Hello everyone, This is Aki, the founder of Ohanasi Kagawa! Once again, I’d like to honestly and openly share my thoughts about Ohanasi Kagawa. Today’s theme is:“I want to create a place where even Japanese beginners can easily participate and enjoy connecting with Japanese people!” For the past five years of running Ohanasi Kagawa, one question has always been on my mind: How can we make Ohanasi Kagawa a place where even complete beginners feel comfortable joining? For beginners, speaking Japanese with native speakers can feel incredibly intimidating. I understand that feeling deeply—because I’ve been there myself. When I decided to quit my job and enroll in a university in the U.S., my English level was so low that I didn’t even fully understand basic middle school grammar (laughs). The first thing I did to improve my English was to change my environment. At the time, I was living in Fukuoka, and I moved into a share house where I could live with people from overseas and immerse myself in English. And honestly…my English was extremely poor back then. So what happens when someone at that level suddenly starts living with international people? Of course—I became a shut-in (laughs). I shared a room with a Swedish roommate (who is now my best friend), and since we could communicate in Japanese, we became close.But I avoided talking to the other international residents as much as possible. Outside my room, people were happily chatting in English in the lounge.But I didn’t have the courage to join them, so I stayed in my room doing online English lessons instead. Even after enrolling in a university in the U.S., I was afraid of speaking with native English speakers.I would avoid paths where I might run into them, and even just passing by them made me nervous. That’s why I truly understand how beginners feel. So I’ve always asked myself: What can I do for people who feel the same fear I once felt? Based on my own experience of overcoming that fear, I strongly believe there are three key factors that help beginners start speaking. 1. Having Japanese Partners Who Are Interested in English and International Exchange To be honest, it’s very difficult for beginners to build relationships with Japanese people who are not interested in English or international communication. Think about it—if someone approached you who couldn’t speak English well and had no interest in your culture, you might not feel motivated to engage. That’s why it’s extremely important that Japanese participants are interested in English speakers. At the same time, beginners can offer value first. They can: Teach English Be a conversation partner in English By giving first, it becomes much easier to build relationships. And in return, Japanese partners may support them when it’s time to practice Japanese. So the key is:How can you support others first, and create a relationship where you are also supported? 2. Developing the Mindset: “It’s Okay to Make Mistakes” One of the biggest turning points for me was adopting this mindset: “It’s okay to make mistakes. It’s okay if it’s not perfect—as long as it’s understood.” Many beginners worry:“What if I make mistakes?”“What if I can’t say it well?” Of course, if your goal is to become a professional interpreter or use Japanese in your career, accuracy matters. But for most people, the goal is simply:“I want to enjoy talking with Japanese people,”or“I want to enjoy traveling in Japan.” In that case, perfect Japanese is not necessary at all. Even if you speak in broken sentences or just words, if your message gets across, that’s enough. When your focus shifts from“speaking correctly”to“expressing your thoughts,”you’ll start to feel that you can communicate—even with gestures and simple words. These small successes build confidence. At Ohanasi Kagawa, we want to create a culture where people can say: “It’s okay to fail” “It’s okay to make mistakes” “It’s okay not to be perfect” And where people support and respect each other through that process. 3. Increasing Opportunities to Actually Use Japanese in Daily Life Many beginners believe: “If I learn enough grammar, I’ll be able to speak.” “I just need to memorize more vocabulary.” “Watching Japanese shows will make me fluent.” Yes—I used to think the same way. Even while studying abroad in the U.S., I spent most of my time in the library, at Starbucks, or at home—reading books, watching videos, and memorizing words. Even though I was surrounded by opportunities to speak English, I avoided them. As a result:“I can read fast.”“I know many difficult words.”But when it came time to speak—I couldn’t say anything. I lived like that for about a year and a half. Everything changed when I started speaking regularly with people online during COVID, after launching Ohanasi Kagawa. The more I spoke, the less fear I felt.Speaking English became part of my daily life. In the end, what matters most is: How much you can create a real need to use the language. But outside of Japan, it’s often difficult to find opportunities to speak Japanese regularly. I struggled with that myself. That’s exactly why Ohanasi Kagawa exists. At Ohanasi Kagawa, you can regularly connect with Japanese people online and make speaking Japanese part of your daily life. We provide the environment.All that’s left is whether you choose to use it. We want to create more opportunities where people from Japan and around the world can safely and comfortably communicate on a daily basis. Because I once had a deep fear of speaking English—and overcame it—I believe I can offer something meaningful to beginners. At Ohanasi Kagawa, we want to be your supporter, no matter where you are on your journey. Thank you so much for reading. If you’re interested in Ohanasi Kagawa’s language exchange events or our language partner service Ohanasi Kagawa VIP, please check the links below: Event Reservation Page: https://web.app-ohanasikagawa.com/ Language Partner Service (VIP): https://ohanasikagawa.com/ohanasikagawa.vip

Hello everyone, This is Aki, the founder of Ohanasi Kagawa. Today, I’d like to share what we plan to do to make Ohanasi Kagawa the world’s number one place where Japanese people and those who love Japan from around the world can connect safely and securely. Whether that happens in 5 years, 10 years, or sometime further in the future—I don’t know. But one day, I want people to truly feel,“Ohanasi Kagawa is the best platform in the world for connecting Japanese people and those who love Japan.” To achieve that, I believe the following elements are essential: Safety Team & Staff Systems Beginner Support Influencers, Referrals & Word of Mouth Feedback Real-Life Connection Opportunities Let me walk you through each of these. Safety Safety is the most important value we will continue to prioritize. While there are many language exchange apps and communities around the world, many of them have unfortunately become places focused on dating or solicitation, making it difficult to find genuine and safe language partners. At Ohanasi Kagawa, many of our participants are women in their 30s to 60s, and I strongly feel how important safety is to them. We have always operated with safety in mind, but we will continue improving and building an even safer community moving forward. Team & Staff No matter how strong my vision is, Ohanasi Kagawa cannot exist without the team and staff who bring it to life. We are currently focusing on training and developing staff so we can welcome more participants. No matter how advanced AI becomes, I do not want to lose the human-centered operation of Ohanasi Kagawa. Together with each team member, we will continue to grow this community. Thankfully, our current staff truly love Ohanasi Kagawa—and I believe that’s what creates great events and a meaningful community. Systems System development is essential for operating Ohanasi Kagawa. Since our events are primarily online, creating a system that is easy to use and beneficial for participants is key. With the advancement of AI, we are actively incorporating it into our platform. For example, we have already introduced a custom AI matching system that helps participants connect based on preferences such as age group, language level, and shared interests. By automating areas like participant matching and management, we can focus our human resources where they are truly needed. At the same time, we recognize that usability is still a challenge—especially for older participants or those less comfortable with technology. Improving accessibility for everyone is one of our key goals moving forward. Beginner Support We want Ohanasi Kagawa to be a place where beginners in Japanese or English can participate comfortably and enjoy communication. The most important factor in achieving this is building a community where everyone embraces the values of:Safety, Support, and Respect. For example, if someone is a beginner and lacks confidence in English, they will feel much more comfortable if their partner: Speaks slowly Supports them in Japanese when needed Helps through chat messages If both Japanese participants and international participants approach each other with a supportive mindset, everyone can feel safe to try and grow. We aim to create a space where even beginners can confidently take their first steps. Influencers, Referrals & Word of Mouth I want Ohanasi Kagawa to grow through genuine recommendations. I want participants to say,“This was amazing—you should definitely join!” Rather than relying on ads, we want to grow through heartfelt referrals and word of mouth from influencers and participants. To achieve this, we must continuously improve the quality of our events, services, and support—and exceed expectations. At the same time, it’s not just about good service.It’s also about sharing why we do what we do, and attracting people who resonate with that vision. I want as many people as possible to feel,“I’m really glad Ohanasi Kagawa exists.” Feedback Ohanasi Kagawa cannot grow without your feedback. We truly need your voices.We truly want your opinions. Your thoughts and feedback shape the future of Ohanasi Kagawa. That’s why we want to listen closely and turn your ideas and expectations into reality as much as possible. Any feedback is welcome—please feel free to share your thoughts anytime via our official LINE. Real-Life Connection Opportunities What is the ultimate goal of Ohanasi Kagawa? It is for participants to build meaningful, irreplaceable relationships with people from other countries—and enrich their lives. Even one connection can change your world. I personally experienced this when I met my best friend from Sweden while studying English in Fukuoka. That encounter changed my life. Even now, I can’t forget the feeling of connecting deeply with someone outside of Japan. I want as many people as possible to experience that same joy. That is my starting point—and the ultimate goal of Ohanasi Kagawa. One day, I would love to create physical spaces in Japan—offices or cafes—where people who met through Ohanasi Kagawa can meet in person. With locations in Tokyo, Osaka, Yamaguchi, and beyond, people can deepen their relationships and turn them into real friendships. Just imagining those moments makes me incredibly happy. Personally, I also want to travel the world to visit the people I meet through Ohanasi Kagawa. A world where: International participants come to Japan to meet their Japanese friends Japanese participants travel abroad to meet their international friends If such connections become more natural and common, it would be amazing. Right now, it may still feel like a dream—but I am determined to make it a reality. I would be truly grateful if you could continue supporting and watching as Ohanasi Kagawa grows into the world’s #1 platform connecting Japanese people and those who love Japan. If you are interested in our events or the language partner service Ohanasi Kagawa VIP, please check the links below: Event Reservation Page: https://web.app-ohanasikagawa.com/ Language Partner Service (VIP): https://ohanasikagawa.com/ohanasikagawa.vip

Hello everyone, This is Aki, the founder of Ohanasi Kagawa. Thank you, as always, for joining our events. From now on, I would like to start writing a regular blog to share my thoughts and vision as the representative of Ohanasi Kagawa. As more and more people begin using Ohanasi Kagawa, I’ve also noticed that many still feel hesitant to join our events, often experiencing anxiety or a sense of high barriers. That’s exactly why I want to use this blog to share what kind of thoughts guide me in running Ohanasi Kagawa, and what kind of community I want to build. People often say, “Why not start YouTube?” or “Why not post more on social media?”But to be honest, I’m not very comfortable appearing in videos (laughs). However, I do enjoy writing, so I thought I’d begin by expressing my thoughts through this blog. For this first post, I’d like to talk about the kind of culture and community we aim to build at Ohanasi Kagawa. After giving it a lot of thought, I realized there are three core values I want to prioritize: “Safety & Security,” “Supporting Each Other,” and “Respect.” Let me share my thoughts on each of these. 1. Safety & Security This is something we already prioritize in our events, and it will always remain our top priority. There are now many language exchange apps and communities around the world similar to Ohanasi Kagawa. However, many of these platforms have unfortunately turned into dating apps, making them feel unsafe or suspicious for people who genuinely want healthy language exchange partnerships. In fact, many of our members are women in their 30s to 50s.I often hear that they previously tried popular language exchange apps but quit because of unwanted advances or inappropriate invitations. So when they ask, “Where can I safely connect with people from other countries?” the options are often: International bars Social parties Approaching foreigners directly But these can feel intimidating or not entirely safe. That’s why I want Ohanasi Kagawa to be a place where people feel truly safe—a final safe haven for those who genuinely want to connect internationally in a healthy way. To achieve this, our staff are always present at events to manage the environment. If someone behaves inappropriately, we can immediately ask them to leave. We are also planning to introduce systems such as reporting features to further strengthen safety. 2. Supporting Each Other Everyone who participates in Ohanasi Kagawa is in the process of learning a language. Regardless of level, no one here is perfect. Japanese participants are learning English, and international participants are learning Japanese—everyone is still growing. Because of that, supporting each other becomes essential. I want Japanese participants to think about how they can help international participants improve their Japanese. At the same time, I hope international participants can support Japanese learners so they can feel,“I was able to speak English!” and gain confidence. Through this mutual support, I believe truly meaningful relationships can be built. That’s why people who think only,“I just want to practice my English,” or“I just want to speak Japanese for myself,”may not align with the culture of Ohanasi Kagawa. When you support others, you are also supported in return. I want to build a culture where each person naturally thinks,“I want to help and support others first.” 3. Respect So far, people from over 50 countries have joined the Ohanasi Kagawa community. With such diversity, differences in thinking and values are completely natural. Our upbringing, environment, education—everything is different.It’s actually rare for people to share the exact same perspectives. That’s why it’s so important to accept and respect those differences. Instead of judging others based solely on your own values and standards,I want people to approach others with an open mind—listening, understanding, and accepting their perspectives. By respecting and embracing differences, we can build truly meaningful relationships that go beyond borders. These are the three core values I want Ohanasi Kagawa to uphold. Of course, this culture may not suit everyone—and that’s perfectly okay. Ohanasi Kagawa is not about increasing numbers. What truly matters is creating a space where people genuinely care for one another,and where meaningful relationships between Japanese and international participants can make the world just a little bit better. Thank you again for reading this blog. Through this series, I will continue to share my honest thoughts and vision for Ohanasi Kagawa. We look forward to seeing you at our events and in our language partner service, Ohanasi Kagawa VIP. For more details, please visit the links below: Event Reservation Page: https://web.app-ohanasikagawa.com/ Language Partner Service (VIP): https://ohanasikagawa.com/ohanasikagawa.vip