Japanese

  • Minor
A group of students stands around a table making sushi using bamboo mats and hands, picking up fillings with chopsticks. Various sushi ingredients such as cucumber and carrot sticks, egg slices as well as bowls and plates are arranged on the table. The activity takes place in a classroom with others participating in the background.

Immerse yourself in Japanese language and culture. The 18-credit Japanese Minor combines intensive language training with rich, hands-on cultural experiences. Students progress in speaking, reading and writing Japanese while also gaining deeper insights into Japanese traditions and contemporary life. 

See the curriculum.

Program Highlights

  • Achieve practical proficiency in Japanese for personal, academic and professional use
  • Take engaging courses – kanji through calligraphy, Japanese culture through manga and short stories. Japanese cuisine,pop culture and conversation in Japanese in class and at the Japanese Language Circle.
  • Collaborate with local Asian American organizations for real-world experience
  • Explore Japanese media including film, anime, music and literature
  • Attend lectures by guest speakers and participate in multicultural events

Community and Student Life

  • Japanese Language Circle (J-Circle) – Weekly gatherings foster friendships, offer conversation practice, kana and kanji games, calligraphy workshops, origami, kendama games and sampling of Japanese cuisine and snacks.
  • Cultural celebrations – participate in festivals and hands-on workshops
  • Connect classroom learning to authentic cultural engagement in a supportive, welcoming setting

Career and Global Opportunities

Graduates are equipped for success in fields such as business, education, tourism, media and government. Many teach in Japan through the prestigious Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program. Alumni leverage their language skills and intercultural fluency to build lifelong connections and make an impact worldwide.

A close-up of a person using chopsticks to pick up a sushi roll from a round tray lined with large green Aspidistra leaves, with several pieces of sushi arranged on the tray. In the background, a bamboo sushi rolling mat with rice and an orange bowl are visible on the table.

Japanese Language Circle

Also known as J-Circle, Montclair’s Japanese Language Circle fosters a warm, inclusive community where students form lasting friendships while exploring Japanese language and culture. J-Circle celebrates Golden Week Festival among other authentic cultural traditions through calligraphy, origami, Japanese card game karutatori, traditional kendama game, and Japanese proverb illustration contest. The weekly conversation and reading groups as well as the rich variety of Japanese cuisine to sample and enjoy are some of the highlights of the J-Circle.

Since its inception in 2002, the J-Circle is instrumental in helping Montclair graduates with teaching in Japan careers by annually sponsoring the JET Program Information Sessions.

Featured Faculty

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Related Programs

Montclair State University offers a BA in Asian Languages and Cultures, with other language minors in Chinese and Korean. Students can also choose a minor in Asian Languages or Asian Studies, providing additional linguistic and cultural exploration alongside other academic interests. These programs allow for tailored combinations of language proficiency and multicultural understanding to support diverse career and educational goals.

Creative Growth & Community Leadership

Skell Longfield, a BFA Illustration graduate with a Japanese minor, credits supportive professors and the welcoming J-Circle community for fostering both academic and personal growth. As winner of the 2023 J-Circle Kotowaza Illustration & Calligraphy Contest and a peer tutor, Skell exemplifies leadership and collaborative learning within the Japanese program.

Professors are always encouraging and reassuring, reminding me of how far I’ve come and to keep challenging myself. My peers in class and in J-Circle are also always fun and welcoming, and we strive to help each other learn and grow.

Skell Longfield

Program: BFA Illustration, Japanese Minor (2024):

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