Your Journey Begins at Anjin Level 🚢 The word Anjin (按針) means pilot or navigator in Japanese. It’s also what the Japanese called John Blackthorne in Shōgun — the English sailor who washed up on an unknown shore and began a completely new life. That’s exactly what this level represents for you: you’ve just arrived in a new land — the land of our community. Everything is fresh and unfamiliar, but you’re ready to explore and learn. Inside our Skool, your rank is based on your engagement — posting, commenting, joining calls, completing challenges — not on your test scores. But the actions that earn you higher ranks are the same actions that make you a stronger Japanese learner. In other words: by climbing the ladder, you’ll probably notice your Japanese skills growing, too. Here’s the path ahead: Anjin (Pilot/Navigator) – Your landing point. You’re exploring the community, mastering the basics of our system and beginning your Japanese journey. Samurai (Warrior) – Regular participation. You’re attending calls, sharing practice, helping others. At this stage you’re starting to use Japanese more confidently. Hatamoto (Flag-Bearer) – A trusted voice in the community. You support new members, contribute insights and can handle basic Japanese exchanges with ease. Daimyō (Feudal Lord) – A regional leader. You’re deeply engaged in discussions, events and study groups, and your Japanese reading and conversation skills reflect your effort. Taikō (Regent) – Highly active and supportive; you’re reading and speaking widely, modelling best practice for others. Shōgun (Supreme Commander) – Community mastery. You lead by example, guide new members and your Japanese is approaching real fluency. Beyond (Mecha Shōgun/Seiyajin) – Elite stages for those at the highest level of engagement and skill; special access to immersion trips and advanced study. Each step is a milestone in your engagement journey inside our Skool. As you progress, you’ll not only unlock community perks but also set yourself up for bigger wins in your Japanese learning.

Introduce yourself and share a pic of something Japanese you own or something Japanese that you're interested in! Feel free to explain why you want to learn Japanese or what you like about Japan. Also, feel free to post any Japanese language questions you have. I'd be glad to answer them! As for me, I love learning Judo. Have you ever tried it? And I love Japanese literature, such as Kokoro by Natsume Soseki. Have you read any Japanese novels? I also really enjoyed Cowboy Bebop when it came out! Not the live action Netflix version!