Ms. Miyako Furr
Furr-sensei comes to the Japan Society teaching staff in 2002 with several years' experience in privately tutoring Japanese. She received a Bachelor's degree in Chinese Language from Meikai University in Japan, and also holds certification in teaching Japanese as a Foreign Language from ARC Academy in Tokyo.

Ms. Nobuko McMullin
McMullin-sensei earned her MA in Japanese from San Francisco State University in 2004. Besides teaching Japanese, she has extensive experience as a translator, interpreter, and editor in both Japanese and English. She joined the Japan Society teaching staff in 2006.

Ms. Kana Mikogami
Mikogami-sensei earned her BA in English at Kansai University of Foreign Languages in Osaka, Japan. In 2007, she earned her MA in Teaching Japanese as a Foreign Language at San Francisco State University. She has worked with students of all ages; children to working professionals. She holds the fifth-dan (五段) grade in Japanese calligraphy.

Mr. Masahiko Minami
Minami-sensei received his B.A. in Economics and second B.A in Literature from Kyoto University. He received an Ed. M in Education and Ed. D in Human Development and Psychology from Harvard University. He is the President and CEO of the Northern California Japanese Teachers’ Association (NCJTA) and an Executive Council Member of the Foreign Language Association of Northern California (FLANC). He is a professor of Japanese and the Japanese Program Coordinator at San Francisco State University.

Ms. Mariko Narasaki
Narasaki-sensei is currently studying in the MA Japanese program at San Francisco State University. Before coming to the Bay Area, she earned a BA in Western History from Waseda University, Tokyo, as well as a Japanese teaching credential for junior and high school students. She has also worked at American investment banks in Tokyo.

Ms. Mitsuko Nelson
Nelson-sensei received a Master of Science in Mass Communications from San Jose State University. She has been a Japan Society instructor for eight years. Nelson-sensei also has experience in technical translation and cross-cultural training seminars for corporations.

Mr. Katsuhiro Otsuka
Otsuka-sensei came to the Japan Society in 2001 with 15 years of experience teaching Japanese in both the United States and Japan. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Rakuno University and certificates in ESL, Travel & Tourism, and Landscape Design from North American universities. He is also involved in chanoyu.

Ms. Seiko Yoneyama Sanchez
Sanchez-sensei earned her BA in Japanese and MA in East Asian Language and Cultures, with a concentration in Japanese from UCLA in 2000 and 2003, respectively. After obtaining her MA, she taught Japanese language at a junior college in Southern California. She also has experience in privately tutoring Japanese language to children. She joined the Japan Society teaching staff in Fall 2008.

Ms. Tokuko Takeshita
Takeshita-sensei holds an MA in Teaching Japanese as a Foreign Language and a BA in Japanese from San Francisco State University, as well as a BA in Education from Yamanishi University. She has many years’ experience teaching both adults and children Japanese at SFSU, Clarendon Alternative School, and others, and first taught with the Japan Society several years ago.

Ms. Chika Takeuchi
Takeuchi-sensei has a Bachelors of Commerce and Law from Chuo University in Japan. She later obtained a Master of Arts in Japanese Studies from University of Sydney. She taught at several universities, government, private educational institutions and companies, such as Uni. of N.S.W., Uni. of Technology Sydney, Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Qantas Airline. She has a certificate in Teaching Japanese as Foreign Language from Tokyo Intercult School. She has 24 years of experience in teaching Japanese language, culture and elementary ESL.

Ms. Kumiko Yamada
Yamada-sansei received her BA in French Literature at Keio University in Tokyo. She earned the certificate of Japanese Language Teaching Competency authorized by the Japanese Minister of Education, Science and Culture, and started teaching. She received an MBA from Oregon State University, where she also had the opportunity to work as a teacher's assistant for Japanese language classes. She has been a Japan Society instructor since Fall 2007.

Ms. Kazuko Yasutake
Yasutake-sensei is currently attending San Francisco State University to obtain her MA in Teaching Japanese as a Foreign Language. She completed her undergraduate study in computer science at San Jose State University and received a BA in Japanese literature in Japan. She holds a Japanese teaching credential for both junior high and high school level students. She has 13 years of experience in corporate translation and technical writing as a software engineer.