Rick Akagi

Teacher

Rick Akagi

Teacher

About
Rick Akagi

Rick transitioned to Japanese language teaching 15 years ago after working in translation management at an IT company and managing a home care service office. He also works as a Chinese language coach and instructor. Having taught in Thailand, China, and Taiwan, he now lives in Taiwan and brings a wealth of cross-cultural experience to his lessons. A passionate self-learner, he enjoys exploring topics such as linguistics and second language acquisition theory.

About
Rick Akagi

Rick transitioned to Japanese language teaching 15 years ago after working in translation management at an IT company and managing a home care service office. He also works as a Chinese language coach and instructor. Having taught in Thailand, China, and Taiwan, he now lives in Taiwan and brings a wealth of cross-cultural experience to his lessons. A passionate self-learner, he enjoys exploring topics such as linguistics and second language acquisition theory.

Teaching Experience/Certifications
Feature
Award

Certifications:

  • Japanese Language Teacher Training Course (420 hours above)

  • HSK Level 6 (Chinese proficiency)

  • Japanese Language Teacher Training Course (420 hours above)

  • HSK Level 6 (Chinese proficiency)

  • Japanese Language Teacher Training Course (420 hours above)

  • HSK Level 6 (Chinese proficiency)

Teaching Philosophy

What I value most in lessons is the joy of โ€œI get it!โ€ and โ€œI can do it!โ€, the sense of accomplishment from real communication, and the connection with your coach or classmates.
As a Chinese language learner myself, I understand the challenges, the fun, and the fulfillment that come with studying a foreign language. I strive to support Japanese learners from that same perspective. Having lived abroad for many years, Iโ€™ve seen Japan and the Japanese language from different anglesโ€”and I hope to share not only language skills, but also tips for navigating communication difficulties and culture shock when living or working in Japan.

What I value most in lessons is the joy of โ€œI get it!โ€ and โ€œI can do it!โ€, the sense of accomplishment from real communication, and the connection with your coach or classmates.
As a Chinese language learner myself, I understand the challenges, the fun, and the fulfillment that come with studying a foreign language. I strive to support Japanese learners from that same perspective. Having lived abroad for many years, Iโ€™ve seen Japan and the Japanese language from different anglesโ€”and I hope to share not only language skills, but also tips for navigating communication difficulties and culture shock when living or working in Japan.

What I value most in lessons is the joy of โ€œI get it!โ€ and โ€œI can do it!โ€, the sense of accomplishment from real communication, and the connection with your coach or classmates.
As a Chinese language learner myself, I understand the challenges, the fun, and the fulfillment that come with studying a foreign language. I strive to support Japanese learners from that same perspective. Having lived abroad for many years, Iโ€™ve seen Japan and the Japanese language from different anglesโ€”and I hope to share not only language skills, but also tips for navigating communication difficulties and culture shock when living or working in Japan.

Personality
Hobbies

Reading (especially on linguistics and language topicsโ€”lots of Kindle & Audible!), watching Japanese comedy (rakugo, manzai, skits), listening to music (favorites include The Beatles, Tatsuro Yamashita, and Quruli)

Reading (especially on linguistics and language topicsโ€”lots of Kindle & Audible!), watching Japanese comedy (rakugo, manzai, skits), listening to music (favorites include The Beatles, Tatsuro Yamashita, and Quruli)

Reading (especially on linguistics and language topicsโ€”lots of Kindle & Audible!), watching Japanese comedy (rakugo, manzai, skits), listening to music (favorites include The Beatles, Tatsuro Yamashita, and Quruli)

Best movies/anime/manga/games

Films
Tokyo Story (Ozu Yasujiro)
The Lovers on the Bridge (Lรฉos Carax)
Kamome Diner

Books
Linguistics and language learning books
Novels by Tomihiko Morimi
Contemporary poetry (especially Shuntarล Tanikawa)
I Read about 4 books a month via Kindle and Audible!

Manga
Works by Taiyล Matsumoto (Ping Pong, Hanaotoko, etc.)

Films
Tokyo Story (Ozu Yasujiro)
The Lovers on the Bridge (Lรฉos Carax)
Kamome Diner

Books
Linguistics and language learning books
Novels by Tomihiko Morimi
Contemporary poetry (especially Shuntarล Tanikawa)
I Read about 4 books a month via Kindle and Audible!

Manga
Works by Taiyล Matsumoto (Ping Pong, Hanaotoko, etc.)

Films
Tokyo Story (Ozu Yasujiro)
The Lovers on the Bridge (Lรฉos Carax)
Kamome Diner

Books
Linguistics and language learning books
Novels by Tomihiko Morimi
Contemporary poetry (especially Shuntarล Tanikawa)
I Read about 4 books a month via Kindle and Audible!

Manga
Works by Taiyล Matsumoto (Ping Pong, Hanaotoko, etc.)

Favorite conversation topics
  • Living and traveling abroad

  • Linguistics, language acquisition, phonology, habit formation

  • Learning languages (especially second languages)

  • Novels and modern poetry

  • Multilingualism and multicultural coexistence

  • Chinese language and culture

  • Japanese comedy

  • Japanese subcultures

  • Living and traveling abroad

  • Linguistics, language acquisition, phonology, habit formation

  • Learning languages (especially second languages)

  • Novels and modern poetry

  • Multilingualism and multicultural coexistence

  • Chinese language and culture

  • Japanese comedy

  • Japanese subcultures

  • Living and traveling abroad

  • Linguistics, language acquisition, phonology, habit formation

  • Learning languages (especially second languages)

  • Novels and modern poetry

  • Multilingualism and multicultural coexistence

  • Chinese language and culture

  • Japanese comedy

  • Japanese subcultures

I've been to

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ณ China (Shanghai, Beijing, Qingdao, Guangdong)

๐Ÿ‡ญ๐Ÿ‡ฐ Hong Kong

๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ผ Taiwan

๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฒ Myanmar

๐Ÿ‡ฑ๐Ÿ‡ฆ Laos

๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ญ Thailand

๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡พ Malaysia

๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ Hawaii (United States)

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ณ China (Shanghai, Beijing, Qingdao, Guangdong)

๐Ÿ‡ญ๐Ÿ‡ฐ Hong Kong

๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ผ Taiwan

๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฒ Myanmar

๐Ÿ‡ฑ๐Ÿ‡ฆ Laos

๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ญ Thailand

๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡พ Malaysia

๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ Hawaii (United States)

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ณ China (Shanghai, Beijing, Qingdao, Guangdong)

๐Ÿ‡ญ๐Ÿ‡ฐ Hong Kong

๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ผ Taiwan

๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฒ Myanmar

๐Ÿ‡ฑ๐Ÿ‡ฆ Laos

๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ญ Thailand

๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡พ Malaysia

๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ Hawaii (United States)