About

A Cozy Place to Learn Japanese, Together.

Hey, I’m Stormie…. I’m founder of The Kotatsu Club, long-time Japanese language learner, and mom to two curious, and sometimes chaotic little kids.

I’ve been studying Japanese for over seven years, before my first son was born. What started as flashcards and scribbled kana in the margins of notebooks has grown into a lifelong love affair with the language; one that’s seen me through textbooks, graded readers, immersion podcasts, and every app under the sun.

But as my Japanese improved, something else grew too: my family.

And like so many parents, I found myself asking:

“How do I keep learning something I love… while raising little humans who demand EVERY ounce of my attention?”

I didn’t want to give up Japanese. I also didn’t want to “escape” into studying, shutting the door on my kids just to make progress.

So I stopped treating Japanese as something I needed to study away from them, and started learning with life.

And that’s when everything changed.

The Kotatsu Club Was Born Around a Simple Idea:

What if learning Japanese could feel like a cozy part of your daily life, not another thing to check off a list?

What if it wasn’t a solo study grind?

What if you didn’t need hours of free time or a perfect accent or a fancy curriculum… just a little curiosity, a warm blanket, and some paper labels for your kitchen?

This isn’t a classroom. It’s not a crash course, either. It’s proverbial a kotatsu.

A place where your family gathers. A place where learning happens in slippers and storybooks, during breakfast and bath time.

Ultimately, though, it’s place where we turn ordinary routines into language-rich moments that build connection and culture, not just vocabulary.

Who Is This For?

Parents of young kids (ages 2–6) who want to bring Japanese into their home, even if you don’t speak it yet. Both of my kids will be learning right along side yours; I’ve been studying for almost a decade, but they’re just getting started this year!
Families or friends who believe in learning together, not just handing their kids a worksheet and hoping it sticks.
Busy, real-life people who want Japanese to fit into their life, not take it over

You don’t need a perfect accent. You don’t need to hit N3 in a year. You just need to be willing to sit down, snuggle up, and start with the first word.

What You Can Expect

Free resources, every week.
Printable activities. Immersion tips. Word lists sorted by theme. Simple phrases you can start using today. All created by a real parent in a real home, while she teaches her REAL kids… not a curriculum developer in a lab.
Language learning that meets you where you are.
Every activity is designed for beginners, but layered with value for folks who want to go deeper. Whether you’re learning hiragana with your toddler or sneaking in a few new kanji in between college classes, we’ve got you.
No gatekeeping. Ever.
The core educational content is 100% FREE, because language and culture should be accessible to all. Our optional digital products (like flashcards or themed kits) exist to support your journey, not trap you in a funnel.
Tracking my kid’s progress, so you can see it in real time.
I’m respecting their privacy and not posting their face. But I’m 100% blogging and tracking both my 5yo + 1yo’s progress as I integrate Japanese language into their life.

Why “The Kotatsu Club”?

A kotatsu is a Japanese low table with a blanket and a heater underneath, a beloved staple in many Japanese homes. It’s where the family gathers in winter to eat, talk, watch TV, and just be together.

It’s warm. It’s inviting. It’s slow.

That’s what we’re building here; a place where learning Japanese doesn’t feel cold or clinical, but like curling up on the floor with your family and saying “Let’s try this together.”

If you’re craving connection over perfection…

If you want your child’s first exposure to Japanese to feel playful, not pressured…

If you’re learning this language not just as a skill, but as a doorway into a whole new world…

Then welcome to the club.

We’re so glad you’re here.

P.S. Subscribe to our emails HERE so you can be notified when we have new content out, and get early access to ALL of our free lessons and content.