Yukiko Minawa

Teacher

Yukiko Minawa

Teacher

About
Yukiko Minawa

Yukiko has over 15 years of experience teaching Japanese to learners from beginner to advanced levels. She completed the 420-hour Japanese teacher training course and has lived in both the U.S. and France while accompanying her husbandโ€™s studies. These experiences gave her firsthand insight into the challenges of living abroad and the frustration of not being able to express oneself in a new language.
Before becoming a Japanese teacher, Yukiko worked in finance and HR at a Japanese company, navigating a male-dominated, hierarchical workplace. She also holds a master-level license in calligraphy and has introduced Japanese culture through calligraphy workshops at language schools.

About
Yukiko Minawa

Yukiko has over 15 years of experience teaching Japanese to learners from beginner to advanced levels. She completed the 420-hour Japanese teacher training course and has lived in both the U.S. and France while accompanying her husbandโ€™s studies. These experiences gave her firsthand insight into the challenges of living abroad and the frustration of not being able to express oneself in a new language.
Before becoming a Japanese teacher, Yukiko worked in finance and HR at a Japanese company, navigating a male-dominated, hierarchical workplace. She also holds a master-level license in calligraphy and has introduced Japanese culture through calligraphy workshops at language schools.

Teaching Experience/Certifications
Feature
Award

Certifications:

  • Japanese Language Teacher Training Course (420 hours above)

  • Japanese Language Teacher Training Course (420 hours above)

  • Japanese Language Teacher Training Course (420 hours above)

Teaching Philosophy

With years of experience focused on conversation-based lessons, I help students speak with more confidence and use natural expressions in everyday Japanese. Having struggled myself with language barriers while living abroad, I understand how small daily successes can boost motivation. I aim to support learners by creating a space where they can grow at their own pace. For advanced learners, I emphasize consistency and long-term growth, even when immediate results may not be visible.

With years of experience focused on conversation-based lessons, I help students speak with more confidence and use natural expressions in everyday Japanese. Having struggled myself with language barriers while living abroad, I understand how small daily successes can boost motivation. I aim to support learners by creating a space where they can grow at their own pace. For advanced learners, I emphasize consistency and long-term growth, even when immediate results may not be visible.

With years of experience focused on conversation-based lessons, I help students speak with more confidence and use natural expressions in everyday Japanese. Having struggled myself with language barriers while living abroad, I understand how small daily successes can boost motivation. I aim to support learners by creating a space where they can grow at their own pace. For advanced learners, I emphasize consistency and long-term growth, even when immediate results may not be visible.

Personality
Hobbies

Musicals, watching food-related shows or reading food essays, visiting airports, Pilates, movies, bakery and cafรฉ hopping, enjoying delicious food, and reading travelogues.

Musicals, watching food-related shows or reading food essays, visiting airports, Pilates, movies, bakery and cafรฉ hopping, enjoying delicious food, and reading travelogues.

Musicals, watching food-related shows or reading food essays, visiting airports, Pilates, movies, bakery and cafรฉ hopping, enjoying delicious food, and reading travelogues.

Best movies/anime/manga/games

Films
Mamma Mia!
West Side Story
Love Actually


Books
Paris no sora no Shita ni omelette no nioi wa nagareru
Essays by Banana Yoshimoto and Haruki Murakami
Anything food-related (recipe books, essays, etc.)

Manga
Yลซkan Club

Films
Mamma Mia!
West Side Story
Love Actually


Books
Paris no sora no Shita ni omelette no nioi wa nagareru
Essays by Banana Yoshimoto and Haruki Murakami
Anything food-related (recipe books, essays, etc.)

Manga
Yลซkan Club

Films
Mamma Mia!
West Side Story
Love Actually


Books
Paris no sora no Shita ni omelette no nioi wa nagareru
Essays by Banana Yoshimoto and Haruki Murakami
Anything food-related (recipe books, essays, etc.)

Manga
Yลซkan Club

Favorite conversation topics

Parenting: I have a teenage daughter, so Iโ€™ve experienced everything from daycare to high school, extracurriculars, cram schools, entrance exams, and even study abroad.

Life Abroad: I lived in the U.S. and in France (near Geneva). In France, not speaking the language was especially toughโ€”so I fully understand the challenges of navigating life in a foreign language.

F1 Racing: My husband is a motorsport enthusiast, and thanks to him, Iโ€™ve learned a lot about Formula 1. Iโ€™ve watched the Monaco, Hungary, and Japan (Suzuka) GPs live!

Food: I love finding great food, whether in Japan or abroad. Iโ€™d love to hear about your favorite local eats or travel food experiences!

Parenting: I have a teenage daughter, so Iโ€™ve experienced everything from daycare to high school, extracurriculars, cram schools, entrance exams, and even study abroad.

Life Abroad: I lived in the U.S. and in France (near Geneva). In France, not speaking the language was especially toughโ€”so I fully understand the challenges of navigating life in a foreign language.

F1 Racing: My husband is a motorsport enthusiast, and thanks to him, Iโ€™ve learned a lot about Formula 1. Iโ€™ve watched the Monaco, Hungary, and Japan (Suzuka) GPs live!

Food: I love finding great food, whether in Japan or abroad. Iโ€™d love to hear about your favorite local eats or travel food experiences!

Parenting: I have a teenage daughter, so Iโ€™ve experienced everything from daycare to high school, extracurriculars, cram schools, entrance exams, and even study abroad.

Life Abroad: I lived in the U.S. and in France (near Geneva). In France, not speaking the language was especially toughโ€”so I fully understand the challenges of navigating life in a foreign language.

F1 Racing: My husband is a motorsport enthusiast, and thanks to him, Iโ€™ve learned a lot about Formula 1. Iโ€™ve watched the Monaco, Hungary, and Japan (Suzuka) GPs live!

Food: I love finding great food, whether in Japan or abroad. Iโ€™d love to hear about your favorite local eats or travel food experiences!

I've been to

๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ United States

๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท France

๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ช Belgium

๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡จ Monaco

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ญ Switzerland

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ Spain

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡น Italy

๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ง United Kingdom

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ช Ireland

๐Ÿ‡ญ๐Ÿ‡บ Hungary

๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ท Greece

๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ Mexico

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ช Peru

๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ธ Bahamas

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท South Korea

๐Ÿ‡ญ๐Ÿ‡ฐ Hong Kong

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ญ Philippines

๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ญ Thailand

๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡พ Malaysia

๐Ÿ‡ป๐Ÿ‡ณ Vietnam

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฌ Singapore

๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡บ Australia

๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ United States

๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท France

๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ช Belgium

๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡จ Monaco

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ญ Switzerland

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ Spain

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡น Italy

๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ง United Kingdom

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ช Ireland

๐Ÿ‡ญ๐Ÿ‡บ Hungary

๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ท Greece

๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ Mexico

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ช Peru

๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ธ Bahamas

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท South Korea

๐Ÿ‡ญ๐Ÿ‡ฐ Hong Kong

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ญ Philippines

๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ญ Thailand

๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡พ Malaysia

๐Ÿ‡ป๐Ÿ‡ณ Vietnam

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฌ Singapore

๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡บ Australia

๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ United States

๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท France

๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ช Belgium

๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡จ Monaco

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ญ Switzerland

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ Spain

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡น Italy

๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ง United Kingdom

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ช Ireland

๐Ÿ‡ญ๐Ÿ‡บ Hungary

๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ท Greece

๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ Mexico

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ช Peru

๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ธ Bahamas

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท South Korea

๐Ÿ‡ญ๐Ÿ‡ฐ Hong Kong

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ญ Philippines

๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ญ Thailand

๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡พ Malaysia

๐Ÿ‡ป๐Ÿ‡ณ Vietnam

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฌ Singapore

๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡บ Australia