I kind of agree that TextFugu teaches some things in a slightly funny order, but honestly you need to be fairly intermediate at Japanese before you can hold “a general Japanese conversation” (by which, I’m taking to mean more complicated than just “what are you hobbies” or “where’s the bathroom”), and TextFugu only really covers maybe basic to lower intermediate, so it’s not really TextFugu’s order of teaching things that’s the issue. To apply the JLPT standards, you’re not expected to be able to manage “everyday Japanese” until you reach N3, but TextFugu only reaches N5.

So, by all means practice saying what you’ve learnt, but you’ve gotta be realistic about how much you actually know. I’ve done the N3 test myself, but I suck at listening (and I’m not much better at speaking, because I forget everything when I open my mouth).

JLPT = the Japanese Language Proficiency Test. It’s a standardised test of Japanese ability released by the Japanese government worldwide. There’s five levels, running from N5 (beginner) to N1 (super-duper advanced).

Enjoy Japan, though. When are you going? =)

Looks like you should be fine, unless you’re going to Okinawa or anywhere north of Sendai. Here’s the map from this year’s cherry blossom forecast:

http://www.jnto.go.jp/sakura/eng/index.php

Where are you planning on going? What are you doing? =)

When we talk about conversation, at the beginning of season 6 I think you havent even gone through て form which is a must. Other than that, I highly recommend you going through Lang-8 to get used to compose in your head in Japanese, the worst of your problems imho. Composing in Japanese means to build a sentence in Japanese, compliant with Japanese order and logic and the best way to do that is to compose daily in Lang-8 and have thousand of people correct you. It has to be done daily or it will take you a lot of time to be able to change your mind switch from English (or you native language) to Japanese. Before you can compose in your mind directly in Japanese dont even try having a relaxed conversation (as in any language). For a NORMAL conversation with a NORMAL Japanese, I recommend you first listening a LOT of Japanese from Anime or Podcasts or whatever, these guys rely a lot in “ellipses” (I THINK thats what they r called) and so they omit a LOT of words and so, If you dont have experience on it, u will b totally 驚いた, trust me…. If your native language is english, then u dont know sentence enders (In Chile we have them thnks god so they are not alien to me) and you will suffer a lot when you hear them, trust me dude, hearing な、なあ、よ、の、わ、etc, etc… at the end of more than 40% of the sentences will kill you and dont even try to use them yourself, thats going to be even worst (Chile is ALWAYS criticized by the famous “po” in our talking (a sentence ender) and since I know Japanese I have been using it as a reply).
In short, I spoke in english conversations when I knew way less than what you know now in Japanese and I learned english by myself and didnt have the luck of having a textfugu or such for english, but the difference is that I could compose in my head in english already, I thought in english and thats the only thing you need to talk in an other language. Vocabulary? Yep, needed, but you can have some simple conversations with the vocab u have now. In Japanese, as an example, I practice while driving saying the numbers of the plates of the cars in front of me out laud like 二千八百四十一 as fast as I can and those kind of things, like saying in my mind or out loud (I dont care if somebody understands) “OMG thats an enormous butt right there!!!!” and you already have the grammar and the vocab for that). Do those kind of things, try to think in Japanese, try to talk in Japanese what you want to say before saying it in your mother language and soon you will be able to say stuff in japanese fast. Check out some anime, japanese movies, podcasts, etc and u will be amazed how you understand MANY of the words and even some complete sentences!!!! (u feel like the king of the world the first time that happens), try to understand the sentences with sentence enders (get used to them at leas) and for sure u will b able to have a conversation at textfugu lvl (obviously only if the other person is talking to you knowing your lacks) even if it sounds tarzan-like, U’ll be understandable and most of the times gramaticaly correct.

something id recommend if you want speaking practice and youre not afraid of splashing ( a small amount of ) money is italki or japonin, italki is quite cheap and you get some 1 to 1 tutoring over skype, worst part i found getting into speaking was the confidence issue, getting some practice in with some tutoring is a great idea since if its a tutor they generally speak english pretty well and can ease you into the process. you also improve your “real” japanese faster ;p

in saying that tho ive slacked lately and need to spam lessons in the next 8 weeks before i go over :<<<< ( i leave japan like one week before you arrive or id say hi :<< )