Japanese

This course provides an overview of the basic themes essential to properly interpret Japanese classical literature. Understanding Japanese classical literature requires multiple perspectives, including various aspects of society, politics, religion, environment, education, architecture, lifestyle, fine arts, and performing arts. The course instructs on literary works (both poetry and prose) dating from the Nara period to the Kamakura period, but the focus is on the Heian period. This course expects to enable students to rediscover the pleasure of reading classical literary works.
 

This course is part of the "Japanese as a Foreign Language Program." It provides an opportunity to learn reading, writing, and usage of vocabulary and kanji in the latter half of intermediate-level Japanese. The course includes lectures on reading, writing, vocabulary usage, research, as well as individual and group presentations. There will be weekly check assignments on vocabulary and kanji. Prerequisite: “J4: JAPANESE” or equivalent.

This course requires two years of prior Japanese language study. The course explores Japanese with the goal of improving comprehensive skills toward advanced level. Students examine various themes such as proper grammatical structures, kanji, vocabulary, and situations described through readings. Through discussion and presentation about various themes, students develop a proficiency that enables them to communicate with native speakers actively on common daily topics. 

An exploratory culture course, Japanese Culture B is offered for foreign students to learn about and share insights into various aspects of living in Japan. The course comprises three basic approaches: discussion of certain cultural aspects of the country; reading literature, and fieldwork at places of cultural significance. Those who took Japanese Culture A in the fall semester should take Japanese Culture B in the spring semester since they make a pair. Culture B and D courses overlap in part due to the nature of certain special events taking place during the semester.

The goal of the course is to provide students a new perspective of Japanese culture by examining the interconnection of various elements, including the history and culture of Tohoku Region; rebuilding effort from the 2011 earthquake and tsunami, and certain ways people have expressed themselves on different occasions. 

The course comprises of lectures and discussions accompanied by fieldwork opportunities. Twelve years after the 2011 earthquake and tsunami, disaster prevention and mitigation has come to hold an important place in the culture of this nation. The Japanese Culture class has been contributing to this cause since soon after the 2011 event and will continue to do so during this semester as well, albeit in a small way.

<Level V>
Target Students: Those who have partially completed intermediate level studies.
Course Goals: To develop understanding and command of the 200 important intermediate sentence patterns for further improvement of the four skills of reading, listening, speaking, and writing. To master the 6,000 basic words and 1,000 to 1,200 basic Chinese characters.

<General 1-5>
Goal: To develop balanced, intermediate-level proficiency in reading, listening, speaking, and writing.
Contents: Learning the 100 important intermediate sentence patterns and vocabulary and improving reading comprehension with an upper intermediate level textbook. Developing command of intermediate Japanese through short sentence composition exercises. Mastering the points learned at the intermediate level to proceed to the advanced level smoothly. Increasing vocabulary by learning both the words introduced in the textbook as well as additional related words.
Improving the four skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing by understanding the textbook and exchanging opinions on it.

This class is designed for students with no prior knowledge of Chinese characters and wish to start learning kanji and/or to establish solid foundation for learning kanji. The class covers kanji components, how to use and write kanji, and basic kanji words. At the completion of the course, students will be able to comprehend basic kanji in context. 

This course is for students who have basic knowledge of Japanese and Kanji (traditional /simplified characters).  Students learn about the characteristics of Japanese Kanji while using the knowledge of Kanji they already have. The course aims for students to be able to read elementary to intermediate level of Japanese Kanji and to be able to distinguish between Japanese kanji and traditional / simplified characters.

This course centers around literary translation workshops in which students will be asked to provide constructive feedback to peer work as well as take turns facilitating the workshops.

By the end of the course, students will have produced:
1) a dozen or so translations of selected excerpts (approx. 400 words) from reading assignments (short stories, essays, etc.):
2) written responses to a number of reading assignments:

Given the workload, emphasis on attendance/participation, and class format, this advanced course is recommended for students who:
1) have previously taken writing and/or literature courses at the university level;
2) are capable of handling reading assignments of significant length in English and Japanese;
3) enjoy actively participating in and leading group work and class discussions;
4) are able to work in an organized manner (including submitting weekly assignments beforehand online)

English will be the primary language of instruction/communication in the classroom. However, students will be expected to be able to handle literary texts in both English and Japanese.

Is Classical Literature foolish?

Not at all. Love for others is the same today as it was in the past, in the East and in the West. The feeling of cherishing one’s family and friends is the same as the feeling of being moved by the beauty of nature in all four seasons. This course introduces the joys, sorrows, and impressions of the people of the past, while imagining the minds of the ancients, and incorporating classic literary works such as waka poems, stories, and essays. This course also confirms that that spirit has not changed, by introducing appropriate contemporary songs.　

<Level V>
Target Students: Those who have partially completed intermediate level studies.
Course Goals: To develop understanding and command of the 200 important intermediate sentence patterns for further improvement of the four skills of reading, listening, speaking, and writing. To master the 6,000 basic words and 1,000 to 1,200 basic Chinese characters.

<Reading Comprehension A>
Goal: To understand slightly complex passages and sentence structures.
Contents: Reading of upper intermediate level passages on current topics, such as newspaper articles.