Fall Quarter 2026

Fall Quarter 2026

• For day, time, room, and TA information, see our PDF Schedule or the  Schedule Builder
• For all courses not described here, please refer to the General Catalog course descriptions: 

Lower Division

• JPN 001 Elementary Japanese, 14 Sections

• Do you want to travel to Japan, enjoy anime, explore Japanese culture, or prepare for future study or work in Japan? Start here with JPN 1!
  For students with no prior Japanese experience!
  You will learn how to
  • Introduce yourself and greet others
  • Talk about friends, family, and yourself
  • Go to stores and ask about prices
  • Order food at a restaurant
  • Describe daily routines and past activities
  • Talk about the location of people and things
  • Read and write Japanese writing systems: hiragana, katakana, and some kanji
  Why Take This Course?
  • Cultural topics integrated into language study
  • Fun, interactive learning environment
  • 14 sections available (8:00 AM – 3:00 PM)
  • In-person classes with some flexible online activities included (New!)
  • GE Credit: AH, OL, WC
   

  
• JPN 004 Intermediate Japanese, 4 Sections

• Course Description: Intermediate-level training in spoken and written Japanese in cultural context, based on language skills developed in JPN 003.
  Prerequisite(s): JPN 003 C- or better; or the equivalent language proficiency.

• JPN 025 Japanese Language & Culture (in English) | Nobuko Koyama
• Classification and communication of experience in Japanese culture; principles of language use in Japanese society. Speech levels and honorific language, language and gender, minority languages, literacy. Role of Japanese in artificial intelligence and computer science.

Upper Division

• JPN 101 Japanese Literature in Translation: The Early Period | David Gundry
• Course Description: Study of early Japanese literature from the Nara to the end of the Heian period through a broad survey of the major literary genres such as lyric poetry, court diaries, prose narratives, poem-tales, and classical Chinese writings.
• JPN 111 Modern Japanese: Reading & Discussion

• Course Description: Readings in modern Japanese short stories, newspaper articles, and essays; conversation practice based on these readings.  Prerequisite(s): JPN 006 C- or better; or the equivalent language proficiency

  Section 1: Moeko Watanabe
  Section 2: Miyo Uchida

• JPN 121 Advanced Japanese I | Nobuko Koyama

• Course Description: First of three courses in a series of fourth-year Advanced Japanese which focuses on the levels of formality or politeness in conversation as well as socio-cultural aspects and topics in Japanese society.
  Prerequisite(s): JPN 113 C- or better; or consent of instructor.

• JPN 136 Readings in Japanese Newspapers | David Gundry

• Course Description: Fourth-year level reading of newspaper articles and other journalism in Japanese on a wide variety of subjects.
  Prerequisite(s): JPN 113; or equivalent language proficiency, or consent of instructor.

• JPN 153 Love, Sexuality & the Family in Modern Japanese Literature | Michiko Suzuki
• Love and sexuality in their various forms have been a central topic for exploration by writers of modern and contemporary Japanese literature from the late 19th century to the present. While such concepts reflect universal human experiences, they are also rooted in specific historical and cultural contexts. The family as a social, cultural and legal institution profoundly informs literary examinations of love and sexuality, including issues of normativity and deviance, love within and outside of family ties, different forms of marriage/divorce, gender roles, and the struggle between the family and the individual. By examining texts written over a hundred-year period, we will gain a deeper understanding of literary narratives through their engagement with the evolving institution of family and with changing ideas of love and sexuality. We will focus mainly on novels and short stories, but also read several secondary articles on literary criticism, history, religion and sociology. GE: AH, WC, WE
• JPN 155 Intro to Japanese Folklore | Michael Foster
• Course Description: Focus on narrative genres of myth, legend, and folktale, with additional attention paid to festivals, folk art, belief systems, and the development of folklore studies (minzokugaku) as an academic discipline. Examination of the relationship of folklore to ethnic and national identity.
• JPN 160 Japanese Food Culture | Michael Foster
• Course Description: Study of Japanese food and the culture of eating and drinking in Japan. Attention to symbolism, historical development, aesthetics, identity and global contexts. Materials examined include critical sources as well as literary texts, art, and films.