Naoko Watanabe – Customized Japanese Language Lessons and Culture Coaching
I have been teaching Japanese language to individuals, small groups, and classrooms since 1996.
I was born in Nishio, Japan, and have lived in Kyoto and Tokyo. I have also traveled to most areas in Japan. I moved to Seattle in 2003. In addition to various teaching roles, I have served as a writer/editor and translator and have written profiles on people and celebrities for various forms of Japanese media.
I hold an Associate’s degree in Japanese Language (Kyoto Women’s Junior College) and a Bachelor of Liberal Arts (The Evergreen State College). I also obtained a teaching certification in Japan to teach Japanese to foreigners.
My students have come from all over the world. I have had teaching assignments in Japan, Vietnam, and the United States. Prior to offering language lessons on my own, I taught at Sagalingua in Bellevue, which has recently closed. Sagalingua was a multi-language center that taught students for professional use, for fun, to excel in activities, and to explore an interest in another language.
I enjoy living in the Pacific Northwest to its fullest, spending my free time hiking, traveling, playing music, mushroom hunting, composing haiku, and home organizing. I love Kore-eda’s films, contemporary arts, jazz piano, wine, and my husband’s home-made meals.