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About Iroha Passport

About Iroha Passport

Learn Japanese. Get ready for Japan.

Iroha Passport helps English speakers learn Japanese and plan their trips to Japan, with native Japanese teachers living in London.

Native Japanese teachersLondon & onlineLessons and travel support
Why we exist

So you feel prepared, not lost

Moving to a new country is full of small surprises. It’s easy to be caught off guard by how different everyday life is, to waste time and to feel anxious in ways you didn’t need to, and to wish someone had simply told you what to expect.

We built Iroha Passport so you don’t have to go through that with Japan. Whether you’re learning Japanese over the long term or getting ready for a trip, we want your time with us to be well spent, and for you to feel prepared, confident and excited to get there.

Our name

Why “Iroha Passport”?

Iroha Passport began as SakuraJapan, a Japanese lesson service in London. As we grew to support travel as well as learning, we gave it a new name.

IrohaThe Japanese word for the ABCs. The very first step in learning something.
PassportFor the trips that Japanese opens up.
Our teachers

Meet your teachers

Mizuki, Japanese teacher at Iroha Passport

Mizuki

Japanese teacher
Background
Aviation industry · HR at a manufacturing company · Teaching in Japan
Lesson style
Short explanations, lots of speaking practice
Great match for
Travel JapaneseIntermediateFootball fans
Favourite moment
When a student clearly gets a grammar point in practice, and when learning feels fun
Loves about Japan
Kyoto, and the food
Illustration of Mao, Japanese teacher at Iroha Passport

Mao

Japanese teacher
Background
Sales · Teaching at a cram school in Japan
Lesson style
Clear, easy-to-follow explanations
Great match for
JLPTBeginner JapaneseBusiness Japanese
Favourite moment
When a student passes their test
Loves about Japan
Matcha and traditional Japanese dance
Illustration of Yui, Japanese teacher at Iroha Passport

Yui

Japanese teacher
Background
Office administration · Private tutoring in Japan
Lesson style
Goes at your pace and builds lessons around what you enjoy
Great match for
JLPT
Favourite moment
When a student says they get it
Loves about Japan
The food
How we work

How we work with our teachers

Most applicants don’t make it through. We watch every candidate teach before they meet a student, and we only say yes to teachers who have all three of these.

Warm and clearFriendly, calm and easy to follow, so you feel comfortable speaking up.
Native Japanese, fluent EnglishNative Japanese speakers who can explain things in clear English.
Prepared and proactiveThey plan each lesson and follow up without being asked.

Once they join, every teacher is trained by us and teaches from materials we’ve built ourselves.

Risako, founder of Iroha Passport
RisakoFounder & Teacher Trainer
Why she started
After working at a language school in London, Risako was encouraged to teach independently, and SakuraJapan began. It grew into Iroha Passport so that we could help with your trip to Japan as well as your Japanese.
Her background
Seven years of teaching Japanese herself.
What she does now
Designs our lessons and materials, and selects and trains every teacher.
Where she is strongest
Turning what she has learned from teaching and from living abroad into clear lessons: the structure, the materials and the step-by-step guides that every teacher can follow.
Get started

Not sure where to start?

Tell us your level and your goal, and we’ll put together a plan for you.

Get a free study plan Free: a one-page plan for your level and your goal, sent within 2–3 days. No obligation.