Accent Clinic: Say Goodbye to the "Gaijin Accent"
Week 1: Everything You Need to Know About the Japanese Accent and Why It Matters
📅 Saturday, October 3, 13:00–14:30
📍 Shinjuku area（exact venue TBA）
💰 Drop-in: ¥3,000 per session (pay via Meetup: PayPal/credit card)
💰 Monthly Pass: ¥10,000 (¥2500/ session)
... (pay ¥3,000 via Meetup plus ¥7,000 via PayPal or cash at the venue)
🗣️ Lecture in English (Japanese examples included)
We'll cover:
- Uniqueness (mora & isochrony): What makes the Japanese accent different from English stress accent and Chinese tone
- Accent kernel: The core concept of the Japanese accent system
- The 4 accent types: How to hear and pronounce the differences
- Hands-on practice with real examples
- How to use an accent dictionary, your lifelong self-study tool
🎯 Level & Prerequisites
- N5 or higher
- You should be able to read, write, and pronounce hiragana fluently.
📌 About This Series
Have you ever felt like people understand you, but not completely? Maybe they smile and nod, but still ask you to repeat yourself more than you expected. Your accent could be the reason.
Unlike Chinese, Japanese has only a few word pairs that differ because of accent. This often makes learners think accent training is not important, but that is a risky mistake. Poor accent habits make conversations harder for both you and the person listening, so talking becomes more tiring than it should be.
This four-part workshop series covers what most language schools leave out: Japanese pitch accent (高低アクセント). We will start with the basics and build up step by step. Whether you're a beginner who wants to correct your pronunciation early on or an advanced learner working to overcome a strong "foreign accent," this course is for you.
Learn the secrets that most learners, and even many advanced speakers, never discover. Unlock a more authentic, natural way to speak Japanese.
(All sessions are conducted in English, with plenty of Japanese examples.)
📅 Full Series Schedule
- Oct 3 (Sat) 13:00–14:30 🔵 All You Need to Know About Japanese Accent and Why It Matters (You are here)
- Oct 10 (Sat) 13:00–14:30 How Accent Distinguishes Words: Differentiating Homonyms
- Oct 17 (Sat) 13:00–14:30 Accent Changes in Compound Words
- Oct 24 (Sat) 13:00–14:30 Total Review & Training: Step Up to the Next Level
❓ FAQ / Notes
- Missed the previous sessions? Join from any session. The first 30 minutes of every session include a thorough review of what we've learned up to the last session. Drop-in pricing (¥3,000) applies.
- Location (Shinjuku area) will be announced at least one week before each session.
- Questions? Feel free to message the organizer.
