Introduction:

Behind every successful venture lies a team of dedicated individuals with a shared vision and passion. Local Life Japan is built on the collective expertise, innovation, and commitment of our founders, who are dedicated to redefining the way international students learn, connect, and thrive in the Japanese community. Join us as we introduce the duo behind Local Life Japan™ and discover their shared inspiration and vision for the school and its students.

Yuriko Minagi

Hi there! My name is Yuriko, the founder of Local Life Japan. My journey has taken me across multiple cultures and languages. Originally from a Japanese and Chinese background, my life has been a mosaic of transitions—moving from Japan to China and then to the UK, all three counties where I can call home.

Throughout my life, I was frequently thrust into entirely new environments where everything from the language to the culture was unfamiliar. Starting with Mandarin as my first language, I embarked on learning Japanese and English from scratch. Today, I proudly speak all three languages fluently, which I regard as my mother tongues.

This unique upbringing taught me an invaluable lesson: the most effective way to learn a language is to fully experience not just the language, but also the culture, places, and people associated with it.

Drawing from my experience, I understand the excitement and the anxieties associated with relocating to an entirely new environment. Let us assist you in smoothing out the transition, freeing up your energy and time so that you can fully immerse yourself and enjoy life in Japan.

Our mission is to recreate this enriching experience for our students, helping you achieve your language goals in the most enjoyable and engaging way possible. With my educational background—holding a teaching qualification from Cambridge and a Master’s degree from University College London, the top ranked educational institution in the world—our curriculum is crafted from the finest traditional and contemporary educational practices. We utilize cutting-edge educational methodologies to provide a learning experience that is not only effective but also thoroughly engaging.

Hilary Tay

Hi there, I’m the other half of the vision behind Local Life! My name is Hilary and I was born in Singapore. Growing up, my family moved countries every 2-3 years up until middle school but interestingly, Japan was not one of the places my family moved to.

In 2015, I decided to do a homestay in a foreign country while waiting to start university in London. I had no prior interest or knowledge of Japanese culture or language, but chose Japan for one simple reason. The food!

I enrolled into a 3-week language school + homestay program in Tokyo with Homestay in Japan (who is now one of our partners). My host family had 3 children around my age and despite the language barrier, we communicated using the Google Translate app. I went to Japanese language class for a few hours every day and spent the rest of my time hanging out with my host siblings. Very quickly, I noticed that my Japanese level was improving faster than what was taught in the classes as it was very theoretical, and I stopped attending classes just one and a half week’s into the course. After completing my homestay, I stayed in touch with my host family through our group chat on LINE and continued speaking to my host siblings over the phone. I even stayed with their relatives in Fukuoka later on!

6 months later, I signed up for Japanese language classes as a freshman at university as I wanted to continue my learning. After completing the placement interview, I was shocked to be assigned to level 6 of 8: Business, Cultural, and Political Level Japanese.

I consider this experience to be one of the defining moments in my life. It completely pivoted the trajectory of my future in a direction I never would have dreamed of. The society of Japanese students for universities in London was a big part of my university days, which further embedded the language and culture into my life. In fact, this is where I met Yuriko! Since then, I have also worked at a strategy consulting firm in Tokyo and continue to have deep ties and relationships in Japan. It has become an integral part of my life in every way.

Looking back, I wouldn’t have been able to learn Japanese so quickly without experiencing regular daily life with my host family. This is why I strongly believe that local community and cultural immersion is a necessity in language learning. There are so many things that a classroom just cannot teach you!

Local Life Japan™ was created because Yuriko and I both understand that language learning is the most effective when practiced in authentic contexts, which is why our school’s motto is to “Live the Language”. We want to harness the power of the local community to accelerate your Japanese skills while giving you a meaningful experience, and helping you develop deep, lasting connections in Japan.

I believe language is more than just grammar and vocabulary. It is a window to a different culture, way of life, a different way of thinking, and a realm of exciting opportunities!

Conclusion:

As individuals whose Japanese fluency benefited tremendously from cultural immersion, practical conversations, and community engagement; we believe wholeheartedly in the power of experiential learning.

Our vision is for Local Life Japan to be more than just another Japanese language school. We want it to be a vibrant community hub where learning transcends theory and classrooms. We want to help you master the Japanese language while fostering a sense of belonging and connection within the local community.

Come and experience the difference that community makes at Local Life Japan – where you can Live the Language, Love the Journey.