Aya

We’ve been taking weekly Japanese lessons with Aya Sensei for the past six months, a special 2 person class - it is really fun to be learning together. Aya is very creative, thoughtful, and always knows how to make learning joyful. This week, she surprised us with a lesson centered entirely around the vintage anime Heidi, Girl of the Alps because she remembered we’d mentioned our love for old-school anime. Not only did we learn vocabulary and grammar, but she taught us the full lyrics to the opening theme song. Singing together (yes, singing!) while breaking down the lyrics line by line was one of the most fun and memorable lessons we’ve had so far! Aya brings this kind of fun and playfulness to every class, balancing language fundamentals with genuine curiosity that matches our interests. We can’t recommend her highly enough! ありがと！

I've been studying with Aya-sensei every week for over half a year now. I'm continually impressed with Aya-sensei's ability to always challenge me without making it too difficult or too easy. Progress is steady and I can sincerely recommend Aya-sensei to anyone who wishes to improve their Japanese.

Mi sono trovato davvero bene con Aya sensei. È chiara nelle spiegazioni, riesce a rendere semplice anche le cose più complesse e si vede che ha passione per quello che fa. Le lezioni sono ben organizzate, se qualcosa non è chiaro, si ferma, spiega di nuovo, trova un altro modo e riesce a mantenere viva l’attenzione. E' molto solare e rende le lezioni molto più leggere .Personalmente sento che sto imparando tanto, e con piacere. La consiglio davvero a chiunque voglia iniziare a studiare giapponese con il piede giusto.

Aya-san provides excellent feedback on lessons and homework — always meaningful and relatable. She is very attentive and often refers back to previous lessons and our past conversations to offer deeper explanations. I’m currently finding it a bit challenging to internalise vocabulary. Each sentence feels like a puzzle where I need to hold each word in memory before I can place them in the correct order. It’s a slow process for me, and I truly appreciate the space I’m given to think. Aya-san is incredibly patient and supportive. あや-さん、ありがとうございます。

I have studied with Aya-san for nearly 20 hours now and feel that I am progressing rapidly. Learning with her is an absolute pleasure, and I can wholeheartedly recommend her. Today, we discussed formal and informal language. Aya-san is very patient and always accommodating.あや先生、お疲れ様でした。いつもありがとうございます。

Second lesson with Aya-sensei was excellent. We began a review of "homework" that included very helpful advice and corrections, then kept focus on reading and speaking as planned. Aya kept the lesson clear and focused, with just the right level of challenge. I'm slowly gaining confidence and feeling much more motivated than I did with my self-study previously. あや先生、ありがとうございました！レッスンはとてもすばらしです。