RRESEARCH
Discover, compare, and try
Children explore existing games, books, learning materials, and designs. They ask what is interesting, what could be added, and what might help someone else learn.
In-person in Markham · Small groups
Use Japanese to communicate, create, and make impacts.
A project-based Japanese class that starts with entrepreneurial projects based on children's curiosities.
Children explore real-world problems, create solutions, and share them with the world, with Japanese language learning embedded in the process.
Complete beginners are welcome.
Markham, Ontario 90-minute sessions Max 8 students
WHAT CHILDREN ACTUALLY DO
First comes a reason to use Japanese.
Nihongo Lab does not begin with memorizing a vocabulary list. Children explore designs that support them and other children's Japanese language learning. It is part of the process that Japanese becomes their own language.
DDEVELOPMENT
Make something of your own
Using what they discovered, children design games, worksheets, stories, posters, and other products. They learn words and expressions necessary for communicating with the team and explaining their ideas.
EENTREPRENEURSHIP
Create value for someone else
Making is not the finish line. Children let someone else use what they made, listen to the response, and improve it so it becomes more useful, clear, or enjoyable.
THE ThInC RED FRAMEWORK
This is part of the ThInC School RED Framework: Research the world around you, develop something of your own, and create value for others. What each part looks like changes with the child's age and program.
A PROJECT IN NIHONGO LAB
For example: design a Japanese worksheet children actually want to use.
Children work on real problems faced by children learning Japanese outside of Japan — for example, "How can we make a worksheet that makes you want to do more?" They design a solution, develop it, and test it. In the process, they strengthen not only their Japanese skills but also their ability to think critically and collaborate in a team.
01
→Test existing designs
Use several real worksheets or learning materials first.
02
→Share what you notice
Share reactions: fun, confusing, too easy, needs more pictures.
03
→Design your own
Choose who it is for and turn your idea into a real product.
04
→Let someone use it
Watch a classmate use it and ask what they thought.
05
Revise and improve
Fix what did not work and make the next version better.
JAPANESE INSIDE THE WORK
Which one is better? I want to make it more… This is easy to understand. Why? Try it. Let's change this part.
The same project can work across different Japanese levels. One child may use key words; another may explain a reason or negotiate a design choice. Support changes with the child.
HOW A CLASS FEELS
Ninety minutes of exploring, talking, making, and testing.
From passive learner to active creator. Children are not only users of learning materials in Nihongo Lab. They become the designers who create learning materials for themselves and others in the world.
Hands and bodies in motion
Touching, moving, choosing, comparing, making. Very little sitting still.
Small-group interaction
More time talking with the child beside you than listening to the front of the room.
Language support sized to each child
Beginners get enough scaffolding to take part from day one; stronger speakers get the next step up.
Communication before perfection
Children can communicate first, then work with the mentor to find clearer or richer Japanese when they need it.
HOW JAPANESE GROWS
We grow what children can do with Japanese.
Progress is not measured only by how many words a child can recall on a test. We create more situations where they want to explain an idea, ask a question, solve a problem, or improve something — and help their Japanese grow to meet those needs.
01
Communicate ideas and observations
Early Japanese can begin with naming, choosing, noticing, and reacting to what is happening in front of them.
02
Ask and negotiate
Projects naturally create reasons to request materials, make choices, ask how, and respond to others.
03
Explain an idea
As Japanese grows, children can move from a preference to a fuller explanation of what they want to do.
04
Give reasons and respond to others
Children begin to give reasons, respond to someone else's idea, disagree, agree, and build on what another person said.
05
Use Japanese as a tool for thinking and creating
The long-term goal is Japanese that children can use not only to answer an exercise, but to think through an idea, work with someone, and create something that matters to them.
PROGRAM DIRECTOR
Grounded in Learning Sciences & Multilingual Literacy Research.
WDIRECTORWakana Tsuji
Wakana Tsuji
Founder & Program Director
University of Toronto, OISE — PhD Candidate
Conducting research in learning sciences, educational technology, language, and writing at the University of Toronto OISE (PhD Candidate). Designing the Nihongo Lab curriculum while directly mentoring children. We focus not just on memorizing words, but on how children ask questions, explore real materials, interact with peers, and express their own ideas in Japanese.
Mentors are not 'teachers who give answers.'
We ask open questions like "What did you notice?" or "How would you say that in Japanese?" to encourage children to explore, try new expressions, and build confidence.
BEGINNER FRIENDLY
Beginners and heritage learners can start here.
Children can join whether Japanese is completely new or they understand it at home but rarely speak it. Everyone can work on the same project while receiving different language support.
No Japanese needed at home
We don't assume anyone at home can preview lessons or help with Japanese homework. Family communication can be in English.
No prior study required
Children can begin without knowing hiragana. From the first session they meet the language inside the activity.
Any family language background
Children with and without Japanese-speaking families join the same activities. Only the support changes.
Mixing languages allowed
If an idea arrives in English, children are always given choice to express in English or challenge themselves in Japanese, depending on their comfort levels. We never shut down the wish to say something.
COURSES & PRICING
Two Ways to Learn
Choose from 2 learning options tailored to your child's goals and curiosity.
The first 90-minute trial session is completely free.
Standard Course
Nihongo Lab
Our standard course where children collaborate on hands-on projects and develop natural Japanese communication skills through making and dialogue.
$ 250 CAD / mo
Regular $280 2026 Launch Price
What is included
- Hands-on product design, making & testing
- Team and expert support in small groups (max 8)
- Analytics tools to visualize your child's progress
- Project showcases to share what they created
- Bi-monthly progress reports for parents
Recommended
Advanced & Mentorship
Nihongo Lab + Project Studio
In addition to group projects, mentors provide close individualized support for each child's own personal projects and creations.
$ 410 CAD / mo
Regular $440 2026 Launch Price
What is included
- All of Nihongo Lab included
- Personal project development tailored to each child's interests and needs
- Intensive mentoring in a micro-group (max 4 students)
- Monthly 1-on-1 progress consultation for parents (30 mins)
Format & Schedule
Saturday Class Saturdays 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM (In-person only・Grade 1-3) · Markham, Ontario
* All times are shown in Eastern Time (ET).
* Specific venue details in Markham, Ontario will be shared with registered families.
* If you have other preferred days or times, please feel free to ask.
* Specific venue details in Markham, Ontario will be shared with registered families.
* If you have other preferred days or times, please feel free to ask.
Join Nihongo LabGive your child real-world
Give your child real-world
challenges in Japanese.
The first class (90 minutes) is free to attend.
Complete beginners and heritage learners are warmly welcome.
FAQ
Questions parents ask
Q1Does my child need to know Japanese already?
No. Complete beginners are welcome. Children take part in the activity and pick up the language they need, with support.
Q2Do parents need to speak Japanese?
No. We don't rely on Japanese support at home, and we're happy to communicate with families in English.
Q3My child understands Japanese but answers in English. Is this suitable?
Yes — this is a common starting point. Activities give a reason to speak, and we help children rebuild what they want to say in Japanese.
Q4Is this like Japanese school or a traditional language class?
The format is different. Rather than moving through a textbook or completing a fixed set of worksheets, children use Japanese while investigating, designing, making, testing, and revising. It can also sit alongside more traditional Japanese study.
Q5Will children learn reading and writing?
Reading and writing are integrated into in-class activities. Classes are designed in a way that students encounter enough reading and writing practices adjusted for individual needs and levels.
Q6What happens if my child uses English?
Nothing is shut down. We take in what the child wanted to say, then give them the Japanese to say it. The wish to communicate comes first.
Q7Where are classes held?
In person in Markham, Ontario. Venue details are shared with registered families.
Q8How long is each session?
Ninety minutes combines exploration, language support, making, and testing with others. A worksheet may sometimes be part of a project — and in some projects, children design the worksheet themselves.
From Nihongo Lab to Think Lab
Children who can express themselves freely in Japanese can step right into Think Lab to continue their learning with more advanced Japanese and thinking skills.
In-person in Markham
Give your child real-world challenges in Japanese.
No Japanese required to start. Try a class designed for children to find joy in using Japanese.
IN-PERSON ONLY · SMALL GROUPS · 90 MINUTES