JAPAN LANGUAGE FACTORY LTD - London

Maham S.

I highly recommend JLF, particularly if you live in Japan and need to use Japanese in your daily life. The course is unique and good value for money, with 30 sessions tailored to improving speaking specific to your circumstances/needs. One to one sessions are supported by speaking opportunities in group sessions which are helpful and offer encouraging practice in a supportive environment. Coaches are excellent, motivating and supportive. 5 stars

Alexander B.

I highly recommend JFL! It is a fantastic program. You get a 1-on-1 coach who creates a learning plan specific to you. Everything is conversational and practical.

My coach, Shinobu-san, is the best! Every session is fun, I learn a lot about Japanese culture, and she's helping me plan my first trip to Japan.

The JFL method really works. After my first session I was able to introduce myself, by the 5th session I was able to hold a basic 5-minute conversation in Japanese!

Tiana G.

I had the best experience learning from Chihiro-San! She was an amazing teacher to learn from! I really recommend Japan Language Factory for anyone who is interested in learning the Japanese language and culture. I started off learning by myself, but JLF really helped me grow and learn a more natural way to speak Japanese in only two months before my trip to Japan! I feel so much more confidence in my speaking skills now because of JLF and Chihiro-San.

Maricel

I highly recommend JLF! It took my Japanese learning experience to a whole new level. I have been putting in a lot of hours studying Grammar and writing, but conversationally, no one would ever guess that I have already passed N5 and am getting ready to take N4. I would not have achieved confidence in my conversational skills if it weren’t for JLF. I overcame my fear of speaking Japanese, and living in Japan has become more enjoyable.

Curtis C.

I stumbled upon JLF online, and as someone who has been studying Japanese for many years and even did an exchange in high school, I decided to reach out. My girlfriend was also very interested in picking up her Japanese studies again, so I asked if we'd be able to do the lessons together. Terumi was very accommodating to the request and allowed us to take the classes together while still charging as if it were for one person since we’d be taking the video calls together.

I can't stress enough how amazing this program is—if you are willing to put in the work and commit. My reading and writing comprehension was always pretty good, but I was so lacking in confidence in speaking situations. This program has drastically elevated my speaking and listening comprehension, and our instructor, Chihiro, now feels like a friend we video chat with each week.

There are so many resources that come with this course, and Terumi is constantly creating new content. She actually just launched the student portal website for JLF a few weeks ago, and there is so much content for continued learning. As with learning any language, you’ll only get out of it what you put in, and this program is geared toward people who are serious about becoming fluent in the language and culture. That’s what I love about it! 🙂

Alex H.

Quick context. I moved to Japan 6 months ago with no knowledge of any Japanese. I wouldn’t say I’m now fluent by any means but I do have confidence in what I’ve learned so far. I am rating 5 stars because I had a great experience with my teacher Shono and what it has allowed me to do so far has opened a new door to what I get to experience here vice someone who knows none of the language. This will be a long review as I’d like to provide some information for others who are interested in the course.

What this is: it’s a one on one instruction with a native Japanese speaker who specifically targets your learning to what you want to use and how to use it effectively. Japanese is a context based language so you learn based on the context of the conversations you want to have whether it’s going to a restaurant, navigating a Tokyo train station, talking about your friends and family or (in my case) talk to all the people I run into who see me with my dog and want to pet him and ask questions. The instructor will learn what you want to talk about and practice a conversation with you similar to how it would be in a real life situation.

The purpose is to learn how to verbally communicate and that’s exactly what the course does.

Some caveats:
- The speed at which you learn and how much you learn in the 30 one hour sessions you pay for is pretty dependent on you, how much you practice, and the pace at which your brain can handle learning a very difficult language.
- You need to have a realistic attainable goal to find success in this course. Your instructor will help you build those goals and they may change as you go but you want to start with a purpose that will maintain direction of the conversations and contexts in which you want to be able to speak.
- you have to practice! No amount of money can make you learn a new language. The course is a catalyst to your learning. Good news is the practice is easy. You just listen and repeat the phrases over and over again until it feels natural to say.
- final caveat. It is expensive but, like most things in life, you get what you pay for and you get out of it what you put into it. I read previous reviews about not knowing how much it costs until you sign up but it is made very clear during the consultation. They will offer a promotion to sign up at the end of the consultation and offer a discount to sign up that day (saves a good bit of money). Don’t complain, this is a common sales technique and I would do the exact same if I ran the business.

My experience: the course says two months but like I mentioned above it’s at your pace. It’s 30 sessions so if you choose to do it once a week it’s going to take a lot longer. Also life and holidays can get in the way but there was zero pressure to get the course done within a two month time frame. I started at the end of August and finished in early January (w/almost a month long break for the holidays).

When I first got to Japan most of my interactions came when I was walking my dog so we focused on that context talking to neighbors and within a few sessions I knew enough to introduce myself and some basic questions. I quickly made a few Japanese friends. After that I was planning a trip to Tokyo so we learned how to ask for help at the train station, going to restaurants, small talk in a taxi and bar conversation. It made my trip to Tokyo something I will never forget! The amazing experiences I had with local Japanese people would have never occurred had I not taken this course. Duo lingo never would have got me there! Finally we finished with conversations about travel, asking for local recommendations based on likes and dislikes. Over time with learning enough phrases I was able to understand grammar and verb conjugations and speak phrases that I didn’t learn from the instructor. Most importantly it gave me the tools to know how to learn to speak the language so now moving forward I am confident I can continue to learn from the baseline Shono taught me!

I hope this helps. Please comment if you have questions about my experience.

Abbie H.

I started with JLF back in January 2024, after living in Japan for almost 5 years and still not being able to have basic conversations. The JLF program really focuses on speaking output and real life conversations. My coach really helped me with daily life conversations and vocabulary, and new life events life like job interviews, going to the doctor and moving within Japan. I was able to move to a new city and find a new job with the help of my coach and the JLF program. The online weekly group sessions are also extremely helpful to learn from other students. There are people from all over the world, from beginner to advanced that support you. We speak together and learn that making mistakes is actually the most helpful for growth and becoming fluent. I highly recommend JLF!

Erin M.

Although I began my Japanese learning journey in Japan 17 years ago, it's been inconsistent. I decided to choose Japan Language Factory this past September, and it has been one of the most rewarding decisions I've ever made. Their unique approach to teaching—prioritizing action and real-world application with native speakers—has truly transformed the way I learn. Rather than just memorizing vocabulary or grammar, I’ve been able to dive right into speaking, listening, and engaging with other language learners in ways that feel practical and empowering.

A huge shoutout to my incredible teacher, Shono Sensei, who has been instrumental in improving my listening and speaking skills. Shono Sensei’s patience, expertise, and encouragement have made the process enjoyable and effective. I also want to express my heartfelt thanks to Terumi Sensei, whose guidance has been invaluable throughout this journey. She's the best!!!

As a Voice Actor with a dream of returning to Japan to live there, learning Japanese has become deeply personal and essential to me. The skills I’ve developed through Japan Language Factory have already enriched my craft by allowing me to connect more authentically with the culture and language I love.

I wholeheartedly recommend Japan Language Factory to anyone serious about learning Japanese. Their system works, their teachers care, and the results are undeniable. If you're ready to take action and truly immerse yourself in learning, this is the place to start. Thank you, Japan Language Factory, for helping me grow closer to achieving my dreams!