Compiled February 2003

The Kanji Site
This well-organized site contains online lessons and a thorough introduction to the Japanese writing system with character charts. This site does not require Japanese language support.

Rikai
This site aids students who want to learn kanji using text from other Japanese websites or need help understanding Japanese newspapers, magazines and other online resources. From Rikai, enter the URL of the Japanese homepage. The new page will open within Rikai.com. Run your cursor over the kanji and an English definition will appear in a box. This site serves speakers of various languages; use the English to Japanese version for Japanese-language learning.

Jim Breen’s WWWJNAMES Server
This website translates romaji (romanized) names into Japanese katakana script. Because Japanese and English sounds do not match exactly, users must first use a chart to ascertain the approximate Japanese romaji.

NHK World Japanese
From the Japan Broadcasting Corporation (NHK). This sight contains recently aired Japanese lessons. The “Let’s Learn Japanese” program features radio personalities talking about Japanese culture in English and introducing words and phrases in context. “Brush up on Japanese” features dialogues for students with more language background. Real Player is required to access sound files.

Say It in Japanese
From Kids Web Japan, "Say It in Japanese" offers a “fun and easy introduction to Japanese.” The site teaches phrases including greetings, introductions, and basic conversational questions and answers using sound files accompanied with both Japanese and romaji (romanized Japanese).

Total Quality Japanese
This site includes essays about communicating in or learning Japanese as well as reviews of teaching materials and links to relevant news articles. Many of the essay topics illustrate the interaction of culture and language.

Japanese Traditional Songs
From The Japanese Page. Songs, including “The Frog’s Song” and “The Elephant Song,” are written in Japanese and romaji with English translations. Sound files are available.

Japanese Language Teaching
From the Japan Foundation Los Angeles Office & Language Center. This site includes links to teaching materials and resources as well as workshops and conferences.

English-Japanese Pictorial Dictionary
From Enchanted Learning, producer of educational websites and software, this site offers pictures labeled with English and romaji. Pictures are alphabetized by the English word.
curriculum

Curriculum

Japanese-Online
A free Service of Pacific Software Publishing, Inc, Japanese-Online is an award-winning site that provides 16 lessons in basic Japanese, 5 grammar lessons, a free downloadable version of World Math Challenge Volume 1, and 5 multimedia lessons. The lessons in basic Japanese were created by by Dr. Suguru Akutsu, a professor of Modern Languages and use the story of an expatriate family in Japan to teach grammar and vocabulary. Free registration required to access the lessons.

Deai: The Lives of Seven High School Students
From the Japan Forum, an organization that provides free kits to secondary schools in the United States. See website for details. The Deai website contains stories, profiles and streaming videos featuring seven Japanese high school students. Teaching materials include sample lesson plans, vocabulary lists and other supplements.

Organizations

National Council of Secondary Teachers of Japanese (NCSTJ)
NCSTJ’s mission is “to promote and foster excellence in all aspects of the teaching and learning of Japanese language and culture at the secondary AND elementary levels in the United States of America. NCSTJ is a forum for exchanging information and ideas, and identifies resources and opportunities for individuals, organizations and institutions dedicated to teaching and learning Japanese.”

The Association of Teachers of Japanese (ATJ)
Founded in 1963, the ATJ is an international, non-profit, non-political organization of scholars, teachers, and students of Japanese language, literature, and linguistics, which works to promote academic work in the field and to broaden and deepen knowledge and appreciation of Japan and its culture.