Instructor Bios

Japanese language instructors are native Japanese.

Honda, Etsuko Okazaki (B.A.)
Etsuko Honda has a B.A. in English from Tokyo Woman's Christian University. Over the last 10 years, she has taught English at a preschool, in English language schools, and at companies.  She completed all the requirements of the 420-hour Japanese Language Teacher Training Course and passed the Japanese Language Teaching Competency Test in 2020.  Currently she is an instructor at Japanese language school in Japan. Also, she is a founder of a nonprofit organization that supports JSL children learning Japanese as a second language.

Honda, Shigeko (B.A., M.A.)
Shigeko Honda worked at the University of West Florida as Director of Japan Center & Japan House, Co-director of Florida-Japan Linkage Institute, and Instructor and Supervisor of Japanese Language. During her 26 years at the University, she established a two-year Japanese language program and the U.S.-Japan educational and cultural exchange programs. She contributed to building the Japan House on campus in 2006. The Japan House includes an authentic tea ceremony room, Fukutoku-an, the name of which was bestowed by the 16th Grand Master Sen Sōshitsu of the Urasenke.  She has BA and MA in Humanities from University of West Florida. 

Koga, Aya (B.A., M.A.)
Ms. Aya Koga started calligraphy at the age of six. She was awarded Yomiuri Newspaper Calligraphy Prize when she was a student. She holds the second level (2-kyu) calligraphy license from Official Calligraphy Association of Japan. She has been teaching Shdo at JASGA since 2014.  She studied Economics and received a (M.A.) from Osaka University in Japan.

Megumi, Maeri (B.A., M.A., PhD)
Maeri Megumi holds M.A. degrees in Linguistics, Japanese Language Pedagogy, and East Asian Languages and Cultures from University of Iowa, University of Southern Californa, and University of Texas at Austin, and Ph.D degree in Asian Cultures and Languages. Her B.A. in Asian Cultures and Languages was received from University of Queensland and Japan Women's University in Tokyo. She has taught Japanese at the University of Texas at Austin and at St. Edwards University.

Watanabe, Kazki (B.A.)
Kazki Watanabe has been tutoring Japanese in Austin since 2001. He published a textbook of Japanese conversation for beginners, Japanese for Dogs 1 in 2016.