Course Information
These Conversational Japanese courses are structured to supplement our core curriculum Japanese Courses (Levels 1-13) of the 10-week session. Courses are conversation-intensive, with the aim of strengthening the student’s ability to communicate effectively. The course materials emphasize vocabulary and grammar that are useful in everyday activities. Using the Marugoto textbooks, the priority is to practice language used in real-life situations, and grammar is taught through meaningful context rather than targeted study. At the more advanced levels, these courses utilize authentic materials to engage students in more fluid discussion and dialogue.
Students with no previous background in Japanese should complete core curriculum Level 1 before enrolling in a Conversational course. If you have previous background in Japanese and are unsure of which Conversational level is right for you, please take a look at the sample materials for each class linked in the course descriptions, or the Level Guide (Conversational Levels).
More course options at all levels will be offered in 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 Conversational 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., Conv1, Section A and Conv1, Section B cover the same material).
Conversation 1 | Conversation 2 | Conversation 3-4 | Conversation 5-6
Conversation 7-9 | Conversation 10 | Conversation 11-12
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
Conv 1, Section A
ONLINE·5 classes·Yumi Mori
Conversation 1 (Conv 1) Description (All sections)
For students who have finished Level 1 of our Japanese Courses, 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.
Elementary social/situational conversation skills will be introduced.
This course covers the first portion of the textbook (Topics 1-6).
Required Textbook: Marugoto Japanese Language and Culture, Starter (A1) Katsudoo. See Table of Contents and Sample.Conv 1, Section B
Wednesdays, April 16-May 14, 12 – 2 pm ETONLINE·5 Classes·Atsuko Shio
All Conv 1 courses cover the same material. For course description, see Conv 1, Section A above.Conv 1, Section C
Mondays, April 14-May 12, 6 – 8 pm ETIN-PERSON·5 Classes·Mana Kobuchi
All Conv 1 courses cover the same material. For course description, see Conv 1, Section A above.
Conv 1, Section C CLASS FULL; to be added to the waitlist, please email [email protected] or call 212-715-1269.Conv 1, Section D
Tuesdays, April 15-May 13, 12 – 2 pm ETIN-PERSON·5 Classes·Kaori Murata
All Conv 1 courses cover the same material. For course description, see Conv 1, Section A above. Conv 1, Section D CLASS CANCELLED.Conv 2, Section A
ONLINE·5 classes·Atsuko Shio
Conversation 2 (Conv 2) Description
For students who have finished Level 2 of our Japanese Courses, or equivalent.
Students will learn more social/situational conversation skills.
This course covers the second portion of the textbook (Topics 7-9).
Required Textbook: Marugoto Japanese Language and Culture, Starter (A1) Katsudoo. See Table of Contents and Sample
Conv 2, Section A CLASS FULL; to be added to the waitlist, please email [email protected] or call 212-715-1269.Conv 2, Section B
Mondays, April 14-May 12, 12 – 2 pm ETONLINE·5 Classes·Naoko Date
All Conv 2 courses cover the same material. For course description, see Conv 2, Section A above.Conv 2, Section C
Tuesdays, April 15-May 13, 6-8 pm ETIN-PERSON·5 Classes·Kaori Murata
All Conv 2 courses cover the same material. For course description, see Conv 2, Section A above.
Conv 2, Section C CLASS FULL; to be added to the waitlist, please email [email protected] or call 212-715-1269.Conv 3-4, Section A
ONLINE·9 classes·Kaoru Shinohara
Conversation 3-4 (Conv 3-4) Description (All sections)
For students who have finished Level 3 or 4 of our Japanese Courses, or equivalent, and feel confident with Level 3 content/grammar. This class will be a nice challenge for the student who has just finished Level 3, and more comfortable for those who have finished Level 4. If you are not confident in Level 3 patterns, Conv 2 may be a better conversational course for you.
The course will focus on skills needed to survive in Japan. Frequently used expressions will be practiced in context.
The course is taught in two parts (odd lessons and even lessons); the even lessons of the textbook will be covered this Late Spring.
Required Textbook: Marugoto Japanese Language and Culture, Elementary 1 (A2) Katsudoo. See Table of Contents and Sample.
Conv3-4 , Section A CLASS FULL; to be added to the waitlist, please email [email protected] or call 212-715-1269.Conv 5-6, Section A
ONLINE·9 classes·Momoyo Kitaura
Conversation 5-6 (Conv 5-6) Description
For students who have finished Level 5 or 6 of our Japanese Courses, or equivalent, and feel confident with Level 5 content/grammar. This class will be a nice challenge for the student who has just finished Level 5, and more comfortable for those who have finished Level 6. If you are not confident in Level 5 patterns, Conv 3-4 may be a better conversational course for you.
The course will focus on strengthening speaking skills by having students engage in various exercises.
The course is taught in two parts (odd lessons and even lessons); the even lessons of the textbook will be covered this Late Spring.
Required Textbook: Marugoto Japanese Language and Culture, Elementary 2 (A2) Katsudoo. See Table of Contents and Sample.Conv 5-6, Section B
Mondays & Wednesdays, April 14-May 12, 6 – 8 pm ETIN-PERSON·9 classes·Momoyo Kitaura
All Conv 5-6 courses cover the same material. For course description, see Conv 5-6, Section A above.Conv 7-9, Section A
ONLINE·9 classes·Yumiko Kakutani
Conversation 7-9 (Conv 7-9) Description
For students who have finished Level 7, 8 or 9 of our Japanese Courses, or equivalent, and feel confident with Level 7 content/grammar. This class will be a nice challenge for the student who has just finished Level 7, and more comfortable for those who have finished Level 8 or 9. If you are not confident in Level 7 patterns, Conv 5-6 may be a better conversational course for you.
The course will focus on activities in various situations and language structures (e.g. sentence patterns) which support communication.
The course is taught in two parts (odd lessons and even lessons); the even lessons of the textbook will be covered this Late Spring.
Required Textbook: Marugoto Japanese Language and Culture, Pre-Intermediate A2/B1. See Table of Contents and Sample.Conv 10, Section A
ONLINE·9 classes·Kazue Kurahara
Conversation 10 (Conv 10) Description (All sections)
Recommended for students who have taken at least one Level 10 course of our Japanese Courses, or equivalent, and feel confident with some of the Level 10 content/grammar. This class will be a nice challenge for the student who is just starting the Level 10 progression, and more comfortable for those who have finished several parts of Level 10. Otherwise, Conv 7-9 may be a better conversational course for you.
The course will emphasize role-playing by the students in different social and business situations. The focus will be on maintaining a conversation and learning and using situational vocabulary.
The course is taught in two parts, first and second half. The first half will be covered this Late Spring.
No textbook required. See Sample here.Conv 11-12, Section A
IN-PERSON·5 classes·Mana Kobuchi
Conversation 11-12 (Conv 11-12) Description (All sections)
For students who have finished at least one course of Level 11 (and are conversationally fluent at that level) of our Japanese Courses or higher. If you are not confident in Level 11, Conv 10 may be a better conversational course for you.
Students will study and discuss various Japanese cultural topics, including social media. New vocabulary and expressions will be introduced. The course is repeatable and will cover different content every 5-week session.
No textbook required. Sample coming soon.
Tuition
5-Class Courses
Non-members: $200
Japan Society members: $175
9-Class Courses
Non-members: $360
Japan Society members: $310
Inclusive of fees, where applicable, including 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 (see Late Spring or Summer Japanese Level 1). Students with some background should refer to the Level Guide (Conversational 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)
- the afternoon of Monday, April 14, 2025 (for classes beginning on Wednesday, April 16)
- the afternoon of Tuesday, April 15, 2025 (for classes beginning on Thursday, April 17)
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.
Conv 1 and Conv 2 Students:
Marugoto Japanese Language and Culture, Starter (A1) Katsudoo
published by Japan Foundation | ISBN: 978-4-384-05752-2
Price at Japan Society: $22
Conv 3-4 Students:
Marugoto Japanese Language and Culture, Elementary 1 (A2) Katsudoo
published by Japan Foundation | ISBN: 978-4-384-05754-6
Price at Japan Society: $27
Conv 5-6 Students:
Marugoto Japanese Language and Culture, Elementary 2 (A2) Katsudoo
published by Japan Foundation | ISBN: 978-4-384-05756-0
Price at Japan Society: $27
Conv 7-9 Students:
Marugoto Japanese Language and Culture, Pre-Intermediate (A2/B1)
published by Japan Foundation | ISBN: 978-4-384-05758-4
Price at Japan Society: $30
C 10 and C 11-12 Students: No required textbook.
Instructors
Naoko Date
Naoko Date holds a BA in English language from Kyoto University of Foreign Studies. Since 2016…
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Yumiko Kakutani
Yumiko Kakutani has a BA in French Literature from Keio University in Tokyo and is a graduate of Japan Society’s Teacher Training Program…
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Momoyo Kitaura
Momoyo Kitaura has a BA from Tokyo Woman’s Christian University. She has been a certified Oral Proficiency…
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Mana Kobuchi
Mana Kobuchi grew up in Fukuoka City and began her Japanese teaching career in Tokyo. Later she moved..
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Kazue Kurahara
Kazue Kurahara received her BA at Hunter College and an MA in TESOL and Teaching Japanese as a Foreign Language from New York University…
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Yumi Mori
Yumi Mori holds a BA in Law from Sophia University in Tokyo. She is a graduate of Japan Society’s Teacher Training Program…
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Kaori Murata
Kaori Murata received her BA in Linguistics from the University of Tsukuba and MA degree from New York University…
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Nobuko Ochiai
Nobuko Ochiai holds a BA in Japanese Literature from Sophia University and is a graduate of Japan Society’s Teacher Training Program.
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Kaoru Shinohara
Kaoru Shinohara holds a BA in Literature from Waseda University and a BA from Soka University through their Japanese Language…
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Atsuko Shio
Atsuko Shio has a BS in Pharmaceutical Sciences from Hoshi University in Tokyo. She has over 12 years of experience…
Learn MoreJapan 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.