Japanese Department

Courses in Japanese are designed to develop proficiency in speaking, listening, writing, and reading the language and to acquaint the student with Japanese culture. The courses in Japanese literature in translation (listed in the World Literature section) will expose students to wide range of both pre-modern and modern Japanese literary texts, from the poetry of Saigyo and Basho to contemporary fiction by Haruki Murakami and Yoko Ogawa.  Students also can choose to gain an introduction to traditional Japanese art and aesthetics (Art History 248), and studio art classes in calligraphy and tea ceremony (Studio Art 301).