Learn Japanese
With over eight years of experience teaching Japanese to people of all ages and backgrounds, I’m a good fit for you if you are interested in acquiring basic conversation skills in preparation for an upcoming trip to Japan, or just have a love of the language and want to gain a deeper understanding of the culture.
Modalities
One-on-One Tutoring
This is great for someone who wants flexibility in terms of schedule and does well in a one-on-one setting. Book a free consultation with me to discuss further.
8-Week Online Course
This course is a great way to launch your Japanese language learning journey, together will fellow classmates. If you struggle with accountability, this will be great for you!
What You’ll Learn
How to Write
You will be introduced to the three Japanese writing systems—hiragana, katakana and kanji, a brief history of their development and usage today. If you are a complete beginner, we will start off learning hiragana first. Everyone, without exception, can learn how to write!
Cultural Understanding
Language and culture are inextricably linked. You can’t learn one without the other. Cultural ways of thinking shape the way language is used. Japanese has both conversational and polite forms of usage. You’ll get an insider’s perspective on this.
How to Converse
Whether you are a complete beginner or have studied Japanese in the past, I will help you acquire basic conversation skills or build upon what you know so that you can speak most naturally. No awkward, textbook Japanese that no one uses!
What Works Best for You
Learning should be fun! The most important thing is that you are enjoying the process of learning. I cater my lessons to each person’s individual needs so that they can thrive. I’ll incorporate a variety of mediums and we can discover together what works best for you.
Why I’m the right fit for you
I will help instill confidence in you that you can learn Japanese (because you can!) and also make it fun!
What People Are Saying
“Marisa is an amazing tutor! She is great at breaking down harder material, making it easier to understand. You can tell she is passionate about helping her students learn and truly wants them to succeed and reach their goals. She is patient, easy going, fair and overall an amazing tutor and I'm so glad I found her.”
— Jasmine
“I’ve had 4 tutors in the last 3 years, both native Japanese and American, and Marisa tops them all. She is in tune with the usage of Japanese in different critical scenarios and can focus me on what’s important to work on and study. Having spent time growing up and working in Japan, Marisa also has key knowledge of cultural nuances and social dynamics that make me feel confident I am learning and expressing myself appropriately. She is disciplined yet easy going, she works to tailor lessons to my needs, and she is always thoughtful and punctual around my schedule. I highly recommend Marisa for any level student!”
— Keith
“Marisa is an excellent tutor. She does a great job of assessing a student's ability, interests, and goals and tailoring the lessons to the student. She has a gift for teaching, and she creates a wonderful space for learning. As someone has mastered a number of other languages and complex grammars, I know the importance of technical ability as well, and Marisa has an excellent command of grammar, syntax, and structures of Japanese. She is both a native speaker AND a great teacher. I feel fortunate to have found her and am happy to recommend her.”
— Christopher
Get Started
I offer a free 15-minute consultation where we can get to know each other and I can learn more about your goals in learning Japanese. If you are inquiring as a group, please inquire about group rates.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What if I don't see a free consultation time that works for me?
No problem! Just reach out to me via the contact form letting me know what days/times you are available and we can get a zoom call scheduled.
What ages do you teach?
I teach all ages, with an age minimum of 14 (Junior High and up).
Do you offer group lessons?
Yes! Feel free to contact me via the contact form to discuss details.