Private guitar lessons in Nishi-Shinjuku, Tokyo — taught by a professional guitarist who has coached major-label artists, TV performers, and even other guitar instructors. Please note: lessons are conducted in Japanese. If you can communicate in everyday Japanese, you are very welcome — international students who speak Japanese already study with us. Many find that guitar lessons are also a fun, natural way to improve their Japanese: real conversation, every week, about something you love.
About Your Instructor
Kaz Takayama trained in Boston under John Finn, a guitar instructor at Berklee College of Music, and also studied in Japan under Berklee-graduate instructors — his teaching is based on the Berklee-style method. He studied acoustic guitar under Rinten Okazaki, one of Japan’s leading solo guitarists. He has taught performers appearing on Kohaku Uta Gassen (Japan’s biggest music show), Japan Record Award winners, million-selling artists — and professional composers and arrangers who write for major Japanese acts come to him to study guitar and music theory.
He is also the president of Soul Arrow Inc., a nationwide school company with about 230 locations and 550 instructors across music, dance and other schools.
What You Can Learn
・Acoustic or electric guitar, complete beginner to advanced
・Music theory on the fretboard (scales, chords, harmony, improvisation)
・Songwriting and arranging
・J-Pop, rock, blues, fingerstyle solo guitar and more — fully customized, one-on-one
Location & Access
Lessons are held in the Nishi-Shinjuku area of Tokyo — the skyscraper district near the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building. Five stations are within walking distance (Shinjuku, Nishi-Shinjuku, Nishi-Shinjuku-Gochome, Tochomae, Nakano-Sakaue), covering the JR Yamanote Line, Marunouchi Line, Oedo Line and more. Online lessons are also available worldwide — popular with Japanese speakers living abroad (lessons conducted in Japanese, timezone-friendly scheduling).
How to Start
We offer a free counseling session (not a trial lesson — a relaxed conversation about your goals, level and schedule) before you decide anything. Feel free to reach out — simple Japanese is appreciated, and we will do our best to make things easy to understand.
FAQ
Q. What language are the lessons in?
A. Lessons are conducted in Japanese. Everyday conversational Japanese is enough — music itself needs few words, and chord names and techniques are shown on the instrument. This English page is here to help you understand our school before you reach out.
Q. I’m only in Tokyo for a short time. Can I take a single lesson?
A. Please ask us via the contact form or LINE — we will suggest the best plan for your situation.
Q. I live outside Japan. Can I take online lessons?
A. Yes. Online lessons are available worldwide, conducted in Japanese. They are popular with Japanese speakers living abroad who want to keep up their guitar — and their Japanese.
Q. Do you rent guitars for the lesson?
A. Please contact us in advance and we will do our best to accommodate you.