wanzhou following a request from the United State. In addition, UK's British Telecom (BT) had announced its policy not to adopt Huawei products in its backbone network.

The Japanese government is also planning to introduce new guidelines considering the security risks in procuring Chinese communication equipment for the Government agencies and the Self Defense Force (SDF). Though the company names are not published, it is widely considered as a measure to restrict Chinese companies.

Note: English is not my native language.

An Afternoon Trip to Kitanomaru Science Museum

Kitanomaru Science Museum is around 900 meters away from Kudanshita Station. Our kids were insisting on some kind of entertainment and learning outing for Saturday, which was the first day of the first sanrenkyuu (3 consecutive holidays) of 2017. We started at around 1 pm from home. Kudanshita is the 11th stop for us from Higashi-Ojima. Exit No. 4 is the nearest deguchi (exit) to our destination, since we decided to walk from the station. We saw a police box (koban) on the left when we came out of the exit.

We followed the route shown by Google Maps and reached the museum, which is located inside Kitanomarukoen (park). The entrance to the museum is on the ground floor, and there is an information counter on the left side of the front door.

We paid 720 yen for adults and 260 yen for our kids, which made a total of 1,960 yen. For middle and high school students (中学生、高校生), the ticket charge is 410 yen. If you plan to go as a group of 20 and above, the tickets cost 520 yen for adults, 310 yen for middle and high schoolers, and 210 yen for kids above 4 years and up to middle school.

The ticketing staff told us that the museum has the floor guide instruction leaflet in the Japanese language only. You can participate in and understand many interactive learning sessions that the museum conducts if you know the Japanese language. One such learning session we missed was about computer-aided design.

Our kids found the museum very interesting since they could learn many new things and clearly understand many scientific principles of phenomena that they had already learned at school. Unfortunately, very few words are written in English. One of the staff demonstrated the principles of magnetism and explained them in English to our kids.

There is a parking area near the museum. The building has a restaurant in the basement (B1) with a seating capacity of 250, and it opens from 11 in the morning through 4 in the evening. The ground floor, or the first floor, has the reception (information desk), ticket counter, museum shop, and public telephone booth. Lift facilities and wheelchair facilities are available. Museum displays and interactive models are displayed from the 2nd floor to the 5th floor.

On the second floor, we saw a vast collection of old bicycles that are chronologically arranged in demarcated areas to protect them from visitors. We saw the history of bicycles, displays of gear and brake systems, etc. One section named “Mono Dukurium,” which is a room for making things, shows CAD-aided manufacturing, CNC models, 3D printers, and 3D scanners that show body images on a computer screen; the robot working principle; demo models to compare the friction of tires of cars; screw puzzles by George Hart; two-part bagels; twisted tours; four-part cubes; cube puzzles; and Pythagorean puzzles of different shapes; Matsumura’s picture puzzle, etc. Another interesting display was SCARA (selective compliance assembly robot arm) using Yamaha motors.

The Waku Eco Motor-land displays zero-emission technology by Nissan. At the entrance of the motor land, we could see the lithium-ion battery module and lithium-ion battery cell. Kids could experience the effect of collision when driving on the road. For children under 130 cm in height, this gives a virtual experience. The videos showed different situations of dangerous driving and taught how to avoid such situations. The “Winding road driving car and bike” section has a bike, which we can drive by seeing the road on the screen, and it teaches the importance of reducing speed on curves. Children could learn safe driving practices. One of the displays showed car mechanisms and motorcycle mechanisms. Principles of engine, suspension, transmission, and brake systems; steering differential gear; muffler; SRS airbag, etc. are explained in Japanese in this section.

The video of car manufacturing and the factory tour assembly process was also a different learning experience not only for the kids but also for us. A static model of the car showing internal parts is good for both kids and adults to understand what happens when driving. That is named a hybrid skeleton car. It has the functions of stop, start, and slow-speed driving; normal-speed driving; high-speed driving; and braking and stopping.

Kids enjoyed virtual driving of a truck for 3 minutes on a winding road by seeing it on a front screen. The course takes the truck to a warehouse. Near this truck, there is a working model of an engine to learn the mechanism of the engine and cylinder.

The 3rd floor has attractions such as the Atomic Station Geo Lab, different sources of energy, and methods of electricity generation. Information about natural energy sources is particularly useful to kids. A chart shows the ranking of the first three countries based on their production and/or availability of natural resources.

For natural gas, Iran tops with 18%, Russia with 17%, and Qatar with 13%.

Coal is more available in the USA (27%), followed by Russia (18%) and China (13%).

Uranium ore: Australia 29%, Kazakhstan 12%, Russia 9%.

Petroleum: Venezuela 18%, Saudi Arabia 16%, and Canada 10%.

The knowledge that today’s fossil fuel was created by the decomposition of creatures that lived 360 million years ago was exciting to our kids. The nuclear energy section has an interesting comparison that says 1 kg of uranium is equivalent to 100,000 kg of coal.

Models of stones from which rare earth elements can be extracted are also displayed in glass cages. There is also a model showing the geological disposal of high-level radioactive waste.

The global warming section describes the causes and effects of global warming. The Bulgaria Yogurt Laboratory of Dr. Bulgaria, sponsored by Meiji, gives scientific knowledge about yogurt. Electro Hall Auroral Science displays many working models of acoustic and aural phenomena. One large model at the front shows similarities between television and auroral signals. Denki Factory displays models of an electrical heater, bulb, and voice changer, where children can convert mechanical energy into electrical energy. The staff explained and demonstrated the principles of the magnetic properties of different materials.

The medicine laboratory on the third floor has a chart of the chemical formula of Tacrolimus at the front and a chart showing new medicines contributed by Japan to the world, such as Abilify, Prograf, Benicar, Invokamet, Leuplin, Vesicare, Latuda, Crestor, Actemra, Prevacid, Blopress, Myrbetriq, and so on.

The 4th floor displays materials, vehicles, and tools required for constructing buildings, tunnels, etc. The earthquake protection system was under repair when we visited. There are models of cranes, movers, and wind protection systems. One section displays various models of metal ores, which is named “Metal Factory.” The “Future Scope” section has modern scientific products such as hybrid assistive limbs, mental commit robots, communication robots, rescue robots, security robots, nursing care and welfare robots, receptionist robots, service robots assisting humans and industry, mapping, and new energy futures.

The 5th floor has a house model and simulates the effects of an earthquake. It also has interactive learning tools to understand mechanics. One section is dedicated to mechanics, gears, pendulums, wheels, trick pedals, and gear wrestling. The last section we visited has a set of mirrors that creates multiple images. One of the mirrors displays a question: “How many images can you create?” and kids enjoyed looking at the light well.

Our kids thoroughly enjoyed visiting the Kitanomaru Science Museum. We finished our learning trip at 5 pm.

Satkar Indian Restaurant in Minami Suna Near Toyocho Station

On the way back home from the office, I took today's dinner from an Indian restaurant in Minami Suna, which is near the Toyocho station and the Koto driving license test center. Usually, I take a route through Kiba Koen for walking after office hours. I thought of trying this new restaurant on the way just for a change. The restaurant was almost empty at 7:20 p.m. There was a Japanese lady at one corner, and I was the second customer.

I have seen this restaurant while passing in the car and have wondered who would be customers since the restaurant is a little far away from stations, offices, and other shops. Getting casual customers would be difficult in such areas. I have heard from those friends who are into the restaurant business that the location of the restaurant makes a big difference in the revenue. This is another reason for my entry to the Satkar Indian Restaurant & Bar at Toyocho.

My intention was to take a parcel for kids. Ordered to pack one Butter chicken curry and 4 pieces of Chicken Kebab. As they would take time for the preparation and needed to wait, I ordered a plate of chicken Tikka. At first, I was a bit hesitant to order since the Chicken Tikka was priced at 800 yen for 4 pieces. I didn't want to fill my stomach with chicken. It would spoil the purpose of walking, but I finally ended up ordering the full plate of 4 pieces.

While waiting for the food, I saw three menus on the table: one for the lunch, one for the dinner, and the third one for drinks. Indian, Nepali, and Pakistani foods are available at Satkar Indian Restaurant & Bar. All three menus are systematically arranged so that customers can choose items without looking here and there. Photos of dishes are neatly arranged inside the menus.

To my surprise, the sizes of each piece of chicken tikka were large. As I started tasting the tikka, I realized that two pieces were enough for me. I called the staff and requested him to pack two pieces. By this time a group of four Japanese customers also entered and sat near my table. The chicken tikka was really tasty and was worth the price.

The restaurant offers a membership card. Customers will get one point per visit, and if 15 points are accumulated, they can claim a simple lunch item. If customers intend to use this point at dinner time, they can get a 1000 yen discount on their bill. Though the restaurant is not located in a prime business area, it seems there are regular customers to this restaurant. There are residential apartments nearby, and that could be one major source for regular customers.

The address of the restaurant is 136-0076, 東京都江東区南砂2ー2ー16, 東陽町グリーンハイツ301.

Tel: 03-5632-8485

Kaisuuken, a Cost-effective Commuter Train Ticket in Japan

Coupon ticket is known in Japanese as Kaisuuken, written in Japanese as 回数券（かいすうけん）. I heard about this type of ticket option from Mr. Shimizu, who is one of my colleagues, when I discussed with him my recent changes in work place for two days in a week. 

For the past four years I have been commuting between Kiba and Higashi Ojima. Monthly Pasmo card is cost-effective if the work place is same for all working days. For some reasons, for some people, there may be more than one work place in a week. In my case, it happened to be three days in Sakura, Chiba prefecture and two days in Kiba, Tokyo. Usually, Japanese companies pay for the commutation charges biannually. Employees can claim the travel expenses for any additional travel such as domestic business trips and travels based on company's request. 

Until now, Pasmo card charged for 6 months was very useful, convenient and cheap. If the same Pasmo card is used for three days a week, I will end up using the card for 12 days in a month, but need to charge it as usual. Pasmo cards are cheaper than daily tickets if one commute at least 16 days a week. For a typical salaryman in Japan, Pasmo card is cheap and cost-effective, but not anymore in my case. That was the reason for the discussion with my colleague to explore another ticket options. 

Kaisuuken is very useful ticket option when you have a walking habit. Many people have the habit of walking to the office and back home weekly twice or thrice depending on the climate. 6 months or 3 months charged Pasmo card will not be good option if you have this walking habit. 

Kaisuuken written in Katakana as ｶｲｽｳｹﾝ is a bunch of tickets, typically eleven numbers that we can buy from ticket vending machines at any station. Pay for ten tickets and get one ticket free! For example, if we pay 300 Yen for one ticket, we will get eleven tickets for 3000 Yen. If you walk back home from office at least two days a week and use Kaisuuken, you are going to save something around 3000 Yen/month.   

Kaisuuken has expiry periods. So, pay attention to the number of tickets while doing a bulk purchase.

The inconvenient point is the storage of these tickets safely in our bag. The railway companies in Japan has a solution for this too. They provide a small envelope to keep these tickets.

Charged Pasmo cards are useful when we need to travel multiple times between same points. The money you may save out of this habit will not be significant, but can buy an ice cream or coffee once in a while.