Staff Picks! Turn Drama Time into Nihongo Time
Watching dramas and movies definitely helps with learning a language. It’s a great way to learn real, natural Japanese.
Today, three members of the Nihongo Picnic team — Ako, Chiharu, and Momo — are sharing their favorite Japanese movies and dramas, with a few notes on the kind of Japanese you can learn from each one.
Ako Recommends
カルテット
Quartet
More info on IMDb
A 10 episode series drama from 2017. Four musicians in their 30s end up living in a snowy mountains. It’s a heartwarming and sometimes emotional story with friendship, love, and little surprises.
▶️ Fast-paced but fun dialogues - great for listening practice!
八日目の蝉
よおかめのせみ Rebirth
More info on IMDb
A 2.5 hour movie based on a novel. A woman kidnaps the child of her ex-lover and runs away. A deep emotional story about family and parent-child bond. ion.
▶️ Hear a wide range of Japanese: dialects, kids’ speech, and generation styles.
Chiharu Recommends
センセイの鞄
せんせいのかばん Teacher's Bag
More info on IMDb
A quiet love story between a woman and her former teacher, who meet again after many years. Their gentle conversations are full of warmth and emotion.
▶️ Soft, natural Japanese that’s easy to follow.
ナースのお仕事
ナースのおしごと Nurse no oshigoto
More info on IMDb
A popular medical drama from 1996. Izumi, a clumsy new nurse, yet kind and sincere with patients guided by her serious senior, Shoko.
▶️ Learn useful expressions, even some medical terms, though energetic, lively conversations.
Momo Recommends
ブラッシュアップライフ
Rebooting
More info on IMDb
An ordinary woman gets the chance to start her life over, again and again. Funny, easy to follow, and full of relatable moments.
▶️ Great for learning casual expressions used by young people.
万引き家族
まんびきかぞく Shoplifters
More info on IMDb
A moving film about a family living on the edge of society in Tokyo. Conversations are slow and realistic, and many quiet scenes give you time to absorb the atmosphere.
▶️ Easy to understand and perfect for noticing everyday phrases and expressions.
Turn Watching into Speaking - with Nihongo Picnic
Have you seen any of these shows?
Do you have talk about them in Japanese?
In our 1-on-1 online lessons, you can:
Discuss your favorite scenes and characters
Learn real phrases and expressions from the shows you love
Practice your opinions and reactions - in Japanese
If there’s a film you’d love to talk about, let us know! We’d be happy to explore it with you, in Japanese, at your pace.
🎁 Book your level assessment now and get a free personalized lesson plan!
Let’s use what you already love to make your Japanese even better.