Hello Japan! Language & Culture
Beginner
A perfect starting point for new learners who want both language skills and cultural understanding.
Students will learn simple grammar, paired with cultural lessons about food, festivals, manners, and modern life in Japan. By the end of the course, students will feel confident using basic Japanese and more connected to the heart of Japanese culture.
Theme of the month:
August 22nd
Theme: Bon Season / Hanabi Taikai
Grammar: Verbs (dictionary form and masu-form)
Goal: Learn about Obon traditions, understand symbolic offerings, and practice verb forms in casual and polite speech
September 12th
Theme: Undōkai (Sports Day) in Japan
Grammar: Ability expressions (e.g., "I am good at ~", "I am especially good at ~", "I am not good at ~", "That is not my strong point")
Goal: Learn about Undōkai (Sports Day) in Japan, explore sports-related vocabulary, and practice expressing skill levels using both casual (dictionary) and polite masu-forms
October 11th
Theme: Japanese Autumn Tradition & “There is / There are” Expressions In this lesson, students will explore Otsukimi (Moon Viewing Festival), a traditional Japanese autumn celebration that honors the beauty of the full moon. Students will read a short story about Otsukimi and learn about cultural traditions such as tsukimi dango (moon-viewing rice dumplings), seasonal decorations, and festival customs.
November 29th
Theme: Japanese Celebrations, Shrines, Temples & Adjectives In this lesson
students will learn about two important Japanese life celebrations: • Shichi-Go-San (七五三) — a traditional celebration for children’s growth at ages 3, 5, and 7 • Seijin-shiki (成人式) — Coming-of-Age Ceremony celebrating young adults becoming 20 years old Students will learn about Japanese cultural places and the differences between: • Jinja (神社) — Shinto shrine • Otera (お寺) — Buddhist temple Students will also learn how to describe people, places, and things using Japanese adjectives.
December 3rd
Theme: Japanese Music, Singing & Expressing Preferences
In this lesson, students will discover Japanese music from the 1970s to today through an introduction to NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen, Japan’s famous New Year’s Eve music program. Students will explore popular Japanese songs and artists while learning vocabulary related to music and entertainment.
Location: Education Center
Time: 10:00am - 11:00am
JFGM Member: $25 | Non-member $40
*Admission is included in the ticket. This class is non-refundable 7 days before the event.
Are you also interested in higher level lessons? Click Here!
Meet the Instructor
Atsuko Nakamura (Molly) is a multilingual Japanese language instructor from Osaka, Japan, currently based in San Diego, California.
She is certified to teach both English (elementary, middle and high school) and Japanese as a foreign language. With international experience in Singapore, Hong Kong, Italy, and Thailand, she brings a global and culturally rich perspective to her teaching. In Bangkok, she taught Japanese to Thai spouses of Japanese nationals and provided private lessons to international students.
In Tokyo, she worked as an Airport Meet-and-Greet Escort Guide, assisting Italian travelers during airport–hotel transfers while sharing cultural insights. She also completed a tourism volunteer guide training program in Minato-ku, Tokyo.
Atsuko creates a warm, supportive learning environment where students can enjoy both the Japanese language and culture. She speaks Japanese, English, Italian, Cantonese, and Thai.