Japanese for Teens: Hobbies Around the City (Reading & Writing)

Japanese for Teens: Hobbies Around the City (Reading & Writing)
Wednesdays, Oct 8 – Dec 17, 5:00-6:00 PM ET (no class 11/26)
10 sessions

This fall, jump headfirst into the fundamentals of Japanese language and culture. Start learning to read and write simple kanji characters and learn the basics of Japanese grammar through practical examples drawn from everyday life.

Note: It is recommended that students enrolling in this class can already read hiragana and katakana.

Course content will cover Marugoto (Rikai) lessons 11 to 14, which includes:

• Talking about your hobbies
• Talking about your days off
• Planning to attend an event
• Traveling to a destination
• Saying how to get somewhere
• Explaining where you are

Grammar points and expressions:

• de and kara/made particles for location
• Frequency adverbs
• i- and na-adjectives
• verb stem + ni ikimasu
• ~masen ka / ~mashoo verb forms
• 〇〇 ga suki / dekimasu.
• 〇〇 ni norimasu / 〇〇 o orimasu.
• 〇〇 ga ii desu.
• 〇〇 de / ni 〇〇 ga arimasu. (Describing events)
• 〇〇 wa 〇〇 ni arimasu / imasu. (Describing locations)

Required Textbook: Marugoto Starter (A1): Rikai

About Japanese for Teens: Teens are invited to start their Japanese language learning journey with these online courses designed just for them! Students will practice the fundamentals of Japanese language and learn about Japanese culture with a group of like-minded peers. Using a variety of fun and engaging activities centered around topics drawn from daily life, they’ll develop practical listening, speaking, reading, writing and cultural skills to kick-start their Japanese language abilities! 

With two formats to choose from—Speaking & Listening or Reading & Writing—students can pick the way they want to learn. 

Speaking & Listening / Reading & Writing classes are both offered in 4 parts: they can be taken in any order and each part is separate and self-contained. 

Title (Reading & Writing)	Marugoto Starter (A1) Contents
Family, Favorite Things and Me	Lessons 1-6 (Topics 1-3)
Hobbies Around the City	Lessons 11-14 (Topics 6-7)
Shopping and Travel	Lessons 15-18 (Topics 8-9)
Home and Habits (offered in Spring 2026)	Lessons 7-10 (Topics 4-5)

Also Available: 
Family, Favorite Things & Me (Speaking & Listening)
Hobbies Around the City (Speaking & Listening)
Shopping & Travel (Speaking & Listening)

Tuition

$250 Nonmembers/$200 Japan Society members. Open to middle and high school students. Space is limited; advance registration required.

Registration

Registration is accepted online (preferred) or by phone at (212) 715-1206.

Members get 20% off! Become a member today.

Please register by Friday, October 3, if possible. Seats may not be available after this date; please check the website for registration availability or contact the office.

Registrants will receive a Welcome Email and Zoom link from [email protected] on Monday, October 6, 2025.

For more information, please email us at [email protected], or call (212) 715-1206.

Additional Information

Cancellation Policy: Cancellations are accepted until 12 pm ET on the business day before the course begins. After this deadline, cancellations are not accepted and tuition is not refundable for any reason. Upon cancellation, the tuition paid minus a $20 service charge will be refunded.

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 service charge).

By registering for a course, you accept and agree to the above terms of the cancellation policy.

We do not record these classes, and recording of these classes is prohibited.

These courses will be conducted online via Zoom. To participate fully, you will need access to a device with internet, microphone, and camera (such as a laptop, smartphone, or tablet). Further instructions will be provided before each course begins. Please note that all times listed are New York time (ET).

About the Instructor

Miho Kobayashi
Miho Kobayashi has over ten years of experience teaching Japanese to adults and K-12 students, including in dual-language immersion programs and after-school programs. She holds a BA in Psychology from the Showa Women’s University in Tokyo, Japan and has received a certificate for Advanced Skills of Teaching Japanese Language Courses.

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Japan Society School Partnerships are made possible by a generous grant from MetLife Foundation and supported by the SMBC Global Foundation, United States-Japan Foundation and MUFG Bank, Ltd.

Education and Family Programs are generously supported by an anonymous donor; an anonymous Family Foundation; Mitsubishi Corporation (Americas); ORIX Corporation USA; The Masako Mera and Koichi Mera, PhD Fund for Education and the Arts; The Norinchukin Foundation; an anonymous donor; Satoru and Hiroko Murase‡; Susan J. Onuma; and other Education and Family supporters.

Japan Society arts and culture 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, and in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.