Japanese Lessons in Edinburgh South (EH10) & Online

Japanese lessons, small-group clubs and focused coaching to help you take your next step.

Learn with Hitomi, a native Japanese tutor who speaks standard Japanese, has 25+ years of teaching experience, and has authored 17 published Japanese textbooks.

Personalised support · Small groups · Friendly, structured teaching grounded in second language acquisition.

Not sure where to start?

Choose the support that fits what you’d like to do next.

Understand your speaking strengths and next priority: explore Japanese Speaking Review & Plan.
Organise your JLPT study: explore JLPT Study Plan Power-Up.
Find regular, individual support: explore Private Lessons and the waiting list.
Learn alongside other adults: explore Adult Japanese Clubs.
Find Japanese activities for your child: explore Kids’ Japanese for ages 7–12.

Prefer to begin with something free? Try the weekly Tadoku reading worksheets.

Private Japanese Lessons and Japanese Speaking Review & Plan with Hitomi

JLPT Study Plan Power-Up, Japanese Co-Studying Club and Japanese Chat Club

Japanese Read & Talk Club, Kids’ Japanese After-School Club and Heritage Japanese Club

Materials for a Japanese speaking review session online.

Japanese Speaking Review & Plan

Understand what already supports your communication and what to focus on next.

Join a supportive, guided Japanese conversation and receive a personalised PDF report with feedback on your speaking and a practical four-week practice plan.

30-minute online session + personalised PDF speaking report

Explore Speaking Review & Plan

JLPT Study Plan Power-Up

Turn your JLPT goals into clear priorities and a realistic plan for your available study time.

A focused coaching session, followed by a personalised PDF study plan with a three-month roadmap, a detailed four-week plan and a reusable weekly planner.

30-minute online session + PDF study plan and weekly planner

Explore JLPT Study Plan Power-Up

Japanese tutor preparing lesson notes with Japanese textbooks on the table

Private Japanese Lessons

Regular, personalised teaching for travel, everyday conversation, exams or developing your Japanese as a heritage learner.

Work towards clear goals with guidance, feedback and manageable practice between lessons.

My regular timetable is currently full, with a waiting list for new learners.

Explore private lessons & the waiting list

Adult learners chatting in Japanese at a small-group Japanese Chat Club in Edinburgh

Adult Japanese Clubs

Enjoy Japanese in friendly groups of 2–4, with support from Hitomi.

Practise travel conversations at Chat Club in Edinburgh South (EH10), enjoy stories and conversation at Read & Talk Club online, or bring your own study goals to Co-Studying Club online.

Explore Adult Japanese Clubs

Japanese reading and writing worksheets with colourful origami crafts

Kids’ Japanese in Edinburgh South (EH10)

Games, stories and creative activities bring Japanese into a friendly small-group setting for children aged 7–12.

Explore After-School Club for children learning Japanese as a new language, Heritage Japanese Club for children growing up with Japanese as part of family life, and holiday camps.

Explore Kids’ Japanese

A steady start, beyond the first lesson

Around two-thirds of new regular 1-to-1 learners in 2025–26 took 5 or more lessons — moving beyond “just trying it out”. All eligible new regular learners booked a second session after their first.

Based on new regular 1-to-1 learners in the 2025–26 teaching year; very recent starters are excluded where the metric could not yet be assessed.

Testimonials

“Four months later I am able to read both Hiragana and Katakana and understand and speak daily conversational phrases. Hitomi is a patient, encouraging and brilliantly organised teacher.” — Lars, Private Lessons, Oct 2026

“I love learning Japanese in this warm and friendly atmosphere. Hitomi always shares tips for travel, interesting locations, and useful books. She's great at making us use Japanese in little role play settings.” — Stephanie, Japanese Chat Club, Sep 2026

“Very original way to learn Japanese in a stress-free atmosphere.” — Sarah, Japanese Book Club, Aug 2025

“Thank you again for such a useful and insightful session. I really appreciate your feedback and the thought you have put into the review and suggested plan.” — Scott, Japanese Speaking Review & Plan, Aug 2026

“My son really enjoyed himself, and particularly liked the crafting. He’s asked to come back (which is a very rare thing!)” — Mum of 8-year-old, Kids' Japanese After-School Club, Oct 2025

Google Reviews

Read all Google reviews

5.0

Reviews on Google: 3

Hitomi-sensei is such a wonderfully patient and warm teacher, and my son (7 years old) has an amazing time with her each time (both at regular lessons and at the fun-filled camps). She designs each class/session so that it is full of variety, and she manages to keep the children interested and motivated to learn. I must say I didn't have high expectations in terms of my son's Japanese acquisition, but he has been quietly amassing vocabulary over the past couple of months, and enjoys quizzing his granddad (who also learned some Japanese in his youth). Hitomi-sensei also makes sure to keep us parents updated about what happens in each class, and is great about safeguarding and other policies. We're lucky to have her as our son's teacher!

Really lovely and supportive atmosphere, ideal for getting over my speaking nerves for my trip!

Very grateful to have found Hitomi who makes lessons engaging and identifies areas that I need to work on. I feel I have made progress in just a few lessons and I am motivated to keep on learning!

A joyful & easy first step into hiragana

Explore hiragana with Hitomi’s free video lesson by listening to her pronunciation and practising Japanese words to connect characters with their sounds.

Watch at your own pace, pause to practise and return whenever you need a reminder.

Watch the Hiragana Masterclass

Put your hiragana into practice

Continue with the Joyful Nihongo Hiragana Workbook:

a printable, romaji-free PDF with a colour-coded chart, guided practice and QR-linked pronunciation and stroke-order videos.

Suitable for complete beginners · Digital download · Classroom-tested

Explore the Hiragana Workbook

Joyful Japanese Reading — illustrated characters from Hitomi’s Tadoku stories.

Free Japanese reading, one story at a time

Enjoy short, level-labelled Japanese stories with audio by Hitomi and a fresh worksheet every Sunday.

Choose a comfortable level, enjoy the story and take one small next step. A manageable way to keep Japanese in your week.

Start with a free reading

Research behind the reading project

Hitomi’s Japanese story videos and weekly Tadoku worksheets formed the basis of a poster presentation at the 2026 British Association for Teaching Japanese as a Foreign Language (BATJ) annual conference, exploring support for independent reading beyond the classroom.

Explore the research

More ways to enjoy Japanese

Explore Learn & Shop for learning resources, the Japanese Zine Lab free email taster and carefully chosen Japanese stationery.

For a monthly round-up of learning ideas, WJJL news and upcoming dates, read and subscribe to the WJJL Newsletter.

What would you like to do with your Japanese?

Tell me about your goals and the support you’re looking for.

I’ll help you find a suitable next step and let you know what’s available.

Send a quick message

Wee Joys Japanese Language

Based in Edinburgh, teaching online too

Wee Joys Japanese Language is based in Edinburgh South (EH10), near Morningside and Bruntsfield.

In-person sessions take place by arrangement. Online lessons, clubs and coaching are available to learners across the UK and worldwide.

Email: hello[at]weejoysjapanese.com — replace [at] with @.

By appointment · PVG Scheme member