
DISCOVER THE ELEGANCE
OF JAPANESE FLUENCY
ようこそ!
Welcome to Nihongo no Niwa, a South African language school that celebrates a passion for Japan and its culture through the study of the Japanese language.
We offer weekly online lessons to help our students achieve their unique language goals. Our syllabus is structured to align with the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT), and no matter the skill level or the motivation (be it personal or professional), we work with our students in both private and group classes to best meet their specific requirements.
We feel it is important to teach not only the language, but also to promote a deeper cultural appreciation and understanding. This is why we work with local Japanese institutions – including the Japanese Embassy of South Africa – to further this goal and expose students to unique opportunities in Japan and South Africa.
Our school also hosts regular get-togethers, as well as an annual year-end function, to foster a community spirit and help our students meet and connect with other like-minded individuals who share a passion for all things Japanese. At the end of the day, people learn best when they're having fun!
Welcome!
OUR SERVICES
UPCOMING EVENTS
- Fri, 16 MayMenlyn Maine Central Square, Pretoria
GET IN TOUCH
to connect with our online Japanese language school
TRADING HOURS
Monday - Friday: 8am - 9pm

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![🌊 J M S D F 🌊
If you’re a Japan enthusiast in Cape Town at the moment, then there’s a fair chance you’ve already heard of today’s topic! We’re thrilled to share highlights from the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force’s (JMSDF) first visit to South Africa since WWII! 🎌🇿🇦
Last week, the 𝗝𝗦 𝗞𝗔𝗦𝗛𝗜𝗠𝗔 & 𝗝𝗦 𝗦𝗛𝗜𝗠𝗔𝗞𝗔𝗭𝗘 docked in Cape Town and opened their doors and hearts to South Africa. Several of our Nihongo no Niwa students embraced the opportunity and had an incredible experience exploring the naval destroyers, chatting with the crew members, enjoying musical performances, and witnessing martial arts demonstrations of Aikidō, Kyūdō, and Kendō. 🥋🎯🗡️
A huge thank you to the @embassyofjapaninsouthafrica for allowing us the opportunity to share in the excitement of this historic moment for both Japan and South Africa. We wish the JMSDF sailors well on the next leg of their journey! 🌍
___________________________________________
𝗙𝘂𝗻 𝗙𝗮𝗰𝘁 🔎
Did you wonder why the names of the JMSDF vessels are written in hiragana and not kanji? Japanese ship names used to be written in kanji prior to WWII, but, following the formation of the JMSDF, this tradition was abandoned to better differentiate them from the Japanese navy of old. 🎌
___________________________________________
Interested in learning more about the historic port visit? Read all about this historic event in our latest blog post! [Link in bio.] 🌸
#NihongoNoNiwa #JMSDF #CapeTownVisit #JSKashima #JSShimakaze #JapanMaritimeSelfDefenseForce #CulturalExchange #InternationalConnections #JapaneseCulture #LearningBeyondClassroom #HistoricMoment #CapeTown #JapaneseLanguageSchool](https://scontent-sea1-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.29350-15/450457572_493720093073639_2347658980063650243_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e35_tt6&_nc_cat=105&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=18de74&_nc_ohc=WO9LEDh4rKUQ7kNvgHCfSaW&_nc_oc=AdnUDfAH2T4KY5PxYIdEJpw3-IAcABqup5laKJN-AyeOZsb6oIiLYU2rRZXwjVgRJ2I&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-sea1-1.cdninstagram.com&edm=ANo9K5cEAAAA&_nc_gid=DRfEnDjFSm6fPOAd3V14Rw&oh=00_AYEcaqdCz83Nt_HDB9L_T5eJqw-bEs1_n7jOxwQE2wzEBA&oe=67F3FEA5)
![🌊 J M S D F 🌊
If you’re a Japan enthusiast in Cape Town at the moment, then there’s a fair chance you’ve already heard of today’s topic! We’re thrilled to share highlights from the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force’s (JMSDF) first visit to South Africa since WWII! 🎌🇿🇦
Last week, the 𝗝𝗦 𝗞𝗔𝗦𝗛𝗜𝗠𝗔 & 𝗝𝗦 𝗦𝗛𝗜𝗠𝗔𝗞𝗔𝗭𝗘 docked in Cape Town and opened their doors and hearts to South Africa. Several of our Nihongo no Niwa students embraced the opportunity and had an incredible experience exploring the naval destroyers, chatting with the crew members, enjoying musical performances, and witnessing martial arts demonstrations of Aikidō, Kyūdō, and Kendō. 🥋🎯🗡️
A huge thank you to the @embassyofjapaninsouthafrica for allowing us the opportunity to share in the excitement of this historic moment for both Japan and South Africa. We wish the JMSDF sailors well on the next leg of their journey! 🌍
___________________________________________
𝗙𝘂𝗻 𝗙𝗮𝗰𝘁 🔎
Did you wonder why the names of the JMSDF vessels are written in hiragana and not kanji? Japanese ship names used to be written in kanji prior to WWII, but, following the formation of the JMSDF, this tradition was abandoned to better differentiate them from the Japanese navy of old. 🎌
___________________________________________
Interested in learning more about the historic port visit? Read all about this historic event in our latest blog post! [Link in bio.] 🌸
#NihongoNoNiwa #JMSDF #CapeTownVisit #JSKashima #JSShimakaze #JapanMaritimeSelfDefenseForce #CulturalExchange #InternationalConnections #JapaneseCulture #LearningBeyondClassroom #HistoricMoment #CapeTown #JapaneseLanguageSchool](https://scontent-sea1-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.29350-15/450457572_493720093073639_2347658980063650243_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e35_tt6&_nc_cat=105&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=18de74&_nc_ohc=WO9LEDh4rKUQ7kNvgHCfSaW&_nc_oc=AdnUDfAH2T4KY5PxYIdEJpw3-IAcABqup5laKJN-AyeOZsb6oIiLYU2rRZXwjVgRJ2I&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-sea1-1.cdninstagram.com&edm=ANo9K5cEAAAA&_nc_gid=DRfEnDjFSm6fPOAd3V14Rw&oh=00_AYEcaqdCz83Nt_HDB9L_T5eJqw-bEs1_n7jOxwQE2wzEBA&oe=67F3FEA5)




![🍁 H i r a g a n a 🍁
Ever wondered where Japanese hiragana came from? This unique writing system has a long history of linguistic evolution. 🤓📖
𝗞𝗮𝗻𝗷𝗶, a logographic writing system from China, was the first writing system to reach Japan’s shores, having been adopted around the 5th century AD.
These were later simplified to form 𝗺𝗮𝗻’𝘆ō𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗮, a Japanese writing system that utilized the Chinese characters for their phonetic value rather than the idea associated with the imagery of the kanji.
Although man’yōgana streamlined things considerably, it was only after the introduction of an even simpler system that the landscape of Japanese writing really began to transform. This new system evolved to become the hiragana we use to this day!
Has your interest been piqued? 👀 Discover more about the fascinating #OriginOfHiragana in our latest blog post! We delve into the evolution from kanji to man’yōgana, to hentaigana, and beyond! 🌸🖋️
🔗 [Link in Bio]
📸 #1 : ひらがなの教育イメージ by Hanasaki
📸 #2 : Excerpt of Man'yōshū' (万葉集, lit. Collection of Ten Thousand Leaves)
#Hiragana #Manyogana #Hentaigana #JapaneseLanguage #LanguageHistory #HistoryOfJapan #LearnJapanese #CulturalHeritage #JapanLovers #NihongoNoNiwa #日本語の庭 #JapaneseLanguageSchool #SouthAfrica](https://scontent-sea1-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t39.30808-6/449264707_17893474602030778_4085674950237290415_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e35_tt6&_nc_cat=110&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=18de74&_nc_ohc=nb77GzqLUB8Q7kNvgEydmT4&_nc_oc=AdlnBWa0Zoh4Di-9YIb-B723YDVLa3cpEm_-lmV-LSm3WKrxU-MrbQF94rE0C6Juu_E&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-sea1-1.cdninstagram.com&edm=ANo9K5cEAAAA&_nc_gid=DRfEnDjFSm6fPOAd3V14Rw&oh=00_AYEqbYl58RKDBOvT746VRzPr1nlVFnlJrPFt0E__sfRV1w&oe=67F3EB55)
![🍁 H i r a g a n a 🍁
Ever wondered where Japanese hiragana came from? This unique writing system has a long history of linguistic evolution. 🤓📖
𝗞𝗮𝗻𝗷𝗶, a logographic writing system from China, was the first writing system to reach Japan’s shores, having been adopted around the 5th century AD.
These were later simplified to form 𝗺𝗮𝗻’𝘆ō𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗮, a Japanese writing system that utilized the Chinese characters for their phonetic value rather than the idea associated with the imagery of the kanji.
Although man’yōgana streamlined things considerably, it was only after the introduction of an even simpler system that the landscape of Japanese writing really began to transform. This new system evolved to become the hiragana we use to this day!
Has your interest been piqued? 👀 Discover more about the fascinating #OriginOfHiragana in our latest blog post! We delve into the evolution from kanji to man’yōgana, to hentaigana, and beyond! 🌸🖋️
🔗 [Link in Bio]
📸 #1 : ひらがなの教育イメージ by Hanasaki
📸 #2 : Excerpt of Man'yōshū' (万葉集, lit. Collection of Ten Thousand Leaves)
#Hiragana #Manyogana #Hentaigana #JapaneseLanguage #LanguageHistory #HistoryOfJapan #LearnJapanese #CulturalHeritage #JapanLovers #NihongoNoNiwa #日本語の庭 #JapaneseLanguageSchool #SouthAfrica](https://scontent-sea1-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t39.30808-6/449264707_17893474602030778_4085674950237290415_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e35_tt6&_nc_cat=110&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=18de74&_nc_ohc=nb77GzqLUB8Q7kNvgEydmT4&_nc_oc=AdlnBWa0Zoh4Di-9YIb-B723YDVLa3cpEm_-lmV-LSm3WKrxU-MrbQF94rE0C6Juu_E&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-sea1-1.cdninstagram.com&edm=ANo9K5cEAAAA&_nc_gid=DRfEnDjFSm6fPOAd3V14Rw&oh=00_AYEqbYl58RKDBOvT746VRzPr1nlVFnlJrPFt0E__sfRV1w&oe=67F3EB55)




