I began studying Japanese in 1999, when I was accepted on the Japanese Studies course at Durham University, UK. This course gave me a thorough grounding not only in modern and classical Japanese but also in a wide range of areas relating to the history, archaeology, anthropology and sociology of Japan and East Asia as a whole. It was also during this time that I made my first visit to Japan on a one-year exchange programme at Kumamoto University. 

Following graduation in 2003, I returned to Kumamoto to work as an in-house translator/English language instructor at a company providing language services to some of Japan’s major businesses and academic institutions. As a result, I gained extensive experience in translating and proofreading documents in diverse fields and disciplines, from automobile and semiconductor industries to general academic and institutional documents. 

In 2008, I returned to the UK to take an MA in Cultural Heritage at the University of East Anglia. As part of this course, I undertook a compulsory three week work placement at the Sainsbury Institute for the Study of Japanese Arts and Cultures (SISJAC). Here, I helped prepare for two exhibitions on Jomon clay figurines: one held at the British Museum in 2009 and the other at the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts in Norwich in 2010. This was followed by a supporting role in a London Society of Antiquaries symposium on gaining UNESCO World Heritage recognition for Jomon sites.

I have since been working as a full time freelance translator. Please see the Services section for details of my work and specialisms.

Materials Handled

Academic papers, books, journal abstracts, fieldwork/survey reports, presentation materials, websites, emails, curricula and teaching materials, manuals, guidebooks, pamphlets, museum display text, packaging, menus, signs, video subtitles, certificates, letters of recommendation, business cards

Fields of Expertise

Academic

Anthropology, archaeology, history, museology, cultural heritage, religion, literature, art, sociology, social welfare, psychology, environmental science, geography, general science/engineering

Institutional

Museums, heritage organisations, tourist facilities, local governmental bodies, university administration, libraries, non profit organisations, hospitals, convention centres

Corporate

Rates

Translation

My rates for translation work are based on Japanese source character. Factors that I take into consideration when determining how much a job will cost include difficulty of subject matter, quality of source materials, amount of research required, length, file format and deadline. 

Proofreading/Editing

As a rule of thumb, my minimum rate for proofreading and editing work is equivalent to half the full translation rate, and is determined based on the same factors as above. Note that I will calculate proofreading and editing of existing Japanese-English translations at the full translation rate if I believe a complete re-translation is necessary. 

Smaller requests are subject to a minimum fee irrespective of the content.

My main currency is Japanese yen, but I also accept US dollars, GB pounds and Euros. 

Please contact me for more information and a detailed quote.