Sumito

Sumito-sensei does a phenomenal job locating general areas in my language usage that need improvement, and also pinpointing specifics I need to focus on to be able to competently use Japanese in my everyday life. As a teacher myself, I understand that I'm a difficult student because I have no formal Japanese language schooling so my knowledge base/ability level is extremely inconsistent. I've taken a fair amount of classes on Italki (at this time, more than 100), and I can honestly say that while every teacher has been helpful in their own way, Sumito-sensei's lessons have given me the most tangible/usable progress in the shortest amount of time. Learning Japanese on your own is overwhelming for a number of reasons, one of them being that it's difficult to find honest feedback on your Japanese that's not basic text-book Japanese based. Sumito-Sensei's feedback is honest, practical, and very helpful. I highly recommend Sumito-sensei's lessons if you want to be able to speak naturally.

Honestly, I was very skeptical about taking virtual Japanese classes again. I had wildly varying levels of success with online teachers in the past, so I took lessons from Sumito-sensei as a last resort. I needed to improve my Japanese because I'm now living and working in Japan. Fortunately, he is an extremely patient, approachable, and skilled teacher. Even after just one lesson, I feel more comfortable speaking my target language. The quality of the lessons themselves is unmatched. They are structured and tailored to your level, and Sumito-sensei truly makes the most of every minute of instruction. I now feel confident that I will achieve my learning goals in record time. I 100% recommend his classes without reservation.

Another great lesson! Sumito structures his lesson to get you talking about yourself, and having fluid conversations with others. These lessons have been great as now I’ve been able to have real conversations with Japanese speakers about topics, events, or other various things I’m interested in and want to talk about. He sneaks grammar into his lesson while you're discussing a topic (such as 好きな物 (things you like)), and so by the end of the lesson you've learned how to use a bunch of new grammar patterns without just staring at a textbook. If you want a teacher that can teach you real conversation you’ll want to use, grammar, pronunciation, and keep you motivated, then pick Sumito.

amazing as always!

Thanks

I had another fantastic class with Sumito-san! As usual, we started with some conversation practice, which is always fun and helps me feel more comfortable speaking in Japanese. Then, we moved on to reviewing an essay I wrote based on our previous lesson. Sumito-san did a great job of reviewing the grammar rules I already knew and introducing me to new ones. What I appreciated most was how he helped me understand and remember the rules by constructing sentences in a way that allowed me to figure out the answers myself before he gave them to me. This approach really helps me internalize the grammar and feel more confident using it. Overall, I highly recommend Sumito-san as a Japanese teacher. He is patient, knowledgeable, and has a great teaching style that makes learning enjoyable and effective. Thank you for another great class!