Learn Japanese & Chinese online with Tobira
Practice the exact situations you’ll face for moving abroad, business, study, or travel.
Fukuoka in-person available (Tenjin/Hakata).
Tobira is the online language-learning project run by Chuseiwa, Inc.
Chuseiwa is a cross-border education & culture company with bases in Fukuoka (Japan), Qingdao (China), and Vancouver (Canada).
We co-create scripts with learners for the scenes you’ll use tomorrow—focusing on the exact words and steps that get things done. We prioritize clarity, communication ability, and nuance (politeness, phone etiquette, tone) over vocabulary size, reducing misunderstandings. We specialize in pronunciation of non-native sounds to maximize understandability.
information only
English for Everyday Life (in America)
Banking, clinic visits, housing, government office, school/parent comms, customer service calls. Car rental, shopping, restaurants.
English Exam Prep (IELTS/ TOEFL)
Vocab/grammar/listening/reading + mock tests & reviews.
Delivery: Online by default (30-minute sprints). Fukuoka in-person (60 minutes) optional.
Japanese Exam Prep (JLPT N5–N1)
Vocab/grammar/listening/reading + mock tests & reviews.
Chinese for Everyday Life / Business
Real tasks in China: mobile plan, payments, rentals, admin, workplace talk.
Chinese Exam Prep (HSK)
Level-based syllabus with targeted drills.
Delivery: Online by default (30-minute sprints). Fukuoka in-person (60 minutes) optional.
Hello! By making use of my study-abroad experience in the United Kingdom, I specialize in teaching Chinese in a way that is easy for English speakers to understand. In my lessons, I focus not only on grammar and pronunciation, but also on plenty of role-plays and conversation practice based on real-life situations, so that you can develop truly “usable Chinese.”
I also play the erhu, a traditional Chinese string instrument. Through traditional Chinese music and the sound of the erhu, I aim to create lessons where you can enjoy not only the Chinese language, but Chinese culture itself. If you love music and culture, or if you’d like to learn Chinese through English, I’d be very happy to learn together with you.
Nice to meet you. I have been involved in language education for eight years, teaching a wide range of learners from children to working professionals. In addition to grammar and pronunciation, I enjoy introducing “expressions you can use immediately” in real conversations, as well as cultural differences between China and Japan in an engaging way.
Lessons are customized to each learner’s level and goals, covering needs such as proficiency test preparation, study-abroad readiness, business conversation, and everyday communication. Whether you are a complete beginner or returning to study after a long break, let’s create a supportive learning environment together where no question is left unanswered and you can learn with confidence.
Certification:
ICA (International Chinese Language Teacher Professional Certification) — Advanced Level
Ph.D. in Linguistics from Kyushu University (National University of Japan). Has participated multiple times in large-scale international academic conferences between China and Japan, and possesses unique insights and methods in Japanese language education. Holds HSK Level 6 certification, with highly fluent Chinese, enabling smooth communication even with absolute beginners in Japanese. Gentle in personality, meticulous, approachable, and patient with students. Highly praised by learners seeking authentic pronunciation and natural expressions, truly helping students acquire “accent-free Japanese.”
Hello, my name is Ariel Rosenthal. I’m from San Diego, California, USA, and I currently live in Fukuoka, Japan. I have been living in Japan for over three years now and I love Kyushu! My hobbies include cooking, cycling, listening to music, and creative writing.
I studied basic Japanese as a hobby before joining the US Air Force and studying Mandarin Chinese at the Defense Language Institute. After that, I moved to Taipei, where I lived for a year teaching English. I then returned to my hometown to attend the University of California, San Diego, when I was able to study abroad at Doshisha University in Kyoto. Once I graduated, I moved to Japan as soon as I was able, and I’ve been here ever since!
経歴: 中国語・日本語教育歴 8 年。語学学校・会社語学研修・オンラインレッスンにて指導。
資格: ICA(国際漢語教師職業資格)上級
特長:分かりやすい説明と丁寧なサポートが大好評。初心者にも安心して学べる授業を提供しています。
メッセージ:はじめまして。語学教育に携わって8年になり、子どもから社会人まで幅広い学習者を指導してきました。文法や発音だけでなく、実際の会話で「すぐに使える表現」と日中の文化の違いも楽しくお伝えします。
レベルや目標に合わせてレッスン内容をカスタマイズし、資格試験対策、留学準備、ビジネス会話、日常会話など、さまざまなニーズに対応します。初心者の方も、久しぶりに勉強を再開される方も、「分からない」をそのままにしない、安心して学べる授業を一緒に作っていきましょう。
経歴: 英会話教育歴4年。オンラインレッスンにて指導。
メッセージ:こんにちは!ローゼンタール・アリエルです。アメリカ合衆国カリフォルニア州サンディエゴ出身で、現在は福岡に暮らしています。日本に来てから3年以上が経ちますが、九州の穏やかな雰囲気と人のあたたかさが大好きです。趣味は料理、サイクリング、音楽鑑賞、そしてクリエイティブ・ライティングです。
高校時代に趣味として初級日本語を学び始めました。その後、アメリカ空軍に入隊し、国防総省の語学学校で中国語を専門的に学びました。修了後は台北に移り、1年間英語教師として勤務しました。
その後、カリフォルニア大学サンディエゴ校に進学し、在学中には京都の同志社大学に留学する機会にも恵まれました。卒業後は「いつか日本に住みたい」ではなく、「今日本に行こう」と決め、できるだけ早く日本に移住しました。それ以来、日本を拠点に生活しながら、英語教育を通して言語と文化の架け橋になることを目指しています。
一人ひとりの目標や興味に寄り添い、楽しく続けられて、実際のコミュニケーションで使える英語力を一緒に育てていきましょう。
経歴:語学教育歴15年。私立大学・語学学校・オンラインレッスンにて指導。
特長:授業では中国の歴史・思想・文学なども取り入れ、「ことばの背景にある文化」まで深く味わえるレッスンを心がけています。中国の文化に興味がある方に是非一緒に交流しましょう。
メッセージ:こんにちは!中国語の「音」と「意味」のつながりを大切にしながら、学習者一人ひとりのペースに合わせて指導しています。特に、中国の伝統文化や哲学(儒家・道家など)について、日本との比較を交えながら分かりやすく解説することを得意としています。「ただ話せる」だけでなく、中国という社会や考え方への理解を深めたい方は、ぜひ一緒に学んでいきましょう。
A. Yes! You can take scene-based training only. You can also request lessons on specific topics such as professional skills/jargon and slang!
A. Around Tenjin/Hakata public spaces or on-site at your company.
A.Each session includes recorded feedback with clearer rephrasings and politeness/phone-etiquette tips.
A. Bank Transfer/ PayPal / PayPay (Japan). We can issue invoices/receipts.
A. Yes—Chinese for life or business and HSK prep are available.
A. Free changes ≥ 24 hours before class; later changes count as one session.
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