Not too long ago, I stumbled across a game that instantly got my attention: Shashingo. Just imagine a chill photo walk through Tokyo where every picture you snap teaches you a new Japanese word. Needless to say, being the geeky language-learning, fun-loving, anime addicted, let’s gamify everything-girl that I am, I couldn’t resist. And let me tell you: Shashingo might just be the language-learning side quest I didn’t know I needed.
Shashingo: Learning Japanese, the Gamified Way
If you’ve been around my streams or socials, you know I love gamification. I’ll try just about anything if it turns learning (or life in general) into a game. Let’s be real: Shashingo won’t make me fluent in Japanese, but if something makes it a lot more fun and a little less intimidating? That’s a win! And Shashingo is the perfect blend of photography fun, learning Japanese and gamification. The game lets you wander through some kawaii Tokyo streets and learn by exploring life through a lens. You can take pictures of cats and pretty much anything in your surroundings by simply snapping a picture to unlock some added vocabulary. You’ll also find some quiz options and a little text book with more tips & tricks to help you learn Japanese.
The End Game
I’m not aiming for JLPT N1 (at least, not yet!). For me it’s all fun and games (pun intended) and small victories in unexpected moments, like catching a word in an anime without needing subtitles. I’m learning Japanese because I love it. Yes, it’s a challenge – but it’s also something that’s a lot of fun! That JLPT N1 might actually happen, but I don’t it need (or want) it to be a brutal grind. I want it to be fun. And Shashingo could be a very fun addition to my trusty Genki textbooks, online courses, easy-to-use apps, and my cute stack of books from DokiDokiComics!
To be continued!