Many tourists from all over the world travel around without understanding the language just fine. There are English signs in every airport and train station. In the more popular tourist locations, the train announcements are English as well as in Japanese. You can travel in Japan just fine without knowing any Japanese.

Working, living, and traveling in Japan without speaking Japanese is feasible, and there are countless examples of foreigners doing so. Having said that, learning Japanese will put you at an exceptional advantage in both your professional life and daily life.

If you’re going along the main tourist route (Tokyo – Osaka/Hara/Kyoto down to Hiroshima) you will have no problem. All Japanese learn some English at school, so most can (if reluctantly) help you. Front desk staff at hotels, railway stations, etc., usually can help. Many signs are in English.

12 things you should never do in Japan

• Don’t break the rules of chopstick etiquette.
• Don’t wear shoes indoors.
• Don’t ignore the queuing system.
• Avoid eating on the go.
• Don’t get into a bathtub before showering first.
• Don’t blow your nose in public.
• Don’t leave a tip.

Is Tokyo English-friendly? In addition to bilingual signage in the Tokyo Metro, JR Lines and in popular areas like Asakusa and Shinjuku, a large percentage of people in Tokyo speak some English, even those who don’t work in foreigner-facing professions. You don’t need to speak Japanese at all to enjoy Tokyo!

Japan is a friendly and welcoming country, steep in history and tradition. While visitors are often amazed at how polite, courteous and gracious the society is, most first-timers may experience some sort of culture shock.

It is important to understand the different factors that play a role in stunting the English skills of Japanese people: learning only to pass tests, few speaking opportunities, a culture of being afraid to make a mistake, katakana words, and Japanese-created English.

Yet despite this growth, studies estimate that less than 30 percent of Japanese speak English at any level at all. Less than 8 percent and possibly as little as 2 percent speak English fluently.

How to learn Japanese: 11 steps for beginners

• Learn the Japanese alphabet.
• Practice grammar.
• Learn some key phrases.
• Set up a schedule.
• Use apps to get started.
• Pay attention to flashcards.
• Chat online with native speakers or other learners.
• Read manga.

Before you start doing any serious studying, take a couple weeks to learn hiragana first and then katakana. It will be a big help once you start getting into a textbook. I used japanese-lesson.com to help learn the sounds and stroke order, and realkana.com to help with memorization.

I have met many foreigners in Japan who do a fairly good job of speaking the language but are essentially illiterate in reading and writing. So, from this, I would say the reading and writing is the more difficult.

Here are five of the most difficult things about learning Japanese.

1. The Writing System. The Japanese writing system is incredibly complex.
2. Context.
3. Counting Words.
4. Speed.
5. Fewer Possible Sound Combinations.

The main reason it became so complicated is because Japanese writing developed in the same way as Akkadian literacy, out of a system where literacy meant being fluent in Chinese (including the writing system), and when people eventually started writing in Japanese, they essentially wrote in Chinese, but with little …

In short, Japanese is one of the more difficult languages for a native English speaker to learn. It takes much dedication and time. Learning the kana and how to pronounce the syllables is relatively easy, the grammar is about in the middle between easy and difficult, and the kanji is very hard.

Japanese is ranked by the U.S. Foreign Services Institute as the most difficult language for native English speakers to learn. The institute uses the time it takes to learn a language to determine its difficulty 23-24 weeks for the easiest and 88 weeks for the hardest.

How Much Can You Earn Teaching English in Japan? As an ESL teacher in Japan, you can expect to earn anywhere between 200,000 and 600,000 Yen ($1,700 – 5,000 USD) per month. Hourly tutoring rates hover around 3,000 Yen ($28 USD) per hour.