Hey all,
Continuing on our challenge to ourselves to boost our listening skills, the January challenge is ready for signups! Set whatever number of hours feels like a reasonable goal for you and feel free to share the things you’re listening to, your successes and setbacks. We’re in this together 
All languages welcome!
This post will be a wiki so you can add and update your own hours.
| Name | Language | Goal Hours | Achieved |
|---|---|---|---|
| eefara | 日本語 | 30/36/42 | 21 |
| PrinceSugarBun | 日本語 | 10 |
eefara’s home post
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1月 |  |
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| 月 | 火 | 水 | 木 | 金 | 土 | 日 |
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05  |
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07  |
08 |
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| 12 |
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16 | 17 | 18 |
| 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 |
| 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 |
Japanese
I listened this day, but didn’t hit the hour+ mark. : I listened to an hour to an hour and a half! : I listened to an hour and a half to two hours.
: I listened to 2+ hours today.Mandarin
: I watched one video : I watched two videos(Calendar stolen from the Listen Every Day Challenge on WK.)
Listening Log
Japanese
Total time: 20h 56m 02s
01/05:
本好きの下剋上 5: 1h 5m
01/06:
本好きの下剋上 5: 1h 9m
01/07:
本好きの下剋上 5: 59m 40s
01/08:
本好きの下剋上 5: 1h 4m
01/02:
YUYUの日本語Podcast, eps. 12-15 (old): 1h 10m 32s
01/03:
YUYUの日本語Podcast, vol. 1-6 (new): 58m 56s
01/05:
YUYUの日本語Podcast, vol. 7: 16m 36s
01/08:
YUYUの日本語Podcast, vol. 8: 15m 48s
01/13:
YUYUの日本語Podcast, vol. 9-11: 32m
01/01:
夏への扉: 120m
01/04:
封刃師, ep. 1: 23m 30s
逃げるは恥だが役に立つ S1, ep. 20: 20m
ホットスポット S1, ep. 1: 20m
01/05:
ふらいんぐうぃっち S1, ep. 7: 20m
01/06:
ふらいんぐうぃっち S1, ep 8: 20m
01/09:
透明男と人間女～そのうち夫婦になるふたり～ S1, ep. 1: 23m 40s
死亡遊戯で飯を食う。 S1, ep. 1: 42m 40s
01/10:
穏やか貴族の休暇のすすめ。 S1, ep. 1: 64m
01/11:
シャンピニオンの魔女 S1, ep. 1: 1h 17m
ふらいんぐうぃっち S1, ep 9: 20m
01/12:
エリスの聖杯 S1, ep. 1: 24m
異世界の沙汰は社畜次第 S1, ep. 1: 25m
ふらいんぐうぃっち S1, ep 10: 20m
01/13:
シャンピニオンの魔女 S1, ep. 2: 42m
ふらいんぐうぃっち S1, ep 11: 20m
01/14:
ふらいんぐうぃっち S1, ep 12: 20m
Skip Beat! S1, ep. 4: 20m
異世界の沙汰は社畜次第 S1, ep. 1: 23m 40s
ゆびさきと恋々 S1, ep. 1: 23m 40s
01/15:
死亡遊戯で飯を食う。 S1, ep. 2: 20m
ゆびさきと恋々 S1, ep. 2: 20m
透明男と人間女～そのうち夫婦になるふたり～ S1, ep. 2: 51m 20s
01/03:
これは「緑」なのか「青」なのか: 10m 51s
01/06:
なぜ世界には言語がたくさんあるの?: 8m 54s
01/07:
Japanese Listening Practice | Supermarket and Christmas in Japan: 8m 30s
01/08:
いきなり面白すぎるぞ…
2025年下期 芥川賞候補作全読み その① 『BOX BOX BOX BOX』坂本湾: 4m 45s
本好き25歳の本棚作り📚2年分の購入本を整理するよ😇ガサツでごめん: 9m
01/14:
A Day in Tokyo | Japanese Listening Practice: 3m
120m + 1h 10m 32s + 58m 56s + 10m 51s + 63m 30s + 1h 41m 36s + 1h 37m 54s + 1h 8m 10s + 1h 33m 33s + 66m 20s + 64m + 1h 37m + 69m + 62m + 32m + 90m 20s + 91m 20s
Mandarin
Total time: 02h 08m 14s
01/01:
L01| Comprehensible input Chinese | TPRS | Self-introduction in Chinese | my mum and my boyfriend: 3m 28s
L02 | Comprehensible Input Chinese｜TPRS｜food in Chinese｜slow clear Chinese story | what should I eat: 2m 16s
L03 | Comprehensible Input Chinese｜TPRS｜slow clear Chinese story | the burger story |food in Chinese: 2m 47s
01/02:
Beginner | Comprehensible input Chinese | TPRS | slow clear Chinese story | weekly routine | workout: 3m 53s
Beginner Chinese | My daily routine | napping in China | Comprehensible input | TPRS | Slow Chinese: 12m 28s
01/04:
Beginner | My hobbies｜Karaoke Singing Playing piano Reading Yoga In Chinese | Comprehensible input : 7m 18s
01/07:
Beginner｜The Very Hungry Caterpillar | 很饿的毛毛虫｜Picture book with comprehensible input+TPRS: 8m
Beginner | I Received A Weird Phone Call | Student Story | Comprehensible Chinese | TPRS: 5m 30s
Beginner | Guess the Weird Cat | Comprehensible Chinese | TPRS | Slow Clear Chinese story | Cats: 8m
Interview: Can Spanish speak Chinese？ | Seville | Comprehensible Input | Intermediate: 8m 20s
01/03:
Newbie | Lesson 1 - Dish: 14m 06s
01/05:
Elementary | Chinatown Diary: 19m 07s
01/08:
Elementary | How to Address Someone: 16m 43s
01/13:
Elementary | Changing Class Time: 16m 14s
Elementary | Where’s the Soap?: 14m
3m 28s + 2m 16s + 2m 47s + 3m 53s + 12m 28s + 7m 18s + 19m 07s + 30m + 16m 43s + 30m 14s
Like 2025 I’m going to be aiming for a base goal of listening to 30 hours of JP per month, with stretch goals of 36 or 42 hours.
I think I’m going to also introduce, at least on a trial basis, a small goal per month of Mandarin listening; I’ll likely do a certain number of videos/podcast episodes per week and see how I feel about that. I’ll need to update my usual post template for it as well… 
I didn’t realise you were also studying Mandarin!
Good luck with the 30-hour goals, I take it you had a good time with it this year? Do you feel your listening has improved a lot since starting this listening practice?
Just a little bit here and there; I’m still very much baby stages, but I figure I should get the listening ball rolling early. 
Yes, my listening has absolutely improved! I can’t say it’s my favorite daily chore, but having been able to see the improvements, I think it’s well worth it for me. It still astonishes me how much time you truly need to put in; even after an extra 430 hours, I still feel like I need double that, minimum.
That’s really impressive, I’m glad it’s bearing its fruits. And now you have two things to look forward to: being comfortable listening to Japanese, and having a lot of free time back 
Good luck in 2026!
| Source | Type | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Comprehensible Japanese | Youtube (JP Learning) | 247 min |
| Nihongo Con Teppei (149 - 162) | Podcast (JP Learning) | 57 min |
| Sakura Tips (39, 41-46) | Podcast (JP Learning) | 28 min |
| Japanese with Shun (15-20) | Podcast (JP Learning) | 37 min |
So this month I decided to test out some new icons for my listening calendar, see if I liked slightly more granular tracking, (as opposed to just using and last year) and I think it’s going well? It’s certainly pushed me to put in “just ten more minutes” so I could use the upgrade, haha. No yet, but if I watch a whole bunch of new seasonal anime this weekend, there’s a chance!
