Welcome to your Japanese language learning community!
Welcome to Blue House Okinawa Japanese school!
At Blue House, we promote learning through our interactive community of Japanese & English speakers as well as our variety of language learning courses to suit your goals!
Who We Are
Close to Kadena Base Gate 1
We’re located in a cozy house right by Sunabe Seawall.
More Than a Language School
We are a close-knit community of Japanese and English learners! With a mutual respect and interest in each others’ cultures, we teach and learn from each other.
Relaxed & Community-Centered
We believe in a community-oriented approach to learning. We support each other, grow, and laugh together.
Friendly & Knowledgeable Teachers
Our bilingual English & Japanese teachers are friendly, supportive, and encouraging, with an interest in seeing each student succeed.
Make the Most of Your Time in Okinawa!
We offer a variety of classes to fit your individual learning needs and to help you enrich your time in Okinawa!
We offer Japanese language classes for students who want to study Japanese in an interactive classroom setting! In our classes, we emphasize speaking and practicing the language with local Japanese friends who are learning English at our school. In exchange, we practice English with them!
For foreigners living in Okinawa, we offer a 4-week "Survival" class to expose you to the basics of living in Okinawa! Sample topics include how to pay your bills, how to order from a restaurant, and Japanese etiquette.
For those who have limited time to study but still want to learn basic Japanese, we offer casual conversation classes to help you learn how to communicate with simple phrases and basic understanding.
Take our Cultural Class to learn more about Japanese culture and customs! In this class, we will examine Japanese values and traditions, and their influence on modern Japanese life such as in shopping, sightseeing, eating, and celebrations!
An Exclusive Social Network for Students!
With our exclusive Blue House Okinawa social network, students can connect online and continue learning, connecting, and interacting outside of the classroom!
What Our Students Say
I remember my first class at Blue House Okinawa! I was brand new to Okinawa and the Japanese language. I was able to have basic exchanges, and it made me so happy to practice with native speakers and have such a fun community to learn in. I’m two years into studying now and am so glad I found Blue House Okinawa from the beginning — it introduced me to some of my favorite people in Okinawa and is such a special place ❤️
Ms. Sara Wray
I had spent about 8 months using online based methods to learn Japanese. Blue House Okinawa gave me the opportunity to learn Japanese face-to-face with native Japanese speakers. The language exchanges forced me to step outside of my shell and speak among our Japanese peers, which was exactly what I needed to do to gain confidence to apply my classroom learning to the real world. Most importantly, it has been an incredibly fun experience to learn Japanese while helping others to learn English!
Mr. Tom Nelson
Blue House Okinawa is my family! We are leaving island soon and Blue House Okinawa was really the best part of my Okinawa experience. It’s worth every penny. Learning Japanese at Blue House Okinawa is fun and very. I have made friends here and Monica sensei is kind and patient. My classmates are also kind. Japanese is hard and I get shy when I talk in Japanese but Blue House Okinawa helps me learning.
Ms. Janice Blanchard
I recommend Blue House Okinawa to anybody that wishes to learn Japanese. I learned that Japanese is difficult at Blue House Okinawa but students here are motivated to learn, Japanese people are kind and helpful.
Blue House Okinawa is like a family where everyone is welcomed.
Mr. Garion Hallmon
I love Blue House Okinawa. It works with my busy schedule and is extremely flexible. My favorite aspect is that you are learning Japanese and practicing alongside students who are attempting to learn English.
Mr. Renie
Register for a class now!
Oki Life 101: Survival Class
If you’re moving to Okinawa, take our Oki Life 101 class! We created this class to answer your questions about living in Okinawa, including how to grocery shop, travel, pay your bills, and more! This class will include common greetings / basic phrases, as well as a field trip to a restaurant where you can practice your newly learned knowledge!
This class meets 2x/week x 4 weeks for 90-minute sessions.
Note: This class does NOT include access to our Blue House online community, although online access can be added for an extra cost.
Conversation Classes
Our conversation classes are a more casual and less study-intensive version of our language classes — if you’re interested in learning how to speak basic Japanese (but not read, write, or learn grammar), then these classes are the perfect fit for you! In this class, we emphasize pronunciation and common phrases for interacting with Japanese while traveling or living in Japan! This class includes language exchange with our Japanese students learning English, and access to our exclusive online community of learners!
Conversation 101 (2 days/week x 4 weeks):
This class is an introduction to basic conversation in Japanese! In this class, you will learn to say simple greetings, basic phrases, and self-introductory topics that you can use while interacting with Japanese speakers. This class includes a language exchange with Japanese students learning English, who will practice their English with you!
Conversation 102 (1 days/week x 4 weeks):
This class is similar to Conversation 101, but meets one day per week. In this class, you will continue to learn basic phrases for simple conversation with Japanese speakers on a variety of topics different from Conversation 101! This class also includes a language exchange with Japanese students.
Both Conversation 101 and Conversation 102 include access to our exclusive Blue House online community!
If you’re interested in learning Japanese speaking, reading, writing, and grammar, our Japanese language classes are for you! Following our blended learning approach, all classes incorporate a variety of study tools, including traditional study materials in addition to plenty of speaking practice during class. Our language classes include language exchange with our Japanese students learning English, as well as access to our exclusive online community!
Placement Test
If you have experience with studying Japanese and you’re wondering which class to take, then take our placement test to see what class fits you the best!
Beginners 1 *2 days/week x 2 months*
To start, you will learn pronunciation, counting, and useful phrases and greetings. Next, we move on to sentence structure while creating basic sentences using colors, adjectives, question words, and talking about what you like/dislike. You’ll learn a lot of vocabulary and will be able to write the first half of the Japanese Hiragana alphabet. | Japanese From Zero! 1
Beginner 2 *2 days/week x 2 months*
You will learn how to talk about what you want/don’t want, locations, dates (days, months, years), and time. In addition, we’ll practice asking for things, counting objects (a big topic in Japanese!), and using verbs as we learn about conjugation and the past tense. You will be able to write the entire Japanese language in Hiragana by the end of the course. | Japanese From Zero! 1
Beginner 3 *2 days/week x 2 months*
Learn how to use two very important verbs (ある, いる), talk about specific objects and their locations, count living things, and gain confidence with particles and other useful grammar. You’ll master the first half of the Katakana alphabet and learn new vocabulary in the process. | Japanese From Zero! 2
Beginner 4 *2 days/week x 2 months*
Learn about the Japanese family structure, adjectives, informal verb forms/conjugations, connecting sentences, and more key grammar concepts. You’ll learn the very important verb する and how to use it with your growing vocabulary to form more new verbs. After you complete the course, you will be able to write the entire Katakana alphabet and you’ll be amazed at how much you’ve learned in only 8 months! | Japanese From Zero! 2
**Intensive Courses will cover 2 courses over 4 days/week x 2 months. (Intensive Beginners 1 & 2 will cover topics in Beginners 1 and Beginners 2; Intensive Beginners 3 & 4 will cover topics in Beginners 3 and Beginners 4.)
Pre-Intermediate 1 *2 days/week x 3 months*
Practice talking about your family and relatives, hobbies, nature, seasons, weather, and your town while you learn related vocabulary and kanji. In addition, you will learn and practice grammar concepts includingている form, normalizing verbs/adjectives, describing when actions take place using とき, changes in states using なる (become), and connecting adjectives/verbs to form more complex sentences. | Marugoto A2-1
Pre-Intermediate 2 *2 days/week x 3 months*
Practice communicating to meet up with a friend, plan an evening out on the town, discuss food/meal plans, and share your experiences with language study and culture. You will do all this while you learn related vocabulary and kanji, and practice grammar concepts including: connecting verbs to form complex sentences, asking if something is okay, going to/wanting to/trying to do something, relative time (before/after), and the various nuances of もう/まだ (already/not yet/still). | Marugoto A2-1
Pre-Intermediate 3 *2 days/week x 3 months*
Practice talking about business trips and an office environment, health and exercise, celebrations, and your feelings while you learn related vocabulary and kanji. In addition, you will learn and practice grammar concepts including: past experiences, doing too much of something, doing something for the purpose of, new ways to form complex sentences, and expressing your thoughts or what you heard someone say. | Marugoto A2-1
Cultural Class
Take our Cultural Class to learn more about Japanese culture and customs! In this class, we will examine Japanese values and traditions, and their influence on modern Japanese life such as in shopping, sightseeing, eating, and celebrations!
This class meets 1x/week x 4 weeks for 90-minute sessions.
Note: This class does NOT include access to our Blue House online community, although online access can be added for an extra cost.
Class Pricing
Oki Life 101 class (2 days/week x 1 month):
22,000 yen/month
Course materials:
1,650 yen
Conversation 101 (2 days/week x 1 month):
22,000 yen/month
Conversation 102 (1 day/week x 1 month):
13,200 yen/month
Course materials:
Conversation 101 textbook: 2,500 yen
Conversation 102 textbook: 2,500 yen
Beginners 1-4 courses (2 days/week x 2 months):
17,600 yen/month x 2 months = Total 35,200 yen
Intensive Beginners courses (4 days/week x 2 months):
35,200 yen/month x 2 months = Total 70,400 yen
Pre-Intermediate courses (2 days/week x 3 months):
17,600 yen/month (monthly payment option)
OR 47,520 yen with 10% discount for 3 months prepaid
Course materials:
Beginners 1 & 2 course materials: 7,000 yen
Beginners 3 & 4 course materials: 7,000 yen
Pre-Intermediate course materials: 6,600 yen
Cultural Classes (1 day/week x 1 month):
13,200 yen/month
Course materials:
3,500 yen
2023 Class Schedule
Registration is open!
Our language classes are for motivated students who want to learn Japanese including speaking, listening, reading, writing, and grammar! These classes require some self-study outside of class.
For students with minimal time to study outside of class or who are only interested in speaking / listening, we’d recommend our Conversation 101 & 102 classes.
Please take our Placement Test below if you have questions about which class to start with!
There is still a possibility that we may have to switch to online classes via Zoom if COVID-19 cases start rising in Okinawa.
We hope this does not happen, but we want to be prepared just in case. We recommend visiting Zoom’s website HERE to create a free account and download the Zoom Rooms software.
If we are forced to temporarily shift online, we’ll continue with the same class schedule including language exchanges.
For now, in-person classes will continue with various COVID prevention measures including social distancing, mask-wearing, sanitizing study spaces, etc.
Stay healthy and safe, and please let us know if you have any questions!
Popular Classes
Oki Life 101: Survival Class (1 day/week x 4 weeks)
APR 3 – APR 27
Mornings @ 12:40pm – 2:15pm (Tues/Thurs)
Evenings @ 8:15pm – 9:50pm (Tues/Thurs)
Conversation 101 (2 days/week x 4 weeks)
MAY 8 – JUN 1
Mornings @ 10:55am – 12:30pm (Mon/Wed)
Evenings @ 6:30pm – 8:05pm (Tues/Thurs)
Language Classes
Beginners 1 (2 days/week x 8 weeks)
MAR 6 – APR 27
Mornings @ 10:55am – 12:30pm (Mon/Wed)
Evenings @ 6:30pm – 8:05pm (Tue/Thu)
Beginners 2-4 (2 days/week x 8 weeks)
MAR 6 – APR 27
Self-paced* Mornings @ 10:55am – 12:30pm (Tue/Thu)
Self-paced* Evenings @ 8:15pm – 9:50pm (Mon/Wed)
Intensive Beginners 1 & 2 (4 days/week x 8 weeks)
MAY 8 – JUN 29
Mornings @ 12:40pm – 2:15pm (Mon/Tues/Wed/Thurs)
Pre-Intermediate (2 days/week x 12 weeks)
MAR 6 – MAY 31
Self-paced* Evenings @ 6:30pm – 8:05pm (Mon/Wed)
*If 6 or less students sign up for a single course, students may be placed in a self-paced class. In these classes, students self-study lessons and must pass a verbal test with the teacher to advance to the next lesson.
Other Classes
Conversation 102 (1 day/week x 4 weeks)
Ongoing year-round starting MAY 2
Evenings @ 8:15pm – 9:50pm (Tues)
Cultural Class (1 day/week x 4 weeks)
Ongoing year-round starting MAY 4
Evenings @ 8:15pm – 9:50pm (Thurs)
FAQs
It depends on which class you're taking. Our language classes (especially the intensive courses) require some studying outside of class to prepare and participate in the classroom. If you're looking for classes with minimal studying outside of the classroom, we'd recommend you take our Conversation Class, Oki Life 101 Class, or Cultural Understanding Class!
According to the United States Foreign Service Institute, Japanese is considered one of the five most difficult languages for a native English speaker to learn, along with Arabic, Chinese (Cantonese & Mandarin), and Korean. These languages require an average of 2200 hours of dedicated practice to achieve "professional working proficiency," compared to a language like Spanish which averages about one quarter of this time. So what does this mean? Probably not a whole lot. Language learning varies a lot based on the individual, previous language experience, dedication, interest, and countless other factors. In addition, most Japanese learners don't need to achieve "professional working proficiency." Your best bet is to talk to some of our current students and ask about their experiences and progress. We think you'll find that most students are absolutely amazed at how much they have learned in a short period of time! It is incredibly rewarding when, after a few short months, you can walk out your front door and immediately apply what you've learned to your daily interactions with Japanese speakers.
No, you can join whichever class is most appropriate for your skill level. You can even join a class mid-term; no need to wait until a new class begins. To achieve the best fit, check out our course descriptions, and take our placement test, and of course, talk to us during your trial lesson at Blue House Okinawa. We will work with you to ensure you're placed in the best class for your skill level, which may even include sitting in on a class or two to gauge your comfort level with the material. We recommend selecting your skill level based on your speaking ability, as this is usually hardest to master.
Unfortunately, we are not able to refund or make-up individual classes that you may miss after registering. Please review our school policies for further information.
Unfortunately we do not offer a military discount. Please review our school policies for more information on our discount program.
Unfortunately our school is too small to support a student visa. However, many of our classes are only two to three months long, so you can complete one on a tourist visa!
Unfortunately not.
We find that a community approach to language learning (practicing with classmates and native speakers) is most effective, and one-on-one instruction does not provide this same opportunity.
We accept online payment only.
School Policies
1. Class Registration & Payment
Students are required to use the Blue House Okinawa app or website to register for your class. This guarantees your place in class. If you are signing up for Beginners 1, please register at least 1 day prior to the 1st day of class. If a class is already in session, please wait until the next term starts to register.
For current students enrolling in the next level, please register by the 20th of the preceding month of your next class. Payment after the 20th will incur a late fee as follows:
21st – 25th = 10% of your tuition
26th – on = 20% of your tuition
*Tuition fees cover one term regardless of your attendance.
2. Cancellation Policy
In order to keep class sizes small, we strictly limit the number of students enrolled per class. If you have to drop out of a class for any reason, we unfortunately cannot enroll another student to replace your spot in a class. For this reason, our cancellation schedule is as follows:
100% refund for cancellation greater than 7 days prior to the 1st day of class
50% refund for cancellation 1-7 days prior to 1st day of class
NO refunds for cancellation after the 1st day of class
3. Class Cancellation
Currently we are operating classes only if a minimum of 6 students are enrolled in the class. If a class does not have at least 6 students enrolled, we apologize, but we will have to cancel the class. If your class is canceled due to this, you can: 1) retake a class that is open; or, 2) wait until your class has 6 enrollees. Let us know what your preference is, and we will do our best to accommodate you!
4. Delays / Absences / Vacations
Delays – If you are running late, please send a message your instructor via Blue House Okinawa app.
Absences – Please let your instructor know ahead of time if you know you via Blue House Okinawa app that you are going to miss a class.
Vacations – Please notify your instructor via Blue House Okinawa app and remember to register online for the term you return to save your place in class if you choose to continue with Blue House Okinawa.
5. Access to Online Materials
Blue House Okinawa app is for tuition paying students. Access to it is from the first day of the term through the last day of the term. If your tuition is not paid for the next term before the last day of the term, your access ends. Once tuition is paid, it will then be restored.
*If you are taking time off from class but intend to return and need access to online class materials to continue your studies, you have the option of paying a ¥1,000 usage fee per month for up to 3 months maximum. Please ask your instructor.
6. Making Friends
Blue House Okinawa is a wonderful school to learn from and make new friends. We encourage students to work together and use their new language skills with each other. We offer events to encourage intercultural learning and experiences. However, we are not a dating service and discourage the use of our school and events being used to that end. Our expectation is that students interact respectfully and contribute to a healthy learning community.
7. Damage or Loss of Personal Property
We do not assume any responsibility, either real or imposed, for the loss of personal property or injury of any student.
8. Military Clause Policy
*Active Duty members (only) going on TDY/TAD or Deployment with Orders: Please provide a copy of your Orders and you will receive a prorated refund of your current or future paid tuition.
*Active Duty Members and Family PCSing with Orders: Please provide a copy of your order to receive a prorated refund of your current or future paid tuition.
9. Discounts
Below are our discount offers:
Family & Friends discount: Sign up with your family member or friend and get 10% off your tuition! This can apply each class you sign up with a family / friend.
Review discount: Write us a review on Google or Facebook and receive 10% off your tuition! Applies only to your first class.
Referral discount: Recommend us to your friends, family, coworkers, or anyone! If they sign up and mention that you referred them, you’ll get 2,700 yen off your tuition!
Why Can I Speak Japanese Yet?
One of the most common challenges reported to us is how much difficulty Japanese learners have in interacting in their target language. For example, despite perhaps years of dedicated study in Japanese, many learners feel paralyzed and defeated in interactions with native Japanese speakers.
This challenge is largely due to the fact that language-learning is multifaceted. Proficiency requires separate yet overlapping skills, such as reading, listening, writing, cultural awareness, speaking, pronunciation, etc. Schools often emphasize grammar, reading and writing over other aspects.
Thus, learners become discouraged and feel as if they don’t know anything after years of study, when in fact they just haven’t had sufficient practice in a particular skill to make them a balanced learner.
At Blue House Okinawa, students are given the opportunity to develop all areas of language to build towards proficiency. We provide practical listening and speaking practice with both peer learners and native speakers. Our goal is to build club students’ confidence and put their learning to use quickly and often.
We’ve seen learners struggling in Japanese conversation, as sometimes they’re unsure of how to say specific words or phrases.
This is a regular concern that is easy to overcome once you become a student of Blue House Okinawa.
You can prepare for conversational success by communicating in Japanese with native speakers in our class. These tools are most valuable because you learn:
1. It is ok to make mistakes, and
2. How to correct those mistakes.
You will soon find you know more than you think you do! The more you try and do, the better you will become.
Remember that for Japanese people, English is just as hard for them, as Japanese is for you. They appreciate your attempts to converse in their language and will try to find a way to communicate with you.
Just keep trying and you’ll do great!
As we also have Japanese speakers who are learning English, we’re fortunate to have a wonderful Language Exchange program as a part of our curriculum.
In the Language Exchange, you can practice Japanese speaking with real Japanese people, native Japanese speakers. Here’s where the give-and-take of learning happens! It’s student-driven and set up as a mutually-beneficial learning program.
In the Language Exchange, don’t wait for perfection to speak Japanese — start with what you can, even if it turns into charades, and let your native speaking peers guide you to accuracy! Ask questions, share cultural insights, and provide feedback to each other while building your Japanese speaking confidence.
This Language Exchange program will let you be able to learn Japanese in a practical way and practice what you have learned right away. You will meet some of our Japanese friends and make real connections with them to learn the Japanese culture and deepen your intercultural understanding.
It’s a fantastic way to bridge the gap between textbook learning and communicating in the real world!
We pride ourselves in our focus on building the ability to learn and succeed beyond learning language. We seek to nurture independent, lifelong learning.
Our goal is to get comfortable operating in Japanese in everyday, practical interactions. Much of successful language learning is going beyond your comfort zone and just going for it!
As many native English speakers are coming from cultures that greatly contrast that of Japan’s, Blue House Okinawa provides ample opportunity to learn about the values, history, and influences in Japanese society.