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Welcome to the ultimate guide to passing the JLPT N1 Exam!
The thought of taking JLPT is stressful, but what about preparing for them? With so many things to learn, it’s easy for anyone to feel completely disorganized.
Want to take your JLPT preparation to the next level? We have in-person and online JLPT courses taught by our experienced Japanese instructors to help you ace your next JLPT exam!
- In-person: JLPT Prep Course.
- Online: JLPT Prep Course
In this blog, we will cover everything you need to know about the JLPT N1 Exam (test contents, length, scoring methods, etc.), how to register, how to prepare, what happens on test day, and some resources and lessons we offer at Coto Academy to help you through your studies.
Keep scrolling if you are considering or planning to take the JLPT N1 Exam!
Coto Academy is a Japanese language school located in Tokyo and Yokohama. With its small class sizes and flexible course schedule, we ensure the students find their community here in Japan and learn practical and useful daily-life Japanese by focusing on conversational practice.
Check out our guides for other JLPT levels as well:
- Ultimate Guide to Passing the JLPT N2 Exam
- Ultimate Guide to Passing the JLPT N3 Exam
- Ultimate Guide to Passing the JLPT N4 Exam
- Ultimate Guide to Passing the JLPT N5 Exam
Table of Contents
1. About the JLPT
What is the JLPT?
Before we get started – what exactly is the JLPT? JLPT stands for Japanese-Language Proficiency Test, also known as 日本語能力試験. As the name suggests, the exam measures and certifies the Japanese proficiency of non-native Japanese speakers and is used by universities and employees inside and outside Japan. It is normally carried out twice a year in Japan and available in certain other countries. JLPT Exams are often taken by Japanese learners who are planning a future in Japan!
What are the different levels of the JLPT?
The JLPT is divided into five levels: N1, N2, N3, N4, and N5. N1 is the most advanced level, and N5 is the most basic.
- The N4 and N5 test you on basic Japanese that you can often learn in a classroom environment
- The N3 acts as a bridge between N4/N5 and N2/N1
- The N2 and N1 test you on a wider spectrum of Japanese knowledge used in various situations in everyday life
Who should take the JLPT? What are the advantages of taking the N1?
If you are looking for a job or planning to pursue education in Japan, your JLPT scores will be useful. JLPT certifications can also be advantageous when immigrating to Japan, as those who have passed the N2 and N1 qualify for preferential treatment.
Additionally, passing the JLPT N1 Exam can be an ultimate goal for Japanese learners wanting to test their ability to understand Japanese used in various circumstances.
2. About the JLPT N1 Exam
What does the N1 Exam test on?
The JLPT N1 Exam is an exam for upper-intermediate/advanced-level speakers. The JLPT N1 tests your ability to understand Japanese in various circumstances. This includes having no difficulty in:
- Reading writings with logical complexity and/or abstract writings on various topics, such as newspaper editorials and critiques, and comprehending their structures and contents.
- Reading written materials with profound content on various topics, following their narratives, and comprehensively understanding the writers’ intent.
- Comprehending orally presented materials such as coherent conversations, news reports, and lectures, spoken at natural speed in a wide variety of settings, and following their ideas and comprehending their contents comprehensively
- Understanding the details of the presented materials, such as the relationships among the people involved, the logical structures, and the essential points
How many sections are on the N1 Exam?
To study for the JLPT N1 Exam efficiently, it is important to be aware of its structure. The exam consists of two main sections, each testing different aspects of the Japanese language.
| Section | Question types |
| 1. Language Knowledge(Vocabulary/Grammar) and Reading | – Kanji reading – Contextually-defined expressions – Paraphrases – Usage – Sentential grammar 1 (selecting grammar form) – Sentential grammar 2 (sentence composition) – Comprehension (short passages) – Comprehension (mid-size passages) – Comprehension (long passages) – Integrated comprehension – Thematic comprehension (long passages) – Information retrieval |
| 2. Listening | – Task-based comprehension – Comprehension of key points – Comprehension of general outline – Verbal expressions – Quick response – Integrated comprehension |
What is and is not covered in the JLPT N1 Exam?
For the above three sections, you must master approximately 10000 vocabulary words and 2000 kanji. Although this may sound like a lot, you should already know around 6000 words and 1000 kanji from N2-N5, so you are already halfway there! The vocabulary words and kanji covered in the N1 Exam include nouns and verbs from N2-5 and more complex terms necessary to comprehensively understand difficult written materials such as newspapers and critiques. This is similar to N2, but N1 differs because it will require you to understand Japanese abstractly. Therefore, topics related to art and literature might require focus.
Furthermore, you must be familiar with around 400 grammar points related to particle usage, formal and casual conjugations of verbs and adjectives for past and present tenses, and sentence combinations. Before taking the test, you should be comfortable reading and writing long passages.
Because the JLPT Exam does not test on speaking, Japanese learners who are not comfortable speaking in Japanese can theoretically still pass, as long as they have mastered the vocabulary, kanji, and grammar covered on the N1 Exam. (However, you must keep in mind that Japanese speaking and conversational abilities are still necessary for life if you are seriously considering a future in Japan!)
How long is the N1 Exam?
You are given different amounts of time for each of the two different test sections.
| Section | Time |
| Language Knowledge (Vocabulary/Grammar) and Reading | 110 minutes |
| Listening | 60 minutes |
| Total Time | 170 minutes |
You are given 170 minutes to complete the JLPT N1 Exam.
What is the scoring for the JLPT N1 like?
Although the N1 Exam contains two sections, the scoring is divided into three.
| Section | Range of Scores |
| Language Knowledge (Vocabulary/Grammar) | 0 – 60 |
| Reading | 0 – 60 |
| Listening | 0 – 60 |
| Overall Score | 0 – 180 |
In total, your overall score can range from anywhere between 0 to 180.
For the N1 Exam, a passing score is anything above an overall score of 100 points. However, besides meeting the overall score of 95 points, you must also meet sectional pass marks of 19 points in the Language Knowledge (Vocabulary/Grammar) Section, Reading Section, and Listening Section. This means that even if your overall score is above 100 points if you do not meet the sectional pass marks for all three of the sections, you cannot pass. Thus, balancing your knowledge and avoiding relying on one section for points is important.
For how long should I study to pass the N1?
Students with kanji knowledge take 2150 hours of JLPT study to pass. With this time, you can travel from the south prefecture Yamaguchi in Honshu to the north prefecture Aomori on foot.
For other students, it takes about 3900 hours. Traveling around the world by cruise would take about the same time.
For more information on necessary study hours for all levels of the JLPT, check out this blog article How Many Hours Does it Take to Pass the JLPT – Illustrated Guide.
3. How to Prepare
Mastering Kanji and Vocabulary
As previously mentioned, the JLPT N1 Exam covers around 2000 kanji (see the list of kanji by JLPT Sensei here) and 10000 vocabulary terms. (Of course, you do not have to know all of them to pass, but it’s impossible to predict which ones will be on the exam.)
By the time you are studying for the N1, you probably have already formed a solid study routine for Japanese kanji and vocabulary. Because the JLPT N1 tests you on many kanji and vocabulary, it is most efficient to memorize the kanji based on its usage rather than its meaning and pronunciation. It may also be useful to memorize parts of the kanji and the meanings of radicals. For a list of common kanji radicals. Visit this website.
The best way to master the kanji and vocabulary for N1 is to READ. Reading newspaper articles and magazines would be extremely effective in attaining the kanji and vocabulary you need, as most things featured on the JLPT N1 are at the same level as newspaper editorials and critiques. Reading news articles would help expand your vocabulary and improve your reading speed, comprehension skills, and ability to figure out meanings through context. You can easily access Japanese news articles on Yahoo, NHK, and Yomiuri Shinbun websites.
Mastering Grammar
To learn grammar points covered on the N1 Exam, you can check out our YouTube Channel, great for learning important N1 grammar points and improving your Japanese listening skills. We offer useful videos on phrases and grammar points commonly featured on the JLPT and include familiar examples to help you understand how they are often used in daily life. Here’s an example of our grammar videos:
If you are a person who learns better through videos and audio, check out our JLPT N1 Playlist where we have compiled all of the existing N1 grammar videos for you. Although we do not have as many videos as we do for other lower JLPT levels, we plan on expanding the playlist in the future!
Mastering Listening
The vocabulary used in the listening section is easier than in the reading section. However, we still recommend you get used to listening and simultaneously holding multiple Japanese sentences in your head. This skill is very important, as the JLPT exam does not let you hear the question until after you’ve heard the entire audio. To practice, watching Japanese films (without subtitles) and listening to podcasts is useful. Although watching the TV may also help, most things on television are strictly conversational. For the N1, focusing more on resources featuring educated discussions is recommended.
Recommended Textbooks
If you are looking for textbooks to help you through your studies toward an N1 certification, I recommend you check out the following:
- New Kanzen Master Grammar (新完全マスター文法)
- Nihongo Sou Matome (日本語総まとめ)
Both series prepare you for all the categories of study you will need, including Kanji, Vocabulary, Listening, Reading Comprehension, and Grammar.
Although self-studying is a great way to study at your own pace, textbooks, and worksheets may not perfectly prepare you for what’s to come on the JLPT Exam.
We recommend enrolling in offline or online courses at Coto to study for the N1.
4. Offline/Online Courses Offered at Coto
In addition to utilizing the resources mentioned above, we recommend you to check out Coto Academy‘s offline and online classes that are designed to fulfill your needs and help you through your studies with plentiful resources and interactive learning. (Offline classes are offered at our schools in Iidabashi (Tokyo) and Yokohama.)
Here is a list of lessons available at the JLPT N1 level. Click on your course of interest to learn more about the contents, price, and course schedule.
Coto Academy provides JLPT prep courses to help you ace your following JLPT exams; check the course information here and learn with us today!
Offline Courses (Tokyo/Yokohama)
- Private Lessons – matched to our students’ Japanese study experience and comprehension and need 1-1 with a professional teacher. Instead of in small groups, you will privately meet a professional instructor and receive a lesson plan strictly designed to fit your needs and studying habits. Perfect for those wanting flexible scheduling to proactively tackle their language weaknesses.
- JLPT Prep Courses – designed to prepare you for everything you will encounter on the JLPT in small groups of no more than 8 students. With in-house materials and an interactive classroom environment, you will work towards N1 certification alongside your peers.
Online Courses
- Private Lessons – matched to our students’ Japanese study experience, comprehension, and needs 1-1 with a professional teacher online. Instead of in small groups, you will meet privately with a professional instructor online via Zoom and receive a lesson plan strictly designed to fit your needs and studying habits. Perfect for those wanting flexible scheduling to tackle their language weaknesses proactively.
- Group Lessons
- Advanced Japanese Explanation Training – designed to help each student develop the ability to explain topics using correct Japanese grammar. This course is conversational. You will learn to talk about various topics – hobbies, experiences, dream house, job, etc. – and strengthen your ability to think proactively in Japanese.
- Read and Discuss Current Events – focused on improving the student’s ability to talk about recent news and important topics in Japanese naturally. You will read articles currently being discussed in Japanese news and actively discuss topics ranging from politics to the environment to economics. This course is recommended because the N1 includes many newspaper articles and critiques in its reading comprehension section.
- JLPT N1 Online Prep Lecture – designed for students wanting to study individually with the lesson material while listening to the lecture on the screen. It is an affordable and convenient option for those seeking a high-quality seminar-style classroom taught by a professional native. We utilize our in-house exercises and study materials specialized for JLPT preparation in this lecture. You will be assigned materials each week on Google Classroom.
To sign up for and enroll in classes, visit this page and you will be directed to schedule a free interview!
5. Join our JLPT Prep Courses
For effective studying for the JLPT N1, we highly recommend our JLPT N1 Prep Course! This Japanese language course is available both online and offline and will prepare you to take and successfully pass the JLPT N1 with a mix of in-house materials and hand-selected materials trusted by our instructors. The course will strengthen your vocabulary, kanji, grammar, reading comprehension, and listening skills required to successfully obtain an N1 certification. By taking the JLPT N1 Prep Course, pass the exam and open more opportunities for your life in Japan!
For more information on JLPT Prep Courses (such as schedule and price), click here.
6. How to Register
Next Test Date: December 1st 2024
Application Period: Until September 12 (Thu), 17:00
Application Method: You must apply from the MyJLPT “JLPT Application” screen after registering with MyJLPT on the JLPT website of Japan Educational Exchanges and Services (JESS).
Test Fee: 7,500 yen (consumption tax included)
Payment Methods: Credit card, bank wire transfer (pay-easy), payment at a convenience store
Once registered, you will receive a test voucher around mid-November, indicating your test location and more details about the JLPT Exam.
For more information, visit the JLPT Official Website.
7. What Happens on Test Day
It’s your big test day!
Before heading out to your test center, bring your test voucher, writing utensils (mechanical pencils are accepted), and maybe some snacks and a watch to help you with time management.
For examinees in Japan, your test will begin at 12:30, but the test center will be already open from 11:45. We recommend you head out early to be safe.
Once you arrive at your test venue, you will be asked to show your test voucher to the staff. Examinees are split into different rooms based on their voucher numbers. You will be instructed to enter one of these rooms.
Once you have found and entered your room, you will find the desk with your number. You will receive instructions from staff and begin your exam when it’s time.
The whole exam will take several hours to complete (in the case of the N1 Exam, 170 minutes), and you will get short breaks between each section. When the exam is finished, you must wait until all test papers have been collected before leaving the room.
*Processes at overseas testing sites may differ.
You’ve reached the end of the ultimate guide to passing the JLPT N1 Exam. We hope this was helpful and wish you good luck on your studies!
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