Student Testimonials

My Japanese studies began by teaching myself Hiragana and Katakana. My vocabulary was limited and learning on my own proved to be difficult. In March 2020 I began studying Japanese with Arai-sensei through Nihongo-Pro. I have been taking two classes a week for around 8 months now with Arai-sensei and have been enjoying my Japanese classes quite a bit. Arai-sensei always has assigned homework which often includes writing a journal on a topic of my choice. These are always corrected promptly and e-mailed back to me.

I find writing the journal very useful as it allows me to express my experiences in Japanese and it makes it easy to identify mistakes I make while writing. The pace of the classes is appropriate and if I need more time on a certain Japanese grammar point Arai-sensei will make time for it. Being a foreign tourist, I also appreciate the occasional explanation of Japanese culture in conjunction with lessons.

Since I work evenings it is important to me to have a consistent schedule to learn and Nihongo-Pro allows me to do this while still maintaining flexibility when I occasionally need to make a change to the schedule. The Nihongo-Pro classroom is well designed and allows for a customized lesson. While I still have a long way to go with my Japanese studies, I look forward to continuing my learning with Arai-sensei through Nihongo-Pro.

I really appreciate Araki Sensei ability to go “above and beyond” for her students.

I started taking offline lessons from Araki-Sensei in Hawaii. It was my first time learning Japanese. Araki-Sensei made the learning environment very engaging from the beginning. I went from knowing zero in Nihongo to being able to read, write in hiragana, katakana, and beginner Kanji, as well as listen and speak at a beginner level.

I relocated from Hawaii to Maryland, and then continued learning on my own. This wasn’t working. So, I reached out to Araki-Sensei and learned she was teaching online Japanese lessons at Nihongo-Pro. I once again started taking classes and my knowledge base is again on the rise. I have a hectic schedule but Araki-Sensei works with my free time.

The classes feel more like friendly meetups with structure. We start the class with personal speaking, for a few minutes, in Japanese. This is to get me used to speaking at normal speed in Japanese with everyday topics, not just simple phrases like ”これはペンです”.

I would recommend anyone at any level to schedule a Japanese class with Araki-Sensei. The class will be enjoyable, informative, structured (depending on what your goals are), and 楽しい.

あらき先生、ほんとうにありがとうございます。
Araki-Sensei, hontoo-ni arigatoo gozaimasu.

I have been taking Japanese lessons with Nihongo-Pro roughly once a week (with a few hiatuses) for over 7 years. When I started I had 2 years of basic Japanese from college and I just wanted to brush up before a trip to Japan, but I’ve enjoyed my lessons so much I’ve kept going!

I really like how flexible it is: you can tailor the lessons to your level and schedule, and your personal goals. Over the years I’ve done everything from intensive JLPT prep to just casual Japanese conversation practice, and Nihongo-Pro has been great for both.

I’ve worked with two different teachers and they have both been excellent. I’ve done supplemental kanji practice on my own, but with just that and Nihongo-Pro I’ve gone from very basic knowledge to passing the N2 (currently about 50-60% on N1 practice tests) and being able to read novels in Japanese. I definitely recommend Nihongo-Pro.

I have been studying with Nakamura-sensei for nearly two years and have greatly enjoyed my lessons with her. Nakamura-sensei is very personable and is a lot of fun to work with.

Originally, I wanted to study Japanese in a university environment, but because I work full-time and have a growing family, the university route was not feasible. Nihongo-Pro allows me to study at my own pace and take lessons when it is convenient for me.

Nihongo-Pro has also been very flexible with teaching materials, allowing me to choose which textbooks and methods I would like to work with. This has allowed me to move towards my Japanese learning goals in the best way possible for me. This is a great contrast to other online lesson providers that seem to treat both their teachers and their students as commodities to be exploited.

Nihongo-Pro has been helpful to me on various occasions, and I greatly appreciate this.

First of all, to Nihongo-Pro and Tanoshima sensei: THANK YOU for existing. Nihongo-pro has become for me one of the best ever language schools and being a polyglot, I attended many over the years. I am both a learner and a teacher of foreign languages in my daily life.

Tanoshima sensei is that one Japanese teacher I had been looking for. I started my search in my local town and finished on the other side of the ocean.

You might think that polyglots have it easy, but that’s not always the case. Sometimes, as it happened with me, having a large knowledge base requires a highly skilled teacher with very swift and quick train of thought being able to help you connect all the information you acquire intuitively and being able to help you build a solid foundation.

Tanoshima sensei conducts my Japanese lessons in such a masterful way that there is room for me as a student to use my language intuition, practice all the possible examples and variations of the words and sentences and step by step acquire more and more. I am very comfortable during these lessons, I am never rushed, and I have a lot of time practicing speaking, which is crucial for me in Japanese. Tanoshima sensei is a very responsive teacher—at my request she can help with finding a lot of unique information about Japan and even give an introduction to the modern Japanese poetry. I am very grateful that I can take lessons from Tanoshima sensei.

Nihongo-Pro. Wow. This is the first online learning platform with such a fantastic classroom! I have never come across a system so easy and convenient to use as the one provided by Nihongo-Pro. From the technical side, my teacher can choose a server that gives us the best possible connection speed, what gives the optimal connection speed no matter where you are and how unstable your connection is. From the practical side, the classroom platform is very easy to use and intuitive. This is the first time that I felt that distance learning can be comfortable and convenient.

Thank you once more to Tanoshima sensei and Nihongo-Pro: for existing, for finding the best of the best Japanese teachers and for staying up to date with modern technologies.

I attended a Japanese class one night a week (in Australia) for four years. Although it was a good way to start, it did not meet my needs after a while. We were racing through the grammar with no time to consolidate what we were learning. Sometimes the content of the textbook was irrelevant to me, because of my age (in my 60s) and interests. Taking private lessons at Nihongo-pro with Nakano-sensei allows me to revise the grammar I’ve already been exposed to and use it in ways that are meaningful to me.

I am mainly focused on writing at the moment. I write about my life and thoughts so the content is always relevant to what I am likely to want to talk about with my Japanese friends. I really value the flexibility to choose what and how I want to learn – not what a textbook offers – that is available at Nihongo-pro. At the same time I am exposed to new items through the writing practice book that Nakano-sensei recommended. Many of these items turn out to be quite simple common expressions which my previous textbook did not include. So I feel I have the best of everything now.

I appreciate the ease of reserving class times (as well as cancelling when necessary). And I value the use of the whiteboard during class. It’s very clear and easy to see where the errors in my writing and to clarify any confusions I have. The electronic access to teacher resources that Sensei has allows her to explain grammar points or put up definitions of new words. This makes the lesson run smoothly and efficiently. Being sent all the files afterwards means I can check the corrections to my errors, practice any new words, and make my writing into a reader for my own later use.

In the 6 months I have been having lessons with Nakano-sensei, my Japanese writing skills have definitely improved. I’m looking forward to continuing!

Thanks to my teacher Michiko and the support I received from the Nihongo-Pro staff, I definitely feel that my motivation to study as well as my day-to-day Japanese ability has increased a great deal.

I became a student at Nihongo-Pro in order to enhance my regular Japanese study. Even though I had lived in Japan for 5 years by that time, I felt that I needed an extra boost.

Michiko is a very able and experienced teacher and as a result is able to mold my lesson material to my weak areas, interests or demands in terms of test preparation.

I've studied Japanese for the past 25 years, including living in Japan for six of those years. I've studied at five different Japanese language schools, but my online private lessons with Nagatomi-sensei have been the best experience out of them all.

First, Nagatomi-sensei is very professional. She is a full-time Japanese language instructor in Japan. During our first class, Nagatomi-sensei asked me how I liked to learn. What methods in the past worked well for me? I like learning Japanese through current events, as well as reading about historically significant Japanese from the past. She recommended two text books that perfectly met this goal. Each week, we cover new vocabulary and grammar by reading topical news stories as well as short biographies of famous Japanese.

Nihongo-Pro is also super convenient. I travel a lot for my work. But I can always log on to Nihongo Pro and get my lesson no matter where I am in the world. This solution works for me. It will work for you, too!

When I found Nihongo-Pro, I hadn’t lived in Japan in over 17 years, and hadn’t studied Japanese in over 30 years!

The search to find just the right teacher for my particular needs was overwhelming, to say the least; I am happy to say I found such a teacher in Nakano-sensei. She is very experienced, and knew my level and abilities from the very first lesson. I like that she knows how to adjust the lesson to address some of my weak points, and I appreciate her patience and ability to explain certain nuances in the Japanese language. Nakano-sensei is also fun to talk with, and always chooses interesting topics for conversation.

I take lessons twice a week, and have seen a great improvement in my Japanese reading, listening, and kanji recognition. However, the most important benefit of taking Japanese lessons online with Nakano-sensei is having someone to hold me accountable in my studies. I have tried before and failed trying to learn on my own—especially living in an area where almost no one speaks Japanese. Her lessons have renewed my interest in seriously studying Japanese, and for that I am truly grateful.

I look forward to finally returning to Kyoto, and being able to speak naturally with my Japanese friends and college host family. It would also be nice to visit Nakano-sensei in her beautiful city someday! She’s a wonderful teacher and a great person, and I couldn’t ask for a better Japanese learning experience.

I have a long history with Michiko-sensei, but with Nihongo-Pro the flexibility and my ability to help craft the curriculum are leaps and bounds over what I have experienced before.

Small things like no longer using romaji in the lessons is a huge step forward in helping me learn Japanese. I would recommend Nihongo-Pro lessons and Michiko-sensei to anyone. It takes a special personality to have the patience and guidance to help someone try to learn a new language, and Michiko-sensei has it all.

I am a busy professional and learning Japanese is a passion of mine. It's nice to feel that my learning is something that Nihongo-Pro cares about and can craft a program around.”

I am excited! I think that I will be able to learn much more quickly than before. Nihongo-Pro is very lucky to have such a good teacher in your program...and I am a tough customer. I have an MBA, an engineering degree from an Ivy League school, and am pretty discerning, so it's big kudos to everybody at Nihongo-Pro!

Hi, my name is Deise Noriko and I have been Nakano sensei’s student since September 2014. I found Nihongo-Pro when I was looking for books to study Japanese and it is the best thing that has happened to my Japanese learning!!

Since the first contact Steve was very helpful, with prompt reply to my doubts. Then I read some testimonials and asked to have a trial lesson with Nakano sensei. Steve was always assisting me through the process, answering my emails right away.

The Nihongo-Pro classroom is very good, the whiteboard is a plus helping the understanding of topics. Even with the geographic distance that separates us from the teacher, it is like we are in a real classroom in person.

I met Nakano sensei in my trial lesson, and liked her from that first contact!! Nakano sensei is very dynamic and cheerful. Her classes are always balanced with conversation, reading, listening. I could even practice my writing skills through the emails that we always exchange, and she even helped me with sakubun-writing!

Nakano sensei cares a lot about my improvement, noticing my weak points and working on them in a very personalized teaching. She prepares the classes very carefully, trying to explain the topics in a very didatic way. Even in the conversation at the beginning of the class, she makes sure that we always learn new vocabulary, the way it is written and used, and she gives me many examples of different ways I can use it.

We try to use Japanese as much as possible. My lessons with Nakano sensei are almost all in Japanese, which for sure helps a lot my Japanese skills. After every lesson she sends me review files with the topics that were taught and the new vocabulary. That way, during the class I can focus only on learning without having to rush to take notes because I know she will send it after the class. At the end of each month she sends a report of my monthly progress so I can follow it.

I passed JLPT N3 in December 2014 with a very good score (my reading and listening were 60/60 with a total grade of 164/180), thanks to Nakano sensei! My Japanese certainly improved a lot in a very noticeable way!

Moreover, I feel that Nakano sensei is more than a teacher—she is a friend!

I have been taking online Japanese lessons with Nakano-sensei about a year and it has been a crucial part of my Japanese learning experience.

Nakano-sensei has been very patient with me and pointed out the mistakes I made. The content and exercises have been both engaging and digestible for me, and the illustrations are easy to understand and make the lesson more interesting and enjoyable. These are very important to a 13-year-old student.

Through these virtual Japanese lessons, I am able to learn more about Japanese culture and customs as well as the Japanese language.

I have class with Nakano-sensei online once a week. The great thing is it doesn’t feel like class, but I get all the benefits of learning as she makes it extremely fun and enjoyable.

She’s very flexible in how she teaches: whether you want to just improve your Japanese or prepare for the JLPT exams, she’s perfect for it.

Nakano-sensei, ほんとうにありがとうございます。

Nakamura-sensei is funny, friendly, kind and patient. She gets up in the early hours of Sunday morning to teach my Japanese lessons, laugh with me and make learning Japanese more enjoyable and inspiring than it ever has been to me in the 5 years I have been trying to learn Japanese on my own.

Not only am I more immersed in and connected with the Japanese language, I have learned and retained so much more in the last month than ever before. I am no longer embarrassed about making mistakes, asking questions, or speaking Japanese aloud.

Nakamura-sensei is an inspiration; a motivator, a brilliant teacher and a pleasure to spend time with.

I have taken lessons with Nakano-sensei for nearly a year and a half. Nakano-sensei carefully balances lesson time between reading, writing, speaking and listening. She quickly discerned my strengths and weaknesses in preparation for the JLPT and helped me accordingly.

Nihongo-Pro’s software is exceptional: It is simple to use and the choice of screen colours is easy on my eyes. I feel the whiteboard feature is a necessity when studying Japanese along with textbooks; a mere dialogue box for presenting lesson materials would be insufficient.

Nihongo-Pro’s software has lacked only one feature important in the study of Japanese: the ability for the instructor to prove the student’s handwriting of Japanese characters. I am pleased to hear of the new KakikataPad soon to be available for the Nihongo-Pro classroom.

Every Friday I get extremely happy because I know that on Saturday I have my online Japanese class. I love my lesson because Mukai-sensei is extremely good, sweet and patient. He explains everything in different ways so I can understand the meaning of new topics.

Mukai-sensei is punctual, too, and I appreciate that kind of things in a teacher. Also, I love that when I finish the class, he immediately sends me the material we worked with and the chat log, too. At home I store all of this in a notebook and I keep studying for another hour.

My teacher always answers when I write to him on Facebook or through email. This is important because he builds rapport with the student. I also like that he remembers the things we have talked about and brings them to the class to teach new things. Mukai-sensei definitely connects with the student.

As a teacher myself, I am extremely picky about my teacher. I have studied education for more than 10 years and taught English for 13 years—I can happily say that I am 100% satisfied with Nihongo-Pro. I wanna keep studying with Mukai-sensei and will recommend him to everyone!

I take lessons with Nakano-Sensei twice a week and I absolutely love my lessons and time spent with Nakano-Sensei. I have been taking my lessons for a little over six months and I have learned so much Japanese. One of the things I really enjoy about these lessons is the connections that are made between teacher and student. One day I would love to visit Japan and be able to meet Nakano-Sensei.

Not only have I been able to grow in my knowledge of a new language, but I have also found a new hobby in my lessons. Studying Japanese has become something I naturally do in my free time, and it has also made me feel more confident in my natural ability to pick up new languages. Because my time with Nihongo-Pro has been so fruitful, I have decided to study Japanese as my minor in college and would love to teach English in Japan one day.

My favorite part of my week is taking lessons with Nakano-Sensei because I really enjoy the interesting conversation with someone from a different country, as well as the personal connection. I have learned a lot, not just how to speak Japanese, but also about the rich culture of Japan. My interest in the country has only grown since starting my lessons, and I’m confident that when I am finally able to visit Japan I will be able to get around and speak with ease.

I cannot recommend Nakano-Sensei and Nihongo-Pro enough. I would gladly suggest these services to anyone looking to learn Japanese. Thank you Nakano-Sensei and everyone at Nihongo-Pro!

I have been taking private lessons at Nihongo-Pro since the beginning, and I must say that this language school completely answered my expectations.

First, it's not easy to find a lesson time suitable for both teacher and student when they live thousands of kilometers apart.

I am a 53-year old European student, and, due to job commitments, I can take lessons only on weekday evenings. With Nihongo-Pro, I had no schedule problems at all, since my teacher lives in the U.S., which gives me many more scheduling options than with teachers living in Japan.

Having tried several languages schools in the past, I really appreciate the high quality of Nihongo-Pro's classroom software. Really well-thought out and extremely easy to use. There were extremely few technical problems, and they were solved very quickly thanks to quick support. The classroom software is always improving and evolving, too, with new features.

Now about teaching: I am really happy about the lessons (several dozen already!) I have taken with Nakano-sensei.

Intermediate level is a tough step, where you have to find your way through the intricacies and subtleties of intermediate-level Japanese grammar, as well as spoken Japanese, which differs quite a lot from the "proper" didactic language you learn at elementary level.

At the intermediate level, understanding often depends on nuances and on your acquaintance with Japanese culture. Nakano sensei is a wonderful guide: She gives careful thought to how to explain the difficult points of Japanese, and she always works painstakingly to answer my questions, to provide the best examples, to show the differences between similar words or grammatical structures.

When you take private lessons, the quality of human contact between teacher and student is essential. When I take a lesson at Nihongo-Pro, I am pleased to meet both an excellent teacher and a friend.

I found Nihongo-Pro after being enrolled in a 3-month online, intensive Japanese course provided by a language school in Tokyo. I had no exposure to the Japanese language prior to the class, and although we covered a good deal of material, I found myself needing to understand the structure of the language and to have some explanation of what I was learning. After researching multiple options, I selected Nihongo-Pro for a trial.

My first introduction to Nihongo-Pro was via a sound check from Steve. The sound check provided so much more than just verifying the technology would work. I learned so much about learning Japanese, cultural features in the study, and Nihongo-Pro’s options.

I was paired with my current teacher Michiko Nakano sensei. I have been taking regular Japanese lessons for three months and have learned so much in these past months. Michiko sensei is kind, patient, and has an astute ability to see precisely where my learning difficulties are. She gently helps me understand and focus on these areas. Additionally, she is quick to point out areas of strength and to reinforce all of the learning we are doing together regularly. Following each lesson, she provides me with a “lesson file” which includes the material covered and any new vocabulary. I am then able to review the lesson and vocabulary to reinforce the study. I cannot believe how much Japanese I have been able to learn in a short time. Although I have so much more to learn, I am well launched on understanding some of the fundamentals of the Japanese language through my studies with Michiko sensei.

Michiko sensei is not only a gifted teacher, she is also a warm and interesting person, willing to share her own experiences both in the United States and in Japan. She is open and personable and highly flexible. When a topic arises such as dining at a Japanese restaurant, sports, or where my travels in Japan will take me, she is quick to produce a link in the online classroom to enhance my understanding and experience. I have also found her flexible with re-scheduling classes, when my schedule does not allow me to take the class at my regular time.

A note about Nihongo-Pro would not be complete without a word about Steve. He has been extremely responsive regarding any issues related to technology or administration. I also found him incredibly personable and engaging, helpful, and generous with his time. To anyone looking for online Japanese lessons, I would recommend Nihongo-Pro and Michiko sensei without a moment’s hesitation.

Before I discovered Nihongo-Pro, I was faced with an apparently unsolvable dilemma: I had a background in modern Japanese, but I needed to learn how to read Japanese texts from the late 19th and early 20th centuries for a research project. I could not, however, find any resources for reading this kind of text.

Before I started, I had no idea how much the Japanese language had changed in the past century in terms of grammar and kanji use. Working at a small university without a developed Japanese program, I was not sure where to turn for help for acquiring such a specific set of Japanese skills.

Although my situation was unusual, Nihongo-Pro was more than happy to find a teacher who could help me. Nakano-sensei has been an amazing resource. She helped me to find Japanese books on how to read texts written in my period of study and formulate a study plan. She has time and again patiently helped me to tackle even the most difficult texts, and I am deeply grateful for the extensive preparation she has done before each online lesson.

Nihongo-Pro is more than a resource for passing the JLPT; it can flexibly accommodate a wide variety of individual Japanese language instruction needs for students anywhere in the world where there is an Internet connection.

I am making fast progress since starting online lessons at Nihongo-Pro. I can recommend it to all Japanese learners, from beginner to advanced students.

I tried to learn Japanese in many ways (podcast, regular classes, tutors at home, etc.), but Nihongo-Pro was the first time I studied online in my own room on the computer. At first I wasn't quite sure about online Japanese lessons, but it turned out to be one of the best decisions I've ever made.

There are a lot of benefits to having Japanese lessons at home. I appreciate the time savings, because I don't have to commute to class. Another benefit is the price performance ratio. At Nihongo-Pro, I pay less than classes at a regular Japanese language school, and the online lesson gives me a lot of time to speak Japanese.

Nakano-sensei has been teaching me Japanese for over five years, and I am enjoying every lesson I am having with her to the fullest. She has a lot of patience and encourages students to ask their questions. If I needed to repeat some grammar points for an exam, she gladly did it. Nakano-sensei also helped me a lot with my Keigo, which I am now able to use at work with confidence.

I am having a great time learning Japanese at Nihongo-Pro, and I am sure that you will have that too.

My initial foray into the Japanese language may have taken place in the U.S., but everything about the instruction itself was Japanese to the core: Classes were rigorous, a group ethos was nurtured, and politeness and respect were hallmarks of every interaction. This approach was extremely effective at building cultural competency in a short period of time. But it could also be somewhat intimidating for those who struggle with language anxiety, like me.

After graduation, life happened. I continued to explore Japanese culture, but my familiarity with the language waned, as I had little opportunity to practice and even less desire to reclaim what I had lost.

A decade later, I felt the itch to study formally once again. I explored a number of in-person and online options, settling on Nihongo-Pro due to its scheduling flexibility, its sophisticated learning platform, and its extensive roster of highly qualified instructors.

Ohno-sensei has been a wonderful teacher, holding me to high standards while making the learning process enjoyable and informative. She’s a skilled and patient instructor who incorporates my learning goals and personal interests into each lesson. Ohno-sensei and Nihongo-Pro have increased my confidence level while equipping me to speak -- and even think -- in Japanese.

If you’re serious about enhancing your Japanese fluency, and want caring, individualized instruction along the way, there is no better investment.

I have been studying Japanese on Nihongo-Pro with Ogihara Sensei for more than three years. This is one of the best platforms because it is flexible and convenient. Before the 2020 pandemic, I had to travel frequently for work and using Nihongo-Pro ensures that I don’t miss a lesson. I could be in Hong Kong, Beijing, Taipei, Bangkok, Sydney or Vancouver and I can still learn on the go.

My lessons with Ogihara Sensei are always fun. The format is flexible—sometimes we follow a textbook or exercises that Sensei has prepared, sometimes we just talk about topics that are current, anything from films, books, TV shows, news and even songs! There were lessons where Sensei explained the lyrics of my favourite Japanese songs – the ones that are poetic and use a lot of Kanji. And there were lessons where we worked on writing my favourite recipes in Japanese ;-)

I even met up with Ogihara Sensei when I visited her city. She is like a good friend. I learned not only the Japanese language but most importantly the Japanese culture. I recommend Nihongo-Pro and Ogihara Sensei to anyone who wants to further their Japanese studies.

いつもお世話になってありがとうございます。

I have been studying Japanese for more than 10 years now and I have been lucky enough to have Ms. Nakano Michiko as my teacher for most of that time. She is an experienced Japanese teacher who is always open-minded and thoughtful about how to improve her students' Japanese skills.

After I passed my JLPT N1 exam, I wanted to maintain my Japanese level, but my work took up a lot of my time, making it difficult for me to attend regular face-to-face lessons. That's when Nihongo-Pro came in to provide a solution. With their flexible online lessons and technical support, I was able to continue my studies even with a demanding work schedule.

Nakano-sensei made each lesson enjoyable and I learned so much from her, not just about the Japanese language but also about the culture of Japan. I feel grateful for having such a dedicated and knowledgeable teacher who is always willing to go the extra mile to help me succeed.

I highly recommend Nihongo-Pro and Nakano-sensei to anyone looking to improve their Japanese skills.

I have been studying Japanese with Nakano Sensei since 2013. Her lessons turned out to be much better than I expected, and I have learned a lot from her.

Nakano Sensei is an excellent teacher, very patient and understanding. This is my first online learning experience, and it is a good one.

I would recommend Nihongo-Pro and Nakano Sensei to anyone who wants to learn the Japanese language.

For the last eight years or so I’ve been living in a small Swiss village: more cows than inhabitants, lot of nature and zero entertainment. Naturally, one starts drinking to fight the boredom. Well, at least it’s quite natural given my Russian background. In Russia drinking is considered to be a social activity—hence you need at least two people to drink in a socially acceptable manner (or drink responsibly). It’s however quite difficult to find a reliable drinking partner in a small village overcrowded with hard-working Swiss farmers and their milk cows…

One day I had to attend a—I can’t remember exactly what it is called, but it was one these brain-washing, team-building things every company nowadays tortures their employees with. We started with a short introduction round—name, hobby, etc. Of course, everybody had model hobbies like hiking or reading or reading while hiking.

Everyone except this one Japanese guy, who said without any false modesty: “My hobby is drinking.”

So, he and I started drinking together. Regularly. Meaning almost every day. But in a totally responsible manner.

One thing led to another—or, to be more precise, drinking together led to cultural exchange—or, to be absolutely precise, he started drinking Russian vodka and I started learning Japanese. It was fun, but I wasn’t really making much progress in Japanese, although I was (and still am) quite committed to learning the language. Maybe I wasn’t focused enough though…

Thanks to Nihongo-Pro I discovered that one can learn Japanese without drinking! What a mind-blowing experience! Well, to be honest, with Araki-sensei we quite often talk about food and drinks, but so far we have managed to remain sober.

The most amazing thing though is that online Japanese lessons with Araki-sensei actually, really help. Before my first lesson I was, let’s say, a bit concerned whether I’d be able to understand anything, but right from the first minutes, Araki-sensei involved me in a conversation I couldn’t even imagine I was capable of. But by means of some voodoo magic (or maybe due to Araki-sensei’s experience?) all of a sudden I realized that I can be quite talkative, even in Japanese.

It has been almost a year since our first lesson. The only disadvantage of online lessons I have discovered so far is that one can’t drink together with the teacher. But collaboration technology and tools are rapidly improving, so I’m pretty sure the day will come when Araki-sensei and I will have an online Japanese class while drinking. Of course, in a totally responsible manner.

I have been working with Nakano sensei since May 2018 and I have learned so much from her. She is very patient, and the most important thing is that I don't feel that I'm learning from a teacher—it's more like talking to a friend. I am looking forward to many more lessons with Nakano sensei.

I first started seriously learning Japanese in 2012 after I had my first phone conversation with my Japanese aunt. From 2012 to 2014 I started learning more Japanese through college courses and devoted self study. As someone with mild autism I found I could easily dedicate myself toward learning Japanese language and culture. I also continued to have phone conversations with my aunt.

I began my Japanese language comeback on June 2nd 2020 when I started my first class with Yamamoto Sensei. Luckily I had learned a lot of Japanese language before and retained a lot of the knowledge from when I first learned it, so I was able to easily regain a lot of the knowledge I had forgotten as she educated me through the lessons. I am currently taking one class a week because of my busy work schedule as a massage therapist, I would like to take more than one class with Yamamoto Sensei in the future.

Yamamoto Sensei is very kind and has so much to offer, when she teaches a class it is made quite clear that she possesses plenty of experience as a teacher and plenty of knowledge on Japanese culture. She orients the class to the student's goal and is flexible to schedule changes. She also lives in Japan, and thus lives in a Japanese Language environment which is an invaluable way for a foreigner like myself to learn about Japanese language and culture. As I continue Yamamoto Sensei's lessons, I find myself learning something new in every lesson and it always gives me a sense of happiness to learn something I never knew before.

Yamamoto Sensei's positive personality makes the classes a lot of fun, and it is especially enjoyable when we have cultural exchange conversations. I still to this day am eager to learn from Yamamoto Sensei the meaning of every word in my favorite song "愛のメモリー".

山本先生、ほんとうにありがとうございます。

After three years of self-directed study of Japanese, I decided I needed help.While I had learned kanji, vocabulary and some grammar, I knew that I had yet to achieve my goal of being able to speak Japanese casually. For help, I turned to Nihongo-Pro.

Over the past six months, my weekly lessons with Yamamoto Sensei have improved my understanding of Japanese grammar and challenged me in the best way to grow my understanding and fluency of Japanese. I am encouraged by what I have learned so far, and I am confident that my goals are within reach.

There are many resources available for free and at a cost to help you learn Japanese—I've tried many of them—but being able to ask Yamamoto Sensei specific questions as they come up in our classes, get real-time feedback, and have a learning strategy tailored to my level are the advantages of studying Japanese through Nihongo-Pro. I highly recommend trying a lesson, and you'll see the difference between Nihongo-Pro and the other Japanese resources out there. Best of luck in your Japanese studies!

In December 2020, I finished the 100th Japanese lesson with Kawamura-sensei at Nihongo-Pro. I started studying Japanese in 2018. Although I live in a mid-size U.S. city, there are few options when it comes to learning the language. Adding to that, I value the convenience of online Japanese learning.

Nihongo-Pro provides what I need exceptionally at an affordable price. Their set up is easy and their online learning platform gives me a wonderful learning experience especially under the guidance of my teacher, Kawamura-sensei.

Kawamura-sensei is experienced and patient. Besides following the curriculum outlined by the Genki textbook series, I learn a lot about Japan and its culture through my casual conversation with Kawamura-sensei. Little by little, I have become more confident in reading, speaking and writing Japanese. As a result, I have decided to work harder and attempt JLPT N5 in about 6 months! I hope someday I will be able to read the work by some of my favorite Japanese writers in their native tongue.

I found that the prices are spot and very reasonable for the amazing Nihongo-Pro instructors. I have been a student of Katano-sensei and it has been an eye opener to me—not only in the teaching of the Japanese language but also the context behind it. The context is essential when you’re trying to understand terms that are different from your own culture.

Also, Nihongo-Pro support is spot on, so if you have any questions or problems, they will answer you back promptly.

To sum it all up, Nihongo-Pro is an amazing place to learn Japanese and I will be sticking by them for the long haul. I have simply not found anything that comes close to what Nihongo-Pro offers, so don’t think about it, sign up—you won’t regret it.

I was stuck in my Japanese learning, mostly focusing on kanji rather than grammar. I studied alone for 2 years and always had a problem with speaking and grammar retention (always forgetting some grammar points).

Then, I found Kawamura-sensei at Nihongo-Pro.

With Kawamura-sensei, learning grammar became easier and fun. She always explains grammar points to make them easier to learn. She is also there to answer my numerous question about something I saw in a book or somewhere else. She is kind and always gives extra explanations (even repeating things because I forgot them -- 忘れてしまいましてごめんさない).

My conversations with Kawamura-sensei are fun and interesting while still learning lots of things about Japan. My speaking and listening ability have improved greatly.

It is worth every penny I spend on Nihongo-Pro. I recommend everyone to try Kawamura-sensei's lessons—you won't regret it.

河村先生、教えてくれてほんとにありがとうございます。

I’m Pablo Gutierrez from Chile, and I’ve been studying Japanese with Aki Ogihara sensei and Nihongo-Pro since 2019.

When I started studying Japanese, I studied on my own through web pages and watching videos on YouTube. Although I felt that I was learning, I was not achieving the results I wanted. So, I got serious and looked for classes with a Japanese teacher. Googling the website that most caught my attention and that looked most reliable was Nihongo-Pro.

In the beginning I was not sure how good the online Japanese lessons would be . I had a test session with Steve, a very nice support person, where we discussed my goals and how to achieve them. After that I had my trial lesson with Ogihara Aki sensei.

The classes with Ogihara sensei are superb: her Japanese lessons are entertaining, and she is a gentle and patient teacher. Her teaching method is 100% efficient and helped me realize the need for an experienced and native teacher in the language. Also, Ogihara sensei speaks Spanish fluently, which I appreciate as a Spanish native speaker myself. Thanks to the motivation and support that Ogihara sensei has given me during classes and with extra work, I have managed to increase my level of Japanese very quickly and meet my goals. Now I am preparing for the JLPT and I am sure I will score a perfect 100!

Finally, let me add that I highly recommend Nihongo-Pro; the teaching platform is very good and technological. It is easy to use and share information, even practice kanji with ProPad.

I joined Nihongo-Pro online Japanese classes in June 2013. Since then, my Japanese language has been improving extremely well. This is thanks to the systematic teaching methodology at Nihongo-Pro.

My sensei Aso Yutaka has been very attentive and hard working in designing lessons for me. He is patient in teaching the essentials of the Japanese language, which is very important to gain a solid understanding of the language. I am looking forward to making even more progress in my lessons with Aso-sensei.

When I tried Nihongo-Pro for the first time, I was really nervous, but Nakano-sensei was very friendly and had a calm demeanor about her, which made the lesson very enjoyable. I am now very excited to get to my next Japanese lesson.

After a long break from lessons, I really look forward to studying Japanese at Nihongo-Pro.

I am a full-time employee so taking classroom-based classes was not an option for me. I spent a long time trying to find the right online school to handle my schedule and then I found Nihongo-Pro. From the first email I was hooked. The staff at Nihongo-Pro is extremely efficient and polite. I had the chance to meet a couple teachers and find one who fit what I was looking for as a student.

Mukai Sensei is extremely engaging. He makes learning Japanese enjoyable and not stressful, which is really important for new students. He tailored the lessons to me and my goals and I have seen a constant improvement in my skills. Thanks to Mukai Sensei I was able to pass my JLPT goal and now I am looking forward to gaining his help as I continue to improve!

Thank you, Nihongo-Pro!

I've been living in Japan for quite a few years but my Japanese isn't great. I knew I wanted to study but my schedule doesn't allow me to attend a class here so I decided to look for one online. I found Nihongo-Pro and, while I was reading teacher's profiles, I found Michiko Nakano—I just knew she would be a great teacher and I was right!

Michiko is a wonderful Japanese teacher. I really enjoy learning with her and I felt my Japanese improving after only a handful of sessions. She takes into consideration what I want to learn and what I already know as she plans my lessons. The classroom is great and I love that I get a file to review after each lesson. She makes learning Japanese fun—we laugh a lot! I truly enjoy my classes and plan on continuing them with her for a long time.

I'm so glad I found my Nihongo-Pro teacher!

I am an adult beginner and have been studying Japanese with Nakano-sensei twice a week since early 2020. Attending lessons from the comfort of home is convenient and time-saving. The set-up at Nihongo-Pro is awesome. The quality of sound and teaching materials feels no different from being in a ‘live’ classroom.

My focus is on conversational Japanese. Until the pandemic hit, I was a frequent traveller to Japan, especially to the island of Hokkaido. During class, Sensei discusses Japanese food, shopping and other activities, teaching me useful phrases for future trips. It doesn’t feel like a lesson at all (in a good way). I hope to use all that she has imparted to me on my next visit to Japan, whenever that might be!

I've been studying with Asai Yukiko since late 2014. I discovered Nihongo-Pro after I had studied Japanese at the university.

During the lessons we review the university materials while diving deeper into the details. We also focus on conversation skills. My lessons with Asai-sensei are enjoyable and helping me progress a lot.

Araki-sensei has been incredibly accommodating and flexible with our lesson structure. In my case, general conversation practice and weekly readings from my choice of manga.

We have discussed everything from Japanese virtual youtubers, to daikon prep, to the best ways of drying a cat after a bath. So far, we have read Naoki Urasawa’s Pluto and are working our way through Osamu Tezuka’s classic Hi no Tori. So fun!

Araki-sensei is great—infinite patience and encouragement, and engaging lessons! The sustained weekly practice has improved all aspects of my Japanese, as well as my confidence. It makes all the difference.

I look forward to my lesson every week. Highly recommended!
荒木先生、これからもよろしくおねがいします。

I have taken many different Japanese classes, ranging from traditional classes to group and Skype classes. However, I must say that Nihongo-Pro classes are the best.

The customized program that they use is far superior to simple Skype lessons. Moreover, the staff at Nihongo-Pro is also very approachable. No other online Japanese program on the market can equal it for depth or value.

Most importantly the quality of instruction is superior and professional. I love my instructor Tanoshima-Sensei. She is attentive, patient, very knowledgeable, encouraging and kind. She makes me feel that I am doing well and provides a great deal of instruction, interaction and positive feedback.

Tanoshina-sensei is an inspiration as well as a motivator for me. She is a wonderful teacher and it is a pleasure to be her student. I am very happy to have found Nihongo-Pro. Signing up was easy, the prices are well worth the value you get, and they are responsive to all emails.

I will continue to take online Japanese classes with Nihongo-Pro until I am fluent in Japanese and can without effort talk while in Japan. Congratulations, Nihongo-Pro and Tanoshima-Sensei. Keep up the outstanding performance!

I have been studying with Nakano sensei for several months—I truly love Nakano sensei and her classes. On the day we first met online for our class, she recommended the right textbooks for me and she already knew how to help me. Since then, I have been constantly taking her classes and I am able to practice my conversation with her and prepare for the JLPT N1 at the same time.

I was a Japanese language major back in college and I wanted to continue studying Japanese after I graduated.

I studied by myself for two years after I graduated since I could not find the right teacher. I wasn't a beginner so I really needed someone who could easily grasp my level of Japanese and help me prepare for the JLPT N1.

Steve, who helped me with the setup, was friendly and helpful, and answered my questions before the trial lesson. I really like how fast he responds to my e-mails.

Nakano sensei never stops encouraging me, and I can tell that she truly cares about my Japanese study and well-being. She is very good at answering questions as well: I ask a lot of questions regarding the vocabulary and grammar, and she always gives me the answer right away in an easy-to-understand way. She simply makes difficult materials so easy! :)

She is friendly, caring, and professional. I love the fact that she is my Japanese teacher and I will keep taking her class until I master the Japanese language! :)

Thank you Nihongo-Pro and thank you Nakano sensei!