Koh Hirano

Koh Hirano attended the Tokyo University of Foreign Studies before her departure from the program. She was also a research fellow at Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service. Hirano currently engages in several part-time opportunities, including prep school instructor, translator, and caregiver.

Updated July 2024

Stories from This Author

11th Annual Imagine Little Tokyo Short Story Contest

Am I a Stranger or a Foreigner?

July 1, 2024 • Koh Hirano

It has been about 20 years since people in Japan became familiar with American Major League Baseball. One after another, Japanese professional baseball players flew out of Narita Airport to play for teams based in stadiums near Los Angeles. When the players were asked to say a greeting in English during a press conference at Narita, they smiled shyly and used grammar at the level of a junior high school student in Japan, and were met with praise. Their performances …