Japanese Language Courses
Learn to speak Japanese to prepare for travel or to reconnect with family and friends. We offer classes, interactive workshops and private tutoring to help students of all levels learn to speak about their hobbies, travel plans, pop culture and work. By learning from a native speaker you will also develop cultural awareness of Japanese values and common communication practices.
Japanese Courses 2026-2027
Spring 2026
Japanese Travel Essentials Saturdays 10-11:30am April 4 – 25
Japanese I Express Tuesdays/Thursdays 4:30-5:30pm March 3 – 26
Japanese II Tuesdays/Thursdays 4:30-5:30pm March 31 – May 26
Japanese III Tuesdays/Thursdays 6-7pm March 31 – May 26
Summer 2026
Japanese Intermediate Conversation Tuesdays and Thursdays 4:30-5:30pm June 4-30
Introductory Japanese I Tuesdays and Thursdays 6-7pm July 7 – September 1 (No class 8/11)
Japanese III Tuesdays and Thursdays 4:30-5:30pm July 7 – September 1 (No class 8/11)
Japanese Travel Essentials Saturdays 10-12pm September 12, 19 & 26
Japanese Intermediate Conversation Tuesdays and Thursdays 4:30-5:30pm September 8 – 24
Fall 2026
Japanese Travel Essentials Saturdays 10-11:30am October 24 – November 14
Introductory Japanese I Tuesdays and Thursdays 4:30-5:30pm September 29 – November 19
Japanese II Tuesdays and Thursdays 6-7pm September 29 – November 19
Scroll below to register for classes.
Japanese Travel Essentials
In this course, students will learn the essentials for conversational Japanese to prepare for an upcoming trip. Each session will cover a new topic including basic greetings, ordering food, purchasing gifts, asking simple questions at a hotel and more. The course is designed for beginners to the Japanese language who are looking for ease when traveling. Students will read Romanized characters (Romaji) only, so they are not required to learn to read and write in Japanese, but they will gain the basic knowledge of how to pronounce words in Japanese. This class is designed for adults and youth ages 15 and up, however youth are welcome to join if they are accompanied by an adult.
Sessions – Summer 2026
Japanese Travel Essentials will meet this summer on Saturdays 10am-12pm September 12, 19 & 26 at our institute.
Introductory Japanese I
The goal of this Japanese course is to introduce the fundamentals of the sound systems, one of the three: 46 letters of Hiragana, some Kanji, vocabulary and basic phrases for everyday situations. It is designed for people new to the Japanese language and those who are looking into relearn. Students will learn proper greetings, counting, time, calendar, verb conjugations, locations and more. This class is designed for adults and youth ages 15 and older.
Sessions – Summer 2026
Introductory Japanese I will meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6-7pm from July 7 – September 1 at our institute. We will not hold class on August 11. This course is limited to 10 people so be sure to register in advance. If you have any questions about the course, please call us at 541-728-3022 or email us at bendlanguageinstitute@gmail.com and we would be happy to help!
Japanese II
This Japanese course is designed to expand students’ understanding by revisiting present and past verb conjugations while introducing additional vocabulary and phrases related to describing people, food and planning activities. The course includes introductions of 46 Katakana characters and more Kanji. Emphasizing practical conversational phrases for everyday situations. It is suited for adult and youth aged 15 and older. This course is ideal for those who have previously studied Japanese using the first four chapters of the Genki textbook or an equivalent resources as participants should be able to read and write 46 Hiragana characters.
Sessions – Spring 2026
Japanese II will meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4:30-5:30pm from March 31 – May 26 at our institute. We will not hold class on May 7. This course is limited to 10 people so be sure to register in advance. You can give us a call at 541-728-3022 or email us at bendlanguageinstitute@gmail.com and we will be happy to help with any questions.
Japanese Intermediate Conversation
This intermediate Japanese Conversation course is designed for students who have completed at least Japanese II or equivalent, or who studied with the Genki textbook up to Chapter 6 (te-form) and wish to refresh their skills. The course focuses on practical, everyday speaking through guided practice and interactive activities. Students will practice useful expressions across daily situation including shopping, dining and using public transportation while traveling in Japan. The course focuses on expanding spoken vocabulary and gaining confidence in use of phrases learned previously.
Sessions – Summer 2026 (June Session)
Japanese Intermediate Conversation will meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4:30-5:30pm from June 4 – 30.
Sessions – Summer 2026 (September Session)
Japanese Intermediate Conversation will meet again in September on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4:30-5:30pm from September 8 – 24.
Japanese III
In Japanese III, students will expand their conversation. This course is designed for adults and youth age 15 and older who are able to read and write Hiragana and Katakana. The focus is to be able to have proper conversation in Japanese, using correct verb conjugation, adjectives, adverbs, articles and so on. Each session will cover a new topic, food, travel, geography, history and more.
Sessions – Summer 2026
Japanese III will meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4:30-5:30pm from July 7 – September 1. We will not hold class on August 11. If you think this course may be a good fit for you, please call us at 541-728-3022 or email us at bendlanguageinstitute@gmail.com and we will be happy to help.
California Rolls and Miso Soup Workshop
Sushi rolls are called “nori maki” which means seaweed rolls. California rolls are not known in Japan, but they were invented by a Japanese chef in US. You are going to learn how to make sushi rice and make sushi rolls. We use red miso, tofu and green onions for miso soup. This will be a fun, interactive workshop where you can practice basic Japanese phrases while learning about popular dishes! Allergies: soy, fish
Sessions – Summer 2026
This workshop will be offered again in Summer 2026. Check back for future updates!
This course is limited to 10 people so be sure to register in advance. Contact us at bendlanguageinstitute@gmail.com or give us a call at 541-728-3022 if you have any questions.
Individual Tutoring
Private tutoring with an experienced teacher can help you improve your language skills while working around your schedule. We offer both in-person and remote one-on-one lessons to help you meet your language learning needs. Our language tutoring rate is $55 dollars per hour, and when you purchase your time in advance you can reduce that rate down to $50 per hour.
We also offer semi-private tutoring for 2-3 youth and/or adults at an affordable price, so you can have fun learning with your friends. If this is something that would interest you, contact us and we will be happy to arrange this. You can see more about small group tutoring here: https://bendlanguageinstitute.com/product/small-group-private-lessons/
If you are new to Bend Language Institute, just send us an email at bendlanguageinstitute@gmail.com or give us a call at 541-728-3022 and we will be happy to put you in touch with a local teacher to discuss your language level and interests.
I was born and raised in Japan. Once I moved to Bend with my family, I started teaching at the High Desert Museum and Bend Parks and Rec. I have been a sub for Bend-La Pine Schools for several years and recently became a middle school Japanese Teacher. I have a passion for traveling and trying different foods from places such as the Amazon, Chile, Belize, Spain, and Italy. Despite being away from Japan, I manage to visit numerous times, still maintaining close relationships with my family. Since I have learned a variety of different languages other than Japanese, I would love to demonstrate different ways of learning Japanese to make the experience more fun and enjoyable.
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