Online Japanese Lessons (Beginner to Advanced)

Online Japanese Classes taught by friendly, experienced teachers. Speak Japanese with fun lessons designed to teach practical Japanese for daily life.

About

  • Group size
    Max 8 people or Private 1-1
  • Location
    Zoom classroom
  • Join Date
    Join any time
  • Focus
    Learn to speak Japanese

year end
zoom japanese classes

 

Learn Japanese 24 hours a day anywhere in the world.

 

Learn to speak practical Japanese for daily life.

Online lessons for Japanese learners of all levels from beginner to advanced.

 

Small classes: With a maximum of 8 students per class (or a one on one private lesson). We make learning practical Japanese fun and interactive. Learn how to speak real Japanese for daily life.

 

Friendly instructors: Our teachers are professionals with a passion to help their students. We encourage them to provide feedback and personalized advice to students on their progress.

 

Flexible schedules: Our native Japanese teachers live in different locations all around the world! This allows you to book your lessons 24 hours a day. All you need is an internet connection and a Zoom account.

 

“I enjoyed taking lessons at Coto when I lived in Japan. I am excited that they are now offering online Japanese lessons!” – Tim C.

 

“I am taking Japanese lessons online, and really love Coto Academy. I would highly recommend joining if you are looking to begin or continue learning Japanese!” – Jeremy B

  • Practical Japanese for Beginners

    LEVEL: Total Beginner
    Learn essential Japanese phrases that you can use immediately

    This course is perfect for beginners that are new to the Japanese language. Besides practical Japanese phrases that you can use in everyday situations, you will also learn Japanese grammar and vocabulary.

    Our beginner Japanese course is perfect for students who understand the Japanese writing systems and kanji.
  • Lite Intensive (Beginner 1)

    LEVEL: Beginner - Lite Intensive
    Our Lite Intensive course strikes a balance between progress and consistency. You will improve your Japanese ability without feeling overwhelmed. Study the Japanese language online without its intensive commitment.

    In Beginner 1, our Japanese teachers will teach katakana and hiragana, alongside fundamental Japanese words. The class uses the Genki textbook series. Twice a week, 100 minutes each lesson.
  • Active Basic Grammar A&B

    LEVEL: Beginner (JLPT N5)
    This foundational Japanese online course is designed to give you the basics of conjugated forms of Japanese grammar as it's considered as one of the most important aspects for beginner Japanese learners.

    You will practice using the correct form until you grow comfortable — and fluent — in expressing your thoughts in Japanese.
  • Lite Intensive (Beginner 3)(Genki L10-12)

    LEVEL: Beginner (JLPT N5) - Lite Intensive
    Take your Japanese to the next level through online Japanese classes for beginners like this. You will be able to use a wide range of expressions and Japanese phrases, talk about your schedule and give advice in Japanese.

    This class meets twice a week and covers more comprehensive aspects of the Japanese language.
Ready to get started? Join us for a free consultation.
Level Check & Consultation to Join
Free Consultation
  • Essential Grammar & Conversation (Upper Beginner / N4)

    LEVEL: Upper Beginner (JLPT N4)
    This upper beginner Japanese online course is designed to equip Japanese learner with Japanese phrases for complex situations.

    You will grow to be more comfortable in holding everyday Japanese conversations.
  • Bridge to Intermediate (Upper Beginner / N4-N3)

    LEVEL: Upper Beginner (JLPT N4-N3)
    This course helps you transition from beginner to intermediate level. The Japanese online group class focus on the core basic sentence patterns.

    You will further learn Japanese vocabulary and link its usage to a variety of daily situations. More importantly, you will start to build complex sentences.

    Finally, you will learn how to apply and combine all conversational expressions that are learned at the beginner level.
  • Lite Intensive (Beginner 4)

    LEVEL: Upper Beginner (JLPT N4) - Lite Intensive
    Learn the Japanese language online with Coto's upper-beginner intensive course. It uses the Genki textbook series and will cover ways to construct natural conversations.

    By the end of this course, you will be able to have more natural conversations and make long sentences by using “when~” and adnominal modification.
Ready to get started? Join us for a free consultation.
Level Check & Consultation to Join
Free Consultation

Intermediate / Upper Intermediate (N3-N2)

Next: Advanced
  • Natural and Fluent Japanese 1 (Intermediate / N3)

    LEVEL: Intermediate (JLPT N3)
    If you want to be able to freely incorporate Japanese expressions when talking, this course is for you!

    This is a grammar-focused course that fosters your ability follow general conversations in Japanese about many subjects.
  • Business Japanese (Upper Intermediate / N3-N2)

    LEVEL: Upper Intermediate (JLPT N3-N2)
    Understanding honorifics and fixed expressions is crucial in the Japanese business scene.

    This will be your first step to achieving business-level language skills. After basic Japanese language education, study formal expressions (basic Keigo), Japanese culture in the workplace and setting-specific expressions in Japanese business scenes.
  • Natural and Fluent Japanese 2 (Upper Intermediate / N2)

    LEVEL: Upper Intermediate (JLPT N2)
    This a grammar-focused course, and taught by Japanese native speakers. Different topics and grammar points will be covered in each class session.

    The goal of this course is to acquire a broad spectrum of vocabulary and freely use it in sentence patterns during conversations.

  • Japanese Explanation Training (Upper Intermediate / N3-N2)

    LEVEL: Upper Intermediate (JLPT N2)
    If you can communicate in Japanese but are not quite comfortable with explaining complex concepts yet, this course is perfect for you.

    In each class, students will explain their own stories in an open environment and learn new ways to explain and describe things. This helps them to speak in the correct Japanese pronunciation like Japanese native speakers.

  • Read and Discuss Current Events (Upper Intermediate / N3-N2)

    LEVEL: Upper Intermediate (JLPT N2)
    Improve your ability to talk about recent news and important topics in Japanese.

    You will focus on understanding abstract and more difficult content in Japanese. You will also broaden your conversation to topics of interest and specialized fields. You will become able to express and defend your point of view. You will also get familiar with real business scenarios.

Ready to get started? Join us for a free consultation.
Level Check & Consultation to Join
Free Consultation

Advanced (N2-N1)

  • Advanced Japanese Explanation Training (Advanced / N2-N1)

    LEVEL: Advanced (JLPT N2-N1)
    The goal of this class is to allow each student to explain topics using correct Japanese grammar.

    Your will become proficient enough that you will be able to speak in-depth and objectively with native Japanese speakers. You can hold your own opinion when participating in discussions and complicated talks.

  • JLPT N2 Grammar (Advanced / N2)

    LEVEL: Advanced (JLPT N2)
    This grammar-focused course is a year-long course that will prepare you for the JLPT N2 Exam.

    You will read passages common to the JLPT N2 Exam and learn how to use most of its grammar points covered.

  • JLPT N2 Reading (Advanced / N2)

    LEVEL: Advanced (JLPT N2)
    The course has a 6-month curriculum (January to June and July to December) that focuses on the key points of reading comprehension for the JLPT N2 exam.

    Throughout reading essays and articles common to the exam, you will be able to understand the reading section.

  • Read and Discuss Current Events (Advanced / N2-N1)

    LEVEL: Advanced (JLPT N2-N1)
    Improve your ability to naturally talk about recent news and important topics in Japanese/

    In this class, you will read articles that are in current discussion in Japanese news and actively discuss topics ranging from politics to environment to economics.

    By the end of this course, you can hold your own opinion when participating in discussions and complicated talks. Our teachers will also focus on business and current large-scale events.

Ready to get started? Join us for a free consultation.
Level Check & Consultation to Join
Free Consultation

Course Fees

  • 50 Minute Group Lesson = 2 points
  • 50 Minute Private Lesson = 4 points
  • Monthly subscription renews every 28 days. (Save with a discount, Minimum 3 months.)
  • Package plans are one-time purchases.
Monthly Subscription & Point Purchase
50 Minute Group X4 50 Minute Private X2
8 Points
$75 USD*

¥9,600 / Month

Get Started
50 Minute Group X8 50 Minute Private X4
16 Points
$130 USD*

¥16,800 / Month

Get Started
50 Minute Group X16 50 Minute Private X8
32 Points
$248 USD*

¥32,000 / Month

Get Started
50 Minute Group X24 50 Minute Private X12
48 Points
$353 USD*

¥45,600 / Month

Get Started
Package Plan
50 Minute Group X4 50 Minute Private X2
Starter pack
8 points

¥10,400

Length of Package:
Valid for 30 days after purchase
Get Started
50 Minute Group X24 50 Minute Private X12
Growth Pack
48 points

¥50,400

Length of package:
Valid for 120 days after purchase
Get Started
50 Minute Group X50 50 Minute Private X25
Savings Pack
100 points

¥100,000

Length of Package
Valid for 240 days after purchase
Get Started
50 Minute Group X100 50 Minute Private X50
Power Savings Pack
200 points

¥190,000

Length of Package
Valid for 480 days after purchase
Get Started

Contact Us


Questions about our Online Japanese lessons


  • Will my lesson time change during daylight saving time?

    If you’re in a daylight saving timezone and your teacher’s not, your lesson time will move forward one hour. The teacher’s booking has not changed—but your local timezone has. For example, Thursday lesson before DST: Teacher in Japan: 20:00 Student in EST: 06:00 Thursday lesson after DST: Teacher in Japan: 20:00 Student in EST: 07:00 If you’d like to keep your local time the same, you’ll need to check with your teacher to see if they’re able to change their schedule, and cancel your Recurring reservation 2 weeks prior to the desired date of change and make a new Recurring reservation at the new time. Please note: Lessons with teachers who are located in daylight saving time zones will not experience this. If your teacher is in a daylight saving timezone, their schedule will also move forward one hour and match yours.
  • Other FAQs

    Q: Where can I read and learn more about Coto Online?

    Read through our Online Help library at https://cotoacademy.com/onlinehelp/docs
     

    Q: How can I access the chat?

    Access the chat by clicking on the Coto speech bubble on the upper right of the home page.
     

    Q: How long can I access the chat?

    For one-time class bookings, you can access the chat from the time of reservation creation to 24 hours after the lesson concludes. If there is no next appointment, the chat will not be available until the next appointment is made. For recurring reservations, you can access the chat from the time of reservation creation to 2 weeks after the end of the last recurring lesson.

    Q: Does Coto teach children?

    Both our Group and Private lessons currently accept students aged 16 and older. We have a separate online course for Beginners kids from 7- to 15-years-old. Get in touch with us through Help if you’re interested in hearing more.
     

    Q: Can I ask for things to be translated?

    As a Japanese language school, Coto doesn’t currently offer translation services. Our teachers are not available to do translations for students.
     

    Q: Can I book a lesson to learn specific terminology, such as legal and financial terms?

    Our Japanese language instructors are able to teach and accommodate vocabulary within the scope of general Japanese. Currently, we don’t offer any lessons regarding the terminology of specialized fields.
     

    Q: How do I get an attendance record?

    Attendance records can be found on the My History page. Please go to My History and select Download History to download your attendance record as a CSV. For 3,000 yen, students can purchase a TK attendance record here.

    Q: How do I get an official certificate?

    Official certificates are available for a fee. You can purchase them using the following links:
  • Payment System and Credit Cards

    Q: Which payment methods are accepted?

    We accept payment by credit card and bank transfer. However, payment by bank transfer is available only for the Points Package and is limited to domestic bank accounts. If you wish to make payments through bank transfer, please contact us through the Help page.
     

    Q: How can I change my registered credit card?

    Please go to My Profile under the profile icon in the upper right-hand corner of the screen. Then, go to My Payment Methods to register new card information and delete the old information.
     

    Q: Is there a registration fee?

    Currently, there’s no registration fee for online lessons. However, if you wish to start taking in-person lessons at Coto schools in Japan, there will be a 10,000 yen registration fee.
     

    Q: I signed up for a subscription plan. When is my next payment due or date?

    You can see your payment schedule on the My Points Balance page. Click the number of points next to your profile picture.
     

    Q: What happens if my payment fails to be processed?

    First, please check and update your payment information and, if necessary, contact your credit card company. The system will retry your transaction up to 5 times, so please DO NOT create a new point subscription. If you do so, you will have duplicate subscription plans, and double amounts may be charged. If you have recurring bookings and the payment for your point subscription does not go through by the deadline, your recurring bookings may be automatically canceled due to lack of points. If they are canceled, please start new recurring bookings again.

    Q: What’s the minimum contract term for a Subscription plan?

    There’s currently no minimum contract term. However, cancelations take two weeks to process; they’ll be reflected two weeks after you make your cancelation request.
     

    Q: Can I get a receipt or an invoice with the Coto company seal?

    Please contact us well in advance through the Help page. It typically takes about 2 to 3 business days to issue an invoice. Year-end and New Year holidays are a particularly busy time, and your request around then may take even longer.
  • Lesson Points

    Q: What are lesson points?

    Points are the currency that the Coto system uses to book lessons. Each lesson costs a set number of points. When you book a class, the system will deduct those points from your balance to pay for the lesson reservation.
     

    Q: Where can I check my points? 

    A: After logging into your account, your points will be displayed in the upper right-hand corner of the screen.
     

    Q: How do I buy more points?

    A: After logging in, click the point bubble displayed in the upper right-hand corner of the screen to access the points purchase site.
     

    Q: What are the different types of point plans?

    Currently, we have two lesson plans: Subscriptions and Points Packages. Subscription
    • Each point cycle is 28 days, and payment and point refills will be automatically processed
    • Recommended for students who want to take a certain number of lessons each week
    • Points purchased with a monthly subscription do not carry over to the next month and must be used to book lessons within the current 28-day cycle
    Points Package
    • Outright purchase of lesson points
    • Each package you purchase has a set expiration date specific to that package. Packages can be used to book recurring lessons if you have enough points to cover the 28 days of lessons. You must buy a new package or replenish your point balance before the next recurring booking day, when our system charges you points and books you for the next round of lessons
     

    Q: Do the points have an expiration date?

    Yes, points have expiration dates, as follows:
    • Subscription: 28 days from purchase. Points will be invalid after the expiration date, which cannot be extended
    • Points Package: The expiration date depends on the package. Please check the Points Purchase page for more information. Points will be invalid after the expiration date, which cannot be extended
    Lessons reserved before the expiration date can still be taken after the expiration date. If you cancel after the expiration date, the points will be invalid

    Q: I have more than one point plan. Can I combine them and have the expiration date extended by that amount?

    No, this is currently not possible. But your points will be deducted first from the package with the earlier expiration date.
     

    Q: Can I give my points to family or friends?

    A: No, points cannot be given away to others.
     

    Q: I can't use up my points before the expiration date. Is it possible to get an extension?

    Currently, we’re unable to extend the validity of points. All remaining points can be used for both Group and Private lessons, so we recommend trying different kinds of lessons. Please contact us through the problem report help function if you can’t find available teachers or appropriate group classes.

    Q: Why do the points have expiration dates?

    A: We set expiration dates for class points to help our students study at a steady, continuous pace. As you all know, learning a foreign language is not something that can be done overnight. Although learning speeds differ, depending on the individual, Coto instructors know that continuous learning leads to progress. We also don’t want students to fall behind after making the decision to start, and a points system helps reduce cancelations. If you get stuck with your studies, we’re happy to offer some guidance. Contact us anytime using the Help page.
  • Cancellation Policy and Cancellations

    Q: What are the rules regarding recurring class cancellations? 

    In the case of recurring Private lessons, cancelations up to 24 hours before the start time will return points to your account—but only twice per calendar month (between the first and last day of the current month. For example, January 1-31) per weekly lesson. After that, points will not be refunded, even if the recurring Private lesson is canceled within 24 hours of the lesson start time. This limitation applies only to recurring bookings. Once points are returned, you can make a new reservation. We recommend one-time reservations for those whose schedules change frequently. For recurring Group classes, you can't cancel and get the points back. However, if there is at least one student attending the class, you can watch the video of the class for two weeks after it takes place. If there are no participants in the lesson, there will be no class recordings for the lesson. If you want to watch the class recording later, you can keep your booking even if you know that you are not able to attend in advance.

    Q: What’s the deadline for canceling/rescheduling one-time lessons?

    For one-time lessons, cancelations up to 24 hours before the lesson start time are free, and you’ll get your points back. For cancelations within 24 hours of the start time, there will be a 100% cancelation fee and no point refunds. Once points are returned, you can make a new reservation.

    Q: I was not able to have my lesson because I couldn't connect to my internet. Can I get back the points?

    If the connection is lost due to a problem on the part of the student, the points will be digested. Please refer to our lesson policy regarding the Internet Connection Disruption below: If the connection is lost during a lesson, the following actions will be taken
    1. If the connection is lost due to a problem on the part of the instructor, points will be returned to your account.
    2. If the connection is lost due to a problem on the part of the student, the points will be digested. If the connection is lost, the instructor will take all possible measures to reconnect.
    Please be sure to test your connection in advance. We do not recommend taking courses in public Wi-Fi environments such as cafes and restaurants. Also, if you encounter any connection problems, please make sure to report them using the Problem Report Form. We will review the report function and use it to verify the issue.

    Q: What happens if I cancel a class booking after my points have expired?

    If you book a lesson held after the expiration date of points used to book, and then cancel it, the points will be invalid. For example: Your points expire on February 1. On January 28, you book a lesson for February 4. If you cancel on January 30, the points will be returned, and you can reschedule for a future date. If you cancel on February 2, the points will be returned but will expire immediately.

    Q. I have a recurring lesson for a group class. I cancelled one of my bookings more than 24 hours before the lesson start time, but the points were not returned to my account. Why?

    For group recurring reservations, you can't cancel and get the points back. However, if there is at least one student attending the class, you can watch the video of the class for two weeks after it takes place. If there are not participants in the lesson, there will be no class recordings for the lesson.

    Q: Where can I find the Coto Terms & Conditions?

    Coto Terms & Conditions are…. in the menu in the upper right corner.
     

    Q: Is it possible to take a month off from recurring Private lessons?

    It’s not possible to put a recurring Private lesson reservation on hold, so please cancel your recurring lessons and reserve them again when you’re ready. If you have a point subscription, your booking reservation and your point subscription are separate and must be canceled separately. Please note that cancellations of your recurring lessons take two weeks to process; cancellations take effect two weeks after the date of your cancellation request. Once you cancel a recurring reservation, there’s always the chance your teacher or timeslot may not be available when you resume. If you’d like to keep taking lessons with the same teacher and on the same schedule, keep your recurring reservation and cancel the individual classes you won’t be attending. But please note: Free cancellations up to 24 hours before the start time of the lesson are only available twice a month.