Stop translating in your head.
Here is a way to be efficient and effective.
LEARN JAPANESE WITH HARUKA
From Day 1, I help you think, react, and speak in Japanese through real conversation. Japanese is something you learn by speaking.
Why Most People Can’t Speak
Many Japanese learners fall into this trap:
They know vocabulary and grammar.
They’ve finished multiple textbooks.
But when it comes to conversation, their mouths freeze.
It’s not a lack of effort or a matter of talent. It happens because the approach to learning is wrong.
Most education follows this structure:
- Teacher teaches
- Student listens
- Memorizes
- Takes tests
But language doesn’t stick just by receiving it. Language is internalized by using it,
by testing ideas, making mistakes, and adjusting in real time.
Hi, I’m Haruka !
I’m Haruka, the founder and instructor of Nihongo Know.
With over a decade of experience teaching Japanese, I work not only as a teacher, but as a coach,, helping learners build structure, clarity, and a natural way of thinking and speaking in Japanese.
Many learners come from apps, self-study, or traditional programs with plenty of knowledge, yet little confidence in speaking. Language involves knowledge, but at its core, it is a skill. Speaking is often treated as something that comes later. In reality, it must be trained from the very beginning.
Here, I focus on one outcome above all: helping students enjoy real conversation from the very first lesson.
From the first lesson, students engage in real conversation with a native speaker, naturally developing ways of speaking that differ fundamentally from English. Techniques evolve with progress, but the foundation remains: building on strengths and maintaining continuity.
Let’s start together, whether you’re just beginning or already experienced.
The sooner you understand why speaking feels difficult, the faster, and more naturally, your Japanese will grow.
Nihongo Know Approach™
Education × Brain Science × School Psychology
Nihongo Know is a Japanese language school based in Vancouver, Canada. My goal is simple: to help you build a Japanese brain. The name Know comes from the Japanese word nō (脳), meaning “brain.” Because learning Japanese isn’t just about memorizing vocabulary or grammar. It’s about reshaping how you think, perceive, and act through the language. At Nihongo Know, students don’t just study Japanese. They learn to think, communicate, and engage with the world from a Japanese perspective.
I’m not teaching a subject. I’m cultivating a mindset and opening the door to the deeper layers of Japanese language and culture.
1. Learning Designed Around the Brain
At Nihongo Know, brain science is not something we explain. It is something we design around. Many learners struggle not because Japanese is difficult, but because their brains are overloaded. When learners constantly translate, monitor grammar, and search for the “right” sentence, the brain freezes. So we remove unnecessary load. Instead of asking students to understand first and speak later, we design learning so the brain can respond before it analyzes. This allows language to become usable, not just understandable. This approach works with the brain, not against it.
2. Embedding Japanese into Your Body
Japanese is not acquired only through understanding. It is embedded through repeated physical and mental experience. In this approach, speaking is treated as physical training. Your mouth, muscles, and sense of rhythm are trained through real-time use, not delayed until you “feel ready.” My learning sequence follows how the brain and body naturally acquire language:
Listen → Speak → Write → Read
Listening comes first. Your brain absorbs rhythm, sound, and flow before meaning is analyzed.
Speaking follows. The body learns to respond, building familiarity and confidence through use.
Writing adds structure, organizing what the body already recognizes.
Reading deepens intuition and strengthens long-term retention.
Language is not something you simply know. It is something you build, like muscle.
3. Progressive Learning (Active & Individualized)
Every student begins with a clear goal. Before setting that goal, I take time to understand:
・weekly schedule and daily routines
・learning habits and thinking patterns
・what feels motivating and what feels draining
From there, we define objectives that are ambitious, yet realistic. Progress requires effort, and that effort belongs to the learner.
Each week, students commit to the work needed to move forward.
My role is to set direction, monitor progress, and adjust workload and class design so learning remains challenging without becoming overwhelming.
Classes are interactive and learner-driven. They begin with the student’s motivation, not one-way explanation.
I am not a dispenser of knowledge. I work as:
・A guide who supports your thinking
・an analyst who identifies mental and technical blocks
・a strategist who shows clear paths forward
・A partner who runs alongside you
A great class is not created by the teacher alone. The most important factor is the learner’s attitude and willingness to engage. When effort and guidance align, progress becomes inevitable.
How Learners Change
What actually shifts through this process
| Before |
| Learners search for the “right” sentence before speaking They mentally translate from English to Japanese Conversation feels slow, stressful, and fragile Silence feels safer than making a mistake |
| Japanese exists as knowledge, not yet as something they can rely on. |
| After |
| Learners begin speaking without assembling sentences in their heads Words come out faster than conscious thought They stay present in conversation instead of monitoring themselves Mistakes no longer interrupt the flow |
| Japanese becomes something they use, not something they perform. |
Over time, learners notice a subtle but powerful shift. They are no longer trying to produce Japanese. They are responding in Japanese.
This change isn’t forced. It emerges through repeated use, reflection, and adjustment, until the language starts to feel familiar in the body, not just the mind.
Is This the Right Approach for You?
This program is not about quick fixes or casual trial.
Language cannot be learned in weeks; meaningful change comes from sustained, intentional effort where you remain the driver of your own learning.
It is best suited for learners who:
- Want to become genuinely conversational
- Want to think and express themselves directly in Japanese
- Want to understand the culture behind the language
- Value depth and authenticity, where growth emerges naturally
Many students continue long-term, not because they are required to, but because the learning process itself is engaging, meaningful, and rewarding. The experience draws them in, and consistent practice happens almost as a byproduct of genuine engagement.
Student’s voice
If every teacher was like Haruka sensei, nobody would ever quit learning anymore.
What can I say more?
Lessons with her are dynamic, useful and always adapted to my level, strength and weaknesses.
She’s patient, caring, comprehensive and definitely super competent.
I couldn’t recommend any better!.
Cedric
I’m enthusiastic about teaching, but I also take pride in being your mentor.
Learning a second language is a journey, and I know firsthand how challenging it can be. When I was learning English, I faced the same frustrations many learners do: feeling stuck, making mistakes, and wondering if I’d ever truly get there. But along the way, I also discovered something powerful, the joy of progress, the thrill of real conversations, and the confidence that comes from genuinely understanding a new language.
As a passionate Japanese teacher and performer, I bring energy, storytelling, and laughter into every lesson. My classes aren’t just about studying Japanese; they’re about experiencing it. Through real-life stories, cultural insights, and adventures from my travels, learning becomes something alive and memorable. I’m here not only as your teacher, but as your mentor and friend, someone who walks beside you, supports you through the ups and downs, and helps turn challenges into breakthroughs. You don’t have to do this alone. Together, we’ll celebrate every milestone and build confidence step by step, because learning is meant to be shared.
The greatest mistake in learning is fearing mistakes.
Embrace them, and that’s where real progress begins.
LESSONS
Wherever you’re at in your Japanese language journey, Nihongo Know is right for you.
Choose your learning path based on your goals. All programs are designed with the same philosophy and methodology.
Nihongo Know has 4 ways for you.
Limited-Sized Group Class
Joining a current group class to fit with your level
Private Group Class
Hire Haruka with your own people
1-on-1 Session
Keep Haruka only for you
Self-Study Program
Make a steadily progress with Haruka’s guidance