Build confidence in phonetics, and Speak Japanese Naturally!
Hello
Hi, welcome to Speak Japanese Naturally.
Hi, I’m Fumi.
Ever since I was young, I’ve loved the English language—the way it sounds, the way it feels. I remember watching movies where handsome and beautiful actors spoke a language I couldn’t understand. I wanted so badly to know what they were saying—not by reading Japanese subtitles on the screen, but by understanding the language itself, hearing it with my own ears, and feeling it in my heart.
That feeling has never left me. Even now, I sometimes find myself amazed that I can speak English—the language I’ve always loved.
I’ve always wanted to sound natural when speaking English. While I know I’ll never sound exactly like a native speaker, my goal has always been to be understood easily. And I imagine that if you’re here, you feel the same way about Japanese. Whether you’re learning out of necessity or passion, you probably want to sound natural. That’s where I’d love to help.
You’ve probably noticed how Japanese people have accents when they speak English. Maybe you’ve heard how they struggle with the L and R sounds, or how their rhythm feels different from what you’re used to in English. These unique features of the Japanese accent come from the natural patterns of the Japanese language itself. To truly sound natural in Japanese, you’ll need to understand and adopt these patterns—and that’s exactly what you’ll learn in my course.
But you won’t be alone. I’ll be here to guide you. You’ll learn through videos, and you can leave a comment or share a recording—I’ll listen and respond. This course is for you, and I want you to make the most of it.
I’m always here to support you and help you sound more natural in Japanese.
Let’s do this together.
いっしょに、がんばりましょう！(Let’s do our best!)
Services
Here's what you can gain from my subscription course:
3 online programs:
Mastering Phonetics, Boost Listening, and Upgrade Speaking.
2. Group
Ask questions anytime for Plus members.
3. Files
PDFs for Japanese Phonetics videos and YouTube walk-and talk videos.
Online Programs / Mastering Phonetics
Part 1
Pronunciation
Japanese hiragana and katakana are phonograms, which means the characters represent the sounds. So if you know how to pronounce all of the hiragana or katakana, you know all of the Japanese sounds.
So we’ll learn them one by one, then of course we’ll learn small つ, ん, and long vowels, which English speakers tend to have problems with. Then we’ll learn devoicing of vowels, which is an important feature of Standard Japanese.
Part 2
Rhythm
Then in Part 2, we’ll learn about the rhythm of Japanese. When it comes to English, you use syllables to divide a word into smaller units. In Japanese, we have not only syllables but also, mora. Mora plays an important role. If you acquire a sense for mora, your Japanese will definitely sound more natural. You’ll learn about mora using Japanese haiku.
Part 3
Pitch Accent
In Part 3, we’ll learn about the Japanese pitch accent. Unlike tones in Chinese or Vietnamese, the Japanese pitch accent doesn’t necessarily define the meaning of a word. Sometimes, it does, though most of the time, it doesn’t. I guess that’s why most Japanese textbooks haven’t discussed pitch accent over the years. But nowadays it’s changing. Newer textbooks have some pages for pitch accent. I think that people finally realized that pitch accent is important. If you speak with the correct pitch accent, you’ll be more easily understood. So in part 3, we’ll learn about pitch accent.
Part 4
Intonation
Then in part 4, we’ll learn about Japanese intonation. Intonation is the change in pitch in a sentence, while accent is the change in pitch in a word.
Accents are determined for each word. But intonation is not like that; it represents the meaning of the sentence. So we’ll learn the natural intonation for speaking Japanese.
Online Programs / Boost Listening
Beginner
Walk-and-Talk
Members-only walk-and-talk videos from my Speak Japanese Naturally YouTube channel. Learn about everyday life, Japanese culture, and different places in Japan while you listen. The videos have subtitles, so if you miss something, just turn them on and keep watching.
Intermediate+
Podcast
Members-only videos from the Speak Japanese Naturally Podcast, made for intermediate and advanced learners. Natural conversations at natural speed, with Japanese subtitles. Beginners are welcome to try too, because you can learn a lot about Japanese culture from them.
Every Week
New Videos
New members-only videos are added every week, at least 2 videos per week. So there's always something new to listen to.
Tip
Keep Listening
You don’t have to understand every word when you listen to Japanese. Even if you don’t understand everything, keep listening! The more you listen, the more familiar you’ll become with the sounds and rhythm of Japanese.
Online Programs / Upgrade Speaking
Fluent Talks
Knowing grammar and vocabulary isn’t enough to speak natural Japanese.
In Fluent Talks, we’ll practice Japanese through everyday situations, such as introducing yourself, ordering food at a restaurant, and visiting a hospital.
One important part of this program is learning natural Japanese expressions.
Some expressions that are common in English aren’t usually used in Japanese. For example, you might ask a friend, “How was your morning?” in English, but this isn’t something we usually say in Japanese.
Learning these differences will help you speak more natural Japanese.
We’ll also practice Japanese rhythm, pitch accent, and intonation in real conversations, using what you’ve learned in Mastering Phonetics.
You’ll learn useful vocabulary and practice talking about yourself, so you’ll be ready to use Japanese in real life.
Challenge Feedback
You can watch my feedback videos from past Pronunciation Challenges and learn from other learners’ pronunciation mistakes.
In these videos, I explain important points about Japanese rhythm, pitch accent, and intonation.
Even if you don’t participate in the challenges, you can learn a lot by watching the feedback videos and practicing along with them.
Plus members can also join the monthly Pronunciation Challenge and receive personalized feedback from me!
Monthly Pronunciation Challenge / Plus Members
Step 1
Choose a Level
Every month, I’ll post a new challenge in the Pronunciation Challenge Group.
Each challenge has a theme with sentences for three levels: Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced. There’s also an Open Topic Challenge, where you can talk about anything you like!
Choose the level you’d like to try!
Step 2
Practice
Practice with the guide audio and a PDF showing pitch accent and intonation. Each level has key points, such as small つ, long vowels, and pitch accent.
Example (Beginner, "Autumn Leaves"): さむくなってきました。やまのこうようがきれいです。
Step 3
Record & Upload
Record yourself reading the sentences, and upload your recording to the Group as a reply to the announcement post.
Step 4
Get Feedback
I listen to every recording and give you personalized feedback in a video. It's a fun way to practice regularly, and to hear your own progress month by month. I'm looking forward to hearing your voice!
Pricing
Thank you for your interest in my online programs!
If you'd like to study at your own pace, Core is a good place to start.
If you'd like personal feedback on your pronunciation, Plus is the best choice.
Let's keep learning together!
Choose your pricing plan
Core
19$Every monthPerfect if you want to study at your own pace and focus on listening and pronunciation through all three online programs.- Access all videos
- Watch YouTube membership-only videos here
- Without personal feedback or the pronunciation challenge
Plus ⭐Most popular
49$Every monthPerfect for learners who want to join the Pronunciation Challenge and improve their pronunciation with personal feedback.- Access all videos
- Watch YouTube membership-only videos here
- Ask questions in the Group
- Join the monthly Pronunciation Challenge
- Get personal pronunciation feedback
- Book private lessons with me (additional fee)
Plus Annual
490$Every yearPerfect for learners who want to improve their pronunciation step by step throughout the year and save 2 months.- ⭐ Save two months!
- Access all course videos and materials
- Watch YouTube membership-only videos here
- Ask questions in the Group
- Join the monthly Pronunciation Challenge
- Get personal pronunciation feedback from Fumi
- Book private lessons with me (additional fee)
Plus Lifetime
980$Pay once. Learn for a lifetime.- ⭐ One-time payment. Lifetime access!
- Access all videos
- Watch YouTube membership-only videos here
- Ask questions in the Group
- Join the monthly Pronunciation Challenge
- Get personal pronunciation feedback from Fumi
- Book private lessons with me (additional fee)
- Access lasts as long as these programs are offered.
Subscribe To Our Emails
Join our email list and get access to specials deals exclusive to our subscribers.