Of all the Australian states and territories to find the right Japanese tutor for you, Canberra has to be the easiest. Our country's capital city welcomes diplomats and their families from all over the world, including Japan. Furthermore, Australia has such a close connection to our neighbour that we remain fascinated with the Japanese language and culture. So, it's good that we have these opportunities to study Japanese.
Where to Learn Japanese in Canberra
- The Australian National University (ANU) offers several Japanese Studies degree programs
- dedicated Japanese language schools: Ainslie School, Awesome Japanese, CIT Solutions and more
- commercial language schools: Listen & Learn, Language Trainers and others
- Social groups: Meetups, Japanese events, cafés and more
- Japan groups and societies: Australia-Japan Society, Canberra-Japan Club (CJC) and others
School-Based Japanese Courses in Canberra
In 1966, two years after establishing its sister-school relationship with Nezu Elementary School, Ainslie School became the first primary school in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) to start teaching Japanese.
Since then, according to data from 2019, twenty-three government primary schools in Canberra offer Japanese classes to a range of their students. Many of these primary schools feed into the thirteen high schools and seven senior secondary colleges that also have Japanese courses.
Teachers of Japanese in public schools differ in their language proficiency and in-country experience. To counteract this, many schools now host Japanese Language Assistants. These assistants are native speakers, usually university students, who wish to spend a year in Australia to improve their English.
Hosting a Japanese Assistant is a great way to get free Japanese learning while helping your guest build their English proficiency.
Learn Japanese at ANU
If you've been fortunate to attend Japanese learning courses throughout your time in school, you'll likely want to turn that knowledge into a formal degree. ANU offers ACT-area students that opportunity, like pupils learning Japanese in Perth who study their language at the University of Western Australia.
ANU College of Asia and the Pacific offers a Japanese language Major degree plan, and several double degrees with a Japanese component, too. You may then extend your studies at a sister-university in Japan. ANU has ties with more than 20 such schools, including the University of Tokyo.
You don't have to be a university student to take Japanese courses at ANU; the school runs several short courses in Beginning Japanese. These lessons are language-focused, each one building on the skills of the preceding course. The first series focuses on travel Japanese.
Awesome Japanese Language and Culture School
Awesome is one of the most expansive Japanese learning opportunities in Canberra. Even Sydney's Japanese course outlets, extensive as they are, can't match what Awesome does.
This school offers group and private lessons for kids. It also teaches Business Japanese for professionals, and travel Japanese for those about to go on holiday. Those are all in addition to its general courses, tailored to absolute beginners and advanced learners alike. And yet, there's more on offer:
🌐http://awesomejapanese.com.au/
📍S5/25 Dickson Pl, Dickson ACT 2602
📞+614 5033 8533
CIT Solutions
CIT stands for Canberra Institute of Technology, a Technical and Further Education (TAFE) provider with five campuses across the ACT. It is not a dedicated Japanese language school but it does offer courses in Japanese.
CIT specifies that students don't need to know any Japanese to take their courses. It caters to absolute beginners through intermediate speakers. Thse courses help prepare learners for more complete lessons in a dedicated language school.
🌐https://citsolutions.edu.au/
📍J, Vowels Cres, Bruce ACT 2617
📞+612 6207 4444
Japanese With Maiko
The best way to learn any language is from a native speaker. Preferably one who is patient, knowledgeable, and has a lot of experience teaching. In short, taking Japanese lessons with Maiko or one of her partner-tutors is ideal.
Maiko teaches Japanese online and in person, from her home in Tuggeranong. She welcomes any age group and every level of Japanese speaking ability. You may choose to meet somewhere in town for your lessons; Maiko is fine with that, too, as long as her class schedule allows it.
Unlike a set curriculum you might find in a language school, Maiko teaches to your aims. Some pupils would rather focus on reading and writing in Japanese, while others want to understand J-Pop lyrics.
Maiko is the rare teacher who responds to her students' preferences. Such a teacher is a treasure, even learning Japanese in Melbourne is typically not that accommodating.
Learn Japanese in Canberra With a Commercial Language School
In our tech-rich world, we tend to go online for just about anything we need, want, and are looking for. Across Australia, people searching for Japanese lessons will invariably run across two names. Language Trainers and Listen & Learn offer comparable language learning programs:
Thanks to these two platforms, even Japanese learning in Darwin is possible. Those schools don't have a physical presence in every city (Canberra does!). Remote learners, those far from major cities, must rely on a stable internet connection to learn Japanese.
Learn Japanese at the Library
Around the world, libraries get little credit for all the good they do. Far more than just a place to borrow books, libraries have become digital hubs, cultural activity centres and hives for those wanting to learn.
Libraries, though a millennia-old concept, do their best to keep up with the times. So, you may find that manga you've been looking for, or that Japanese film you've been wanting to watch. At Canberra area libraries, you'll also find cultural events to take part in.
Granted, not all Canberra library events include Japanese elements. And, not all branches include Japanese language books and magazines (only the Belconnen branch does). However, one library feature makes it worth dusting off your library card: the chance to learn Japanese for free.
Mango is an online language learning platform that partners with libraries around the world. You can access the full Mango Japanese learning program with your ACT Public Library membership.
The Australia-Japan Society
The Australia-Japan Society (ACT branch) partners with the Embassy of Japan and the JET Alumni Association (JETAA). They organise events across Canberra to celebrate Japanese culture and enhance relationships between Japan and Australia.
The highlight is the Canberra Nara Candle Festival, held each year in spring. It brings together exhibitions of Japanese traditional arts, music and food. Free classes are usually held in conjunction with the event, giving participants new experiences and insight.
Canberra-Nara Peace Park (pictured above), on Lake Burley's shores in Griffin, hosts this Candle Festival. This park is where a number of other Japanese cultural events take place each year, many with the Australia-Japan Society's coordination. The group is also active in Adelaide, where Japanese learners enjoy similar activities, but none so fine as in Canberra.
Social Activities to Learn Japanese in Canberra
As you can see from the clip above, we love our Candlelight Festival and appreciate the Australia-Japan Society to putting forth the effort each year. Still, not everyone loves the crowds. Other have a greater interest in specific aspects of Japanese culture, both traditional and modern. Luckily, Canberra has options for everyone.
For Brisbane area Japanese learners as well as those in Canberra, Meetup remains one of the best ways to socialise with others who have the same interests as you. Unfortunately, the popular Canberra Japanese Language and Culture Group no longer meets. That leaves the ACT in dire need of a regular Oshaberikai (conversation club or social gathering).
You might consider starting such a group. With the number of online searches for 'Learn Japanese Canberra' growing, you'd soon have many language exchange partners - learners and native Japanese speakers, to talk with.
Whether about food (sashimi, matcha, and udon), installations (ikebana, shodo, and chanoyu) or physical demonstrations (kabuki, karate and sumo), sharing your love of Japanese language and culture will enhance your learning experiences.
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