Update a year later: I passed with an 84% score. 
Also, please see my recommended books for studying Japanese and the JLPT, and thanks for the comments!
After having spent last year mostly away from language studies, doing web technology stuff and other programming projects, this year I find myself spending much of my spare time on improving my Japanese. My goal is to pass the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) level 1 – the highest level – this year. And not only pass it, but pass it with a good margin, or I’m not satisfied.
Two years ago, in 2006, I decided early during the year to take JLPT level 2. I didn’t think I’d pass and neither did my Japanese teacher, but study I did and pass it I did with a score of 81% (60% is necessary to pass). This year I am aiming for over 80% again, preferably closer to 90% (for level 1, 70% is necessary to pass).
But this time I’m using different methods than I did in 2006 to pass JLPT level 2. Back then, I spent time studying kanji, memorizing grammatical patterns, and doing reading exercises from a course book featuring the same kind of texts and questions that appear on the actual test, and also a similar course book for listening. I used the UNICOM books targeting JLPT2, and found the reading and listening books very good, albeit short. I also bought the grammar and vocabulary books, but they were not good. For grammar and vocabulary, I found two books called 日本語総まとめ問題集 grammar (文法編) and vocabulary (語彙編) that were very good. Pictures and fun all over.
For reference, my strong point then was writing/vocabulary, and the weak point was listening. People say if you live in Japan, listening is easy because you hear Japanese all day, but it wasn’t for me. After the test I bought a TV, mostly to improve my listening.
This year I’ve also got the Unicom books, and the Kanzen master grammar and kanji/vocabulary books. As before, I think the Unicom reading book is great, but still short. I haven’t tried the listening book yet. As I wrote I was using different methods. Except for the reading comprehension, but that doesn’t take you very far since the book is so short. The theme for learning Japanese this year is having fun doing it.
I’m not studying kanji this year. One reason is that kanji is no longer a problem (relatively, of course). The other is that I think I will pick up enough kanji from increased reading. Also if you get dwelling on all the peculiarities of kanji, you risk spending too much time on that. At least I do, since I find the peculiarities interesting.
Grammar: I’m no longer memorizing patterns and functions, I’m copying all the example sentences from the Kanzen master book to flash cards and drilling them. Writing the flash cards is tedious, but drilling them is not (particularly). I’m writing on average about 4 example sentences for around 200 grammatical patterns. I plan to finish next month… I go through some of these flash cards on average a few times every day.
My thinking is that instead of, like I did on the JLPT 2 test, analyzing the grammatical structure of the sentence and remembering how the four alternative answers fit into that structure, this year my brain will do all pattern matching work for me. Like “this reminds me of that sentence, so that answer it is”. On top of that, it’s great for learnign vocabulary and expressions as well!
But that’s all old school – the core of this poodle consists of something entirely different! The first one is reading books. Real books, in Japanese. When you get to JLPT1 level that is very much possible. I was planning to start reading books this summer, hoping to have picked up enough grammar and vocabulary by then. But then my workmate told me he’s been reading the Harry Potter series in Japanese and recommended them for simple reading. So I borrowed the first book from him and started reading it – and now I’m hooked. Not hooked on Harry Potter, but on reading books in Japanese.
Harry Potter is really good, since it includes furigana for pretty much all kanji. One could argue this is not good for learning kanji, but I think it is. I don’t want to learn incorrect readings – I might think I know the reading when in fact I have just made it up myself, and anyway as I mentioned before I’m not focusing on kanji – I think that will come by itself. Harry Potter is also good because it’s a Western book. That makes it easier to read when even when you don’t have 100% comprehension – at least you don’t have to struggle with cultural understanding. The story isn’t very complicated either.
So that’s one thing: reading books in Japanese. Grammar, vocabulary, expressions, and reading speed all at once, and it’s fun. The other revolutionary idea came from the same coworker. He had an old, analog radio on his desk at work for a while. I work in a high tech software company targeting the next, successor of the next, successor of the successor of the next, and successor of the successor of the successor of the next series Japanese mobile phones. Having an analog radio on your desk is weird. Initially I just thought it eccentric. But then it hit me: how much time I’ve spent looking for good Japanese podcasts, online radio, and just about any piece of spoken Japanese on the web. A cheap-ass analog radio is actually all that you need! Free (if you avoid paying the NHK fee), simple access to spoken Japanese blurted out like there’s no tomorrow, any time of the day, on any subject you can think of.
So I got myself a small portable radio for 2,000 yen at the local electronics store in the alley. It’s great! I can get on average around 2 hours of listening every work day. At work! It makes both learning Japanese and working fun. I think the radio is what will make the difference between a good score and a great score on the JLPT in December. For anyone in Japan who’s above JLPT2 level I’d really recommend it. This year the listening section will be a breeze.
If only one could get some licensing agreement set up to broadcast all Japanese radio on the web for all the people struggling to pass the Japanese Language Proficiency Test who are not in Japan, that would be great. But probably unfeasible.
Came upon your blog by searching for "JLPT Level 1" on Google. I will also be going for level 1 this December and just figured I'd share a resource with you if you haven't yet seen it: Anki. It's an incredible program that has helped me tremendously in my Japanese studies. Check it out: http://ichi2.net/anki/
Good luck this December!
Hi Davy, thanks for your comment!
I hadn't seen that program before. I'll definitely check it out. The features look good, but I'm concerned whether that can make up for the distraction of being close to the computer (i.e. Internet) while studying… Maybe that's not a problem for you though.
Are you aware of utterly painful it is to read your blog?? The white text set against that black background is dreadful, man. Do your readers a big favor and fix it, for god's sake. I don't even know you, but your site was so appallingly hard on the eyes that I felt it my duty as one human being to another to notify you of this. Fix it, or nobody will ever read your blog.
Hi anonymous,
I have quite clear statistics of how many people read my blog, and it's far from nobody. But I agree with you that white text on a black background is not as easy to read as black text on a white background.
However, my other pages and blogs are usually black on white, so I wanted this one to be different. I kinda like the impression it makes with the contrasting, intentionally excessively web 2.0 color scheme. Although I find the font a bit too small.
Anyway, I will take your opinion into account the next time I change the layout. Maybe you need a new monitor, or glasses, btw?
Just curious, what company are you working for? I am curently teaching in Japan, but when I can eventually get my head around the language I want to move into the IT industry over here.
Hi Chris,
I'm working for Picsel Technologies. Getting a programming job in Tokyo shouldn't be too hard if you've got the skills and qualifications, or are willing to work for an eikaiwa salary. You don't need to know Japanese. But I imagine you have more free time to learn Japanese as long as you're teaching…
i also came upon your blog by searching on google for jlpt level 1. being not in japan makes it much more difficult to find resources to study for level 1 but i'm going to try anyway. if you or anyone finds any free online resources for L1 please post! by the way the comments got to talking about jobs, and i was wondering if there are other jobs that one can find in Tokyo besides teaching and IT, and do you (guys) have any recommendations for an overseas person trying to look for jobs in Tokyo? thanks~
Hi v,
I guess you can order Japanese books from Amazon Japan? Right now my jlpt 1 studies consist mostly of reading ordinary books in Japanese and looking up the things I don't understand… both entertaining and good for learning.
I don't know much about jobs outside of IT, but if you have a jlpt 1 certificate then many doors should be open… if you know some exotic language as well, I suppose you can find a job doing translations. If you have some other education/qualification as well then that's better though of course… My recommendation would be that you make sure you pass jlpt 1 and then get yourself over here and go talk to a couple of recruiters (of which there are too many…) and go to interviews for a month or two until something good comes up…
So this year's JPLT1 test is gone. I took it at hitotsubashi university in tokyo area yesterday. I thought the listening test was a little harder than the previous year (I bought the test book with results to practice, but the reading/grammar which is worth 50% of the score semmed easier. I think I'll make it but it may just be that I don't know enough even to assess how I did. How did you guys do?
Hi radiophilejapan,
I just wrote about how the test went for me here. I took it at Tokyo Institute of Technology at Midorigaoka, Meguro-ku. Yes the listening might have been a little bit unusual, if not harder. As far as I can remember there was nothing about weekdays/time, like what day in the week someone will end up doing something or going somewhere, which is strange.
Hi henrik,
Thanks for posting your blog.
Came across your blog using JLPT Level 1.
I have just passed L2 last year and would like to push for L1 this year (before the format change).
I am also a software programmer, but am mostly using Java and C++ for Web and Multi-Function printers, respectively. Not that hard-core though.
I also checked your Japanese for Programmers, very nice.
Anyway, my post is mainly to request for your advice for a possible study plan.
My outlook is to start by June/July.
If you're willing to exchange email/skype ids, I'd appreciate it.
You can reach thru my profile or eastmaels -at-
yahoo -dot- com.
I am currently in Hyogo, Japan.
Thanks.
Hi athan, thanks very much for the comment, and congratulations on passing JLPT level 2. I think passing JLPT level 1 the following year should be possible even if you're working full time etc, with some determination and good study methods.
I'm going to post a bit more about what study methods I found effective here soon… But basically my number one recommendation (what worked for me, anyway) is to read books and listen to the radio frequently. It's not as boring in the long run as textbooks… And start now, not in June/July and you'll have much more leeway you know.
My email is "falck.nu" but with the "a" substituted by an "@", and I'm registered under that email address on skype as well. Please feel free to get in touch.
[...] Potter – as per suggestion by Henrik Falck, I bought this book. Being a children’s book, I hope the sentence patterns [...]
Hi Karl,
I’ve just discovered your (very interesting) blog, and just noticed a little something that surprise me at the beggining of this article :
The first picture reads : “konshu wa nani o suru tumori desu ka”
And you translate it by : “What are you planning to do on this weekend ?”
Now, my japanese is nowhere near the required level to pass JLPT N1, so I may be mistaken but… “weekend ?” Really ?
Julien
[...] across also this site and am now waiting for [...]
Hi my name is Johnny and i like your blog. It is very nice. The design is jus stunning.