About Me

Hi, I'm Seijiro! You can call me Seijiro sensei. I'm a Japanese language teacher from Kumamoto, Japan. I currently live in Melbourne, Australia and I've been teaching Japanese since 2015. I speak Japanese and English.

"A mistake is just a chance to learn"

I'm passionate about language education. My personality is optimistic, positive and patient. Many students say it's easy to talk with me.
I like to climb mountains. I have climbed Mt. Fuji three times. My favourite food is Unadon (Eel and rice bowl) and I like anime and travelling too. I love meeting people from all over the world and learning about their culture and I'm interested in languages and philosophy.
My teaching motto is to encourage students to make mistakes. I never get angry or disappointed because a mistake is just a chance to learn.

Absolute beginners are welcome

All levels from beginner to super advanced

Online Lessons

If you’re looking to improve your Japanese skills, you’ve come to the right place. Japanese is my mother tongue and I’m a certified teacher. I teach any type of Japanese such as general Japanese and business Japanese.

What is Seijiro's Japanese?

What is listed here is not everything and I am flexible enough to meet your individual needs.

General Japanese You can study Japanese with me from whatever level you desire or from the Beginner Level to the Advanced Level.
We'll have classes using the following textbooks:
  • Beginner Level - "Minna no Nihongo Shokyu Ⅰ (みんなの日本語 初級Ⅰ)"
  • Intermediate Level - "Minna no Nihongo Shokyu Ⅱ (みんなの日本語 初級Ⅱ)"
  • Upper Intermediate Level - "Minna no Nihongo Chukyu Ⅰ (みんなの日本語 中級Ⅰ)"
  • Advanced Level - "Minna no Nihongo Chukyu Ⅱ (みんなの日本語 中級Ⅱ)"
This class is perfect for those who want to learn a balance of reading, writing, listening and speaking without focusing on one subject. (In the JLPT and EJU examinations, there is no speaking test. If you want to practice speaking, General Japanese is the better class.) This class is also available for advanced learners, but I recommend that you take this class, especially if you don't know Japanese at all or have only a short history of learning.
JLPT / EJU I can teach JLPT from the easiest level (N5) to the highest level (N1).
We'll mainly use the following textbooks:
  • N5 and N4 - "Minna no Nihongo Shokyu Ⅰ & Ⅱ (みんなの日本語 初級Ⅰ & Ⅱ)"
  • N3, N2, N1 and EJU - "Shin Kanzen Master (新完全マスター)" or "Nihongo So-matome (日本語総まとめ)"
For EJU students, there are 4 EJU subjects however I only teach one subject, "Japanese as a foreign language" and that includes the essay writing section.

The characteristic of my methodology for teaching Japanese is its systematics. I'm good at formulating complex grammars and explaining them simply with diagrams, tables, etc. In particular, this method has been effective for JLPT/EJU examinees, has been well received by students, and has led many students to pass.
Conversation Practice This is a chance to practice what you've learnt! Let's talk in Japanese about your favourite anime, the current news, your trip to Japan or whatever you're interested in.

In this lesson, you can also practice using honorific expressions and business conversations if you want, or you can practice for an interview when you take an examination for a Japanese university or company.

No worries if you don't have the above textbooks. We can use them digitally.
Of course, if you want to use a specific textbook other than the ones mentioned above, and if I have the textbook, we can use it for classes.
It doesn't matter what language is your native language, I understand the difficulty you'll face in your goal to learn Japanese and I can guide you through those difficulties.
I have experienced various kinds of classes using various teaching materials, so please feel free to tell me if you have any requests.

Structure of the first lesson

1. Self-introductions
Please use Japanese as much as possible to tell me about yourself.
2. About you
About your motivation to learn Japanese, your learning history, and your goals.
3. Quick level check
If you are a zero beginner, we won't do a level check.
4. Deciding which textbook
I'll suggest the best plan for your learning goal.
5. Mini lesson
Don't be afraid of making mistakes. The most important thing is that you are TRYING!
You don't need to prepare anything for the first lesson.

FAQ

How can I have cheaper lessons?
If you purchase a package, you can take lessons at a lower price than usual.
How can I have consistent lessons?
By purchasing a package, you can book many lessons over a long period of time at once. If you want to take regular lessons at the same day, same time, every week, I strongly recommend you buy a package.
Can I have a 120 mins lesson?
Yes. I usually have 30 minutes break between each 60 mins lesson. However, if you reserve 2 lessons in a row, we can take 2 lessons in a row with a 10 minute break between them. Of course, that 10 minutes break is not included in the class time, so please don't worry. For example, the first half is from 8:00 to 9:00, and then the latter half is from 9:10 to 10:10.
What should I do when I can't attend the lesson?
If you know you'll be absent 24 hours before the lesson, please cancel through italki in order to avoid paying for a lesson you can't attend.
Unfortunately italki doesn't allow you to cancel within 24 hours. In that case, I would appreciate if you could notify me as soon as possible and then you can book another lesson on italki.
Is it ok to take pictures or screenshots in class?
Yes. You can take pictures or screenshots of the digital whiteboard anytime during the lesson. I also provide time at the end of the lesson to take pictures of everything on the digital whiteboard.
How long does it take to master Japanese?
It depends on your learning style, your history of learning foreign languages, your interests and the time you spend immersed in Japanese on a daily basis. I can only give you a rough estimate based on my teaching experience.

If you have any other questions, you can ask through italki.

Culture and History

I teach not only language but also Japanese culture and history. I know about Japanese classical literature and traditional arts but you can also talk with me about modern Japanese culture such as anime or manga.

Happy Students

Here’s what students are saying about Seijiro's Japanese:

" Today we managed to cover a lot of grammar. Seijiro is always happy to help me if there is something I don't understand.

★★★★★
Rian
Oscar
United Kingdom

" Lessons with Seijiro-san were very helpful in refreshing my conversation skills. I use Japanese for academic research and reading books and don’t have often a chance to speak in Japanese. Seijiro-san provided materials that will facilitate our lessons. I recommend lessons with Seijiro-san.

★★★★★
Rian
Daria
Russia

" I've understand the grammar points thanks to Seijiro 先生. It was again a great lesson. I can only advise japanese learners to take Seijiro 先生 as their japanese teacher !

★★★★★
Rian
Aurore
France

" Seijiro was very helpful, organized, thorough, and kind. Very easy to talk to and eager to help. I enjoyed our lesson a lot. ありがとうございました！

★★★★★
Rian
Rian
United States

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