Where do you want to go when you visit Japan: Mount Fuji in Shizuoka, Kyoto Imperial Palace, or Ghibli Museum in Tokyo? What would you like to eat there? Do you want to eat sushi, tonkatsu, ramen, or pizza that is topped with corn, tuna, and mayonnaise? Do you want to see traditional performing arts like Noh and Kabuki? Or would you like to see current pop groups like Arashi and AKB48? Japan is an interesting place where tradition and modernity beneficially influence. For example, the styles and techniques of woodblock prints from the Edo period (1603-1868) were passed down to manga in the 21st century.

In this introductory level course, students will learn and examine uniqueness of Japanese regions and how traditional and modern culture coexist in the regions while they practice and build their linguistic skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) in Japanese. Students will also perform various situations to demonstrate their understanding of Japanese language and culture. Japanese writing systems – Hiragana, Katakana, and Kanji – will be introduced. Introductory level.

Corequisites: attendance at two Language Series events.