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Expert 1-on-1 Japanese lessons for N5 through N1. Kanji mastery, grammar precision, and listening drills — all calibrated to your exact JLPT target level.
The JLPT has five levels, N5 (easiest) to N1 (hardest). Each has distinct vocabulary, kanji, and grammar requirements.
Vocabulary: ~800–1,500 words
Kanji: ~100–300 kanji
N5 is the entry point — basic greetings, numbers, and simple sentences. N4 adds daily-life situations and essential grammar. Both are achievable in 6–12 months of consistent study.
Vocabulary: ~3,750 words
Kanji: ~650 kanji
The pivotal mid-level. N3 separates casual learners from committed students. You'll handle everyday conversations, read simple news articles, and understand most TV dramas with subtitles.
Vocabulary: ~6,000–10,000+ words
Kanji: ~1,000–2,000 kanji
N2 is required by most Japanese universities and many employers. N1 is the highest level — proof of near-native fluency. Both demand systematic grammar drilling and extensive reading.
Every level has distinct vocabulary counts, kanji targets, required study hours, and historical pass rates.
| Level | Vocabulary | Kanji | Study Hours | Pass Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| N5 | ~800 | 100 | 150–300h | ~50% |
| N4 | ~1,500 | 300 | 300–600h | ~45% |
| N3 | ~3,750 | 650 | 600–900h | ~35% |
| N2 | ~6,000 | 1,000 | 900–1,800h | ~30% |
| N1 | ~10,000 | 2,000 | 1,800h+ | ~25% |
The JLPT has three sections — and critically, no speaking or writing components. Understanding this shapes your entire study strategy.
Tests knowledge of words, expressions, and grammatical patterns. Scores 0–60 points per section. Vocabulary grows dramatically from N5 (800 words) to N1 (10,000+).
Passages range from short notices (N5) to long academic texts (N1). Tests comprehension, inference, and identifying the author's intent.
Audio clips at native speed. Tests immediate response, key-point comprehension, and — at N2/N1 — understanding of implied meaning from conversational cues.
The JLPT is entirely multiple-choice. There are no speaking interviews or written essays — which makes grammar precision and listening speed the deciding factors.
How long each level realistically takes with consistent effort and weekly teacher sessions.
1–2 hours/day. Hiragana, katakana, 100 kanji, basic grammar. Most students start here.
Expand to 300 kanji, daily-life grammar patterns, and listening to slow conversational Japanese.
The biggest leap. 650 kanji, compound sentences, reading newspaper headlines. Weekly teacher sessions are essential here.
1,000 kanji, formal register, academic reading. Required by most Japanese universities and many employers.
Near-native mastery. 2,000 kanji, complex grammar, and fast-paced listening. A teacher's real-time correction is the fastest path.
The JLPT is the global standard for Japanese proficiency. Other tests exist, but none match its international recognition for career, education, and immigration.
JLPT is recognized in 85+ countries and administered by the Japan Foundation. Unlike private certifications, it carries universal weight with Japanese employers, universities, and immigration authorities worldwide.
JLPT N2 or N1 is listed as a requirement or strong preference in thousands of Japanese job postings — from tech companies to finance firms and global manufacturers.
Japanese universities require JLPT N2 minimum for international students. Top programs at Tokyo, Waseda, and Keio explicitly list N1 as a plus.
A JLPT certificate strengthens applications for highly-skilled professional visas in Japan and can support points-based immigration systems. Other Japanese certifications like Kanken or J-Test are not accepted for immigration purposes.
Generic content doesn't pass the JLPT. Expert teachers build everything around your specific target level and exam date.
Every new student gets a diagnostic session. Your teacher maps your actual grammar, vocabulary, and listening gaps against the JLPT rubric — not a generic level estimate.
Lessons are built around official JLPT grammar lists and vocabulary frequencies. No wasted time on out-of-scope content.
Rote memorization fails above N4. Your teacher introduces kanji through sentences you'll actually encounter in JLPT reading passages.
JLPT listening is notoriously fast. Weekly timed drills with real-time correction build the processing speed needed to follow native-speed Japanese.
Sofía V.
JLPT N2 — Passed
"I had failed N2 twice. My Unox teacher diagnosed exactly where I was losing points in the grammar section and built targeted exercises around those patterns. Third attempt: passed with 95 points to spare."
James K.
JLPT N4 → N2 in 14 months
"The kanji sessions were unlike anything I found online. My teacher connected every new character to something I already knew, and the JLPT reading sections went from terrifying to manageable within three months."
Expert Japanese teachers ready to map your path from N5 to N1.
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