A nonprofit organization Japanese Language and Culture School in San Francisco, CA
2031 Bush St, San Francisco CA 94115 | (415) 567-4383
Meet Our Teachers
Education Director
Dr. Masahiko Minami
Masahiko Minami, a Harvard-educated professor at San Francisco State University, specializes in Japanese language and cross-cultural studies. Dr. Minami, who currently serves as the President of the Northern California Japanese Teachers’ Association(NCJTA), is dedicated to preserving Kinmon Gakuen’s historic legacy in Japantown.
Teacher
Hiroko Helmer
She has lived in the San Francisco Bay Area for 25 years and enjoys helping children and youth gain self-confidence through Kinmon Gakuen's programs.
Teacher
Kyoko Inoue
Ms. Inoue grew up on the Seto Inland Sea coast and has lived in the San Francisco Bay Area since 1999. Ms. Inoue’s passion is to help children and youth learn to feel confident and part of a community by participating in the programs at Kinmon Gakuen.
Teacher
Ako Yang
Ms. Yang first visited San Francisco from Tokyo in 1995. She found that San Francisco was a fascinating city with diverse cultures and people. At Kinmon Gakuen, she would like to share her knowledge of Japanese culture along with the Japanese language.
Teacher
Anthony Tamaoki
Mr. Tamaoki majored in Japanese at San Francisco State University. He has been a Teacher’s Assistant and Teacher at Kinmon Gakuen for over 7 years. Mr. Tamaoki loves helping students to grow and develop.
Teacher
Najah Kimiko Bey
Ms. Bey grew up on the island of Kyushu. She works in a pre-school during the week. Ms. Bey just completed her first year at Kinmon Gakuen. She enjoys sharing Japanese culture with the students.