Introduction
About the Teacher
József Eckert
Professional Japanese–English–Hungarian interpreter with over 10 years of international experience. I have worked in automotive, chemical, food industry, and audit environments. I remain active daily as both an interpreter and language teacher, and I am the developer of a Japanese language learning application available in Hungarian and English.
- Over 24 years of experience with Japanese language and culture
- Lived in Japan for several years
- University-level Japanese studies
- Professional Japanese–English–Hungarian interpreter
- Over 10 years of experience teaching Japanese
- JLPT N1 (highest level Japanese language proficiency test)
- Successfully trained students who achieved JLPT N1
The teacher
My path to the Japanese language — and to teaching
I have been engaged with the Japanese language since 2002 — with several years spent abroad (an AFS exchange year in Niigata, a MEXT-scholarship university period in Okinawa) and more than a decade of teaching experience. As a Japanese teacher, I work at every level of Japanese language education, from complete beginners to advanced, JLPT N1-level lessons.
I am József Eckert: a Japanese–English–Hungarian industrial and audit interpreter, translator and language teacher with a JLPT N1 qualification, and some of my students now hold this level too. I didn't start with a language degree but with curiosity — and that's exactly why I understand what it feels like for a native Hungarian speaker to start Japanese from zero: how long the kana take, where verb conjugation trips you up, and why passive knowledge doesn't turn into speech on its own.
Over the past ten years I have interpreted at business negotiations, translated technical documentation, and guided more than 150 students along their own paths — from beginner to advanced exams. This duality forms the basis of my lessons: the material doesn't come from a textbook, but from what real language use demands.
- 20+ years of Japanese language experience
- JLPT N1 level
- Years of hands-on experience living in Japan
My teaching philosophy
Speaking first, perfection later
You speak from the very first lessons. I don't penalize mistakes — I turn them into learning material. Corrections are always tied to a specific rule and example sentence, so you can catch it yourself next time.
There's a logic behind every rule
We don't memorize tables. I show why particles, verb conjugation, or keigo work the way they do — so the structure is still recoverable even if you haven't seen it in a while.
Language and culture can be learned together
Forms of address, listening, and politeness levels are social choices. I teach this layer together with grammar, because without it even a grammatically correct sentence can be wrong.
Measurable milestones
Every student has a weekly plan and a quarterly goal: a given number of kanji, a given exam level, a given speaking situation. This way we don't progress by feel, but toward visible results.
Professional timeline — Japanese language, studies, Japan
February 2002
The beginning of learning Japanese
This is where it all started: kana, kanji, a daily routine. This personal learning journey forms the basis of my methodology — I know exactly where a native Hungarian speaker gets stuck.
2010–2011
A 1-year exchange program in Japan (AFS)
Niigata Prefecture, Shibata
I lived with a Japanese family and attended a Japanese school for a full year: everyday speech, dialects, real language use — not textbook Japanese.
2012–2015
Oriental Languages and Cultures — Japanese specialization
Károli Gáspár University of the Reformed Church
Bachelor's degree: a foundation in linguistics, literature, and cultural history that shapes the framework of my grammar explanations.
2012–2015
University exchange period in Japan (MEXT scholarship)
Okinawa
I studied in a Japanese university environment on a Japanese government scholarship — technical language, academic and formal register, first-hand.
2016–2018
Master's degree in Japanology
Károli Gáspár University of the Reformed Church
Master's-level specialization: language history, social language use, politeness levels — this layer shows up in my keigo lessons.
2020
JLPT N1 — the highest level Japanese language exam
I passed the JLPT N1 exam and systematically mapped the logic of the exam system, so my students receive not just language skills but also exam strategy.
Today
150+ students, 200+ successful exams
I guide students from beginner to N1, and more than forty of them now work in Japan or at Japanese companies. The blog and free materials make this knowledge available to everyone.
How is this different from a language school or an app?
Not a language school, but one teacher — the same one throughout
The teacher doesn't change every semester, and there's no group pace to keep up with. Your learning history lives in one person's head, so every lesson builds on the last.
Interpreting practice in the background
I work as an active interpreter and translator. What I teach in lessons is something I used in a real negotiation the previous week — not an outdated textbook phrase.
Technical language, keigo, dialects, slang
Most courses only go up to JLPT N4 level. With me you can also access technical and corporate language, business keigo, as well as everyday slang and dialects.
A free knowledge base before you decide
19 detailed articles, downloadable kana charts, JLPT guides, and a mini course. See how I explain things first — then decide about lessons.
Curious about concrete results? See the student results and case studies, or read the comparison of a private tutor, a language school, and an app.
Video
Take a look before you decide
Watching a video is the fastest way to see whether my teaching style is a good fit for you.
Explainer video
Coming soon
Explainer video
A short introduction to how a learning journey is built, from hiragana to the JLPT exam, and what to expect in the first few months.
Sample video from a Japanese lesson
Coming soon
Sample video from a Japanese lesson
A clip from a real lesson: how I explain grammar, how I correct mistakes, and how much you get to speak yourself.
Blog
My writings on the Japanese language
On the blog I regularly share the knowledge I've gathered about the Japanese language as an interpreter and teacher.
- 8 min readJapanese Teaching for Adults: How to Learn Japanese You Can Actually UseRead more
- 12 min readHierarchical Japanese Society and Language Use: Politeness Levels in PracticeRead more
- 12 min readJapanese student exchange programs: how to get there as a high schooler or a university studentRead more
Next steps
Where do you go from here?
- 1. step
Read up on it
Free in-depth articles on Japanese writing, grammar, and keigo.
Blog - 2. step
Follow a plan
A structured learning path and mini course, so you always know your next step.
Learning path - 3. step
Choose a lesson
Private or paired lessons, packages, and group formats — with transparent pricing.
Lessons and prices - 4. step
Get started
Tell me your level and your goal, and I'll put together your personal study plan.
Contact