Special Guests
A big thank you to Tomoe Sato-san from the Consulate-General of Japan in New York for attending and giving his opening remarks at our festival!
Shumei America and Iroha Taiko Group also brightened our festival with their lively drumming and energy healing! Visit the Shumei America Facebook page for more info if you're interested in learning Japanese taiko drumming, or if have an interest in natural agriculture and spiritual healing.
Japanese Lessons
日本語を話しましょう！ Let's Speak Japanese!
The BTSCC had to shut down in-person gatherings after the 2020 pandemic. But now, the BTSCC's FREE Japanese Lessons have returned! Click the link below to join the Google Classroom and look forward to our first monthly virtual lesson of 2026 on June 17th!
The BTSCC's Japanese lessons are open to all, regardless of skill level or previous experience. Older children are welcome, but most students are high school age to adults, and the curriculum and activities are more suitable for older learners. Lessons are designed to be modular and require minimal knowledge from previous weeks. The focus of the class is on casual conversation and practical functionality for visitors to Japan.
Japanese lessons will now be conducted virtually through Google Classroom and Google Meet! This provides additional convenience for students whether they are unable to travel for in-person lessons, or have missed previous lessons and would like to review materials. Lessons will be held on the 3rd Wednesdays of June–December from 7pm–7:50pm EST, so stay tuned for meeting links and lesson materials!
Study Resources
Looking for resources to enrich your language learning journey? Check out these options tried and recommended by Aki-sensei!
GENKI Series
GENKI: An Integrated Course in Elementary Japanese is a study resource for young adults to adults who are just starting to learn Japanese. It's designed to comprehensively build communication competencies across all four skill areas: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. GENKI consists of 23 lessons, divided into two volumes of textbooks and workbooks. Vol. 1 contains Lessons 1--12, and Vol. 2 covers Lessons 13--23.
*not sponsored
"I LOVE this series! Not only is GENKI well structured for a class setting, but also for intuitive self-guided study. This series is a staple in Japanese courses across the country, and I teach with it, too. The workbooks include CDs to incorporate listening comprehension as you work through the textbook and workbooks. It is also highly favored by Bethlehem's local 'Nihongo Jouzu!' Study Club!" -- Aki-sensei
Meet the Sensei
Aki あき
Aki-sensei, although not a native speaker, has studied Japanese language and culture for 10 years, earning a BA in Asian Studies with a Minor and Certificate of Specialization in Japanese. After 5+ years in the classroom, she is an experienced educator with a great passion for sharing knowledge, and making learning a fun and memorable experience for all!
Aki-sensei is a previous student of the 2018-2019 BTSCC Student Exchange Program now acting as a member of the commission. She enjoys sharing her love for Japanese language and culture through teaching Beginner's Japanese and participating in the annual BTSCC Cherry Blossom Festival.