For Naoko Hidaka , language is more than words. Language is the bridge between people, cultures, and identities. Born in Tokyo but raised in Europe, Hidaka grew up incredibly internationally oriented, which would later come to shape her life’s work—although she never imagined herself in front of a classroom before. Although she once described herself as a “not so academic person,” Hidaka is now a renowned teacher for foreign students in Tokyo, guiding students from all over t