Japanese
The goal of the East Asian Languages and Literatures Department is to introduce students to the region’s changing identity while emphasizing the attainment of language proficiency as well as knowledge of East Asian culture, literature, film, and linguistics.
About the Major
The growth of the Pacific Rim as an economic and technological giant has spurred interest in the region’s cultures as well as its languages. Japanese has become one of the most widely taught languages in the U.S. and has assumed critical importance in a range of professions, from politics and diplomacy to business, education, and technology. The study of Japanese at Hamilton provides rigorous, intensive training in reading, writing, and speaking the language, with upper-level courses conducted entirely in Japanese. In addition, many students choose to study abroad.
A Sampling of Courses
Introduction to Japanese Film
This course traces the history of one of the world’s most innovative film industries. Since the early 20th century, Japanese filmmakers have experimented with and improved upon cinema. Their work has been influential not only in Japan but throughout the world. From the drama of early silent movies to anime, we will cover some of the "greatest hits" of Japanese film, whether widely popular or critically acclaimed. This exploration of cinema in Japan will offer both a new perspective on cinema itself as well as an opportunity to view the genre’s development in a specific cultural context.
Explore these select courses:
Meet Our Faculty
Masaaki Kamiya
Associate Professor of Japanese and Chair of East Asian Languages and Literatures, Director of Linguistics
syntax, semantics, language acquisition, pragmatic and Japanese linguistics
modern Japanese literature, especially modernism and youth magazine culture; early 20th-century media, especially cinema and radio; and censorship and the Occupation Era, 1945-52
Language Teaching, TESOL, TLOTE
Explore Hamilton Stories
Amplifying Asian American Voices
A summer Levitt Center project involving 11 students, three professors, and several other members of the Hamilton community began in what was perhaps an unexpected way.
Omori Gives Talk at Syracuse University's Maxwell School
Kyoko Omori, associate professor of East Asian Languages and Literatures (Japanese), delivered a talk titled “The Audacity of Radio: Democracy, Censorship, and the Political Satire of Miki Toriro in Occupied Japan” at Syracuse University's Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs.
Why Japanese? A Love for the Language and Culture
Riki Borders ’23 spent his earliest years in Misawa, Japan, then just before middle school moved to the U.S. with his family. Later recruited by Hamilton to play football, Borders found that the College open curriculum allowed him to major in both computer science and Japanese studies.
Careers After Hamilton
Hamilton graduates who concentrated in Japanese are pursuing careers in a variety of fields, including:
- Patent Examiner, U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
- Youth Coordinator, Mattahunt Wheelock Community Center
- Business Development Associate, Coleman Research Group
- Java Developer, Clarity
- Social Media Coordinator, Keep It Real Acting
Contact
Department Name
Japanese Program
Clinton, NY 13323
