Are you looking for the best place to learn Japanese in Philadelphia? Or do you want to improve your Japanese by finding the best Japanese teachers in Philadelphia? While there are so many resources to choose from, finding the right place that fits your needs can be overwhelming.
That’s why we are here to help you find the best places to learn Japanese in Philadelphia. No more getting lost and confused trying to find them. This article discusses 5 places where you can learn Japanese in person or online.
All of them offer a wide range of programmes and teachers with professional experience. Some also offer classes for children. For those of you who want a more private and online lesson, there are also additional options. OK, let’s get started.
Read also:
6 Best & Most Famous Japanese Language Schools in Los Angeles
5 Best & Most Popular Japanese Language Schools in Houston
5 Most Popular Japanese Language Schools in San Diego
Contents
About Philadelphia
Philadelphia is one of America’s most historic cities. It is the 5th largest city in the United States with an area of 349.9 km². As of 1st July 2021, it has an estimated population of 1,576,251 million. In Philadelphia you will find a lot of history that calls it the first zoo in the United States.
In addition, the Liberty Bell has historical significance for the United States. As Pennsylvania Senator Robert Morris long ago said in the 18th century; Philadelphia is ‘to the United States what the heart is to the human body in circulating blood’.
It is no exaggeration to call Philadelphia a historic city for the United States of America because it housed the first national hospital, the first United States flag was made here, the first library, and the first stock house also opened in the United States.
Therefore, if you want to learn about the history of the United States, look no further than Philadelphia, where the city has the largest city park at 9,200 acres.
For education, Philadelphia is super famous for having some of the most prestigious higher education programs in the United States.
The three famous and powerful universities with their high class research in the city are Temple University, Drexel University, and the University of Pennsylvania, which are renowned Ivy League universities throughout the United States.
As such, the city has a diverse range of cultures brought by many students from all over the world for you to get to know each other’s cultures. Thus, you can learn new languages, including Japanese.
5 Famous Places to Learn Japanese in Philadelphia
Here are 5 best places where you can learn Japanese in Philadelphia both onsite and through online.
(1) Japanese Language School of Philadelphia
Since 1972, the Japanese Language School of Philadelphia has been providing Japanese language teaching services in Philadelphia as a non-profit organization. the Ministry of Education of Japan has recognized and partially funded this great school. The school provides kindergarten, elementary school, junior high school, high school, and consecutive Japanese language courses.
The programs offered by The Japanese Language School of Philadelphia (JLSP) are divided into 4 major programs as follows:
1) Japanese curriculum
2) Japanese as a Heritage Language (JHL) classes for children
3) Japanese as a Second Language (JSL) classes for adults
4) Japanese pre-school classes
Interestingly, JLSP is held following the Japanese education system and calendar where the classes are available weekly on Saturdays. This is according to the Japanese school calendar, from April to March.
In addition to Japanese language, this school also provides students with general subjects such as Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.
If you doubt the authenticity of the teaching in this school, this school uses the same textbooks as schools in Japan. Therefore, the authenticity of Japanese education culture is still alive even though the class are available in US.
Address: Japanese Language School of Philadelphia c/o Friends’ Central School 1101 City Avenue, Wynnewood, PA 19096
Recruitment term: April to March (except for JSL classes, which start in September for adults)
Number of instructors: 30 teachers and staff
Capacity: over 230 students from abroad
(2) Japan America Society of Greater Philadelphia
Japan America Society of Greater Philadelphia (JASGP) is a non-profit organization that has more than 30 years of close diplomatic relations with the USA and Japan through business exchange programs, festivals, culture, and education.
This instituttion has 4 main programs such as Shofuso Japanese House and Garden, Shofuso Cherry Blossom Festival, US-Japan Business and Public Policy Series as well as the Japanese arts, business, and cultural educational programming.
Shofuso is a 17th century-style Japanese house with associated residential gardens that reflects the history of Japanese culture in Philadelphia.
The Japanese language class itself offers evening Japanese classes for adults based on a college-style curriculum and is held online currently amid the covid-19 pandemic.
All these class programs study grammar, as well as accompanied by live conversation and almost the guidebooks used are the Genki I and II textbook series. However, if you want to join this class make sure you are over 18 years old.
Address: 5070 Parkside Avenue, Suite 1400, Philadelphia, PA 19131
Recruitment term: Spring, Summer and Fall season
Number of instructors: 9 staff, included native Japanese
Capacity: –
(3) Japanese Course held by Community College of Philadelphia
Community College of Philadelphia is a public educational institution that has been in existence since 1965. This school has served more than 685,000 residents of the city of Philadelphia. For their own language, this campus offers a special program which they call, “world language course”.
They present almost all languages in the world in this class, especially languages from countries that are for the international relations.
Then, the Japanese course itself has several class such as into elementary class 1, 2 and intermediate class 1, 2. Furthermore, this class gets 3 credit hours, thus you can not only go to school with the general major you take. You can also take a foreign language course from all over the world including Japanese.
Address: 1700 Spring Garden Street, Philadelphia, PA 19130
Recruitment term: The academic year begins in September and ends in August
Number of instructors: over 100 staffs
Capacity: –
(4) Penn Language Center Japanese Course
Penn Language Center (PLC) is part of the University of Pennsylvania. Since 1989, it has helped strengthen language education for students. The school consistently supports the development of language professionals for students interested in improving their foreign language skills.
Currently, PLC follows the development of online teaching methods, the purpose of PLC is to support your education while studying at the University of Pennsylvania in particular.
Furthermore, PLC has main purpose to assist students with Assessment of Language Proficiency, Language Direct Tutoring Services, Online Courses and American Sign Language Program Languages for Specific Purposes.
Address: 715-716 Williams Hall | University of Pennsylvania | Philadelphia, PA 19104-6305
Recruitment term: Spring, Summer and Fall
Number of instructors: –
Capacity: –
(5) Learn Japanese at Famous University in Philadelphia
If you are a student of Temple University, you can also immerse yourself in the Japanese language and culture by taking courses available at the university.
This course can be a bridge to beginning and intermediate Japanese to emphasize spoken Japanese and conversational practice.
In addition to Temple University, the University of Pennsylvania also hosts a Japanese language program. At the University of Pennsylvania, basic to intermediate intensive classes are available.
Before choosing the type of class, you will have to take a placement test. Even if you don’t have a foundation or experience in the program, don’t worry. You can still follow and catch up with the material by joining the intensive course.
Where to Find Best Japanese Tutors in Philadelphia?
Especially for those of you who want a more customized, online and affordable class, then taking classes held by some of these online media can be the best solution.
Moreover, the tutors they provide are also professional, have diverse and in-depth experience. You can join the classes from anywhere. The price is also very affordable.
So, which online media can you make a choice. You can try to find your best tutor through Varsity Tutors, Preply, amazingtalker, wyzant, Superprof, takelessons, and many others.
And of course, you can also get recommendations for the best Japanese tutors and places at EDOPEN Japan. You can also learn Japanese directly by following and reading articles about Learn Japanese that are very comprehensive and light to read.
Looking for More Information about Learning Japanese in Philadelphia?
- How many years does it take to learn Japanese fluently?
To be fluent in Japanese, you need more than 1 year of intensive Japanese language study. Many say that you need to study Japanese intensively for at least 3 years to reach a level of fluency that approaches that of a native speaker. However, it all depends on the ability and discipline of the individual learner. - Where should I start if I want to learn Japanese?
To start learning Japanese, you can start by learning hiragana and katakana. At the same time, you can learn basic Japanese vocabulary such as greetings and introductions in Japanese. - Where can I easily learn Japanese?
You can learn Japanese easily through the Japanese language learning website, which you can access anytime just by using the Internet and it’s free. Please go here! - Can I learn Japanese for free?
Of course you can. You can use various platforms such as Japanese learning websites, apps and YouTube, which contain a wealth of material on learning Japanese. - Is it better to learn Japanese before going to Japan?
Although Japan is currently very welcoming to foreigners, having a basic knowledge of Japanese can be a very valuable asset in making your visit a smooth one. This basic knowledge of Japanese will really help you to enjoy Japanese culture. - Which is the fastest way to learn Japanese?
For significant results, we strongly recommend that you study Japanese at a Japanese language school with a special curriculum that teaches Japanese very regularly and intensively. Professional teachers who teach Japanese at language schools will also really help you understand each material correctly and comprehensively. - How long does it take to learn Japanese fluently?
Responses to this question vary due to individual learning abilities. Nevertheless, Japanese language schools generally aim for students to achieve a basic level (N4 and N5) within 3-6 months, an intermediate level (N3 and N2) within 6-12 months, and an advanced level (N1) in over a year. Many specialists claim that it takes a minimum of three years of rigorous Japanese language studies to attain the level of fluency or N1 proficiency. - Is it worth it to learn Japanese?
Learning Japanese can improve your career prospects, facilitate the acquisition of other foreign languages such as Korean or Chinese, enhance your cognitive abilities, and enable you to appreciate Japanese culture more easily. - Should I learn Japanese if I want to visit Japan?
Even if you only spend a short time in Japan, learning some simple Japanese words can make it more straightforward to take care of tasks like asking about prices, buying tickets and getting what you need. For instance, anyone who’s travelling and needs to communicate will benefit from gaining basic Japanese language skills. - What is the fees to learn Japanese language?
To discover the cost of the Japanese language course you desire, you must request additional information from the school for accurate details.
Conclusion
Here’s our round-up of the 5 Best Japanese Language Schools in Philadelphia. Have you ever attended one of the Japanese language programs offered by these schools?
| (1) Japanese Language School of Philadelphia | April to March admission, class begin from September |
| (2) Japan America Society of Greater Philadelphia | Spring, Summer and Fall season admission |
| (3) Japanese Course held by Community College of Philadelphia | September admission |
| (4) Penn Language Center Japanese Course | Spring, Summer and Fall admission |
| (5) Learn Japanese at Famous University in Philadelphia | Contact for the details of admission |
Don’t forget to check out the tutor recommendations that you can get through the online media that we shared earlier.
Don’t hesitate to contact us if you’d like to discuss how to learn Japanese properly, how to get started and more. We would love to receive your feedback.
Alright, see you in the next article! We wish you a successful and enjoyable Japanese learning journey!
