Why an English-Based “Indirect Method” Is the Fastest Route for Executives

For many busy professionals in The Hague and across Europe, the journey to learning Japanese begins with a fundamental choice:

Should I learn through the Direct Method (Japanese-only), or the Indirect Method (using a bridge language such as English)?

While full immersion has its merits for full-time students, for executives with demanding schedules, the Indirect Method is not merely a preference—it is a strategic advantage. Here is why learning Japanese through English is the most efficient path to professional proficiency.

Leveraging Your Existing Intellectual Framework

As an executive, you already operate with a refined understanding of logic, business structures, and professional nuance.The Indirect Method allows new Japanese concepts to be mapped directly onto this existing cognitive framework.

Rather than spending weeks inferring grammatical rules through exposure alone, key structures can be explained clearly in English—often in under a minute. This frees your time to focus on application and strategy, rather than deciphering linguistic patterns.

Precise Access to Japan’s “Unwritten Rules”

Japanese is a high-context language, where what remains unsaid often carries as much weight as what is spoken.

Through English-based instruction, cultural and social nuances can be explained explicitly—something that is virtually impossible in a Japanese-only environment at the beginner stage.

Example: Why use desu instead of da?

• Immersion approach: You listen repeatedly until you gradually “sense” the difference.

• Indirect Method: We explain hierarchy, social distance, and the logic of respect (keigo) in clear English. You understand the why immediately.
  

Immediate Practical Value in Business Settings

Executives cannot afford to wait six months before using Japanese in real situations. By using English as a bridge, we introduce business-critical phrases, etiquette, and decision-making logic from day one.

Concepts such as nemawashi (prior consultation) or the dynamics of Japanese contract negotiations can be discussed precisely in English—ensuring no strategic detail is lost—while your Japanese vocabulary develops in parallel.

Optimizing Cognitive Efficiency

The Indirect Method significantly reduces cognitive load.

In Japanese-only instruction, a large portion of mental energy is consumed simply by decoding explanations.

When instruction is delivered in English, cognitive resources can be fully dedicated to absorbing and retaining new Japanese material. This efficiency enables students at Sakura Japanese Workshop to progress from Hiragana to N5-level business communication at an accelerated pace.

Our Approach: A Global Perspective

At Sakura Japanese Workshop, all five instructors are fluent in English, with extensive international experience. We do not merely translate language—we translate business culture.

• Tomoko and Cerica bridge Western directness with Japanese formality.

• Reiko and Yayoi break down complex syntax into clear, logical, and accessible explanations.

• Kenya decodes the structural differences between European and Japanese corporate mindsets.

Conclusion: Work Smarter, Not Harder

In business, we value tools that deliver maximum output with minimal wasted effort.The Indirect Method is precisely that tool for language learning.

It respects your time, leverages your intelligence, and brings you into the Japanese boardroom faster—and with confidence.