Community Education Japanese Class

At $60/person, we have started a Japanese community education class through the city of Minneapolis.

Learn greetings, numbers and shopping conversations as well as practical conversational skills with useful vocabulary. Gain an understanding of the culture of this intriguing and mysterious country. Instructor: Tetsuya Shimano is an experienced, native Japanese speaker. Includes supplies.


Although community education is generally more informal than other classes, our teacher is very organized and dedicated to his students. We meet Mondays from 6-7:30pm and each week begins with a 15 point quiz with terms from last week. He says a word in Japanese and we write its meaning in English. If you score the highest in the class, he gives you a handmade paper origami throwing star (shuriken), and whoever has the most at the end of the course gets a prize.

We have learned how to introduce ourselves, how to say different nationalities and occupations, about numbers through 99,999, time and dates, money, and an introduction to the counting system. This week we are going to learn about place names. Our teacher explained to us that Japanese is a tonal language, which my husband heard as, "atonal," and continued the rest of the class talking like a robot.

As a graduate of Macalester College, I am also able to audit a course for free each semester. I found this out a little too late, however, just after the add/drop deadline, and the professor of Japanese I and II does not believe there is a way for me to make it up and only Japanese II is offered next semester. How unfortunate.

The Japanese Language

For my 24th birthday, my husband gave me some resources for learning Japanese.  We have been using these to get an introduction to speaking, writing, and understanding.

Human Japanese by Brak Software

Human Japanese is software for Windows PCs that presents the Japanese language from square one in a warm, engaging tone. It packs more than 1,800 recordings of vocabulary words and example sentences, an instantly searchable dictionary for vocabulary words and grammar terms, and dozens of interactive reviews. While other products focus on memorizing vocabulary, Human Japanese draws the student into the real mechanics of the language, while maintaining a warm tone and a sense of humor. The goal of Human Japanese is not just to turn out students capable of repeating canned phrases, but to lay the foundation for real linguistic and cultural understanding.

Japanese Demysified: A Self-Teaching Guide by Eriko Sato

Interested in learning to speak Japanese but feel intimidated by the complex characters and pronunciations? No need to worry! Even if your only experience is ordering sushi, Japanese Demystified will have you saying konnichiwa to your new language skills in no time.

Beginning with a review of Japanese writing systems, basic pronunciation, and everyday expressions, this book covers key grammar fundamentals such as particles, nouns, verb forms, and honorifics. You'll build your Japanese vocabulary with essential words and phrases and quickly master this challenging language. Test yourself at the end of every chapter for reinforcement that you're fast on your way to speaking, writing, and understanding Japanese.

This fast and easy guide features:

• Clear and straightforward explanations of Japanese grammar fundamentals
• Numerous examples of simple and complex sentence structures
• Japanese hiragana, katakana, and kanji with phonetic transliterations for all Japanese words
• Helpful writing and speaking exercises that bring the Japanese language to life
• Coverage of everyday topics as well as conversational expressions
• Quizzes at the end of each chapter to reinforce new material

Simple enough for a beginner, but challenging enough for a more experienced student, Japanese Demystified is your shortcut to mastering this complex language.

Let's Learn Hiragana: First Book of Japanese Writing (Kodansha's Children's Classics) by Yasuko Kosaka Mitamura

There are three types of Japanese script-katakana, hiragana, and kanji. It is possible to read Japanese knowing only a limited number of kanji, but it is not possible with only a limited number of katakana or hiragana-one must know all of them. Let's Learn Hiragana, and its companion volume Let's Learn Katakana, is a textbook that introduces the learner to the basics of one of these fundamental Japanese scripts. Being a workbook, it contains all the exercises that allow the student to master hiragana by the time the book has been finished. Let's Learn Hiragana is a classic in the field, and the huge number of students that have used it successfully is a sign of its preeminence as a self-study guide.

"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step..."

    As debt-ridden college graduates in "these economically tough times" struggle to find work, teaching English overseas is becoming an increasingly lucrative option. Most positions require a minimum of a bachelor's degree and fluency in English, though knowing the country's language and teaching experience are helpful. Paying nearly $40,000 US dollars each year, offering the opportunity to see the world, gain work experience, and make a positive impact in the world, English language teaching positions provide the young, well-educated populous in the United States an invaluable opportunity to earn, build a resume, and make a difference.

    My whole life, my goal was to graduate from a good college, and coming from a family that did not have much higher education or money to send me, accomplishing this goal was some feat. After graduation, I have served two years with AmeriCorps as a math enrichment tutor at a junior high school. I am fortunate enough not to count myself in the ranks of the unemployed, but barely able to make ends meet with the sub-minimum wage living allowance.

    One day, my husband Tom and I sat on the couch talking. He was playing a video game and I was contemplating my future. Do I attempt to find a job in this hostile and terrifying American employment hell scape? Peace Corps? Teach for America? Retail? Go back to school? And then Tom told me about JET, the Japan Exchange and Teaching Program. 'YES!' I thought, as tears welled up in my eyes. You know when it's a cloudy day and you see that one ray of sunshine shining through? It always seems so magical. I know it's cliche, but that's what finding JET felt like for me. I needed something to aim for...to hope for. JET is my destiny. And thus begins my journey.
    My interest in JET is in part due to my Japanese heritage. My great grandmother Yoshie (grandma Jo to us) was from Yokohama, Japan. She met my great-grandfather, a member of the American military, as a dance hall hostess. I am 1/8 Japanese (my forearm is Japanese, I joke) and I have always felt a connection with Japanese culture. I learned how to make many types of sushi, including kampyo, my great grandmother’s favorite. I inherited Grandma Jo’s Go game, complete with her hand-written numbers. And I think the classic example is the Kikkoman shoyu that sits on the table to accompany family meals during holidays.

     I have never traveled internationally. Not to Mexico. Not to Canada (and I live in Minnesota). I never had the money or the know-how. Like Dave Matthew's song Grey Street - "I've dreamed myself a million times around the world, but I can't get out of this place." Macalester College is my alma mater. Mac is a liberal arts college that prides itself of internationalism and multiculturalism. There seemed to be two types of students at Macalester: international students, and haughty students with rich parents who have been all around the world and are ready to tell you all about it like a badge of achievement. I once went to a party and the question posed around the bonfire in the back yard was, "What was the longest flight you have ever been on?" White people love to travel, and I think it is a wealth display. It's not that I dislike traveling - in fact I really look forward to the opportunity to go to Japan. Not because it will be a marker on my Google map of where I have been in the world, a notch on my belt, but because I want to do something good with my life and not be a cloistered homebody.

     I will keep this blog updated with my preparations and findings related to overseas English instruction and all things Japan including but not limited to:

• Japanese Language Learning & Resources
• Cooking Adventures & Recipes
• Books & Recommendations
• My JET Application 
• Practicing karaoke
• English Teaching Preparation

So long, and thanks for all the fish.