About

About EastsideJapanese

At EastsideJapanese, our mission is to help students experience the joy of communicating in Japanese and to build meaningful connections through language and culture.

Dr. Keiko Kaku-MacDonald brings over 20 years of teaching experience, including university-level instruction, combining academic expertise with a practical, student-centered approach.

Lessons are available for children, teens, and adults, from beginners to advanced learners. Each lesson is carefully tailored to the student’s goals—whether for personal interest, school support, or proficiency development.

With a strong focus on communicative proficiency, lessons help students develop the skills needed for real-life interaction as well as for performance on proficiency-based assessments.

In today’s world, where AI and translation tools can instantly convert words and sentences, the true joy of travel, cultural exchange, and human connection comes from engaging directly with people and experiencing a culture through its language.

At EastsideJapanese, we strive to create a learning environment that is intellectually engaging, culturally rich, and, most importantly, enjoyable. Our goal is to help each student not only learn Japanese, but also experience the excitement and fulfillment of using it in real life.