Japanese

This course explores the poetic techniques of classical Japanese literature, especially waka poetry, where expressions of natural beauty across the four seasons are often closely linked with human emotions such as love. Through reading and interpreting classical texts centered on waka, including the Kokin Wakashū, Hyakunin Isshu, and Uta Nikki, the class gains insight into these literary traditions.

The course begins with the fundamentals of classical literature, so no prior knowledge is required.

This lecture course traces the history of cinema from its inception to the present day, while examining its characteristics as a “new yet old” medium. By comparing film with “older” media that existed before its birth and “newer” media that have emerged since, we will explore the evolving nature of cinema. The course also pays close attention to how advancements in media technology related to film have transformed the modes of exhibition and distribution. 

In the spring semester, the course focuses on the period from the dawn of silent cinema to the emergence of talkies and the eventual establishment of what is commonly known as “classical Hollywood cinema.” However, the course does not strictly adhere to chronological divisions; rather, it examines several key themes, exploring how they have been represented and how they have changed over time in cinematic history. 

This course is designed for students with no prior kanji background. It builds foundational kanji knowledge up to the JLPT N3 level. By the end of the course, students will be able to read and reproduce approximately 500 kanji characters and 1,000 kanji-based vocabulary words.

By reading texts written with intermediate-level grammar and vocabulary, the class presents opportunities to understand the theme and main idea of a text; to quickly locate necessary information within the text; to consider the logical flow of the content, and comprehend the author's argument.

The course provides opportunities to improve one's reading and writing skills by focusing on a variety of patterns of simple and compound sentences, while improving clarity and cohesion in writing sentences.

This course is designed to teach vocabulary and expressions in beginner level Japanese (CEFR, A2 level) for daily communication. The course covers reading and writing, but focuses on improving oral communication skills.

This course provides students the opportunity to practice vocabulary and grammar at the JLPT N1–2 level, while reading and understanding texts related to Japanese society and specialized fields. The class also covers academic writing formats to enhance logical thinking; writes essays on textbook topics, and engages in presentations and discussions.

This course provides pratice in reading and understanding current materials such as newspaper articles and online news related to Japanese society and specialized fields of interest. The course provides students an opportunity to enhance their logical thinking and write approximately 4,000 characters on social issues in Japan of interest to them.

This course teaches the basics of programming as part of the field of informatics. Programming is used in many areas today, such as software development, automation, and data analysis, so understanding its fundamentals is very important. This course discusses algorithms, data structures, and control flow, and provides opportunities to practice coding, debugging, and basic software design. The course aims to build a solid foundation in programming that supports future learning and career growth.

This course provides the opportunity for students to experience cultural interactions and conflicts in Japanese society, especially in universities, and simulate how to respond to them.  The class then reads and discusses examples of Japanese society and culture then responds to a social issue through a written essay.