Audio Engineer / Music Publishing Admin looking for language schools in Japan

[D Clay Audio]

 

Hello everybody!

 

TL;DR — 

 

I’m an N5 Level audio engineer / music industry admin with 9 years industry experience + degree, looking for a language program in Japan so that I can eventually live in Japan and work in those industries. 

 

• Self study doesn’t work well for me (ADD) and moving abroad is a huge life goal of mine. 

 

Are there any professionals in those fields (or similar media fields) who studied Japanese Language in Japan and can recommend a program? 

 

 

Some background: 

My current plan is to move to Japan within the next 18 months to study at a Japanese Language Program — either through a dedicated language school, or a language program at a University. 

 

I’m currently at an N5 level. I’ve been doing self-study for about 6 months, and UT Language Center classes over the past 3 months. 

As an alumnus, I recently re-enrolled at Middle Tennessee State University to get yet another degree — this time in Japanese Applied Language. 

I will be starting class this Fall. 

 

For some background, I graduated in 2017 with two degrees: one in audio engineering, the other in music business, both from Middle Tennessee State University. 

 

I spent the first half of my career working in music publishing and record label operations. 

I’ve spent the second half of my career doing audio for video work. 

I have worked for some major companies during that time and have been relatively successful. 

 

I have the pre-requisite career skills and experience to work in those fields in Japan, but I lack the language fluency that would be required. 

 

So I’m looking for schools that are suited toward my background and career goals. 

 

 

So why move to Japan to study? 

Well, it’s always been a dream of mine and I heavily regret not studying abroad in my undergrad years. 

So better late than never. I will either be studying abroad through MTSU, transferring from MTSU or enrolling independently (just depends on which situation works best with the school I choose) 

 

I’m not the best with self-study (ADD), so having an immersive hands-on, structured environment is truly the best way for me to learn, in this case. 

Plus, it just sounds like an amazing experience.

 

Again, my goal is to be studying abroad by Fall of ‘27. 

I will start off doing one semester (3 months) abroad, and then deciding if I want to finish out my studies there for the remaining 18 - 24 months to complete the language program. 

 

Any advice or guidance would be greatly appreciated! 

 

[The Documentary Sound Guy]

There are lots of online fora that are intended for English-speakers in Japan ... I would think you'd get much better advice from a place that is about either learning 日本語 or for foreigners in Japan.

18 months is ambitious to learn a language, but if you are immersed and it's all you are doing, it should be possible to get a good foothold.  I did two years of intensive Japanese, which I've subsequently forgotten, but you are chasing my teenage dream!  I don't have much advice other than I think JWSound proabably isn't going to have much for you on this topic.  がんばってだよ。

[inspire]

Let us know how you're doing over there!
ありがとう

[Ethan13241991]

I recommend starting with a verbal conversation, or talking with a Japanese speaker.