Monthly Online Nihongo Café 輪和話 (wawawa)

A relaxed monthly meetup to connect, chat, and learn Japanese together

Imagine a space where you can speak Japanese comfortably, swap classroom ideas, and learn with other teachers who love the language as much as you do — all from your laptop, with tea or coffee in hand. Nihongo Café 輪和話 (wawawa) is a friendly, low-pressure online meet-up designed for Japanese language teachers who want to keep their Japanese alive, deepen cultural understanding, and simply enjoy talking about seasonal events, festivals and classroom moments with people who "get it". Whether you’re new to teaching or years into your journey, this monthly gathering offers connection, inspiration and a refreshing reminder of why you love Japanese.

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Course Details

These 45-minute online sessions run monthly and offer teachers the chance to converse in Japanese while exploring cultural topics tied to the seasons. Every month brings something new — 桜 (sakura) season and hanami picnics, Hina-Matsuri and Tango-no-sekku, rainy-season words, Tanabata wishes and summer festivals.

Each session runs at 16:00–16:45pm and includes guided chat, shared experiences, and classroom activity ideas.

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March topic: Hina-Matsuri, Shunbun-no-hi, graduation ceremonies
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April topic: Hanami, Showa-no-hi, Hana-matsuri

May topic: Midori-no-hi, Kodomo-no-hi/Tango-no-sekku, Mother’s Day

June topic: Tsuyu (rainy season), Father’s Day

July topic: Tanabata, Umi-no-hi (Marine Day)
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Eligibility

Free for New Zealand registered teachers, delivered online, with no attendance limit.
Participants may speak in Japanese or English during discussions, though the main facilitation is in Japanese.

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Why a monthly Nihongo Café strengthens teaching and confidence

Staying connected with the language we teach is powerful — it feeds fluency, builds confidence, and helps classroom Japanese feel more natural and authentic. These sessions give teachers a safe space to practise Japanese, ask questions, share stories from their own lives or travels, and explore seasonal culture that students love learning about. Talking with peers from across Aotearoa builds community and reduces the feeling of teaching in isolation, while regular immersion provides fresh language input, new vocabulary ideas, and culturally rich content to take back into lessons. Over time, this monthly rhythm strengthens pedagogy, boosts confidence and keeps your love for Japanese vibrant and alive.

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