Japanese teacher Atsuko

Atsuko

Professional Teacher
Teaches
Japanese
Native
Speaks
English
Spanish
French
Italian
Albanian
Other
Turkish
Expert of teaching complete beginners who really want to SPEAK Japanese
From JapanLiving in Panama City, Panama (10:21 UTC-05:00)
About Me
italki teacher since Dec 16, 2015
InterestsSports & FitnessTravelMusicFoodScience
Konnichiwa! I’m a Japanese teacher who loves helping beginners speak confidently from day one. After teaching in Thailand’s top language school, I now blend my nomadic adventures (Europe, the Americas, Africa!) into fun, practical lessons. I also love learning foreign languages myself and enjoy discovering different cultures through travel and communication. Outside of teaching, you'll often find me dancing, working out, or studying something new. Let’s turn your “I can’t” into “I did it!” (P.S. ¡Puedo enseñar japonés en español también!) After teaching Japanese on italki for a year and a half, I moved to Thailand to work at a well-known Japanese language school with a strong reputation. There, I gained valuable experience teaching Japanese in a structured classroom environment. In addition to grammar instruction, I specialize in helping students learn to write Japanese scriptsーhiragana, katakana, and kanjiーwith clarity and beauty. In my lessons, I focus not just on taking classes but on helping students build practical communication skills. I structure each course to ensure students have plenty of opportunities to review and reinforce what they've learned. Many learners feel nervous about starting Japanese from scratch, especially onlineーbut I've become very comfortable guiding beginners, and I truly enjoy it! I'd love for you to try a trial lesson and see how my method works for you. *Please note that I only teach students aged 16 and above.
My teaching material
  • PDF file
  • Text Documents
  • Presentation slides/PPT
  • Image files
  • Video files
  • Flashcards
  • Homework Assignments
5.0
Rating
529
Students
5820
Lessons
100%
Attendance rate
100%
Response rate

Japanese Lessons

Trial Lesson
293 lessons completed
USD 10.00+
【55 min/ 85 min】Informal Conversation
B1 -  C2

Conversation

1,181 lessons completed
USD 27.00+
Package with 4% off
【55 min】Let's write beautiful hiragana & katakana!! (homework included)
A1 -  C2

Language Essentials

52 lessons completed
USD 35.00
【55 min/ 85 min】Elementary Grammar & Conversation
A1 -  A2

Language Essentials

2,174 lessons completed
USD 36.00+
Package with 5% off
【55 min/ 85 min】Elementary Grammar & Conversation (homework included)
A1 -  A2

Language Essentials

1,989 lessons completed
USD 39.00+
Package with 6% off
【55 min/ 85 min】Essay Writing & Conversation
B1 -  C2

Language Essentials

108 lessons completed
USD 34.00+
Package with 5% off
【55 min】Preparation for traveling in Japan
A1

Conversation

21 lessons completed
USD 36.00

Availability

1,748 Reviews

Student Erica Anderson
Erica Anderson
33 Japanese lessons
Teacher’s pick
Atsuko-san is an amazing Japanese teacher! She is always prepared with helpful materials and exercises. She's very patient (even when I make a lot of mistakes) and we end up laughing a lot. She has a very open mind and has personal experience learning a variety of different languages, so she really understands students' struggles with certain concepts. Atsuko-san makes every lesson fun; even when I'm tired or haven't practiced in a while, I feel comfortable jumping back in with her guidance. If you're like me and looking to learn Japanese from the very beginning, Atsuko-san is a great resource - she gives you the building blocks one by one and before you know it, you can start forming long sentences and complex ideas with ease. Japanese is a very challenging language, so between lessons you should still study every day and make sure to do your homework. :)
Mar 7, 2026
Student Robert Byles
Robert Byles
14 Japanese lessons
Teacher’s pick
I was very nervous but Atsuko-sensei was very kind and helpful. I am beginning from scratch and she really took her time to explain things to me in detail. She did everything in her teaching style, she presented material, explained, guided, asked questions, and encouraged me. I will continue to work with her and I highly recommend everyone else do so as well.
Jun 6, 2024
Student Jessica
Jessica
115 Japanese lessons
Lessons with Atsuko are always fun! We reviewed conditional sentences and added giving and receiving gifts. It was awesome! I know more than I think. Thank you very much Atsuko!
Apr 18, 2026
Peter Graham
37 Japanese lessons
Teacher’s pick
I've been taking lessons with Atsuko San for close to 8 months, and she is a really fantastic teacher. She is lighthearted and fun, and she has lead me through the basics at a great pace while mixing in plenty of opportunity to practice what we learn in basic conversation. I had been trying to study independently for a year prior to starting these lessons, and working with Atsuko San has helped me contextualize and progress through my independent study greatly! If you're looking for a friendly and welcoming Japanese tutor who is incredibly responsive and helpful, I can't recommend her highly enough.
Mar 7, 2026
Student Cali Dufner
Cali Dufner
80 Japanese lessons
Atsuko-San always gives great lessons! I leave with lots of notes and new information. Our lessons are full of worksheets, conversations, reading and speaking practice, and details I feel like other Japanese teachers might overlook. She’s very meticulous and makes sure you don’t get away with the little mistakes which I appreciate, because it keeps me from developing bad habits. She cares a lot about her students and remembers a lot about them! Her lessons are always welcoming and useful!
May 8, 2026
Student Ania Krzyżanowska
Ania Krzyżanowska
15 Japanese lessons
I had a great lesson with Atsuko! She creates a very comfortable and fun atmosphere, helping me speak much more. I’m looking forward to the next class!
Jan 17, 2026