We're excited to share a new project at Akita Inaka School!

Recently, our team traveled from Akita to Tokushima to meet students from Tokushima Kita High School, who have been doing something wonderful: sharing the beauty of their hometown with the world in English.

Learning Beyond the Classroom

One of the biggest challenges in language learning is finding opportunities to experience natural, everyday conversations. Textbooks and listening materials are useful, but real conversations don't follow a script.

A New Way to Learn Natural Japanese

That's exactly why we're starting this project!

We want these high school students to bring their energy, perspectives, and natural everyday Japanese into our learning community.

Through teaching assistant opportunities, language exchanges, online meetups, and Japanese classes, we hope they'll become not only learning partners, but also people who help our students discover how Japanese is actually used in everyday life.

Conversations with young people can bring a different kind of energy to language learning. Their spontaneous reactions, everyday expressions, and fresh perspectives can make communication more natural, relaxed, and fun.

Language Learners Connecting with Language Learners

What makes this collaboration especially meaningful is that Tokushima Kita High School places a strong emphasis on English communication.

These students are language learners themselves. They understand the challenges of learning another language, as well as the excitement of actually using it to connect with people.

While our students are learning Japanese, the high school students are learning English. We hope this creates opportunities for both sides to communicate, exchange ideas, and learn from each other.

Sharing the Beauty of Hidden Japan

We also want to support the wonderful activities these students are already doing to promote their hometown.

Places like Tokushima and Akita may not be as internationally famous as Kyoto, Osaka, or Tokyo, but they have incredible communities, traditions, and everyday experiences worth discovering.

Together, we hope to share the beauty of Hidden Japan with the world, while creating meaningful connections between local Japanese communities and international language learners.