About

Hey there! My name is Michael. I'm the developer of "Yes, you KANJI!" and "MichinokuWeb". I currently live and work in Japan as an English teacher while studying programming and web design.

In my early 20s, I couldn't quite decide what I wanted to do with my life, so I chose something I knew I'd enjoy. Ever since I was nine years old, I'd been fascinated by Japanese pop culture, like anime, manga, video games, and later music and writing. Realizing I had spent half my life loving all things Japan, I decided to study Asian Studies and Japanese at the University of Bonn. As someone who had struggled throughout school, suddenly getting nothing but good grades made me realize that doing something close to my heart might be my path to success.

During my studies, I spent a year at Keio University in Tokyo, where I made many friends and learned a lot of new things. At the same time, I realized that different cultures can be overwhelming and that adjusting takes time. I felt I needed to improve my Japanese, but I didn't really know how to study on my own, and I burned out quickly. As a result, I couldn't transfer much of my progress at Keio back to my home university. It was a fun but sobering year. It took time for me to learn from that experience and become more determined to approach learning differently. I definitely didn't want to give up on Japan, so I returned a year later, but this time for work. I've now lived in the Japanese countryside for 13 years, enjoying local traditions like festivals, food, and hot springs. I love hiking, photography, small-town life, and spending time with my wife and kids.

As an English teacher in Japan, I get a lot of downtime, and I like using it to study and improve myself. For about five years, I dedicated that time to Japanese. Since I didn't want to force myself into a study style that would burn me out again, I spent a lot of that time figuring out a method that worked for me. As a result, I essentially restarted reading and writing from zero with a new process. Once I felt prepared, I took the highest level of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test and passed on my first try with nearly full marks. After achieving that goal, and having studied Japanese for hours every day, I felt it was time for something new. I decided to take on another challenge, also something close to my heart: programming.

I've never formally studied programming, but I've always been good with computers. I spent a lot of time editing images, music, and videos, fixing my own computer, and generally teaching myself new software. I started my programming journey with Harvard's CS50x and CS50w, and I immediately felt like I had found something I truly enjoy. Every time I understand a new concept or learn how to build something new, it fills me with joy.

While taking CS50, I began working on a project that meant a lot to me: a free Japanese learning website. There are many such sites out there, but I wanted to put my own vision online, the site I wish I'd had when I first started studying. The first version was simple but functional. The current version is more flexible, but still not exactly what I imagine, and certainly not yet up to modern standards. One of my goals in improving my web design and programming skills is to turn it into a modern, easy-to-use, and truly valuable resource for learners of Japanese.

To move toward that goal and eventually work in the field, I'm currently doing The Odin Project. It has already taught me a lot, and coding along with it is genuinely enjoyable. Teaching English in Japan is fun, but I feel that I've reached my limits here. A big part of my motivation to keep studying is the desire to secure a better future for my family through a more rewarding field of work. I know this field is tough to break into, maybe even tougher in Japan, but it's something I love, and I'll keep developing my skills until I can make it happen. With that in mind, I also want to keep evolving "Yes, you KANJI!" using what I learn and turn it into a web experience I can truly be proud of.

I created "MichinokuWeb" as my personal website, a place to showcase my portfolio and CV, share my photos of the Japanese countryside, and occasionally write about whatever is on my mind.

I hope you are having a great day and thank you for visiting MichinokuWeb!

Michael