About

つどいにほんご

Tsudoi Nihongo

From textbook Japanese to living Japanese.

Japanese Language Instructor

高橋麻利央（Takahashi Mario）

• Certified Japanese Language Teacher
• Years of experience at Japanese language school
• Specialized in conversational Japanese
• Founder of Tsudoi Nihongo

The moment I realized the world's curiosity about Japanese

During my years working in administration at a Japanese company, I had many opportunities to interact with international
clients and students studying in Japan.

I remember being asked simple questions like “How do you write ‘hello’ in Japanese?” by someone who wanted to send a
letter home to their family. Moments like these made me realize just how many people around the world are drawn to the
Japanese language and culture.

I was also deeply moved by the international students I met in the workplace — working so hard, far from home, to build
their lives in Japan.

I understood their struggle — because I lived it too

When I began teaching at a Japanese language school, I noticed a pattern I recognized immediately — because I had
experienced it myself as an English learner.

So many students could pass grammar tests, but froze the moment a real conversation began. The reason was simple:
they had knowledge, but almost no opportunity to actually use it.

That’s when I knew: Japanese shouldn’t be studied just to pass an exam. It should be felt, lived, and used as a tool for
real life.

The meaning behind "Tsudoi Nihongo"

“Tsudoi” means gathering — people coming together with a shared purpose. I chose this name because at the
heart of my teaching is collaborative learning. I believe that when learners come together, encourage each other, and
grow side by side, something special happens.

This is not just a classroom. It is a community.

What I hope for every learner

Language is not the destination — it is the vehicle.

When you can truly use Japanese as a tool for living, that’s when the real joy begins. I have seen it in my students’ faces
— that moment when their eyes light up: “I understood! I said it! I did it!”

I want every Tsudoi Nihongo learner to experience that moment — again and again. Please let me be part of your
journey.