Distant Yet Familiar: My Journey with Japanese

Distant Yet Familiar: My Journey with Japanese

When I started learning Japanese, I honestly didn’t know how far I could take it. Even now, I can’t say “I know it”—I’m still learning. So far, I’ve learned Hiragana and Katakana; I know some basic vocabulary and simple sentence structures. Yet even in this short time, I’ve realized that Japanese is a much different world than I initially thought.

Many people think Japanese is completely unrelated to Turkish, but in fact, it shares some grammatical similarities. For example, verbs usually come at the end of the sentence, and the subject does not always have to be explicitly stated. We do this quite often in Turkish as well. These structural similarities make the language feel a bit less intimidating; at least they help me overcome the fear of “Is the grammar too difficult?”

Of course, like any language, Japanese has its own challenges. Especially at the beginning, the writing systems can be quite confusing; Hiragana, Katakana, and Kanji. Even after getting used to them, memorizing new words takes time. Sometimes I can form a sentence correctly but struggle to explain technically why it is structured that way. Still, this doesn’t stop me; because while learning Japanese, you realize that you don’t have to know everything all at once.

For many people interested in Japanese, the starting point of this journey is often cultural content. Anime, in particular, plays a major role in attracting young people to the language. Many encounter Japanese for the first time through anime. The way characters speak, the way Japan is beautifully portrayed, and the pleasant sound of the language spark curiosity. This curiosity then turns into a powerful motivation to start learning the language. Of course, not everyone will take it to an advanced level, but even this interest is valuable.

The biggest motivation that led me on this journey was discovering the Asia Kakehashi Project. This program, designed for high school students, offers the opportunity to become an exchange student in Japan for three months. And of course, I can’t deny the influence of the anime I enjoy watching :)

Finally, for me, Japanese is not just a new language; it is also a process of patience. Learning small things every day, sometimes struggling but continuing anyway… That’s what Japanese requires. You learn 10 Kanji every week; after three months, you forget some and barely remember others. These challenges can reduce motivation, but being consistent, disciplined, and persistent is essential. I’m still at the beginning of this journey, but I already feel how much it is helping me grow.

Perhaps what matters is not how fast you learn a language, but what you discover about yourself while learning it. Japanese has already started to make me think about this.