Standard Course
OSJ Flagship Program

This course is designed to establish a strong foundation in Japanese language skills, focusing on the four key areas of language learning: speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Students will gain proficiency in Hiragana and Katakana along with an introduction to 29 Kanji (Chinese characters), providing a comprehensive understanding of the Japanese writing system. This course covers the first four chapters of the Genki Textbook I.

This course builds on the foundational skills developed in JPN 101. The curriculum introduces essential grammar concepts such as adjective conjugations, the te-form, and the short form. Mastering these conjugations thoroughly will provide you with a solid foundation for future Japanese language studies. For this reason, JPN 102 is considered the most important semester among all the courses offered by Oku Sensei’s Japanese. This course will also continue to enable students to form practical and useful sentences while gradually increasing their proficiency in speaking and reading. This course covers Chapters 5 through 9 of the Genki Textbook I.

This second-year elementary Japanese course is designed to help students achieve basic conversational proficiency while expanding their vocabulary and understanding of essential grammatical structures and sentence patterns. The course emphasizes developing competency in speaking, listening, and reading through moderately challenging content with a strong focus on speaking practice. This course covers Chapters 10 through 12 of Genki textbook I and Chapters 13 & 14 of Genki textbook II.

This course builds on the foundation established in JPN 201, introducing more complex grammar, listening, reading, and speaking skills. Key grammar topics such as giving and receiving, transitivity pairs, and honorific verbs will be covered in detail, accompanied by in-depth cultural explanations to deepen your understanding of Japan. Students will engage in continuous reading and writing practice with an intensive focus on speaking and listening comprehension. This course covers Chapters 15 through 19 of the Genki Textbook II. 　

In this final course at the elementary level, emphasis is placed on using Japanese as a medium for communication, with a strong focus on developing speaking skills and mastering the proper usage of honorifics. Listening practice will involve longer audio clips, while reading will extend to more complex and lengthier passages. Key grammar topics such as passive, causative, and causative-passive constructions will also be introduced. The course also aims to deepen students' understanding of Japanese culture through extensive written passages and practical applications in class conversations. The study of grammatical patterns, vocabulary, and Kanji will continue to be a core focus throughout the semester. This course covers the final four chapters of the Genki textbook II.

This course marks the beginning of the pre-intermediate Japanese level and covers the first three chapters of the Quartet textbook I. It aims to provide a well-balanced, comprehensive intermediate-level Japanese language education, continuing to hone accuracy and fluency in spoken communication, reading, listening comprehension, and writing skills. This course covers the first three chapters of the Quartet textbook I.

This course continues the journey into pre-intermediate Japanese, completing the remaining three chapters of the Quartet textbook. It is designed to further enhance the four essential language skills: speaking, reading, listening, and writing. Through the study of more complex sentence patterns, expressions, and communication strategies, students will gain the tools needed to communicate effectively at the intermediate level. This course covers the last three chapters of the Quartet textbook I.

This course marks the beginning of the intermediate level in Japanese and covers the first five chapters of the Tobira textbook. The primary goal is to further develop the four language skills, reinforcing the grammar, vocabulary, and Kanji learned at the elementary and pre-intermediate levels. Special emphasis will be placed on developing reading skills for comprehending longer texts. Additionally, the course will focus on enhancing communication skills for practical conversations, including the ability to appropriately manage speech levels. This course covers the first five chapters of the Tobira textbook.

This course is the continuation of JPN 402, the first intermediate-level course in this series. This course further explores intermediate Japanese, focusing on the first three chapters of the Quartet textbook II. It delves deeper into intermediate level grammar, reading, and listening comprehension skills. A strong emphasis is placed on speaking, enabling students to communicate more effectively in various situations. Additionally, students will develop advanced essay-writing skills and gain a deeper understanding of Japanese culture. This course covers the first three chapters of the Quartet textbook II.

This course is the third in the intermediate Japanese series following the completion of JPN 402 and JPN 501. It covers chapters 6 through 10 of the Tobira textbook. The primary objectives are to further solidify intermediate level grammar, reading, and listening comprehension skills. The course places a strong emphasis on reading and understanding longer, more complex texts on intriguing topics such as Japanese life and religion, traditional performing arts, pop culture, and education, deepening students' understanding of Japan. Short discussions in Japanese will be highly encouraged in class. This course covers the five chapters (chapter 6 ~10) of the Tobira Textbook.

This pre-advanced Japanese course is designed for students who have completed JPN 402, JPN 501, and JPN 502. It covers the final three chapters of the Quartet Textbook II, bringing students even closer the advanced level. The course emphasizes all four language skills—reading, listening, speaking, and writing—offering ample opportunities to practice and apply intermediate Japanese knowledge. Students will engage with everyday topics such as marriage and child-rearing, analyzing actual data, practicing job interviews, exploring Japanese ways of thinking and communication, and examining the connection between people and society. Essay writing on these topics will also be a key component of the course. This course covers the last three chapters of the Quartet textbook II.

This is the final course in the pre-advanced Japanese sequence before progressing to the advanced level. It covers the last five chapters of the Tobira textbook. In this course, a strong emphasis is placed on preparing for advanced level level reading, grammar, and listening comprehension. The reading materials will be the most challenging yet, addressing significant topics such as Japanese history, government, traditional crafts, and the relationship between the Japanese people and nature. Additionally, the course includes intensive listening comprehension practice. Completing this course will equip students with the knowledge and skills necessary to reach the advanced level of Japanese. This course covers the last five chapters (chapter 11 ~15) of the Tobira Textbook.

This advanced course is offered once a week for 75 minutes. It is designed for students who wish to further develop their reading, speaking, listening, and writing skills to a higher level. The class will be conducted mostly in Japanese. Although we follow textbooks (Nihon e no Shōtai and Bunka e no Manazashi), the course is highly flexible and can be tailored to meet students' needs and requests. The primary aim of this course is to achieve a high level of reading, listening comprehension, and speaking skills. With continued effort and long-term commitment to this course, students will work towards the ability to read novels in Japanese and listen to everyday Japanese TV and shows with ease.