Japanese

こんにちは！ようこそ！

Welcome to the Japanese program at Lewis & Clark College. We offer a range of courses in Japanese language and literature, which contribute to the exciting programs in World Languages and in Asian Studies. In addition, we provide a Japanese minor, which combines a thorough grounding in the language with a knowledge of the literature and culture of Japan.

Our classes encompass four years of instruction, from Beginning Japanese to Advanced Readings in Fiction and Nonfiction, allowing students of all abilities to immerse themselves in both the written and spoken languages they will encounter in Japan. Literature in translation courses explore both pre-modern and modern fiction, exposing students to the rich tradition of Japanese writing from the past thousand years, everything from Heian court texts to contemporary writers like Murakami Haruki. These courses are taught in English and no knowledge of Japanese language is required.

Our students benefit from the numerous Japanese students on campus, many of whom will become their language-exchange partners. Many students also participate in Japan events around campus such as cooking with the Japanese club, going off-campus to Japan events, or dancing at the annual International Fair.

Nearly all of our students experience life in Japan through our study-abroad programs, offered for a single semester or for a full year. Our students study at one of four universities: Hokusei gakuen in Sapporo, Osaka Gakuin or Kansai Gaidai near Osaka or Waseda University in Tokyo (full year only).

Our students go on to a variety of careers after graduation.  Many participate in the JET  Program (we have had great success in placing graduates into JET as both CIRs and AETs).  Some work for Japanese firms (Fed Ex Japn, software companies), and others go on to do graduate work (recent graduates have gone on to PhD programs in History at Harvard and Columbia, and on to law school at the University of Hawaii).

Come and find out more about Japanese at Lewis & Clark.