FAQ (for learners)

Japanese Volunteer classes are different from Japanese language schools. First of all, language schools are for those who want to study Japanese efficiently. Teachers are professional, and students study in a classroom. There also is a tutoring system in some language schools, and you can study one on one basis in your home or office.

There are many Volunteer Japanese classes in Japan. You can see the list on the web site of the International Association of each district. Also some places have Japanese Volunteer Networks. In Tokyo, we Tokyo Nihongo Volunteer Network cover more than 150 classes.

Although the details of our activities are different, volunteer Japanese classes share the concept of accepting and supporting people through language assistance. Some of the volunteers might be trained as language teachers, however, the nature of activity is not to teach Japanese, but to help learners' daily life in the community by offering informaion and helping to solve problems.

First of all, we have to ask you about your needs of studying Japanese. We are a network of the volunteer Nihongo circles, not professional Japanese language schools.

So, we are not teachers of Japanese language, and the focus of our activitiy is to increase mutual understanding through supporting daily life of foreign residents here by using Japanese language. Which means, although some of us "teach" Japanese, our concept is quite different from "teaching Japanese".

So if your need is to study "Japanese language" efficiently with professional teachers, we recommend you to contact with the Japanese language schools. They offer many courses for business persons varying from private tutoring in your office to the group of various classes in the Japanese language schools.

If you understand our concept, we can send you our information of the Volunteer Japanese groups. In this case, please describe the place you want to join the group, for example, where you live, where you work, the train line you use.

You have to pay a small amount of money in almost all the classes. But it is not a fee for the lesson. The money will be used for rent of the space and others.

Most of the volunteers also pay for their activities, not monthly, but yearly in most of the cases, because we believe that volunteers and learners are equal in the activities. The cost differs in each group.

If you can't choose volunteer Japanese groups by our list, please give us more details about yourself,i.e.,your address, the station and line you use, and time range you are available. Then, we will recommend some groups for you.