2026– date –

It's one of the most common questions parents ask about Japanese: how much practice does my child actually need? Somewhere between "a quick app streak" and "a full Saturday school," there's a realistic amount that keeps a child moving fo...

If Saturday mornings in your house have become a battle — the tears over kanji homework, the "I don't want to go," the drive across town while other kids sleep in — you are not a failing parent, and your child is not a failing student. J...

"My kid loves anime, but still can't really speak Japanese." It's one of the most common things we hear from parents raising children abroad. Here's the good news: a child who loves anime already has a real head start. Watching every day...

"How long will it take before my child can actually hold a conversation in Japanese?" It's one of the questions we hear most from parents raising kids overseas. Six months? A year? Several years? The honest answer is this: over the same ...

"We're thinking about Preply for our child's Japanese — is it the right fit?" If that's you, here's an honest comparison. Preply and TOMODACHI JAPAN are both "online Japanese," but their goals are almost opposite. This guide compares the...

"I want my child to learn Japanese in Tokyo, but there are so many options - classes, private tutors, online lessons, apps - how do I choose?" This is a parent's guide to choosing. Instead of pushing one service, it gives you five criter...

"My child goes to an international school, and the school offers Japanese classes — so Japanese is covered, right?" Many families assume this, then are surprised when their child one day says "Speaking Japanese? That's actually kind of h...

"I want my child to learn Japanese online — but which one? italki, Preply, Outschool, Duolingo…" There are more options than you'd think, and most are built for adults, with very little written from a kid's point of view. This guide comp...

The international-school afternoon fills up fast. Piano on Monday, soccer on Wednesday, coding or art on the weekend. Your child is busy, learning, thriving. And yet, if you look closely at that weekly schedule, one thing is almost alway...

You downloaded the app. Your child kept the streak going for a week, maybe two — and then it quietly slipped to the bottom of the home screen. So you tried a private online tutor instead, and that fizzled too. If you're wondering why not...

Your child lives in Japan but has no Japanese friends? Here's why it happens, why apps and 1-on-1 tutors fall flat for kids, and how group lessons help expat kids make real Japanese friends - and learn the language along the way.