Providing Personalized Support for All Japanese Learners
β¨Learn Japanese with Professional Guidanceβ¨
for all levels
tailored to your needs
in Japanese, English or German
About me
Hi, my name is Saeko Yamaguchi. I'm a failed-academic turned language teacher who can teach Japanese in English and a bit of German. I love being a Japanese teacher, where all my past experiences come together to be able to help my students better!
Lesson Categories
Pronunciation lessons
This course is for any learners who want:
π to improve their pitch-accent/vowels/consonants
π to receive strict feedback on pronunciation
π to try corrected reading
These are just examples of what I do - We can be flexible and adjust the lesson content according to your needs, preferences and learning style.
Textbook-based lessons
This course is for any learners who want:
π to receive regular support going through a textbook
π to ask questions and discuss what is difficult
π to practice the speaking aspect of the material
Beginner lessons
This course is for any learners who want:
π to build solid foundation from the start
π to receive guidance in how to study
π to go over the basics to build confidence
Output-based lessons
This course is for any learners who want:
π to focus on speaking with emphasis on feedback
π to bring the discursive ability to a next level
π to learn natural alternative expressions
Conversation lessons
This course is for any learners who want:
π to learn through conversations and contexts
π to receive feedback in form of recasting
π to try "crosstalk"
Reading-based lessons
This course is for any learners who want:
π to receive support while reading
π to read a manga / novel / book of your choice
π to learn through reading graded readers
My Approach
As a teacher, I try to:
βοΈ be academically well-informed / flexible / patient / honest / friendly
βοΈ have my students talk as much as possible (instead of me talking)
βοΈ use flipped classroom strategies (input at home, output in class)
βοΈ use Japanese as much as possible
βοΈ review the previous lesson
βοΈ be (very) strict with pronunciation
and most importantly:
βοΈ give meaningful feedback
βοΈ translate what the students want to say into easy & simple Japanese sentences - so that they can use it the next time!
I also sometimes teach English to local students in my hometown in Ibaraki prefecture (an hour away from Tokyo by train).
Me as a teacher
How I teach
I like using flipped classroom strategies - input as homework, output and feedback in lessons, although I also introduce new things during lessons when necessary or requested by the student.
Examples of input π output:
- vocabulary work π mini test and feedback
- repeat / shadowing practice π pronunciation check and feedback
- grammar exercises in a workbook π comprehension check and interactive practice
- watch a Japanese show online π talk about the story and characters in Japanese
- read graded readers π Q&A about the difficult parts
The amount of homework depends on how much time the student currently has outside the lesson. I'm flexible, so let me know how you would like me to help you!
Here's what my students say
βI have been taking Japanese lessons with Saeko-sensei for over a year now and I highly recommend her lessons. I have to admit that Saeko-sensei is always better prepared for our lessons than I am. Her tailor-made approach makes lessons highly relevant to my own personal situation. I've chosen the Genki path as a backbone for my learning and Saeko-sensei always complements it by the necessary additional material. Saeko-sensei is always very responsive to any additional requests and questions modifying the learning path to suit my needs. Lessons have a clear structure and moreover there is a bridge from one lesson to another through a review of the main points covered in the previous lesson. Thank you!β
- Veronika (May 14, 2023)
βAbout half a year ago I started taking lessons with Yamaguchi Sensei to improve my speaking skills and increase the efficiency of my Japanese learning in general.
Yamaguchi Sensei is a professional, competent, and very welcoming person who manages to create a comfortable atmosphere. She adapts to my learning rhythm and my individual language strengths and weaknesses, so that every lesson is tailored to my needs. Lesson content is dynamic and evolves over time so that each lesson has a similar structure, but the content adapts to the needs of the student. She is fun to talk to and is always well prepared for each class.
Personally, I don't have to look around for another teacher and can really recommend Yamaguchi Sensei to everyone.β
- Mirko (May 2, 2023)
Read More (italki reviews PDF)
I am so thankful to Saeko sensei for the time and effort she put into our lessons over the last couple of months. She is kind, friendly and brings a great energy to our conversations. I always felt comfortable with her knowing that she would correct my grammar and pronunciation mistakes. She is by far the best italki teacher I have ever had. Thanks to her I feel way more prepared for my trip to Japan. Someday when I decide to focus on speaking again, I will definitely book a lesson with her! γγγγ¨γγγγγΎγγγγγε ηοΌ
- Alice (June 1, 2024)
I've been taking lessons with Yamaguchi-sensei for almost a year now and she has had a great impact on my confidence in understanding Japanese. I deeply appreciate how flexible Yamaguchi-sensei has been in adapting to what my goals are. While I started on the Marugoto curriculum, she was happy to switch to Q&A- and free conversation-based sessions, and even helped me learn keigo for a business trip.
Yamaguchi-sensei is knowledgeable about the nuances of Japanese vocabulary and grammar and has always been able to clearly answer everything I've asked her in ways that a dictionary can't (What's the difference between γ«γγ¦γ― and γ¨γ―γγ? When do you say η²Ύη₯ and when do you use ζ§ζ Ό?).
I also appreciate that Yamaguchi-sensei quickly and gently corrects my mistakes in pronunciation and speaking. It's been extremely valuable to be able to count on Yamaguchi-sensei to help me avoid developing bad habits.
I'd recommend Yamaguchi-sensei to anyone who's looking for a thoughtful and reliable teacher!
- Isaac (November 21, 2024)
Saeko sensei has been helping me improve my pronunciation. She's able to the identify the root cause of my issues (usually in terms of my tongue placement), so her recommendations for improvements are very practical. I'm already noticing improvements in both my pronunciation and perception.
- Ray (July 14, 2025)
Saeko-san is incredibly knowledgeable about pronunciation and intonation in Japanese, and she has a really good ear for catching mistakes you might not even notice. It can be humbling and tough at times, especially when she points out things you weren't aware of. Thatβs why having a friendly and encouraging teacher like her makes all the difference. Even though itβs hard, I enjoy every lesson and always pick a lot of useful information.
- Jarmo (December 19, 2025)