The Japanese program offers four years of instruction in language, literature and culture. Students may major or minor in Japanese. We offer three different tracks of study to declaring Japanese as a major: one-language (Japanese) track; two-language (Japanese and another MLL language) track; and the interdisciplinary (Japanese and another discipline) track.
Intensive Introductory Japanese
Students in our yearlong course for beginners meet four and a half hours a week with the professor and three hours a week with an apprentice teacher (AT) for practice sessions. The ATs are fellow undergraduate students who are either native speakers or advanced students of Japanese. This course introduces basic modern standard Japanese and provides students with language skills through intensive practice and with knowledge of various aspects of the Japanese culture.
Intermediate Japanese
Students in the yearlong intermediate Japanese course meet with the professor for three hours a week and an AT for two hours per week. In this course, students continue to build a solid foundation in the Japanese language while engaging with Japanese culture and developing communication skills in Japanese.
Advanced Courses
There are two types of advanced Japanese courses: "Advanced Japanese Language and Culture" (JAPN 321) and "Japanese Culture and Society" (JAPN 322) focus on language proficiency while also introducing concepts essential for understanding Japanese culture and society. We also offer theme-based courses such as "From Old Tales to Pop Culture" (JAPN 351) and "Gender, Work, Education in Japan" (JAPN 391), in which students study authentic materials in Japanese language and participate in discussion, presentation, and research on related topics.
Courses in English
In addition, our program offers a general course in English on Japanese literature and culture every year. Some examples include "Japanese Visual Culture" (JAPN 251), "Spirits, Ghosts, Monsters" (JAPN 252), and “China” in Japanese Literature" (JAPN 191). These courses have no prerequisite and no prior knowledge of Japan or Japanese language is required. Because they are taught in English, these courses do not fulfill Kenyon’s second language proficiency requirement, but they count toward Japanese major and minor, and the Asian and Middle East Studies joint major and concentration.
Events
Our program also organizes various events, which are open to all students. Some examples include Japanese tea ceremony demonstration, Hiroshima atomic bombing survivor talk, and annual Japanese culture field trip to Columbus or Cleveland. We also have weekly Japanese table and extensive reading club, and all levels are welcome.
After Kenyon
Graduates of our program have used their Japanese studies to forge rewarding careers in teaching, government, finance, art, international relations, and other fields. Some pursue further studies in graduate schools in the U.S. and Japan.
Recent Courses
This is a sample list of recent and upcoming courses.
This two-part course is designed for students who are beginning the study of Japanese. This course introduces basic Modern Standard Japanese and provides students with language skills through intensive practice and with knowledge of various aspects of the Japanese culture. Students will also learn three types of Japanese orthography: hiragana, katakana and approximately 70 kanji. This course includes required practice sessions with an apprentice teacher (AT), which will be scheduled at the beginning of the semester.
This two-part course continues building a solid foundation in the Japanese language while developing communication skills in Japanese. Students will also learn approximately 100 kanji. Coursework involves extensive assignments for speaking, listening, writing and reading, which will include materials about Japanese culture written in Japanese. This course includes required practice sessions with an apprentice teacher (AT), which will be scheduled at the beginning of the semester.
This course explores the emergence of and transitions in the visual culture of Japan. It not only covers manga, anime and contemporary films, but also traces back to premodern times, examining illustrated handscrolls, picture books and various forms of performing arts. Students will gain a more comprehensive and deeper understanding of Japanese visual culture while developing skills in close reading, analytical thinking, discussion, presentation and writing. The course is conducted in English, and no prior knowledge of Japan or Japanese language is required.
Japan has been fascinated with supernatural creatures for more than a millennium. Spirits, ghosts and monsters frequently appear in Japanese literature and art, and they can tell us much about Japanese history. This course examines how the supernatural and the strange are represented in works of diverse genres from ancient to contemporary times, and how these representations reflect and interact with Japanese society and culture at the time. Students will be exposed to various forms of Japanese literature and art, including myths, folk tales, illustrated handscrolls, picture books, noh, kabuki, fictions, manga, anime and films. In addition to close readings of these works, we will also situate the conception of the supernatural in broader historical and cultural contexts, discussing its relation to other topics such as gender, religion, identity, war, nation and popular culture. Students will gain a more comprehensive and deeper understanding of Japanese literature and culture while developing skills in close reading, analytical thinking, discussion, presentation and writing. This course has a community-engaged learning component: Kenyon students will spend two class sessions reading and discussing related children’s literature with students from Wiggin Street Elementary. This course is conducted in English, and no prior knowledge of Japan or Japanese language is required.
This course explores a wide range of topics related to Japanese culture, such as food, religion, popular culture and performing arts. In addition to deepening students’ understanding of Japanese culture this course also seeks to further enhance reading, speaking, listening and writing proficiency in the Japanese language. Moreover, it helps students gain skills in research and presentation in Japanese. This course is conducted in Japanese.
This course introduces Japanese culture through authentic materials in Japanese language, such as newspapers, fictions, essays, TV dramas and anime. Students learn concepts essential for understanding contemporary Japanese culture and society, and participate in discussion, presentation and research on related topics. Meanwhile, this course seeks to further enhance reading, speaking, listening and writing proficiency in the Japanese language.
This course introduces Japanese society and culture through authentic materials in Japanese language. We will study materials produced for mass consumption, including folk tales from the past, manga, anime, newspapers and science fiction. Students will learn concepts essential for understanding contemporary Japanese culture and society, and will participate in discussion, presentation and research on related topics. Meanwhile, this course seeks to further enhance reading, speaking, listening and writing proficiency in the Japanese language.
Recent special topics courses have included JAPN 191, "'China' in Japanese literature: Japan’s Cross-Cultural Encounters with China," and JAPN 391, "Gender, Work, Education in Japan."