About

My goal is to help learners bridge the gap between textbook Japanese and real-life communication.

Self Introduction

こんにちは！わたしは日本語教師の「かめ」です！

Hi! I’m currently based in Austraia, where I primarily support Japanese learners online.

I studied Japanese language education at university, and what first brought me to Australia was an exchange program during my studies. What was meant to be a temporary experience eventually became my second home.

Living abroad has also given me the opportunity to experience what it’s like to learn and communicate in another language and culture. Through that experience, I’ve come to realise that learning a foreign language is a bit like climbing a mountain.

As you work your way towards the summit, there are times when you stumble, lose your way, doubt yourself, or simply need to stop and rest. Language learning isn’t always easy. But along the way, you also make exciting discoveries, experience moments of joy, and meet wonderful people you might never have met otherwise.

I created this website because I’d love to support you on your own Japanese-learning journey. Whether you’re just starting out or working towards an advanced level, I hope you’ll find resources here that make learning Japanese both enjoyable and rewarding.

Welcome, and I hope you’ll enjoy exploring the site!

I have been teaching Japanese for over 7 years, primarily through online lessons. 
My students have come from a wide range of backgrounds, including Chinese-speaking and English-speaking regions, as well as India, Chile, Peru, Russia, and many others. I have taught learners of all ages, from primary school students to people in their 60s.
My lessons cover a variety of goals and interests, including:

  • JLPT preparation
  • Business Japanese
  • Japanese for daily life
  • Travel Japanese
  • Japanese through news, culture, and personal interests

For more details, please visit the Lessons page.

I’m from Kyoto. I generally speak standard Japanese (です・ます style), but my accent is influenced by the Kansai region. I’ve also lived in Kanazawa, Nikkō, and Ibaraki Prefecture.

I currently live near Sydney, Australia. Living overseas gives me a unique perspective on both Japanese and Australian cultures, and I enjoy introducing Japanese language and culture while drawing comparisons with everyday life in Australia.

I majored in Japanese Language Education. My studies included bilingual education, Japanese dialects, phonetics, and language acquisition. I also studied Chinese and French at university. Although I can no longer speak them fluently, I still enjoy learning languages and different cultures.

In addition to teaching Japanese, I also work in community aged care here in Australia. In the past, I have worked in sales, managed an English conversation school, and worked as a Japanese–English translator.

I enjoy gardening, jogging, and watching historical Japanese TV dramas (Taiga dramas).

Since becoming a parent in 2025, spending time and playing with my child has also become one of my favorite activities.

One of my personal goals for 2027 is to complete a 12 km fun run!