Tomoko Aizawa
Teacher
Tomoko Aizawa
Teacher
Before becoming a Japanese teacher, Tomoko worked as an editor at a publishing house in Tokyo, producing lifestyle books and magazines for both adults and children. She currently lives in Germany and draws on over 10 years of overseas experience to deliver culturally rich, learner-centered lessons. With a background in both language education and publishing, she brings a thoughtful and engaging approach to each class.
Before becoming a Japanese teacher, Tomoko worked as an editor at a publishing house in Tokyo, producing lifestyle books and magazines for both adults and children. She currently lives in Germany and draws on over 10 years of overseas experience to deliver culturally rich, learner-centered lessons. With a background in both language education and publishing, she brings a thoughtful and engaging approach to each class.
Certifications:
Japanese Language Teacher Training Course (420 hours above)
Passed the Japanese Language Teaching Competency Test
Certified Consumer Affairs Advisor
Japanese Language Teacher Training Course (420 hours above)
Passed the Japanese Language Teaching Competency Test
Certified Consumer Affairs Advisor
Japanese Language Teacher Training Course (420 hours above)
Passed the Japanese Language Teaching Competency Test
Certified Consumer Affairs Advisor
Drawing on my experience learning German and living abroad, I value intercultural understanding and communication. Whether you’re working on daily conversation, business Japanese, solo speaking, role-plays, or pronunciation, I tailor lessons flexibly to meet your needs. I continue to study second language acquisition theory and apply what I learn through books and workshops directly to my teaching. I also explore tools and materials that support self-directed learning and suggest personalized strategies for each student. My goal is to build a safe, inclusive space where learners feel respected and supported—and to guide them patiently and attentively on their language journey.
Drawing on my experience learning German and living abroad, I value intercultural understanding and communication. Whether you’re working on daily conversation, business Japanese, solo speaking, role-plays, or pronunciation, I tailor lessons flexibly to meet your needs. I continue to study second language acquisition theory and apply what I learn through books and workshops directly to my teaching. I also explore tools and materials that support self-directed learning and suggest personalized strategies for each student. My goal is to build a safe, inclusive space where learners feel respected and supported—and to guide them patiently and attentively on their language journey.
Drawing on my experience learning German and living abroad, I value intercultural understanding and communication. Whether you’re working on daily conversation, business Japanese, solo speaking, role-plays, or pronunciation, I tailor lessons flexibly to meet your needs. I continue to study second language acquisition theory and apply what I learn through books and workshops directly to my teaching. I also explore tools and materials that support self-directed learning and suggest personalized strategies for each student. My goal is to build a safe, inclusive space where learners feel respected and supported—and to guide them patiently and attentively on their language journey.
Hobbies
Jogging, hiking, yoga, reading, manga, fermentation (like making miso, koji, and natto), cooking, baking cakes and bread, tea ceremony, kimono, cats.
Jogging, hiking, yoga, reading, manga, fermentation (like making miso, koji, and natto), cooking, baking cakes and bread, tea ceremony, kimono, cats.
Jogging, hiking, yoga, reading, manga, fermentation (like making miso, koji, and natto), cooking, baking cakes and bread, tea ceremony, kimono, cats.
Best movies/anime/manga/games
Films
Seven Samurai
The Man Who Stole the Sun
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind
Princess Mononoke (Other Ghibli movies in general)
Schindler’s List
The Last Emperor
The Sound of Music
The Piano
In Her Shoes
Shakespeare in Love
Books
The Moon Over the Mountain by Atsushi Nakajima
Momo by Michael Ende
Moomin series by Tove Jansson
The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas
Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky
Hideyoshi and Rikyū by Yayoko Nogami
A Certain Woman by Takeo Arishima
Betting the Youth on the Mountains by Naomi Uemura
Anime
Shaun the Sheep
Chiikawa
Minions
Heidi, Girl of the Alps
3000 Leagues in Search of Mother
Anne of Green Gables
Neon Genesis Evangelion
Manga
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind
Cesare
My Landlady and Me
Vagabond
Orb: On the Movements of the Earth
Thermae Romae
Moretsu! Italy family
Blank Canvas: My So-Called Artist's Journey
What Did You Eat Yesterday?
Neko Mukashibanashi
Atashin'chi
Golden Kamuy
Ping Pong
Eden no Tōhoku
Cologne Police Odo
Blue Period
Hataraki Man
Fragile
Police in a Pod
Space Brothers
Hyouge Mono
Giant Killing
Aoashi
Skip and Loafer, Silver Spoon, and many more (she's a true manga enthusiast!)
Films
Seven Samurai
The Man Who Stole the Sun
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind
Princess Mononoke (Other Ghibli movies in general)
Schindler’s List
The Last Emperor
The Sound of Music
The Piano
In Her Shoes
Shakespeare in Love
Books
The Moon Over the Mountain by Atsushi Nakajima
Momo by Michael Ende
Moomin series by Tove Jansson
The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas
Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky
Hideyoshi and Rikyū by Yayoko Nogami
A Certain Woman by Takeo Arishima
Betting the Youth on the Mountains by Naomi Uemura
Anime
Shaun the Sheep
Chiikawa
Minions
Heidi, Girl of the Alps
3000 Leagues in Search of Mother
Anne of Green Gables
Neon Genesis Evangelion
Manga
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind
Cesare
My Landlady and Me
Vagabond
Orb: On the Movements of the Earth
Thermae Romae
Moretsu! Italy family
Blank Canvas: My So-Called Artist's Journey
What Did You Eat Yesterday?
Neko Mukashibanashi
Atashin'chi
Golden Kamuy
Ping Pong
Eden no Tōhoku
Cologne Police Odo
Blue Period
Hataraki Man
Fragile
Police in a Pod
Space Brothers
Hyouge Mono
Giant Killing
Aoashi
Skip and Loafer, Silver Spoon, and many more (she's a true manga enthusiast!)
Films
Seven Samurai
The Man Who Stole the Sun
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind
Princess Mononoke (Other Ghibli movies in general)
Schindler’s List
The Last Emperor
The Sound of Music
The Piano
In Her Shoes
Shakespeare in Love
Books
The Moon Over the Mountain by Atsushi Nakajima
Momo by Michael Ende
Moomin series by Tove Jansson
The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas
Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky
Hideyoshi and Rikyū by Yayoko Nogami
A Certain Woman by Takeo Arishima
Betting the Youth on the Mountains by Naomi Uemura
Anime
Shaun the Sheep
Chiikawa
Minions
Heidi, Girl of the Alps
3000 Leagues in Search of Mother
Anne of Green Gables
Neon Genesis Evangelion
Manga
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind
Cesare
My Landlady and Me
Vagabond
Orb: On the Movements of the Earth
Thermae Romae
Moretsu! Italy family
Blank Canvas: My So-Called Artist's Journey
What Did You Eat Yesterday?
Neko Mukashibanashi
Atashin'chi
Golden Kamuy
Ping Pong
Eden no Tōhoku
Cologne Police Odo
Blue Period
Hataraki Man
Fragile
Police in a Pod
Space Brothers
Hyouge Mono
Giant Killing
Aoashi
Skip and Loafer, Silver Spoon, and many more (she's a true manga enthusiast!)
Favorite conversation topics
Original articles written for Nihongo Picnic
Sports
History and geography
Agriculture, plants, animals
Literature
Travel
Food
Traditional Japanese culture (kimono, tea ceremony, performing arts)
Original articles written for Nihongo Picnic
Sports
History and geography
Agriculture, plants, animals
Literature
Travel
Food
Traditional Japanese culture (kimono, tea ceremony, performing arts)
Original articles written for Nihongo Picnic
Sports
History and geography
Agriculture, plants, animals
Literature
Travel
Food
Traditional Japanese culture (kimono, tea ceremony, performing arts)
I've been to
🇨🇳 China
🇹🇼 Taiwan
🇳🇵 Nepal
🇹🇭 Thailand
🇰🇭 Cambodia
🇮🇩 Indonesia
🇲🇲 Myanmar
🇹🇱 East Timor
🇹🇷 Turkey
🇩🇪 Germany
🇦🇹 Austria
🇨🇭 Switzerland
🇫🇷 France
🇮🇹 Italy
🇪🇸 Spain
🇵🇹 Portugal
🇱🇺 Luxembourg
🇳🇱 Netherlands
🇩🇰 Denmark
🇵🇱 Poland
🇨🇿 Czech Republic
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
🇮🇪 Ireland
🇺🇸 United States
🇰🇪 Kenya
🇨🇳 China
🇹🇼 Taiwan
🇳🇵 Nepal
🇹🇭 Thailand
🇰🇭 Cambodia
🇮🇩 Indonesia
🇲🇲 Myanmar
🇹🇱 East Timor
🇹🇷 Turkey
🇩🇪 Germany
🇦🇹 Austria
🇨🇭 Switzerland
🇫🇷 France
🇮🇹 Italy
🇪🇸 Spain
🇵🇹 Portugal
🇱🇺 Luxembourg
🇳🇱 Netherlands
🇩🇰 Denmark
🇵🇱 Poland
🇨🇿 Czech Republic
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
🇮🇪 Ireland
🇺🇸 United States
🇰🇪 Kenya
🇨🇳 China
🇹🇼 Taiwan
🇳🇵 Nepal
🇹🇭 Thailand
🇰🇭 Cambodia
🇮🇩 Indonesia
🇲🇲 Myanmar
🇹🇱 East Timor
🇹🇷 Turkey
🇩🇪 Germany
🇦🇹 Austria
🇨🇭 Switzerland
🇫🇷 France
🇮🇹 Italy
🇪🇸 Spain
🇵🇹 Portugal
🇱🇺 Luxembourg
🇳🇱 Netherlands
🇩🇰 Denmark
🇵🇱 Poland
🇨🇿 Czech Republic
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
🇮🇪 Ireland
🇺🇸 United States
🇰🇪 Kenya