Nihonjin no Shiranai Nihongo

Nihonjin no Shiranai Nihongo (Japanese: 日本人の知らない日本語) is a Japanese television drama series that aired on the NTV/YTV network from July 15 to September 30, 2010. The series consists of 12 episodes and explores the challenges of teaching the Japanese language to foreign students.

Promotional poster for the drama series — Promotional visual for the series.

Plot

The story follows Haruko Kano, played by Riisa Naka, a young woman working at a clothing store in Shibuya who aspires to become a teacher. After an encounter with a former high school teacher, she is offered a potential position at a public school, provided she completes a three-month trial period teaching at a private school. Upon arriving for her first day, she discovers that the school is dedicated to teaching Japanese to foreign students. The series depicts her struggles as she realizes that her students' questions about the nuances of the Japanese language often exceed her own understanding as a native speaker.

Cast

The series features a diverse cast portraying both the teaching staff and the international student body.

Riisa Naka as Haruko Kano
Munetaka Aoki as Taiyo Shibuya
Natsuki Harada as Katori "Catherine"
Mayumi Asaka as Kuniko Akimoto
Narushi Ikeda as Ikki Takasu

Production and Reception

The series was directed by Saiji Yakumo, Hiroyuki Tamekawa, Naoki Kawamura, and Yuki Saito, with scripts written by Yoshihiro Izumi and Takuya Masumoto. During its original broadcast run, the series achieved an average viewership rating of 3.32% in the Kanto region, according to data from Video Research, Ltd.