Students will gain knowledge of and experience cultural and linguistic variations in this introductory course taught in Japan with the focus on four themes: Food and Language, the Writing System, Youth Language, Gender, and Language. In each unit, students will explore, in readings as well as in fieldwork, the traditional expectations as well as the current practices in the topic area in order to experience and gain a better understanding of Japanese culture and language.

The course will include survival language lessons, lectures, discussion, fieldwork, and structured interaction with Japanese college students led by the instructor, as well as cultural excursions led by a vendor. The class will typically meet for three hours in the morning from Monday through Thursday. Afternoons will be dedicated to fieldwork, excursions, or self-directed study. There will be day trips or overnight trips planned for Fridays.