Student Voices
Here are some testimonials from students I've taught English to:
I've been studying at Crane for six years, since my first year of junior high school, and my classes have mainly focused on preparing for the Eiken exam. I believe Crane has helped me develop a habit of learning English. Having a specific goal like the Eiken exam helped me understand what I needed to do to pass, and weekly vocabulary quizzes helped me stay motivated. When I received corrections to my writing, the teacher helped me understand how to use natural expressions and correct grammatical errors until I was satisfied. I was very happy to see my skills improving with each correction, and I enjoyed using the knowledge I learned. I'm not good at reading long passages and didn't know how to study on a regular basis, but when I consulted with Mr. Harada, he not only explained what I needed to do, but also came up with a plan, which helped me study smoothly. Crane also has cute dogs, making it the perfect environment for dog lovers. I'm so glad I became a Crane student.
thank you very much.
2025 Kitasato University School of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Veterinary Medicine - School recommendation selection (designated school system)
You helped me practice for the English interview for the school selection process and prepare me for the Eiken exam, which led to good results. You also taught me how to answer long passages and study listening for the National Center Test for University Admissions. I think I've become aware of my weaknesses and learned how to study to make up for them. I would like you to continue helping me prepare for my study abroad.
2025 Nagoya University of Foreign Studies, Department of English and American Studies, School of Foreign Studies, Designated School Recommendation Entrance Examination
Starting from the beginning of my third year of high school, I received help with IELTS preparation, writing a statement of purpose, self-exploration, and interview preparation for university entrance exams after returning from high school study abroad. First, I would like to talk about the appeal of individual lessons with Professor Harada. I will go into detail about each lesson below, but first I would like to write about what I felt most strongly through his lessons... Click here for details
2025 Ritsumeikan University College of International Relations, Global Studies Major
AO Selection Entrance Examination Global Studies Major Comprehensive Evaluation Method
I attended Crane for about four years, starting in my third year of junior high school. In the World English course, I was able to develop the ability to express my opinions in English by sharing my latest news and holding discussions with other students. Furthermore, because I wasn't one-on-one with a teacher, I was able to speak English more enthusiastically, less embarrassed or nervous about speaking in public. This environment allowed me to experience the joy of communicating in English. In my third year of high school, classes included many derivatives and synonyms for even a single word, and I enjoyed learning new things with each class. Furthermore, we learned in detail the differences between those words and their synonyms. By digging deeper into vocabulary, my knowledge expanded and my interest in English grew. I truly felt that I had changed greatly during my four years at Crane. I gained a proactive approach to everything, the ability to speak English with native speakers I'd never met before, albeit slowly, and the drive to actually put plans into action for fundraising and volunteering. I'm so glad I attended Crane. I am extremely grateful to Professor Harada and all the teachers at Crane who have helped me so far. Thank you very much.
Nagoya City University, School of Comprehensive Life Sciences, Department of Comprehensive Life Sciences, 2024
親身に分かりやすく教えてくださった 授業以外の面でもお世話になりました。
2024 Chubu University Secondary Education Japanese Language and Mathematics Major First Semester
When I entered high school, I had to memorize a lot of vocabulary, and my English was particularly poor in mock exams, but when I joined Crane, I started to study English steadily, and eventually I was able to consistently get good marks in English. I think the reason I was able to keep studying steadily was because I discovered the fun of English at Crane.
Hokkaido University, 2024, General Science
They carefully taught me the parts of my language that I was struggling with, one by one, and by playing card games in English, I was able to learn English while having fun and not feel like I was bad at it. Even with different types of questions, they taught me how to tackle them, and I was able to improve steadily, step by step.
2024 University of Tokyo, Faculty of Humanities, Division 2
Thanks to the teacher understanding my weaknesses and focusing on improving them, English became my strength and I began to like it.
Additionally, regardless of class time, they were always there for me, so it was easy to talk to them about the worries I had on a daily basis.
During exam periods, I was often saved by a place called Crane.
2024 Doshisha University Faculty of Policy Studies Department of Policy Studies
Before taking the course, I was reluctant to speak English, but as I continued taking the course, my reluctance disappeared and I began to actively try to converse in English. Thanks to the kind teachers, I was able to learn English in a fun way. Thank you very much!
2024 International Christian University, College of Liberal Arts, Department of Arts and Sciences
I was helped with my essay. I'm not good at writing, so I'm grateful that you kindly taught me how to summarize and organize sentences in Japanese, rather than simply translating from English. You also carefully taught me the flow of writing an English composition, which allowed me to write consciously without panicking during the actual test. There was a lot of stuff I learned that will be useful in university, so I'd like to put it to good use. Thank you for your guidance.
2024 Nanzan University, Faculty of Foreign Studies, Department of English Language and Literature
The teacher was very kind and I enjoyed the lessons. He taught me detailed study methods, and I was able to quickly come up with English words.
2024 Nanzan University, Faculty of International Liberal Arts, Department of International Liberal Arts
With little time left until the exam, I enrolled at CRANE, determined to do even the bare minimum. Initially, I increased the number of classes to two or three times a week. Hoping to broaden the range of universities I could apply to, I focused on TOEIC study for the first month or two. While TOEIC preparation was offered at school, Harada-sensei was more thorough than any other teacher, explaining things thoroughly until I understood. I felt my strength improve, and above all, his teaching skills meant I learned something new every time. I still remember checking the key points in the document he had compiled for me at the TOEIC exam venue right up until the exam. With just one month left until the entrance exam for my first choice, Chuo University's Faculty of Law, I finally began preparing for the exam. The exam included Japanese translation and long passages, which I struggle with, and at the time, I was beyond my ability to pass. To be honest, I was half-giving up, but Harada-sensei's constant praise and encouragement made me want to believe in my potential! In the end, thanks to the teacher's careful guidance and my own efforts, I was able to pass the exam successfully. I was able to achieve my first choice, which was the main reason I joined CRANE, and I was also able to report my happy results to the teacher, so I truly felt glad that I had come here and met the teacher. This is the kind of cram school that makes you think, ``If you're unsure, you should go here!'' and recommend it to your friends!👍
2024 Chuo University Faculty of Law Department of Law English Proficiency Special Entrance Examination
The classes were fun because we didn't just study English, but also used it through presentations and other activities. I was also given preparation for the Eiken and TOEFL exams, and I was able to get the scores I wanted for both. Along with learning English, I was able to learn about various general knowledge, issues around the world, and diversity. I received a lot of advice during the exam period.
2023 Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, Faculty of Language and Culture Studies, Department of Spanish Language and Culture, General Selection
At first, I took summer classes to prepare for the IELTS exam. As a result, I felt like I had made great progress in a short period of time. I continued to receive help from him for my university entrance exams, and I was very satisfied with his help, so I hope he will continue to help me take the next step under his tutelage.
Osaka Institute of Technology, School of Information Science, Department of Data Science, 2023 Second Term
I received one-on-one instruction in a comfortable environment, so it was easy to ask even if I didn't understand something. There was also a lot of casual conversation, so it was easy to ask for advice, and I'm looking forward to university.
2023 Kyoto Women's University Faculty of Human Development and Education Department of Education Method A
I was never very good at English, especially grammar. I found this course when I was struggling to score well on past exam questions for the school I wanted to attend. I think the course focuses on each student's weak points and helps them understand them. I was able to truly understand grammar rules that were difficult to understand from the textbook by having the teacher explain them verbally.
2022 Nanzan University Faculty of Humanities Psychology and Human Studies University-wide General
受験するそれぞれの大学の問題の傾向に応じた解き方を教えていただけました。しっかり対策できたことで、本番でも自信をもって臨むことができました。志望校に合格することができ、とても嬉しいです！ありがとうございました！
2022 Japanese Red Cross Toyota College of Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Department of Nursing, University-specific Selection
I took online English conversation lessons and felt that my skills were improving. It was a very fulfilling experience. As for exam preparation, the teacher was well-versed in the trends of the school I wanted to attend, and I was satisfied that I was able to effectively prepare accordingly. I was reassured by the teacher's kindness and consideration.
2021Kwansei Gakuin University Global Entrance Examination
First of all, the atmosphere of the classroom was more like a cafe than a cram school, which made it easy to enter. The teacher was also gentle and easy to talk to. He was also very kind and willing to listen to my concerns, and I was very happy that he shared my joys and anger with me. Regarding English, he didn't just solve problems, but also taught me trivia and current affairs here and there, which was very educational.
2021年度. 日本大学歯学部歯学科・公募制 / 関西学院大学文学部文化歴史学科哲学倫理学専修・総合型
I received instruction from you for about a year and a half, starting in my second year of high school. I was not good at grammar, but you taught me so carefully and clearly that I was able to pass the Level 2 exam, which qualifies me for the school of my choice. There was also an English essay test in the entrance exam, and when I looked at past questions, I felt so challenged and hopeless, but you gave me individual instruction, which was very reassuring. You looked at English sentences and told me related stories, and we researched countries around the world that appear in the textbooks. I was able to learn English in a fun way, both in individual and group lessons, and I'm really glad! Thank you so much!
2021Kwansei Gakuin University, Faculty of Letters, Department of Literature and Linguistics, French Literature and French Linguistics Major, Comprehensive Entrance Examination
The English teaching method is logical and easy to understand, and the teachers are very kind and helpful, so I was able to learn without any hesitation.
Shizuoka University Faculty of Engineering Department of Mathematical Systems Engineering2021Early Entrance Examination
Although it was just two weeks before the exam, and there were no past exam questions available, he created original practice questions for me. He also made the lessons very easy to understand, and taught me my weak points and gave me advice, which helped me improve my English skills so much in such a short time. It's all thanks to him that I was able to get into the school of my choice! Thank you so much!
2021 Juntendo University School of International Liberal Arts Comprehensive Selection
英語がさらに好きになり興味を持つことが出来ました。また個別なので分からないところをすぐ質問することのできる環境ですぐ解決して自分の知識とすることが出来、学校の授業と並行してやって下さったので授業の予習や復習になり、理解を深めることが出来ました。
2020 Yokkaichi University of Nursing and Medical Care, Faculty of Nursing
Thank you so much for all the guidance you gave me on English discussion, summarizing, grammar, and more. It was very easy to understand even online. I'm happy I was able to get into the school of my choice.
2020年度 名城大学 外国語学部
I was able to prepare for the exam in an atmosphere where it was easy to talk about various things and ask questions. At first, I thought it would be hard and difficult, but after each class, I learned something new and felt like I was getting closer to my goal, which was great. Thanks to the teacher, I gained confidence! Thank you very much!
2020 Nanzan University Faculty of Policy Studies Admissions for Returnees
英語の世界を広げてくれるような感じでした。今でも印象的なのはある授業でビデオで見てた時ですね。ビデオを理解できるように英語がもっとわかるようになりたいなって思いました。日本人がよく言われることですが、わかるのに喋れないっていうことがあるので、授業でスピーキングの練習ができたのが良かったなと思います。
Nanzan University, Faculty of Foreign Studies, 2020
He showed me the real world of English. It's not just the technical knowledge needed to get into university, but for example, when adding humor or quoting, he showed me the gestures for double quotation marks, which I often remember thinking "Oh, that's what the teacher said!" when watching a foreign film. In fact, I went on a five-day trip to New York with some classmates who were taking his class, and the three of us had conversations where we said "That's what Harada said in class!" at least 10 times, no joke lol
Meiji University, Faculty of Law
I took his classes in my second and third years of high school, so my English studies were mainly focused on entrance exams, but I got the impression that he was not limited to that; he was also working on English in a forward-looking way, using things like presentations to help me in university and in my future life as a working adult. I think it was great that I was able to learn English that would be useful not only for the entrance exams, but also beyond. There are many opportunities to give presentations in English at university, so it has actually been useful.
Nagoya University, Faculty of Education
My impression of the professor's classes is that they allow for practical English learning. His classes offered ample opportunities for speaking and listening, not just reading and writing. I felt like I had many opportunities to converse with friends in English and give presentations in front of others. Exploring areas of interest and even writing a paper on them is also useful when writing reports in university, and it gives me confidence that I accomplished something in high school. When studying for exams, he encourages students to explain things in their own way, deepening their understanding. While each question takes time, I think it's a study method worth investing the time in.
Kumamoto University Faculty of Medicine
He teaches all four language skills evenly. High school English is generally focused solely on entrance exam preparation, but I felt that he provided practical lessons. At university, classes were entirely in English, but if you can't speak the language, you'll be left behind. Since he taught in English, it was familiar and helpful. I think what makes him so appealing as a teacher is his deep passion for English education. I think the students can sense that he has been working hard for many years to provide lessons that are relevant to the times.
Shinshu University, Faculty of Humanities
I've always hated English and was not good at it. Because of this, I often didn't understand as much as other people, so it took a long time for me to ask the teacher questions, but the teacher always explained things to me over and over again until I understood, which is what I'm most grateful to him for. Also, the classes required me to digest things myself, such as summarizing textbook passages so that I could give a presentation. So, little by little, I was able to speak more and more in English, and it started to become fun. It's true that I'm not good at English, but I think it's because of my teacher that I was able to realize that I like it.
Meijo University Faculty of Pharmacy
In your class, I didn't find studying English a chore. I'd always liked English, but I'd never really found the classes enjoyable. When I was taking your class, the content of the text naturally came to mind, and before the test I didn't find myself forgetting what I'd learned earlier. I really felt like I was understanding and making what I'd learned my own. Above all, I think it was the most fulfilling English class I've ever had. Every class just flew by. I felt a sense of accomplishment when I was able to speak well, and it made me realize how much fun studying English could be, and it made me want to be able to speak more.
Aichi Prefectural University, Faculty of Foreign Studies
Mr. Harada is "a teacher who has a good grasp of the essence of English and takes English seriously."
In addition to teaching me English as a means of communication and English grammar, I also practiced dictation and academic presentations, and I now realize that I was able to learn English in a much broader way. I don't think there are many teachers who deal with English in such a broad range.
Chukyo University, Faculty of Letters
I believe that Professor Harada is someone who gave me a big leap in my English life. I found his fast-paced lessons appealing because they accelerated the students' input-output cycle. I also think that stopping the class to allow time for students to think was effective. There weren't many teachers who recommended studying abroad, so I hope he will continue to share his own experience studying abroad and the mindset that Japanese people should venture out more into the world. I think it's definitely worth it to go abroad, even if you have to borrow money. I also visited 15 countries while I was at university!
I believe that the outflow of talented Japanese people overseas is inevitable, but the education of talented people is essential, and I believe that purposeful education should be provided by people like you.
Hosei University, Faculty of Career Design → Mynavi Independent Business Start-up Support Office
What I liked was that there was plenty of time for input and output. For example, instead of showing one model answer to an English composition question, the teacher had multiple students speak and corrected their answers, which allowed the students listening as well as the students themselves to think about what kind of English would be good. This led to improved writing skills, as it wasn't just about memorizing model answers. Also, I think the many opportunities to speak and listen immediately while memorizing words and phrases improved both the efficiency of input and my listening and speaking skills. Since I was focusing most of my energy on learning English, the teacher had a big influence on me.
Waseda University, School of Commerce
Professor Harada's classes were very impactful, and I was particularly impressed by the fact that he conducted the English classes in English. I learned the importance of understanding English in English, rather than translating English into Japanese in my head. I also learned the importance of speaking out loud, even if I made mistakes. I remember that even when I made mistakes, Professor Harada would smile warmly, which made English seem fun to me.
Tamagawa University, Faculty of Agriculture
Asian Rural Leadership Training College
I was able to learn not just English, but also how to use the knowledge I gained in society. I feel that the English presentations and document creation I did in my second year of high school had a big impact on my ability. I feel that being able to study while imagining situations where I would actually use the language in society made a big difference compared to normal learning.
Nagoya University of Arts and Sciences, School of Media and Design, Department of Visual Media
Professor Harada is always thinking about English education, pursuing new and better forms. By taking on various challenges (academic presentations and online English conversation), I was able to think about my future direction and broaden my horizons. His enthusiastic approach to improving the quality of education was also inspiring and boosted my motivation to learn.
Osaka Kyoiku University, Faculty of Education
The best thing about taking Professor Harada's classes is that they definitely improved my English ability. Although the conversations in class were mostly based on the English sentences in the textbook, I was able to carefully check what was being said in pairs every hour. What I learned in Professor Harada's grammar classes is still useful as a foundation for me as an undergraduate student at an American university.
AA, Coffeyville Community College
BA, International Business Studies, Temple University
At first, I was worried about making grammatical mistakes and not being able to get my point across in English, but I gradually began to think that it was normal to make mistakes and was able to speak without hesitation. Other teachers used English when teaching English conversation and Japanese when teaching grammar, but Mr. Harada sometimes explained grammar in English and then later in Japanese. I really liked the fact that he explained grammar in English as well.
Kobe City University of Nursing, Faculty of Nursing
The teacher himself is constantly studying English and is stoic. While I'm comparing him to other teachers, I felt that he loved English more than any other teacher I've met. This was the strongest impression I had. The lessons themselves were conducted in English, so I was able to use English in situations other than writing, such as listening and speaking. He also focused more on pronunciation than other teachers, and in English grammar classes he interviewed multiple students, which allowed me to compare myself with others (discovering things like, "Oh, there's a way to write like this!").
Ritsumeikan University, School of Image Arts and Sciences
I think what's particularly important in English education these days is thinking about and pronouncing English sentences on your own, and listening to them and thinking about their meaning.
The English classes I had taken had focused on memorizing English grammar and reading and pronouncing English sentences, so I doubted whether I would be able to use English in a practical way. However , I was impressed by the active learning in Professor Harada's classes, where students were asked to think about English sentences and pronounce them themselves, as well as listen and think about their meaning.
Aichi University of Education, Faculty of Education
I predominantly came up with two advantages of Mr. Harada. First, his sharp intellect and use of Japanese. A professor in my seminar who is also a magisterial interpreter often tells the importance of mother languages to students that the ability of mother tongue never overweighs that of other languages and that we must learn English based on our Japanese abilities. I'm for her opinion and believe nurturing the Japanese ability is indispensable and the very first step to learn other languages. When I was in Mr. Harada's class, he helped me with my letter of motivation for APU, and his words were quite sophisticated and convincing, which have edified many of students including me. No wonder the English level of my class was very high. Thus, I'm pretty sure he can improve the way of thinking of students, Japanese as well as English proficiency. Secondly, What I feel he is different from teachers I've met so far is his enthusiasm about English education. It is definitely true that they were all great teachers. education, it seemed they were not as eager as Mr. Harada. Also, the fact that he have been working on the projects for MEXT (and so forth) can inspire students to become interested in learning English.
Aichi Prefectural University, Faculty of Foreign Studies
What's appealing about Harada-sensei to me is that seeing how serious he is makes those around him want to follow him and work hard too! I could tell that he was enjoying his classes and was serious about them, so I enjoyed them too and it motivated me to try my best. He also has a wealth of knowledge about English , so I felt safe and trusted him and wanted to follow him. I also wanted to be like Harada-sensei, so I was able to study hard, believing, "If I follow Harada-sensei, I'll definitely be fine! I'll be able to speak English! I'll love English! I'll definitely become like him!"
Gifu Shotoku University Faculty of Education → Elementary school teacher in Nagoya
授業を通して先生が日本語をほぼ使わず、教室全体が英語の空間と化していたことで英語に慣れることができたと思います。（先生が正しい発音で話すことが重要であり、それもクリアしていたのかなと）それによって試験ではリスニングが余裕でした。ライティングではPCとモニターを使って先生が文章を書くことで、発表者（伝える側）が正しい発音で文章を読む練習をするだけでなく、聴く側の生徒たちは発表者の文章を視覚的に捉えることができて分かりやすかったと思います。教科書の内容や指導事項とは関係ない時（ふと発せられる独り言のようなもの）でも英語で、より実生活に近い言葉遣いを学べたり、クスッと笑ってしまいながら楽しんで学べました。
Tokyo Gakugei University, Faculty of Education
Personally, I think he is a teacher who has a wide-ranging teaching style, weaving the basics into the applied. Furthermore, when explaining the written questions, he places particular importance on providing clues to lead to the answer, and he also gives concise explanations of difficult words that come up casually, from pronunciation to synonyms. In summary, I get the strong impression that he is "very detailed."
It was fun to be able to expand on the long topics beyond the text and improve my knowledge by watching videos such as TED.
Chuo University Faculty of Commerce
I have the impression that Professor Harada analyzes the subject of English more than other teachers, and is constantly trying to think of ways to improve the English education currently being taught in Japan. I was glad to have had the opportunity to experience cutting-edge English classroom practices.
Waseda University, School of Political Science and Economics
I thought it would be great to use English as a tool to think about different parts of the world! I liked that it was not about memorizing English, but about using English to communicate. In order to communicate, you have to naturally internalize the process. I liked that there was a lot of practice in output, using English as a tool to communicate. The goal isn't to be able to speak English, but to be able to say and communicate what you want to say, even in English! I hope that I can do that.
Tokyo Metropolitan University Faculty of Health and Welfare
◾️Learn English structurally → Rather than forcing me to memorize English vocabulary, the teacher broke down and taught me vocabulary. This not only taught me vocabulary but also English grammar, so it was easy to learn without requiring memorization.
◾️ You can learn techniques → Rather than forcing yourself to memorize and cram information into your head, you can learn techniques that anyone can use (for example, in READING, I learned that words connected with "and" have similar meanings), so it didn't feel like studying, in a good way. I think even people who aren't good at English can do it, as if they were cracking a code.
◾️Easy to talk to → I'm really grateful to Professor Harada. Even now, when people ask me who my mentor was, I always answer Professor Harada. Unlike other teachers, I get the impression that I can talk to him on an equal footing.
As someone who cannot speak English, I feel somewhat embarrassed to talk about English with people who can, but I think it would be easier to talk to a teacher like Mr. Harada, who is honest and forthright.
Aoyama Gakuin University, Faculty of Letters, Department of English and American Literature → Recruit Holdings Co., Ltd.
=The following are comments on Harada's classes from his graduates when he was a high school teacher=
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