Seeking fluency? Coco Juku was once your answer. This English conversation school, known as “eikaiwa” in Japanese, aimed to bridge the communication gap. Coco Juku’s parent company, Nichii Gakkan, also owned Gaba Corporation. This gave them a significant presence in the English language education market. Coco Juku opened its doors in April 2012. Initially, there were six locations. By October of the same year, that number had exploded to 62. They had ambitious plans for further expansion across Japan.
Coco Juku stood for “Communication Competence.” This reflected their focus on practical English skills. Their marketing campaigns were extensive, targeting both prospective students and teachers. The company invested heavily in advertising to raise their profile. Their early advertisements featured a suited foreign man known as “Dr. Coco.” Later, they shifted their strategy and employed the popular Japanese actor Yūsuke Iseya as their spokesperson.
If you were interested in teaching at Coco Juku, the interview process involved a sample lesson and a written test. Potential teachers would be asked questions like, “Please give an example of the present perfect tense” or “What is your greatest weakness?” Native English speakers with a degree and a TEFL certificate were preferred. The starting salary was around 250,000 Japanese yen per month. This was considered reasonable for the time. Coco Juku also covered daily transportation costs and enrolled their teachers in pension and health insurance programs. There was even a 1,000 yen bonus for signing up new students.
Conditions at Coco Juku varied between branches. Some reports indicated long hours, around eight hours per day, totaling 40 hours a week. Shifts could start as early as 7 a.m. and end as late as 10 p.m. While some branches taught children, many focused on adult learners. All Coco Juku employees, including foreign teachers, were required to join their in-house union. Some instructors also belonged to the General Union. This sometimes led to conflicts regarding labor practices and employee rights. Unfortunately, despite its initial growth and ambitious plans, Coco Juku’s success was short-lived. The company ceased operations on March 31, 2018. While its parent company continued to operate some Coco Juku Junior schools for children, these too eventually closed by March 31, 2020.