Japanuary: Can You Really Learn Japanese in 10 Days?
On January 13th 2025, three determined members of the SSi team, Aran, Tom and Kai, embarked on a bold and ambitious challenge, to learn Japanese in just 10 days.
What started as a seemingly impossible task turned into one of the most intense and rewarding language-learning experiences they’d ever faced.
Their journey began in a cottage nestled in the foothills of Eryri, Wales. While this might sound like the perfect location for a peaceful retreat, it was anything but a holiday for the team! They committed themselves to an immersive and rigorous learning schedule, aiming to reach a level where they could hold meaningful conversations with each other and even native speakers by the end of the challenge.
To achieve this ambitious goal, Arm, Tom and Kai have been using the newly developed SaySomethingin App, a cutting-edge tool which is designed to make language learning more accessible, immersive and fast-paced. Over the 10 days, they pushed the boundaries of what’s possible, testing not only their capacity to absorb new information but also their resilience and determination.
The Struggles and Triumphs Along the Way
By day 3, the team was already experiencing the intensity of the challenge Aran shared his feelings on our forum:
“I’m feeling pretty tired and intimidated going into day 3 – Tom and Kai are both quite a bit ahead of me, I spent a chunk of yesterday trying to get my app reset to the beginning, and I’m running on the trial webapp for now, to get the extra repetitions.
But even as the back marker of the team, I’m getting some of the early signs of progress that Kai is talking about – I feel swamped with words that I can’t quite remember, but I’m starting to be able to do some small amounts of independent production.
I’m also starting to understand the scale of the ten-day challenge – all I want to do today is sleep!”
Despite the challenges, the team’s perseverance paid off. Kai remained optimistic and documented their impressive progress:
“Massive update today—we just had a 45-minute chat, 100% in Japanese. As in, real communication, where we said many things, understood what others said, and could respond with more than just ‘hai’.”
Moments like these fueled their motivation and proved that the intensive approach was yielding tangible results.
Putting Their Skills to the Test
Day 10 of their journey took place in a Japanese restaurant in Chester, where the team put their newfound skills to the test. They were able to engage in meaningful conversations not only with each other but also with the restaurant staff. What had seemed like an overwhelming challenge just days earlier now felt like a major triumph.
Why Learn Japanese?
So, why did the SSi team undertake this whirlwind language journey? Along with testing and showcasing the capabilities of the new SSi App, 2025 is the year of a larger initiative, in Wales and Japan.
This campaign, which is the fifth in a series which is led by the Welsh Government, seeks to strengthen the cultural and economic ties between the two countries.
As part of this initiative, a £150,000 Arts Fund, managed by Wales Arts International and British Council Wales, will be launched to foster artistic collaborations between the two nations. The fund aims to inspire new creative projects, engage diverse audiences and deepen existing partnerships. Learning Japanese, as the SSi team demonstrated, is an important step in building these bridges and opening up opportunities for deeper connections.
What’s Next?
The overwhelming success of this challenge highlights not only the potential of the SSi App but also the rewards of diving headfirst into a new language. Aran, Tom, and Kai have shown that with focus, determination, and the right tools, it is possible to make astonishing progress in just 10 days.
We couldn’t be prouder of their achievement, and we can’t wait to see how their Japanese journey continues to unfold.
If you’re curious to learn more about their journey, check out our forum for their reflections, updates and tips. Who knows? Maybe you’ll feel inspired to start your very own Japanuary adventure!
A massive congratulations to Aran, Tom and Kai on their incredible accomplishment. Here’s to many more language learning milestones ahead!
The SaySomethingin App is available from the Apple App and Google Play stores.