Review of “Sashingo: Learn Japanese Through Photography”

“Sashingo: Learn Japanese With Photography” is a game with a straightforward premise that likely comes across well from its title. Picture yourself in a scaled-down version of Shibuya, Tokyo, armed solely with a little polaroid camera. You’re free to wander wherever curiosity and whimsy take you, capturing photos as you go. Each snapshot focuses on a single object in the frame, neatly introducing you to the corresponding Japanese words along with the accompanying Hiragana or Katakana characters. Though the game doesn’t set explicit goals, it nudges you to discover and collect a myriad of new vocabulary by snapping pictures across the map.

The open-ended nature of Sashingo is a breath of fresh air and serves as an inventive way to introduce players to basic Japanese language learning. For those seeking a challenge, there’s an option to take a small test where the game presents a word, and you’re tasked with finding the relevant object out in the world. This blend of exploration invites a sense of spontaneity into language acquisition, which is where the game truly shines. Words are pronounced clearly, and the game comes with a detailed manual that offers practical phrases for everyday communication in Japanese. In my experience, it’s more engaging than traditional platforms like Duolingo. While Duolingo is a solid tool for learning, it sometimes lacks the element of fun, which Sashingo delivers. There’s no sense of being graded, and players can approach their vocabulary expansion in a way that feels far more personalized and enjoyable.

Even though I’ve visited Japan numerous times and possess a deep affection for the country, the language always poses a daunting barrier. I’ve dabbled with Duolingo, and my partner has attended numerous Japanese courses, yet truly advancing in a language typically demands regular practice and actively speaking it. While Sashingo employs solid educational techniques to teach vocabulary, it feels somewhat limited as an entry point for beginners in Japanese. It touches on certain crucial language basics but lacks in-depth interaction to fully convey how Japanese is used in everyday settings. Although the manual provides more context on these situations, primarily through text and audio phrases, it struggles to effectively embed this learning due to the game itself not reinforcing these aspects.

Interestingly, my partner, who has a very basic grasp of Japanese from her courses, enjoyed watching the game and aiding spellings and translations. She instantly recognized words like bottles, bicycles, and cars, but was intrigued by terms rarely covered in class, such as “construction site,” “garbage bin,” and “cardboard box.” Herein lies Sashingo’s particular brilliance: it complements a learner’s journey by broadening vocabulary with fun, interactive exercises. However, as a game, especially for photography enthusiasts, it lacks depth. While you can play with various filters upon passing a test, it doesn’t offer much in terms of nurturing your photographic creativity. With limited options like zooming and focusing, but no ability to tilt the camera or take selfies, the game feels more academic than artistic, which may disappoint photography fans like myself.

In essence, “Sashingo: Learn Japanese with Photography” can serve as a valuable supplementary aide for those already on their journey to learning Japanese. Its charming art style and the miniature Shibuya locale make for delightful exploration, packed with opportunities to learn new words. However, it may not stand strong as a standalone method for mastering the language or even as a pure photography game. Even so, if you’re on a flight to Japan, Sashingo offers an engaging way to learn some handy expressions and words you can try out once you land.