Memphis Japanese Corner Private Tutoring

We are once again accepting sign-ups for private tutoring (anywhere) and local group tutoring! Now offering more lesson types, lower price points and more custom options. Message us for details!

Fall Class Announcements:

Many of you already know that earlier this year, Katherine-Sensei took a step back from tutoring Japanese. It is with a heavy heart that Katherine-Sensei has made the decision not to return to tutoring indefinitely.

This has been a very difficult decision for her to make after 12 years of tutoring, but personal demands and a 40-hour-a-week day-job do not leave Katherine-Sensei the time to be as flexible and thorough with students as she expects of herself.

Justin-Sensei will be in touch with his previous year's students to coordinate plans for the fall. The fall 2021-spring 2022 class schedule is already completely booked with Katherine-Sensei stepping back.

--We will not be accepting new students (private or group) for the 2021-2022 term.--

We wish you all the best with your studies this fall!

As we prepare to welcome in 2021, we are also opening registration for January 2021 classes! We will continue to meet online for the spring 2021 semester, with one-on-one private lessons online via four different online platforms. Message us today to reserve your spot! Classes resume the week of January 3rd!

We'd like to take a moment to wish all of our students and their families a wonderful holiday season! We wish you all health and happiness in the new year!

Happy November, all! This is the last month of our fall 2020 tutoring sessions. Wednesday, 11/25/2020 will be the last day of classes this month. If you wish to continue into our winter session (November 29th-December 30th) for our $30 per 1-hour private winter session rate, please let your tutor know and we will put a time on the schedule for you! Thank you all, and happy holidays!

Travel Tip Tuesday Poll:

If you are seeing/reading the Travel Tip Tuesday posts, do you want us to keep doing them for October? Let us hear from you! Comment yes in the comments if you want us to continue posting them.

Japan: Hidden Travel Gems Post 4
Iga-Ueno Ninja Village
Iga, Mie, Japan

Hello everyone, Katherine-Sensei here! This is week four of our Tuesday Japan Travel Secrets. We end our first month’s travel tips with a super special and beloved place of mine that you will most definitely need at least survival Japanese to visit. A trip to the ninja!

If you’re in the Kansai area of Japan (Kyoto/Osaka), and if you can find the time, you should make an effort to take a day-trip to Iga-Ueno Ninja Village. The ride there spectacular and scenic, the museum itself is fascinating and staff are friendly.

It’s a kid-friendly museum/village in Iga-Ueno park, and a nearby castle is not a long walk from the ninja museum, so if you go early enough you can check them both out! There’s a live ninja show with an optional throwing star experience at the end, costumes you can rent for yourself/your children while visiting (don’t forget to return them!) and a cute gift shop with cool souvenirs to bring home.

You won’t see many other foreign tourists here, as it is mostly an attraction for Japanese families and groups. Don’t be surprised when non-museum staff (station attendants, taxi drivers, and local restaurant/shop owners) don’t really speak English. You’ll want your survival Japanese here!

This is a morning/afternoon attraction, and trains going back into Kyoto for the evening leave earlier than you may expect, so keep that in mind and plan your arrival/departure times with care.

I would rate the Iga-Ueno Ninja Village:

Cultural Gem: 5/5
Service: 5/5
Cleanliness: N/A
Food Quality/Taste/Traditionality: N/A
English Friendliness: 3/5 (survival Japanese required)

"Large"/"Tall" Friendliness: 4/5 (a lot of sitting/standing on the tatami floors, ‘costumes’ for rent may not come in large/tall sizes, but it doesn’t affect the village experience)

Value: 5/5

Price Range: $20-$30 (not including cost of trains to get there; I recommend using a JR Pass)

Tips/Gratuities: N/A
Tourist Friendliness: 5/5

Culture Shock Warning: While the people working at the Ninja Museum do speak some English, the trains (especially the train going up the mountain) are not run with tourists in mind, and don’t always have English versions of announcements (or even hiragana on the stops). Come prepared with an English map or listen very closely for place names.

Want to go? Check out their official website here: https://www.iganinja.jp/?page_id=837

Ninja Museum of Igaryu

Japan: Hidden Travel Gems Post 3
Suica Cards In Advance @ japan-rail-pass.com
USA – PRE-TRIP

Hello everyone, Katherine-Sensei here! This is week three of our Tuesday Japan Travel Secrets. Before jumping into today’s travel hack, let me remind you that I am NOT affiliated with any of the businesses I am sharing, nor am I being sponsored or reimbursed by them in any way. Each of these travel hacks is genuinely my personal opinion/review.

Today’s travel tip is for Americans, specifically, to use while prepping for your trip. While JR (Japan Rail) passes are becoming increasingly well-know (more on that in another pass), a fact you may not know that I’ve found invaluable is that Suica cards can be ordered in advance as well.

Japan-rail-pass.com is a website that I used to buy Suica cards for both my 2019 trips. While they also offer icoca and passmo cards, Suica (most commonly used in Tokyo) makes getting around Tokyo, where JR trains are less common than further south, so much more convenient.

Order your card, it comes preloaded, swipe at an entry gate to the subways and you’re on your way. You can reload it as needed throughout your trip. At the end of your trip, stop at a ticket office and turn cash it out. No money wasted!

The best part is buying the card in advance gives you one less thing to worry about figuring out in the jetlag and culture shock of a new airport, new train station, and new country.

And if you’re going south, you can take it with you. Hand it to a station attendant at any ticket entrance once you’re there and they will pop it in a machine, adding codes to make it work like an icoca, as well!

I would rate pre-ordering your suica card through japan-rail-pass.com as follows:

Cultural Gem: N/A
Service: 5/5
Cleanliness: N/A
Food Quality/Taste/Traditionality: N/A
English Friendliness: 5/5 (no Japanese required)
"Large"/"Tall" Friendliness: N/A
Value: 5/5
Price Range: $20-$30 (plus reloads while you’re there)
Tips/Gratuities: N/A
Tourist Friendliness: 5/5
Culture Shock Warning: None

Want to get one for your upcoming trip? Here’s the link to japan-rail-pass.com’s site!

https://www.japan-rail-pass.com/services/suica-card

Buy a Suica Card | Japan Rail Pass The Suica card is a prepaid smart card that allows you to use most public transport (metro, trains, buses, monorail) in Japan

Japan: Hidden Travel Gems Post 2
Nobu Omuraisu Restauarant Near Sensoji “Asakusa” Temple
Tokyo, Japan

Hello everyone, Katherine-Sensei here! This is week two our Tuesday Japan Travel Secrets. For those who missed it, now thru December I'll be releasing a secret travel gem I usually reserve for my paid trip consultations once a week.

Many travelers think of Sensoji in Tokyo, AKA “Asakusa Temple” when they come to Japan. You may have even seen it in travel vlogs, anime, or manga. But if you avoid the center “main” street on your way up to the temple, and instead keep to the street going the same way to the right of the big red tori gates, you’ll stumble across Nobu-san’s Omuraisu restaurant.
Nobu-san’s owns a quaint mom-and-pop restaurant off the main stretch, not only avoiding the crowd, but also only steps away from the crowds. Their omuraisu (egg omelet over fried rice with tender pork or beef) is some of the best I’ve eaten in Japan.

Nobu is only open during brunch, closing at 1:00 in the summer, or when he sells out. While some signs are in English, their English is limited. If you speak basic conversational Japanese, the owners will happily fill your ears with stories of their city as it once was before the tourists, and some cool things about themselves as well.

Don’t come here expecting to pay with anything but cash yen, exact change, if possible. Your American cards won’t be accepted. You should also be prepared to eat your food as-is, here; customizations aren’t a ‘thing’.

Also be prepared to politely ask for your check when you’re finished eting, since they won’t come make you pay, otherwise.

This is a bar-style restaurant only, with no tables/chairs. It’s expected for you to come in, eat, and leave. This isn’t a ‘hang out’ restaurant. It also doesn’t have much room for storage of shopping, and no bathroom.

So come here first when you reach Sensoji. Enjoy the small-town feel to this big0city restaurant, and treat yourself to this amazing Japanese food experience so few people know about.

I would rate Nobu-san’s Omuraisu Restaurant as follows:

Cultural Gem: 5/5
Service: 5/5
Cleanliness: 5/5
Food Quality/Taste/Traditionality: 5/5
English Friendliness: 3/5 (survival Japanese recommended)

"Large"/"Tall" Friendliness: 3/5 (it might be a squeeze sitting at the bar for bigger-built people)

Value: 4/5 (there are cheaper omuraisu restaurants, but it’s good for a touristy area)

Price Range: $10-$15 (unless you get the steak special/non-water beverages

Tips/Gratuities: Not Accepted
Tourist Friendliness: 5/5

Culture Shock Warning: No “American” food on the menu here. The closest thing you’ll find will be steak (which is delicious, but pricey).

Fudo’s Youtube Video at Nobu-san’s (I have no affiliation with Fudo and claim no right to their work): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ON67COvQnPs

Omurice - Japanese Omelette Fried Rice in Asakusa, Tokyo