Welcome to Japanese

The study of Japanese at the University of Waikato involves the acquisition of Japanese language and the study of the history and culture of Japan. The first two years of a standard three year major in Japanese concentrate on completing the acquisition of the fundamentals of the language, both spoken and written, along with an introduction in English, to the many facets of Japanese civilisation. The final year largely involves the study of academic Japanese and the application of such Japanese in papers on translation, Japanese history and society, and Japanese linguistics. These papers provide the advanced knowledge of Japanese language and culture necessary for a Japan-related career, as well as an introduction to the Programme's offerings in Japanese at the graduate level.

Japan's 2000 year old civilisation boasts such achievements as the world's first novel and great contributions to the fine arts. Japan ("Nihon" - the Land of the Rising Sun) was the first Asian country to modernise, rivalling the West just forty years after making the decision to do so. It made remarkable recovery after World War II and has developed into one of the world's dominant economic forces. While this growth has been driven largely by the Japanese capacity for technological development, Japan is increasingly influential in international politics and the arts. Japan is a major trading partner of New Zealand and there is a large Japanese business community here. New Zealand is a popular Japanese tourist destination and many of our more advanced students have been able to get holiday jobs tour-guiding. Studying Japan's fascinating culture and language continues to provide a valuable basis for a career and a stimulating insight into an important Asian country.

Overseas study opportunities
Scholarships and exchanges give our students the opportunity to study in Japan and experience the language and culture first-hand.