Japanese Student Comments

Student Comments:

"Japanese has always been one of my most favorite languages. Thanks to UCSC's Japanese program, I was able to continue my study in Japanese Language after high school. The Japanese Program at UCSC is absolutely amazing! Learning a foreign language can never be as enjoyable without the help from The Japanese Program's wonderful instructors Sakae Fujita and Shikego Okamoto – my favorite instructors OF ALL. Sakae Fujita's Japanese language class is always full of joy, laugh, excitement and interesting exploration. Shikego Okamoto's Japanese 110 (Japanese Language, Society and Culture) was excellent for the students who are taking Japanese language class or are interested beyond just the Japanese language. I took Sakae Fujita's Japanese 103 course along with Shikego Okamoto's Japanese 110 course together during my second last quarter at UCSC, and I absolutely LOVED the courses. During Winter and Spring 2009, I participated in the Language Program's International Playhouse. It was my greatest pleasure to work with my Japanese Language instructor Sakae Fujita and my classmates from Japanese class. Together we made a great Japanese Musical Play! The Japanese Program at UCSC is the right choice for happy students!" --Kelly H.

The Japanese program is not easy.  But it is lots of fun, and because of that and the teachers positive attitudes I really learned a lot in my three years with the program. --M.Gibson (Global Economics Major, 2008 Graduate)

I am not a Language Studies major, but I am so glad I took Japanese at UCSC.  While the curriculum was challenging but fun, I was more excited about being able to be part of a cultural community that was full of so many positive and passionate people. I participated in the International Playhouse with the Kyogen piece, and I can honestly say that it was one of the best things I did during college.  It was fun, educational and it allowed me to get confortable with Japanese in a way that was not possible before. I would recommend taking Japanese to everyone. --M. Sutton (Politics Major, 2009 Graduate)

I am grateful beyond words for the countless extra hours our teachers worked on our behalf. --E. Matarrese (Language Studies Major, 2009 Graduate)

The Japanese program at UCSC provides you with a fun environment to learn how to speak, listen, read, and write Japanese! You will realize how fun learning a language is. --F. Y. Hu (Ph.D Candidate in history)

To me, there's nothing more motivating or helpful than having a teacher that really cares about how you're doing and encourages you. The teachers I have had here are the most motivating teachers I’ve had. --W. Gray (Computer Game Design Major, 2009 Graduate) 

Fujita Sensei's classes give her students confidence and inspiration to learn more about Japanese language and culture.Thanks to her positive support, I was able to work in Japan for two years after graduation. --J. Klotz (History Major, 2006 Graduate)

The dedication to my individual progress demonstrated by these fine teachers encouraged me not simply to succeed but to excel -- an experience becoming increasingly rare in college these days and one that I will not soon forget. --B.Flynn (Literature Major)

The UCSC Japanese Language Program has very capable teachers who really care about their students. My Japanese language experience was very positive, and I feel that I have sufficient conversational skills and cultural knowledge to effectively use the language in real-life situations. I have made many native Japanese friends through learning the language, and I credit this to my teachers at UCSC.--Hrishekesh K. (ANTHBA Major, Sophomore)

The Japanese language program at UCSC is special to me because of the people I was able to interact with. The class sizes are small, so meeting people is easy. When I'm in very large classes, even though there are many people, I don't talk to people much at all because the lecture halls make everyone feel separated. The way the classroom is set up in the Japanese classes I took were very social and they felt more like a big conversation than a lesson. One thing that amazed me while taking the classes was how fast I was learning the language. When I first came to UCSC, I only knew basic phrases, but after only three quarters, I have conversations with fluent Japanese speakers all the time. --James R. (LIT1, Sophomore)

When I look back on all that I've been through in studying Japanese here at UCSC, some of my fondest memories are of the teachers and their desire to help each and every student understand Japanese. I remember going to office hours and getting help with my questions and having Sensei sitting on the floor helping each of us out. It was also fun because each of the teachers brought their own personality to the subject. The teachers even went so far as to set up a language table where students could sit and listen and talk with other Japanese students and people taking Japanese classes. Some of the most interesting things are talked about when you get a group of people just talking. I'm hoping to take all the classes they offer while I'm here. Japanese is also the only class where I've made new friends.It is because you are made to talk to people and work in a group that you get to learn classmates, both face and name. If you have a desire to learn Japanese this is one the best places I've found for doing so. --Jason W. (CMPGBS Major, Senior)

The Japanese program at UCSC has not only improved my skills in the language, but has also increased my awareness in cultural differences. The standard Japanese language curriculum has been an excellent experience in developing my abilities in the Japanese language and the J110 course was a very interesting and eye-opening course in the cultural aspect of Japan. The weekly Language Table event was also a great way to use Japanese outside of the classroom. Additionally, being with the same classmates for several quarters in a row helped develop some of the strongest friendships in my college experience. --Edward M. (Language Studies and Psychology Majors, Junior in 2008-09)  

The course, Japanese 110 (Japanese Language, Society, and Culture), provided many insights about Japan and Japanese culture that remain unnoticed by the current general foreign public. It was quite shocking, on the first day of class, to realize that the “real Japan” was more diverse than the stereotypical Japanese persona and culture I had imagined. For me, the class broke down stereotypes and clarified misconceptions surrounding diverse Japanese language structures, creation of standard Japanese, social class stratification, and many other language/culture related topics. Japanese 110 played a major role in my Japanese language studies, it offered material that inspired me to think critically and understanding the deeper roots of the contemporary “standardized” Japanese language and culture I learned in Japanese 1~6. --Judy Y. (Language Studies major, Junior in 2008-09)