Bringing Japanese Stories to the World, One Subtitle at a Time

Professional Japanese to English subtitle translator based in Yamagata, Japan.
Over 131 program hours of experience across TV, film, and digital platforms.

Japanese to English Subtitle Translator | Yamagata, Japan
Hi, I’m Kanako Takahashi — a bilingual translator specializing in Japanese to English subtitle translation for television, film, and online content. Based in Yamagata, I’ve subtitled over 131 program hours and transcribed more than 200 English-language videos.My Background
I trained at the Japan Visualmedia Translation Academy, where I studied both Japanese-to-English and English-to-Japanese media translation. This foundation enables me to translate audiovisual content accurately while preserving tone and intent.A Voice for Comedy and Culture
In addition to translation, I’m an amateur rakugo performer — a traditional Japanese comedic storyteller. This experience gives me a unique sensitivity to humor, rhythm, and cultural nuance, which is especially valuable when subtitling comedy and entertainment content.Types of Content I Work On
・TV dramas
・Comedy and variety shows
・Documentaries
・Feature films
・Academic lectures
・YouTube and streaming content
・Promotional videos
・CommercialsMy Approach
Subtitling is more than just translation — it’s storytelling. I take a thoughtful, audience-first approach to every project, ensuring the final product reads naturally while staying true to the source material. Every subtitle I write is crafted to support viewer understanding, emotional tone, and cultural authenticity.
(👉See experience)

Education

Japan Visualmedia Translation Academy
Completed 22 month Japanese to English Visualmedia Translation Course
Completed 12 month English to Japanese Visualmedia Translation CourseFellow Academy
Completed 6 month English to Japanese Media Translation
Master course in documentaryUniversity of Washington
One-year international exchange programAoyama Gakuin University
Bachelor of English Literature

certifications

JTF Certified Translator (JA to EN / Politics and Economics)
TOEIC 985
EIKEN Test in Practical English Proficiency Pre-1st grade

experience

Japanese to English Subtitle Translation
TV dramas, documentary shows, comedy shows, feature films,
university promotion videos, university seminars, YouTube videos,
business promotional videos, etc.CREDITED FILMS:
Trapped Balloon (2022)
Directed by Hiroyuki Miyagawa
RiverRun International Film Festival 2023 Re: Vision Independent Feature Competition
Winner: Best Narrative Feature
Winner: Best Screenplay
Winner: Best Cinematography
Winner: Best Performance in a Feature FilmPeople Who Talk to Plushies Are Kind (2023)
Directed by Yurina KanekoAlien's Daydream (2023)
Directed by Yoshiki MatsumotoThis Magic Moment (2023)
Directed by Lim Kah WaiWho Said Death Is Beautiful (2023)
Directed by Ryo NakajimaGold (2024)
Directed by Ryo ChitaNEORIGIN (2024)
Directed by Chen RanJapanese to English Script Translation for Voice-over
TV dramas.Japanese to English Translation
(Speed: 600 Japanese characters/hour)
English language school webpage, tourism association webpage,
tourist pamphlets, art festival pamphlets, film festival pamphlets, etc.Transcription (over 200 sources)
Corporate videos, music albums, interviews, comedy shows,
reality shows, award shows, car races, etc.English to Japanese Subtitle Translation
News programs, entertainment shows, documentary shows,
professional wrestling shows, documentary films, etc.Subtitle Translation (English subtitles to Japanese)
Hindi movie, Bommarillu (2006),
documentary films, etc.

Computer Environment

・Windows 10 Home (Word, Excel, Powerpoint)
・CANVASs NET SSTG1（with active dongle ）
・SDL Trados Studio 2022
・Subtitle Edit

Contact

Feel free to contact me with any questions or to request a free estimate.
If possible, please include the purpose, video length or character count,
deadline, and budget in your message.
* Required fields

Links