Come with us on our “Walk and Learn” trip at Nissan Crossing!

Our exciting “Walk and Learn” tradition continued on July 19th through Toranomon Language School. This week’s exciting adventure took place at the Nissan Crossing, where they are holding the special colab event with Tomica. They all got themselves a free Tomica toy car and sticky notes by solving puzzles. The five children that joined us on today’s field trip had a great time pretending to drive inside luxury cars and playing with toy car models! Their imaginations soared as the created exciting “destinations” to drive too and had thrilling adventures. Nissan Crossing offers a fun quiz where you receive a Tomica toy car as a prize. The kids eagerly took […]

How to remain connected to home as an expat

As an expat, you may feel perfectly content in your new home, but it is normal to miss certain aspects of where you are originally from. There are ways to bridge that gap and stay connected to the customs or people you may be missing! Eat foods from home There will be times where you may miss the flavors you grew up with whether it is something spicy or sweet. No matter where you are, most types of cuisine can be found in all parts of the world, so try and track down a restaurant that you feel will bring you comfort. If you are on a budget or cannot […]

Communication in Japanese Business Culture

Effective use of communication is the key to success, but cross-cultural communication can either help or hurt your business productivity. When engaging with international companies, specifically Japan where lots of emphasis is placed on work culture, it can be intimidating. Let us share with you some insights for verbal and nonverbal communication inJapanese business culture and how to effectively communicate with Japanese companies. When it comes to business, Japanese people want to do it with someone they know they can trust. Relationships are often built through informal gatherings involving a large amount of eating and drinking Punctuality First and foremost, do not be late. There are no excuses for tardiness […]

Join us on today’s “Walk and Learn” at the TV Asahi in Roppongi

Toranomon Language School’s “Walk and Learn” continued today (July 12th) at the TV Asahi in Roppongi. We took five of our students on an interactive field trip today at this 8-story office and TV studio here in Tokyo. https://a1.cdn.japantravel.com/photo/5363-35519/1000/tokyo-tv-asahi-headquarters-in-roppongi-35519.jpg To get to our destination, we took the train! This allows kids to navigate the city and teaches them about real-world experiences. They walked to the station and even purchased their own tickets. The kids got to take pictures with Doraemon, one of the most popular characters among children in Japan. It is a well-known Japanese manga series. Manga is a graphic novel/comic that is big in Japanese culture and the […]

Your Ultimate Guide to Mastering the JLPT

～1 month to 1 year long plan with textbook recommendations～ Calling all aspiring Japanese language enthusiasts! The other day, there was another JLPT exam. To everyone who studied hard for this day, how did it go? Did you manage well? Did it feel more challenging than expected? There must be various thoughts and impressions. While the results are still pending, those who are confident of passing are likely excited about leveling up to the next stage. For those who are unsure, don’t worry! The next test is in December, so there are still five months to go! This blog post is intended to provide useful information for those planning to […]

How to prepare for an earthquake in Japan

Living in or visiting Japan means you are in an area that is prone to earthquakes and most likely you know the best ways to stay prepared. As a tourist, you may be less aware of how to stay safe in these situations. Let us walk you through some ways to ensure your safety. Before an earthquake Make sure you are always aware of evacuation routes of the places you or your loved ones spend the most time. This could be your home, office building, or even your child’s school. Check with your local community, school or office manager. Making sure you are aware of the best way to escape […]

Follow along with us as we continue our “Walk and Learns”

Today, we continued with our “Walk and Learn” program at Toranomon Language School by taking the kids to the Police Museum here in Tokyo where they learned how the Tokyo Metropolitan Police keep them safe! The museum was followed by a trip to the 7-11 where the kids got treats of their choice. These “Walk and Learns” are offered through our Summer courses where classes are held Monday-Thursday from 9:30-12:30 with the “Walk and Learn” field trips on Fridays. Our programs are designed to make learning fun where we focus on reading, writing, listening and speaking. These summer courses allow for engaging learning where the kids are taken beyond the […]

Most effective ways to learn Japanese as an English speaker.

Working on improving your Japanese skills? Learning any new language is difficult and it can feel like stepping into a whole new world. The path to fluency is a challenging journey that requires dedication and passion. Many strategic learning methods make this process much easier and enjoyable, so implement these tips into your routine and see results! Take the time to focus on learning the pillars of Japanese and the basics of the language, making sure to establish a regular routine. Learn the alphabet Imagine someone learning to speak English without knowing the alphabet？OK, let’s become realistic. Learn the Japanese alphabet first for the fast lane. But why does the […]

Nominication: TLS x Courrier Japan

“How to chase away the rainy day blues?” “What are the pros and cons of AI in daily tasks?” On the 27th of June, we had the opportunity to host an exciting connection event at WeWork Shinigawa with Courrier Japan. With their help we were able to execute our “Nominication” event, combining drinking “nomi” with communication! This event is a great opportunity for native Japanese speakers to practice their english with likeminded people. Our first prompt “how to chase away the rainy day blues?” was answered and shared between each table, a fun answer from an attendee was simply hanging out with friends and embracing the rainy day, as she […]

The plentitude of summer flowers in Japan and where to see them

Japan is renowned for its distinct four seasons. In the summer, Japan bursts to life with an array of visually appealing and splendidly fragrant flowers. From the start of the season, Japan’s landscapes are decorated with vibrant blooms, making it an ideal time to explore the country’s natural beauty. “https://jw-webmagazine.com/7-must-visit-flower-festivals-around-tokyo-in-summer-9430bd427a72/ Best places to see lotus flowers (Hasunohana) Flourishing in ponds and marshy areas, lotus flowers “hasu”, are associated with purity and enlightenment in Japanese culture. Mostly in shades of white and pink, lotus flowers can also be blue, purple or yellow. Shinobazu Pond at Ueno Park in Taito City, Tokyo is a large, natural pond separated into three sections. To […]