Areas of Expertise

Japanese Foreign Language Pedagogy, Linguistic Anthropologies 

Teaching Interests

Tourism Marketing; Business of Tourism, Hospitality and Event Management; Global issues in Tourism

Research

Kanako’s research interests include Japanese language use and its relationship to culture, particularly in business and workplace contexts; language proficiency and linguistic strategies for effective professional communication; and the application of these findings to Japanese language pedagogy. Her recent research explores the experiences of international employees working in Japanese companies, with a focus on their successes and challenges and identifying the factors that contribute to successful and effective workplace experiences.

Education

PhD, The Ohio State University;
MA, The Ohio State University; M.A., University of Findlay. 

Previous Appointments

Prior to joining Temple University Japan, Kanako worked at Sophia University, Wake Forest University, and Washington University in St. Louis. She also directed the ALLEX Summer Japanese Teacher Training Institute.

Professional Associations

American Association of Teachers of Japanese (AATJ); American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL)