The way Japanese speakers perceive “sounds” is different from how English speakers do. Instead of organizing sounds into syllables, Japanese language uses a unit called the mora. Understanding what a mora is helps you speak Japanese with the correct rhythm. If you’re not familiar with this concept, check out my YouTube videos:

Japanese Pronunciation: Rhythm

Japanese Pronunciation: Rhythm (Exercises)

Pitch accent is another key element for speaking Japanese naturally. It functions somewhat like stress accent in English. In this video, I explain the basics of Japanese pitch accent and the accent notation used in this course:

Basics of Japanese Pitch Accent