Ms. Rika Kuwahara

Hi everyone! Welcome to Japanese class! 

みなさん、こんにちは！ようこそ にほんごのクラスへ！ 

I’m Rika Kuwahara and I’m a Japanese teacher at Central High School. 

I was born and raised in Tokyo, Miyagi, and Kyoto, Japan. 

I started teaching Japanese as a volunteer teacher at a city hall while I was studying the Japanese linguistics, literature, and Japanese language education at University in Kyoto, Japan.  

After I graduated from University, I moved to Alaska and I have taught Japanese as a teaching assistant at both high school and elementary school. Then, I worked for The Japan Foundation as a Japanese instructor at secondary school in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia. After Malaysia, I moved to South Korea and lived there for a year then moved to the U.S.   

 I went to Phoenix College and received certificate of completion in International studies. While I was studying there, I became a teaching assistant and have worked three years total for ESL and ELL classes at both community college and high school.  

I’m a world traveler and I always enjoy meeting new people and make friends! 

I enjoy hiking, reading, writing, baking, and learning languages! 

I’m interested in history of European architecture and art especially impressionism. 

One of my biggest dreams is to live in Iceland or Italy and teach Japanese there and learn Icelandic or Italian someday! 

Lastly, I’m excited to teach you Japanese and Japanese culture which will give you opportunities to enrich your everyday life and future! Let’s enjoy learning Japanese together! 

“One for all and all for the one. ひとりは みんなのために。そして みんなは ひとりのために。”