About the Creator
While raising three children, the creator has over 20 years of practical experience as a Japanese language teacher.
She has taught learners from diverse backgrounds—including China, Russia, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, the United States, Australia, Canada, Spain, and Ghana—through four Japanese language schools in Tokyo and Kanagawa, as well as online lessons. (She has also provided instruction behind the scenes for television programs.)
Currently, she continues to teach five days a week at Japanese language schools and multicultural community classes, while also working on developing new educational materials. This experience forms the foundation of her teaching materials.
The Journey of Kotonoha Karuta(From Development to Future Expansion)
While working at a Japanese language school focused on helping students overcome difficulties with kanji and improve their motivation, the creator began using handmade karuta in the classroom and became convinced of its effectiveness.
However, continuing to produce the materials by hand had its limits—repeated use of a paper cutter even led to tendonitis. This experience led to the independent development of Kotonoha Karuta.
The cards are carefully designed based on JLPT levels, with thoughtfully selected kanji, structured placement, and a layout optimized for effective learning.
Following the release of the N5 and Hiragana/Katakana versions, we have been receiving detailed feedback from educators and learners in real classroom settings.
Based on this feedback, we plan to continue developing and releasing new versions, including N4, N3, and additional design improvements.