From Toronto to Takadanobaba: My Experience Teaching Guitar in Tokyo for the Past 12 Years

ryanboisselle
4 days ago
3 min read

Nighttime at Takadanobaba Station. BIG BOX and the busy area in front of the ticket gates. — “Night time at Takadanobaba Station. BIG BOX and the busy area in front of the ticket gates.

I moved to Tokyo from Toronto over a decade ago. At the time, I didn’t have a big plan—just a curiosity about Japan and a guitar in my hand.

Twelve years later, I’m still here. Still playing. Still teaching. And now running a guitar school in Takadanobaba.

🎸 Gigging and Teaching Days in Toronto

My first teaching experience goes way back—high school in Toronto. I was helping local kids figure out chords and riffs. Nothing fancy, but I liked it right away. I kept teaching through university while gigging and backing other artists.

What I found early on is that I genuinely enjoyed helping people understand the guitar and sharing the joy it brings me.

When I moved to Japan, it wasn’t long before I started teaching guitar here as well.

🌏 Teaching Music in a New Culture

Teaching in Japan taught me as much as I taught my students.

I had to learn how to communicate musical concepts clearly across language and cultural gaps. I had to understand different learning styles and expectations. Over time, I started teaching in both English and Japanese, and I learned how to explain groove, harmony, and technique in ways that resonate—regardless of background.

One interesting difference I noticed: more students here are into jazz, R&B, and funk—way more than back home in Canada, where most people stuck to rock or acoustic. That shift made teaching more fun for me personally, because those are styles I love digging into with students.

And when it comes to playing music together, it really doesn’t matter where you're from. You jam, you listen, you lock in. That’s what it’s about.

They say music is a universal language—and I’ve seen it firsthand.

At jam sessions, I’ve watched musicians who didn’t share a common spoken language still manage to lock in, trade solos, and just understand each other. A nod, a smile, a stank face after a tasty lick—that’s all it takes.

📍 Why Takadanobaba?

Takadanobaba is a great little town. It’s got energy, culture, and a good mix of people—students, musicians, locals, expats. It’s also accessible, which makes it easy for people to come to lessons from all over Tokyo.

There’s a kind of musical energy here too. You’ll always see musicians lugging guitar cases and pedalboards around the station. I think it makes me and my students feel like we’re all part of the “Takadanobaba music scene.”

I also just enjoy my lunch breaks here! Every Wednesday, I go to Sundubu Nakayama Tofu for their Sundubu Bulgogi Set. Guaranteed you’ll see me there. 😆

🧑‍🏫 Why I Continue Teaching

I get huge satisfaction from helping someone play what they actually want to play on the guitar.

When a student comes back with a song polished—or has that “aha” moment in a lesson—it’s incredibly rewarding.

I still remember what it was like being a student. I struggled with certain concepts, and honestly, I had a few teachers who weren’t very encouraging. Some seemed jaded. Others were more interested in showing off than helping.

It felt like they were saying:

“Look at this. It’s hard, right? And I can do it.”

But then I had a couple teachers who made everything click. Their whole vibe was:

“Look at this. It’s unfamiliar now, but it will become easy.”

That’s the kind of teacher I aim to be—because I know anyone can learn to play.

✨ The Best Part of the Journey So Far?

Honestly? Watching students grow.

I’ve taught complete beginners who now play gigs. I’ve helped shy players gain confidence. I’ve seen people fall back in love with music after years away from their instrument.

My favorite moments of the year are seeing my students muster up the courage to perform at our summer or Christmas recital—and express themselves in front of a crowd.