Japanese - Lewis & Clark
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Nearly all of our students experience life in Japan through our study-abroad programs, offered for a single semester or for a full year. 

Nearly all of our students experience life in Japan through our study-abroad programs, offered for a single semester or for a full year.

Academics
World Languages
Japanese
Japanese
We teach Japanese in a way that simultaneously develops your speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills while offering you opportunities to explore the rich literary legacy of the Japanese-speaking world. Our connection with Portland has its perks, too: local resources include the Asian collections at the Portland Art Museum, the Japanese Garden, and the annual International Film Festival.
Majors
Art (Studio)
Art History
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Biology
Chemistry
Classics
Computer Science
Computer Science and Mathematics
Data Science
Economics
Environmental Studies
French Studies
German Studies
Hispanic Studies
History
International Affairs
Mathematics
Music
Philosophy
Physics
Political Science
Psychology
Religious Studies
Rhetoric and Media Studies
Sociology and Anthropology
Student-Designed Major
Theatre
World Languages
Minors
Art and Art History
Artificial Intelligence
Asian Studies
Chemistry
Chinese
Classics
Computer Science
Cybersecurity
Dance
Data Science
Earth System Science
Economics
Education
Entrepreneurial Leadership and Innovation
Environmental Studies
Ethnic Studies
French Studies
Gender Studies
German Studies
Health Studies
Hispanic Studies
History
Japanese
Latin American and Latino Studies
Law and Policy
Mathematics
Middle East and North African Studies
Music
Neuroscience
Philosophy
Physics
Political Economy
Political Science
Religious Studies
Rhetoric and Media Studies
Russian
Theatre
Why Choose a Minor in Japanese?
Our students graduate with advanced Japanese language proficiency and a high level of cultural competency obtained not only through appreciation and analysis of translated texts, but also by reading contemporary and classical literature in the original language. Studying Japanese opens up many opportunities for our students, from travel and life abroad to advanced graduate study to careers in education, translation, law, business, and much more.
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What You’ll Study
We offer a minor in Japanese through the
Department of World Languages and Literatures
. Our classes encompass four years of instruction, from beginning Japanese to advanced readings, allowing students of all abilities to immerse themselves in all areas of language. Literature in translation courses explore both premodern and modern fiction, exposing you to the rich tradition of Japanese writing to contemporary writers like Haruki Murakami.
Nearly all of our students earn course credit on overseas programs. In addition to general cultural programs that are open to all students, there are four programs with a Japanese language focus:
Fukuoka
Osaka
Sapporo
, and
Tokyo
Outside the classroom, the
Keck Interactive Learning Center
is a language center and community area that is packed with linguistic and cultural resources. The
Global Languages and Cultures
Living-Learning Community is a unique on-campus housing option with an immersive language-based focus. Once a week you have the opportunity to meet with our Japanese language assistant, a native speaker of the language, in a relaxed atmosphere for conversation practice. Every semester, there is a workshop where you can learn about Japanese culture, such as kendo and ikebana, through hands-on experience. You will also have an opportunity to visit a Japanese company in Portland every April, giving you a chance to use your language skills and gain knowledge about the Japanese business world. In addition, members of the Japanese Chamber of Commerce in Portland visit campus for casual roundtable discussions with our students. We also participate in the annual Toyama Cup Speech Contest, where our students regularly place in the top spots.
Curriculum
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Favorite Class



Digital Media with Assistant Professor Brian House



The class simultaneously introduced me to the world of coding and expanded my views on what art can be; I have yet to take a class as fun and impactful as that one has been.




Julian Diaz BA ’24


Major: Computer Science

Minor: Japanese







Favorite Class



The Art of Tea in Japanese Culture with Visiting Instructor Jan Waldmann



I really only wanted to take it because I love tea, but that class ended up being a lot more than just learning about matcha. There were the historical elements and the movements of a traditional Japanese tea ceremony, both of which I truly enjoyed. I’d be remiss if I didn’t also mention how neatly the class paired with my Japanese language studies since it is after all a cultural course.




Erika Hutchinson BA ’22


Major: English

Minor: Japanese







Favorite Class



Topics in Medical Anthropology with Assistant Professor with Term Sepideh Bajracharya



This has to be the most impactful class that I have taken during my time at Lewis & Clark. We discussed things like pain and suffering, how or why we care for the people that we do, and how these are political and significant acts. I ended up writing an ethnography about relationships to death and dying as my final project in the course, which completely changed my understanding of working with other individuals in research, as well as the topic of medical anthropology.




Helen Guyton BA ’23


Major: Sociology and Anthropology

Minor: Environmental Studies and Japanese (double)







Favorite Class



Any Japanese course with Instructor Satomi Newsom



In learning a new language, it often feels like you’re learning something novel with each lesson because so much is unfamiliar. The sense of discovery is very rewarding.




Dexter Tatsukawa BA ’24


Major: Environmental Studies

Minor: Japanese




Complement Your Education With One of These Majors
The most popular majors for our Japanese minors are
Asian studies
international affairs
, and
world languages and literatures.
What Students Are Saying About Lewis & Clark
My favorite classes are any with Instructor Satomi Newsom. In learning a new language, it often feels like you’re learning something novel with each lesson because so much is unfamiliar. The sense of discovery is very rewarding.
Dexter Tatsukawa BA ’24
Environmental Studies | Japanese | Sunnyvale, California
More about Dexter
I am always pushing myself to learn new things outside of my comfort zone and constantly find overlaps between my classes each semester. For example, there have been many similar themes in my reproductive justice and Japanese literature classes.
Helen Guyton BA ’23
Sociology and Anthropology | Environmental Studies and Japanese (double) | Cologne, Germany
More about Helen
I decided the Fukuoka overseas program would be the best fit for me as the level of dedication to the Japanese language was what I sought, and the city itself is very international.
Julian Diaz BA ’24
Computer Science | Japanese | Los Angeles, California
More about Julian
What Can You Do With a Minor in Japanese?
Our alumni use their minor in Japanese in a variety of careers. Many participate in the Japanese government’s Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program as assistant language teachers and coordinators for international relations positions, both of which require a high Japanese proficiency. Some of our graduates work for firms located in Asia (Fedex Japan, Honda R&D Asia Pacific Co., Google, International Concierge) and others have continued their studies in PhD programs, a master’s program in mechanical and aerospace engineering at the University of California at Davis, and law school at the University of Hawai‘i.
Dedicated Faculty
Our expert professors are your expert mentors. You will learn directly from faculty (no graduate assistants here!) that are nationally recognized in their fields of study and who love to work with and learn from their students. Your professors will inspire you to be a thoughtful and passionate participant in a diverse world. Your small classes will support you as you explore new ideas, find your voice, and speak your truth.
Meet the Professors
19
Average class size for undergraduate students
U.S. News
Lewis & Clark is on U.S. News & World Report’s 2025
“Best National Liberal Arts Colleges” list
47
U.S. states represented in our undergraduate student body
2,139
As of fall 2024, there are 2,139 degree-seeking students enrolled at Lewis & Clark College.
29+38
Lewis & Clark offers
29 majors and 38 minors
Invest in Yourself
A private liberal arts education is often
more affordable than you think.
Last year, Lewis & Clark distributed over $74 million in assistance from institutional, federal, state, and private sources. Additionally, we’re so confident that our first-year students will graduate with their bachelor of arts degree in four years that if you don’t, we’ll
cover the extra semester of tuition
Find Your People
The student-led
Japan Club
is one of the most active organizations on campus. The club hosts monthly movie nights and various other activities, including the popular Japan Night, a campus-wide annual event to celebrate Japanese culture with food and activities such as calligraphy, a fashion show, singing, and dancing. One of the oldest journals at L&C,
Polyglot
gives the opportunity to students of all levels to publish their work in Japanese.
Featured News
Our students won the first place and the third place in the annual Japanese speech contest!
On Saturday, April 19, the 29th Annual Toyama Cup speech contest was held.
The event is sponsored and hosted by Japan’s Toyama prefecture, Oregon’s sister state, and the Japan-America Society of Oregon (JASO). The event consists of a lower and higher level, with the champion of the higher level winning a trip and week-long stay in Toyama, Japan. All winners and runners-up received a variety of gifts from Toyama.
This year, students from Lewis & Clark, Oregon State University, Pacific University, Portland Community College, University of Oregon, and Mt.Hood Community College had a heated competition, where everyone demonstrated impressively high Japanese skills.
After extremely close-fought competitions, Charlotte Jaguzuy (Asian Studies major, Japanese minor ’25) came in first in the upper division, and Nico Quade (English Major ’27) came in third place in the lower division.
Charlotte will go visit the Toyama prefecture this summer as a cultural envoy!
Everyone in the Japanese section is so proud of them!
Read the story
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