To answer the voices of those considering joining our school who say, “I want to hear from current students, not former ones,” today, we introduce the story of one of our students. We had the opportunity to talk to Mr. Samuel, who learned Japanese from scratch, built a partnership with a Japanese sushi chef, and is opening a sushi restaurant in the United States this year.

A: I am Samuel, a Colombian living in the United States. I am opening a sushi restaurant in Miami because I want people to experience authentic Japanese sushi made by Japanese sushi chefs. The reason I started learning Japanese is to show respect to sushi chefs and to be able to have conversations with them in their language. That’s the main reason. I need it, so I decided to learn it.

It started with curiosity. I’ve always been interested in Japan since I was young, and I also had an interest in Japanese craftsmen. Although I’ve always thought Japanese is a fascinating language, it took me several years to decide if I truly wanted to learn it. Mastering a language takes years and there is no end to it. If you give up halfway, it becomes pointless. Despite spending six hours a week studying, if you can’t connect it to your work, it ends up being just a hobby, and that means nothing to me. I was really skeptical about using my time because I always thought I preferred to spend my time and money on something that would lead to a better career.

One day during the pandemic, my perspective completely changed. I realized that I had underestimated the value of learning Japanese. You never truly understand its worth until you actually try. I began to believe that if I started learning the language, countless possibilities beyond my imagination could be waiting for me.

Now, after analyzing my past, there is one thing I can proudly say—learning Japanese has changed my career and my entire life. It was filled with possibilities. Back when I was still debating whether to learn Japanese or not, I could never have imagined that I would one day be opening a sushi restaurant.
The first thing I want to say is: if you’re unsure about whether to learn Japanese, you should go for it! This applies to any situation—I truly believe that taking on challenges can enrich your future.

A: When I decided to start learning Japanese in 2020, I didn’t know anything about language schools, so I reached out to the University of Miami, where I had graduated. I got in touch with a Japanese teacher there and had the opportunity to take a short-term course at the university. After completing the course, the Japanese teacher at the University of Miami introduced me, saying, “I know a Japanese master who can teach you Japanese!” That teacher was Mr. Rokurou Morita. I started private lessons at TCJ, where he teaches. Our first conversation was online in January 2021, and since then, he has been taking great care of my learning journey.

Next year, when I made an inspection trip to Japan for my business, I took some classes at TCJ. At first, I joined an N3-level class, but I found that the kanji at that level was more manageable than I had expected, so I moved up to an N2 class. By the time I finished my first semester, I had to undergo back surgery in Japan. However, all of a sudden, I had to return to the United States, where I continued my rehabilitation. When I made it back to Japan a month later, I decided to take private lessons because I wanted to learn specific Japanese vocabulary and technical terms at my own pace. Even after returning to the United States in 2023, I have continued taking online lessons two or three times a week.

※ Morita-sensei has extensive experience teaching Japanese in China and is also a kendo master. He contributes to the TCJ blog and is the author of the bestselling book 「日本人の心がわかる日本語」 (Understanding the Japanese Mind through Language and Culture). If you’re interested, be sure to check it out!

Read the Column by Morita-sensei Here.
“Japanese Words Originating from Martial Arts”

A: During the short-term course at the University of Miami, I learned the basics, such as hiragana. The textbooks I used were Genki 1 and Genki 2. I remember being shocked by how deep the Japanese language is. I even felt a bit of fear, but at the same time, I was fascinated by its complexity.

In Morita-sensei’s private lessons, he was so cool that he even helped ease my nerves. The lessons felt like training for a samurai, and for a year, I focused entirely on grammar, improving my understanding and knowledge. Looking back, I realize how important that time was. My main goal was to understand what the Japanese language is, so I didn’t mind that I wasn’t able to speak or read fluently at the time. If I had worried about that, I wouldn’t have been able to focus so deeply on grammar. To me, it felt like installing a Japanese language software into my brain.

The hardest time came when I arrived in Japan. The classes were fun and went smoothly, but outside of class, I struggled with conversations. Even though I had a solid amount of knowledge, speaking didn’t come as easily as I had expected. I couldn’t get the words out because I felt too embarrassed and nervous. I realized I was only good at academic Japanese—not at everyday, conversational Japanese.

I took a break from learning Japanese from June to September 2022 due to my back injury. By the time I returned to Japan after rehabilitation, the startup discussions about a sushi restaurant were going well, so I switched from group lessons to private lessons. The content of the group lessons was designed for people aiming to work at companies in Japan, but the communication style was very different from what I wanted to achieve. Since my top priority was to build relationships with Japanese business partners, I needed to learn natural Japanese rather than just grammatically correct Japanese.

One important lesson I learned from Morita-sensei is that using too much polite language creates a mental distance between people. The more casual your conversation becomes, the closer the relationship gets. If your sentences are overly formal, they sound robotic and lack personal character. I wanted to show my true self without any filters—but at the same time, I couldn’t be too casual either. Finding a natural balance is the key.

I practice expressing my thoughts and emotions in natural Japanese so that I can communicate smoothly and authentically. Since then, I’ve been learning Japanese using this method. My Japanese isn’t perfect yet, but now I see myself as someone who speaks not just English and Spanish, but also Japanese.

A: Everything!

A: I avoided learning kanji for the first two years because I was afraid of it. But eventually, the time came when I had to face it—there was no way to avoid it. Surprisingly, it turned out to be the most interesting part of learning Japanese! I even regret avoiding it for so long. Now, I’m a kanji enthusiast. My favorite kanji is “上京”, which means moving to Tokyo from the countryside of Japan.

A: I believe that immersion is both effective and necessary. I try to surround myself with Japanese every day. It’s better to read, listen to, and watch content that you don’t fully understand—it’s actually more effective when you’re unfamiliar with it. Using materials without scripts helps you learn more natural Japanese. Also, don’t underestimate the power of reading!

A: When you feel your motivation is low, it’s often because you’re measuring your own abilities. Your actual skills might not match your expectations, which can make you feel frustrated or unmotivated. This is a wasteful moment. Instead of focusing on results, it’s better to concentrate on your efforts. Good results will come for sure if you keep going—especially when things feel challenging—regardless of whether your scores or progress seem good at the moment or not.

A: My goal is to keep going.

A: Of course, I would! They really respect your individual needs. The atmosphere at this school is motivating, and it encourages students to keep going. On top of that, the teachers and staff are incredibly caring and professional.

Today, we shared the journey of Mr. Samuel, who has taken both private and group lessons with us (self-proclaimed TCJ master). Switching back and forth between private and group lessons highlights the flexibility of our school, which prioritizes the unique needs of each student who wishes to learn Japanese. We encourage you to embark on an amazing journey of learning Japanese!