Course Information
During this 5-week session, the Language Center offers select levels of the core curriculum of Japanese Courses (the full range of 13 levels is offered in the 10-week session).
If you are unsure of which level is right for you, please take a look at the Level Guide (Numbered Levels).
For once-a-week classes or the full range of levels, see the Late Spring Conversational Japanese courses or the upcoming 10-week session.
These courses are designed for adults aged 18 and above.
For a printer friendly version of these courses, please click here: 2025 Late Spring Japanese Courses (PDF).
Select a level to learn more.
Courses are listed by increasing difficulty/level. Please note that the letter designates a different time/date, but all sections of a level cover the same material (e.g., 1-A and 1-B cover the same material).
Level 1 | Level 2 | Review: Genki I | Review: Genki II
For tuition & registration, additional information, and textbooks & instructors, please see further down after the course list.
Please note that some courses are online via Zoom, and others are in-person at Japan Society in NYC. All times listed are New York time (ET).
ONLINE COURSES: To participate fully, you will need access to a device with internet, microphone, and camera (such as a laptop, smartphone, or tablet).
IN-PERSON COURSES: In the event of inclement weather or other circumstances, a class may need to be conducted online or on another date. By signing up for a course, you assume this risk and understand that circumstances may change. Please see full details under “How to Register.”
Course Descriptions
Japanese 1-A
ONLINE·9 classes·Kaoru Shinohara
Japanese Level 1 Description (All sections)
(for beginning students with no previous background in Japanese)
The course is designed to introduce elementary Japanese to students with no previous background in the language. Basic vocabulary, grammar and sentence structures will be taught in romaji (Japanese written phonetically in the Roman alphabet) so students can carry on a simple conversation. Hiragana and some introductory kanji will be introduced.
Students will be introduced to the following:- X wa Y desu.
- Question sentences
- This/that/which
- Here/there/over there/where
- Verb conjugation (present tense)
- Sentence particles
Required Textbook: Genki I, 3rd Edition (Ch. 1, 2 & 3)Japanese 1-B
Tuesdays & Thursdays, April 15-May 13, 6:30 – 8:30 pm ETONLINE·9 classes·Mari Nakamura
All Level 1 courses cover the same material. For course description, see Level 1-A above.Japanese 1-C
Tuesdays & Thursdays, April 15-May 13, 12 – 2 pm ETONLINE·9 classes·Nagi Fujie
All Level 1 courses cover the same material. For course description, see Level 1-A above.Japanese 1-D
Mondays & Wednesdays, April 14-May 12, 6 – 8 pm ETIN-PERSON·9 classes·Yumiko Kakutani
All Level 1 courses cover the same material. For course description, see Level 1-A above.Japanese 1-E
Tuesdays & Thursdays, April 15-May 13, 6 – 8 pm ETIN-PERSON·9 classes·Yukie Yamaguchi
All Level 1 courses cover the same material. For course description, see Level 1-A above.Japanese 1-F
Mondays & Wednesdays, April 14-May 12, 12 – 2 pm ETIN-PERSON·9 classes·Momoyo Kitaura
All Level 1 courses cover the same material. For course description, see Level 1-A above.Japanese 2-A
ONLINE·9 classes·Kana Toda
Japanese Level 2 Description (All sections)
(Prerequisite: Japanese 1 or equivalent; most importantly, students must understand how to use the particles wa, o, de, ni, and e, and be able to make sentences such as, “I eat a sandwich at a restaurant at 1 o’clock.” For a full list of grammar patterns covered in Level 1, see Level Guide (Numbered Levels). Recognition of hiragana is also expected.)
Students will continue to develop their beginners’ level language skills in basic Japanese as they begin to apply the past tense and are introduced to new words, grammar, and expressions. Recognition of hiragana is expected as less romaji will be used. Katakana and a few more kanji will be introduced.
Students will be introduced to the following:- X ga arimasu/imasu.
- Location description
- Adjectives (present and past tense)
- Suki (na)/ Kirai (na)
- shimashou ka
Required Text: Genki I, 3rd Edition (Ch. 4 & 5)Japanese 2-B
Tuesdays & Thursdays, April 15-May 13, 6:30 – 8:30 pm ETONLINE·9 classes·Yumi Mori
All Level 2 courses cover the same material. For course description, see Level 2-A above.Review: Genki I
ONLINE·9 classes·Kazue Kurahara
Review: Genki I Description
(Prerequisite: Japanese 5, or equivalent.)
This course is designed for students who have completed Level 5, but feel the need to review the content of the Genki I textbook before moving up to Level 6. The course focuses on reviewing the grammar points and increasing vocabulary so that students gain more confidence in speaking Japanese with an accurate command of grammar. Special focus will be placed on: verb conjugation, adjective conjugation, te-form/ta-form, and nai-form. Also, common mistakes in the use of particles (は、が、を、に、で、と) and expressions such as これ/この、どの/どんな、なに/なん will be addressed. Upon completion of this course, students will be able to speak Japanese more comfortably with a refreshed grasp of grammar.
The Genki I textbook content will be referenced, but no textbook is required.Review: Genki II
ONLINE·9 classes·Atsuko Shio
Review: Genki II Description (All sections)
(Prerequisite: Japanese 9, or equivalent.)
There are certain grammar points that many intermediate-level students struggle with. This course offers a guided review on these notorious grammar points, including Causative-Passive, Transitive vs. Intransitive verbs, and Keigo. Students will be invited to dive into the mechanism as well as the psychology behind these grammar points through drills and speaking practice. This class will help to scatter away clouds of confusion students may have had for a long time. It will serve as a confidence booster on key grammar.
This class will reinforce students’ understanding and usage of grammar points including:- Particles
- Transitive vs. Intransitive
- Conditional: 〜たら、〜と、〜ば、〜なら
- Doing a favor: 〜てあげる、〜てもらう、〜てくれる
- Passive & Causative-Passive
- Noun modifiers
- Conjecture: 〜だろう、〜かも知れない、〜らしい、〜ようだ、〜はずだ、〜みたいだ
- Honorifics: 尊敬語、謙譲語
- Review, Q&A
The Genki II textbook content will be referenced, but no textbook is required.
Tuition
Non-members: $360
Japan Society members: $310
Inclusive of fees, where applicable. Inclusive of a nonrefundable administrative fee (see cancellation policy).
A textbook may be required as a separate purchase dependent on your course (please see course details or textbook information below).
Japan Society Members: please log in to see the member price. To learn more about Japan Society Membership, please visit the Membership page.
How to Register
Classes fill up quickly! We recommend registering as soon as possible to secure your first choice.
Please register by Thursday, April 10, if possible. Seats may not be available after this date; please check the website for registration availability or contact the office.
New students with no previous background in Japanese should enroll in a Level 1 course. Students with some background should refer to the Level Guide (Numbered Levels) or course textbooks to determine the most appropriate class. (The Level Guide can also be found on the Language Center homepage.) There is no placement exam. If you are still not sure of your level, it may be possible to schedule a level assessment by phone with the Senior Director. Please email [email protected] to schedule.
Registration is accepted online (preferred), by phone at (212) 715-1269 or (212) 715-1293, or in-person (please inquire for hours).
Registrants will receive a Welcome Email (including the Zoom link for online courses) from [email protected] on:
- the afternoon of Thursday, April 10, 2025 (for classes beginning on Monday, April 14)
- the afternoon of Friday, April 11, 2025 (for classes beginning on Tuesday, April 15)
For more information, please email us at [email protected], or call (212) 715-1269 or (212) 715-1293.
Participation & Attendance
Our classes are structured to be interactive and participatory, and you will get the most out of your classes if you can participate fully whenever possible (for online classes, by both microphone and video). We hope you will participate to whatever degree that you can, even when full engagement is not possible. Please communicate with your instructor about any needs/changes to your attendance and degree of participation (mic/video use ability for online classes, missing class, etc.).
Please follow your course schedule as much as possible. If you miss a class, please study any material you missed on your own so that you do not fall behind in the course. Regular practice is important when learning a new language.
In addition, if you will miss a class, it may also be possible to arrange a make-up class in a different online or in-person section in the same session (e.g., within the same 10-week session, 5-week session, weekend intensive, etc.). Ideally, this should be scheduled for the same material/class as your missed class, but please note that options may be limited. When possible, please reach out to schedule these in advance as slots are first come, first served. Due to limited availability of make-up slots, and wanting to accommodate as many student’s requests as possible, please try to limit make-up class requests to at most 3 per session per 9- or 10-class course. If you anticipate wanting to schedule more than 3 make-up classes, please reach out to us. More information on how to schedule a make-up class will be provided in the Welcome Email.
Cancellation Policy
UPDATE! Cancellation Policy: Cancellations are accepted until 12 pm ET, TWO business days before the course begins. The Language Center’s business days are Monday – Friday, except for most federal holidays. After this deadline, cancellations are not accepted and tuition is not refundable or transferable for any reason (including for credit). Upon cancellation, the tuition paid minus the nonrefundable administrative fee will be refunded. Fees are as follows: $35 for 9-/10-class courses, $20 for 5-class courses, and $60 for 20-class courses.
Cancellation requests can be made either by phone or email, but they must be received by the office by the cancellation deadline. Otherwise, cancellation requests will not be fulfilled.
Japan Society also reserves the right to cancel any course or workshop if sufficient enrollment is not obtained. In such cases, students already enrolled will receive full refunds (no administrative fee).
By registering for a course, you accept and agree to the above terms of the cancellation policy.
Course Policies
While we try to provide as much consistency as possible, there may be occasions when adjustments to class schedule, instructor, or location are necessary. The Language Center reserves the right to make these changes as needed. (Reasons for changes may include inclement weather, emergency situations, or instructor illness.) In the case of a change, we will do our best to create an alternate means for keeping classes running, which may include switching an in-person class to online over Zoom.
We do not record these classes, and recording of these classes is prohibited. If a student misses a class, it may be possible to arrange a make-up class in the same 10-week or 5-week session, if available. More information will be provided in the Welcome Email.
If you need to switch to a different level or section after your course has begun, it may be possible pending availability and is only possible within the same session (e.g., within the same 10-week session, 5-week session, weekend intensive, etc.). Please contact the office.
Required Textbooks
Please do your best to have your textbook by the first day of the course.
The following textbooks are required. A limited supply of textbooks is available for purchase at the Language Center on select days, as well as on the first day of in-person courses. Please contact the office in advance to arrange purchase and pick-up times if picking up before the first day of an in-person course.
You may also purchase your book in advance from an outside vendor. Either a digital or print textbook is fine.
Level 1 and 2 Students:
GENKI I (An Integrated Course in Elementary Japanese) (3rd Edition)
published by The Japan Times | ISBN: 978-4789017305
Price at Japan Society: $45
We strongly recommend purchasing the 3rd Edition. Please note that the 2nd Edition has some differences, including page numbers, examples, etc., and is not recommended for this reason.
Instructors
Japan Society’s 120th anniversary initiatives and related programs are generously supported by Champion Sponsor, MUFG Bank, Ltd.

Japan Society programs are supported by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

Support for Japan Society’s Language Center is provided, in part, by Mark F. Goldfield and Mary E. Hatch, Christopher Hong, Steven Giordano, and Dr. Bic Kanayjorn.