Hey! I love pancakes and I help you speak Japanese! Are you tired of studying only grammar and not seeing real results yet? Let's achieve that "oh I can speak Japanese" moment together! :)

Find out more about Risa

• 1) Did you grow up speaking this language? Or were you inspired by a trip abroad, an individual or a certain aspect of the culture?

  I am a native Japanese speaker who was born and raised in Japan. I have spoken Japanese language my entire life and currently use a mix of Japanese and English while living and working in Australia.

• 2) Can you name a living, historical or fictional character that you think is the emblematic representative of the language's culture?

  One notable public figure that first comes to mind is, the current Japanese Empress, "Masako-sama", who worked as a multilingual diplomat and interpreter before joining Japan's imperial family.
  
  I admire not only Masako-sama's international background, but also how gracefully she carries herself in public as a member of Japan's imperial family. She is a very elegant woman who is courteous, modest and patient, and she never forgets to show respect and care for other people, even during her own difficult times. Her presence and behaviour represent the beauty of traditional Japanese culture to me, as not everyone can embody those qualities.

• 3) Is there a typical word, phrase, tradition or expression in the language that you particularly like?

  It is "継続は力なり"（Keizoku wa chikaranari), absolutely!
  It's often translated as "persistence pays off" in English and is also reflected in my teaching philosophy because mastering one language never happens overnight and it requires patience, time and consistency on your end. It always makes me happy to see how many of my students have proven the power of persistence and I have nothing but respect for the progress they have been making so far!
  
  Also I personally use "ええ～?!" and "あぁー" very frequently. Even though I speak English daily, it cannot be taken away! In fact, some people including my students find it quite unique and they enjoy hearing those expressions from Japanese people :)

• 4) Why does speaking this language matter to you?

  The Japanese language has been a part of my identity since birth. I use Japanese regularly in my teaching and daily life, and Japanese is the only language I can use to communicate with my family members and friends in Japan because they do not speak other languages.
  Learning a second language (English) has taught me to appreciate my native language even more, and I hope to pass that appreciation on to people who want to learn Japanese through my teaching.

• 5) What is the main difficulty in learning this language and what can help the process of learning?

  I would say "having conversations" in Japanese. This is something that I have faced myself as an English learner in the past, but I have noticed people can learn Japanese by themselves but find it difficult to actually use what they've learned in real life conversations. It could be a lack of Japanese speaking environment, they may be scared of feeling embarrassed or judgement from others when making mistakes. Everyone has different stories, of course.
  
  One of my excellent students once said something funny, but very true. It was "If you want to be fluent in Japanese, you need to soak yourself in the Japanese speaking environment, like a pickle in the liquid, and enjoy the process".
  
  I completely agree with the idea! I even improved my English by having small chats with my coworkers and people I interacted with at work, and the more I communicated with people, the more I wanted to speak the language.
  
  No matter who you learn Japanese with, you should be able to learn and practice it in a place where you feel comfortable and encouraged, and I believe that is one of my most important roles as a teacher.

• 6) Provide a valuable anecdote related to your language learning or your days at school.

  My coolest experience as an English learner was that my dad taught me English when I was a little child! He is pure Japanese, but I learned how to say animals name and numbers and stuff in English from him, and without his help I wouldn't have been interested in the English language this much.
  
  After I came to Australia, I studied interpreting at university to challenge myself. I loved the experience very much, especially learning new terminologies in various fields, such as medical and legal, and switching two languages in my brain to verbally translate the speakers. Through this training, I've become more curious about occupations that require language skills.
  
  As a Japanese teacher, I have been tutoring for a pilot of the Australian Defence Force. Working with the student is pretty interesting. I have learned that the Australian and Japanese defence forces have a strong connection and the ADF offers a Japanese language course for military personnel. I feel a little proud to be teaching someone who helps strengthen the connection between Australia and Japan through language learning :)

• 7) How has travel or a specific trip helped you to increase your skill and knowledge of the language?

  I haven't travelled much to be honest, but every time I visit my home country, I get opportunities to learn some new slang coming from the younger generation or extremely polite expressions used in the hospitality industry, that are never in textbooks! The experiences help me update and refresh my knowledge of Japanese and also help me give my students advice before they travel to Japan.
  
  And obviously, coming to Australia and working in multiple industries eventually led me to pursue the teaching career I have today, and I was lucky enough to enroll in a 420-hour Japanese teacher training course where I gained my teaching skills and deeper understanding of Japanese grammar here in Melbourne.