I am honored to be called so by my Japanese partners, because it is my mission to form a “connecting bridge” between Hungary and Japan.

On my website I provide a taste of my work so far with interesting and authentic references, and in my blog I write about curiosities related to Japan.

Over the past 25 years, I have helped my clients in countless joint projects, and I look forward to getting similar requests in the future!

I could use my knowledge gained during my studies of diplomacy mostly in the field of sports. I have participated in several sporting events as an interpreter, and I was working as a Hungarian coordinator in activities related to the Tokyo Olympics and as an interpreter in Japan.  




Tokyo Olympic Games

In preparation for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, Tochigi Prefecture concluded a so-called Host town convention with Hungary. This meant an opportunity for acclimatization training camp for the Hungarian Olympic competitors, just before the Olympics, in several cities in the prefecture.






In November 2017, the Governor of Tochigi Prefecture, Mr. Fukuda Tomikazu, paid an official visit to Hungary. He held talks with the president of the Hungarian Olympic Committee (MOB), Krisztián Kulcsár, and introduced the training camp opportunities in Tochigi to the representatives of the Hungarian sports organisations and unions. I was the official interpreter for the Japanese delegation throughout the visit.





In the summer of 2019, I received a request from Tochigi to represent the interests of Tochigi Prefecture and  Governor Fukuda as a bridge between the two countries, and to coordinate the preparation and organization of acclimatization training camps. That is why I created later my blog: www.kakehashi.hu.



In October 2019, Governor Fukuda invited me to Japan to present me personally my official credentials to begin my coordinating work. The other purpose of the visit was to get acquainted with the sports facilities and accommodations of the prefecture, where Hungarian athletes were expected before the Olympics.







February 2020 - As a result of my joint work with the Hungarian Olympic Committee (MOB), I managed to conclude MOU cooperation agreements with 10 Hungarian sports associations, so MOB President Krisztián Kulcsár traveled to Japan to confirm in an official signing ceremony the intention of the Hungarian side to use the training camps. 





The COVID-19 epidemic became global in March 2020, as a result of which the International Olympic Committee, together with the Japanese government and the Tokyo organizers, announced the postponement of the Olympics. The new date for "Tokyo 2020" became the period from July 23 to August 8, 2021.








In the spring of 2021, coordination work resumed and negotiations with sports federations began. Due to the changed circumstances, completely new agreements have been reached. Eventually, six teams from five sports, nearly 100 athletes, went to training camp in Tochigi Prefecture just before the Olympics.













The athletes and attendants of the triathlon, pentathlon, taekwondo, athletics and two water polo teams were able to prepare for the five-ring games under superb conditions and with the maximum support of the Japanese side, despite the strict measures. As an interpreter, I helped the communication on the spot, and as a correspondent for the Hungarian Olympic Committee (MOB), I kept the Hungarian readers informed about the events in Japan. My articles have been published on olimpia.hu, www.magyarock.hu and www.kakehashi.hu. The athletes training camp thanked Tochigi for this help with a total of three bronze medals. (women's - men's water polo teams and pentathlete-Sarolta Kovács).






February 10, 2022. As the Host town partnership covers not only sports but also the cultivation of human, cultural, tourist and economic relations, Tochigi wanted to foster relations with Hungary beyond the Olympics. As part of this, an hour-and-a-half-hour online Zoom broadcast on Hungary was held, which was seen live by a hundred Japanese families living in Tochigi. The event presenting Hungarian culture and the capital city ended with great success, and Hungarian-Japanese relations were further strengthened. (Online event poster PDF) I took part in the event as a Japanese-speaking tour guide, and I had the opportunity to show the beauties of our capital city to the spectators as part of a live sightseeing tour.


I have been working as a Hungarian-Japanese interpreter for decades. I have high level language skills and I help my clients to achieve their business, corporate and private goals with precise work and the highest quality interpreting services.

In my work, it is important to prepare myself thoroughly, to handle different interpreting situations flexibly and empathetically, and to take intercultural differences into account. Besides good command in Japanese, I am well acquainted with the culture of the island country, the non-verbal communication, and the essential differences between Western and Eastern culture. These are all important for a successful business or diplomatic negotiation, as often a sentence or movement chosen in the right place and time can quickly inspire confidence in polite, more emotional, yet extremely sensitive Japanese people.

I also undertake accompanying and consecutive interpreting, their combination, as well as moderating at events.

Culture

I have the greatest interpreting experience in this area. On several occasions I have participated as an interpreter in Hungary with presentations of various traditional Japanese art branches (Noh  theater, Taiko drum, origami, tea ceremony), Ikebana workshops, sake tastings, kimono fashion shows, in Japan on classical music concert tours, folk dance and folk music performances and choirs. (e.g. at the event called Chalk Circle – Krétakör Festival Tokyo).

Classical music

I have helped as an interpreter on tours of Japanese performers coming to Hungary and musicians traveling to Japan countless times. I have been assisting the Szolnok Symphony Orchestra and the Szakatai Philharmonic Orchestra for decades. I have interpreted several times at the premiere of a Japanese opera performance, instrumental performances, concerts of soloists, workshops and master classes.

Economy

Knowledge of Japan’s economy and business environment is essential for successful business relationship. Through my decades of professional experience, I can offer useful advice and new opportunities to my interested partners. Through my activities, I create a foundation of trust, help to overcome communication difficulties, coordinate emerging needs and support successful collaborations.

So far, I have helped my business partners in many areas with my language skills and contact capital, the paprika (green pepper) production project has been outstanding among these.


Green pepper cultivation

In the period between 2007 and 2017, I helped Japanese gardeners to learn the tricks of growing Hungarian white-fleshed green peppers in and around Szentes. Project coordination and interpretation were among my responsibilities. The Japanese studied every step of the process, from seed production to seedling cultivation to greenhouse cultivation, and participated even in the production themselves. The technologies learned were later successfully introduced and disseminated in the city of Yuza in northern Japan. In Japan, Yuza of Yamagata Prefecture is currently the leading green pepper-growing region, with annual sales in excess of 100 million yen (nearly 300 million forints). 


Over time, the relationship became bilateral, and in 2010 Hungarian gardeners were invited to Yuza for an International Pepper Forum, where, in addition to Korean growers, Hungarian cultivation technologies were presented with great success.


I interpreted at several other company meetings, negotiations and business trips. Topics included e.g. trade in wine, sake, mangalica, Herend porcelain, horseradish, works of fine art, clothes, folk art souvenirs.


Twin town projects

During my decades of professional work, I have interpreted several times in twinning projects. Of these, the Szolnok and Yuza projects were the most significant, as the two cities have been connected for more than 35 years. Their cooperation is still active, they visit each other several times a year to deepen their relationships. I have also had the opportunity on many occasions as an interpreter and guide to help their collaborations in the fields of culture, economy, tourism and education. On the 20th anniversary of my activity, the mayor of Yuza City thanked me for my work with a diploma. 

Recommendations

As a tour guide, I have been dealing with Japanese tourists and tourist groups coming to Hungary for several decades, and in many cases I have accompanied Hungarians to Japan. In my work, I have always strived for maximum professional preparation, precise work, polite and respectful behavior, and building a personal, good relationship with my guests. I always consider individual needs and I am happy to help to prepare even a complete itinerary. In addition to traditional sightseeing, I also organize special programs.


I am ready to book accommodation and a restaurants for my guests, but I also recommend cultural programs (e.g. concerts, theater, folk dance show, cruise excursions, etc.). I also deal with transfer services. In addition to airport-hotel and hotel-airport transfers, on request I also arrange transfers for my guests to cities in neighboring European countries.

From Japan to Hungary

I offer Japanese-speaking guided tours, sightseeing tours in Budapest and into the countryside for individual guests, tourist groups and professional delegations from Japan.

I will be happy to help you to book accommodation, organize shuttle service, and work out the entire program. Hiking, car or bus tours can be half or full day long, but even multi-day. I show Japanese tourists the most beautiful places in our capital city and Hungary, historical and World Heritage sights. I give guided tours in museums, recommend famous cafés and authentic restaurants on request. In addition to traditional sightseeing tours, I offer a variety of leisure activities, e.g. folklore dinner, Danube cruise, wine tasting, classical music concerts, Opera and Parliament visits, ruin pub tour, horse show, spa visit, etc.

Popular destinations can be outside Budapest: the Danube Bend (Szentendre, Visegrád, Esztergom), Gödöllő (Royal Palace), Hollókő, Lake Balaton, Herend, Hortobágy, Eger, Pannonhalma, Hévíz, Sopron, etc. Upon request, I provide transfers to Vienna, Bratislava and Prague.

I am also happy to help organize thematic professional and special cultural programs

From Hungary to Japan

Due to my local knowledge, I am happy to organize and recommend destinations and sights, and put together complete tours to Japan. I also make guided tours for groups. I have accompanied individual guests and professional groups on several occasions, interpreting on concert tours and in professional forums. I also actively participated in the performance of „Krétakör” at the 2009 Tokyo Festival.

Organization of programs

Adapting to individual needs, I also undertake the organization of programs and presentations, as well as full implementation in areas where knowledge of Japanese is essential. I have versatile experience, I can prove my work with references.


References:

  • During my decades of work, I have organized many presentations in both Hungary and Japan. An outstanding event was the organization and accomplishment of a complete Ikebana presentation in Gödöllő, for which I was invited by renowned ikebana teachers. We had a very successful event in the Royal Palace, and then those who were interested could try making ikebana in a workshop. (Pictures of Ikebana Gödöllő)


  • I was also entrusted with the complete organization of the program of a Japanese embroidery group dealing with Hungarian traditional embroidery. On our country tour we visited cities like Kalocsa, Mezőkövesd, Buzsák, Tura, Hollókő, where Hungarian embroidery women presented their knowledge to Japanese guests and gave them embroidery classes. It was also possible to practice together.

  • Hungarian green pepper growers also entrusted me to organize their professional trip and leisure programs in 2010.

I undertake Japanese language teaching for individuals and groups interested in Japanese culture, both in person and online (Skype, Zoom, etc.).

In my language lessons, in addition to mastering words, the writing system and grammatical structures, I also put great emphasis on presenting Japanese culture, history and traditions. My goal is that my students to not only get to know Japan, but to love the country too!

I always adapt the framework of my education to the individual needs and goals of my clients. I try to compile a variety of curricula so that students can get many experiences and learn a foreign language as playfully and easily as possible.

 

• Teaching Hungarian for Japanese

Japanese living and working in Hungary have repeatedly asked me to teach them Hungarian. In my opinion teaching Hungarian language is useful because during the acquisition of language skills it is possible to get to know the cultural differences, the differences in lifestyle and the traditional customs. With the knowledge gained, the Japanese living here can get along more easily in their daily lives.

 

• English for Japanese

My name is associated with the introduction of English language teaching in state-run primary schools in Yamagata Prefecture. In the 1990s, teaching English officially began only in high school in the Japanese public school system. The results were not adequate, so there was a need to start teaching a foreign language earlier. The city of Yuza in Yamagata Prefecture organized teaching English in primary schools in 1995, on an experimental basis. I was tasked with planning the entire curriculum, syllabus and conducting the classes. As a Hungarian, I taught “English and International Cultures” in Japanese to 1,200 pupils in grade 6 of primary schools for one year. The initiative, which is unique in Japan, has been constantly monitored by the Japanese Ministry of Education, the Hungarian Embassy in Tokyo and the Japanese press. The pilot year has been so successful that it has been ongoing ever since, and teaching English from primary school onwards has become widespread nationwide.

 

  • In 1993, I conducted a Japanese language course for beginners in a Hungarian high school in Dunajská Streda, Slovakia. I also compiled the complete curriculum and teaching methods.

  • 1995-96 Teaching English in Japanese in elementary schools in Yuza, Japan

  • I gave Japanese language course at János Kodolányi College in 2009

  • Since 2017, I have been a member of the Hungarian Language Teachers Association (MJOT), where I regularly have the opportunity to conduct further trainings and obtain new teaching materials and books for trainings.

If you are looking for a partner for your business in Japan, or a Japanese investor has approached you, or you are going on a business trip to the country of the “Rising Sun”, I will be happy to help you as an interpreter, consultant, organizer. Knowledge of Japan’s economy, culture, language, and business environment is essential to build up a successful business relationship. Through my decades of professional experience, I can offer useful advice and new opportunities to interested clients. Through my activities, I create a foundation of trust, help to overcome communication difficulties, coordinate emerging needs and support successful collaborations.


So far, I have helped my business partners in many areas with my language skills and contact capital. Some examples of collaborations: Hungarian wines, paprika, Japanese saké, Hajdúság horseradish, mangalica, Herend porcelain, green pepper, goose liver, folk art souvenirs, works of fine art, etc.


With decades of experience, I provide high-quality translation services between Japanese-English-Hungarian in any combination for companies and individuals alike. Depending on the actual needs, my experienced professional translator partners help me with my work, therefore the translation services cover various areas: e.g. technical, medical, business, literary, etc. 


In addition to excellent value for money, advanced technical background and customer oriented attitude characterize the work of the Kakehashi team.

Contact

Please email me if you would like to contact me.

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