Reading Japanese Literary Magazines (Group Lessons).
Apply for the upcoming semester today!
Dear fellow language learners,
I am happy to announce that a new semester of Japanese reading lessons will begin next month, starting Monday November 24th. This message contains all the info on how to apply.
Meet your teacher
For those of you who are new here, a quick self introduction: Hi! I’m Bunsuke, a Dutch native who has dedicated over 20 years of his life to studying Japanese language and literature. My academic journey has taken me across three continents, allowing me to study in Europe (BA/MA, Leiden University), Japan (MA, Waseda University), and the United States (MA, Columbia University). Last year, I received my Ph.D. in Japanese literature, specializing in late 19th and early 20th century fiction.
Beyond my own research, I have a deep passion for teaching. I love seeing the aha!moment when a difficult concept finally clicks in my students. By breaking down complex sentences into manageable pieces, I’ll help you see that reading Japanese is more achievable than you thought. I know first hand that studying this language is a long and frustrating process with more downs than ups. But I’m here to guide you through all the intricacies and complexities and equip you with the tools you need to become a more confident, independent reader.
Are these lessons for me?
Group lessons are designed for intermediate learners and above. By ‘intermediate’ I mean you can read through a text like this with relative ease. It’s okay if you don’t know every word, grammar point, or kanji, but you shouldn’t feel completely out of your depth.
My goal is to provide a relaxed learning environment that empowers you to pick up a Japanese book with confidence. I know that this is a major hurdle for many learners, but I promise, it’s not as insurmountable as it seems. My most valuable experience in Japan was working one-on-one with my advisor, analyzing texts, asking questions freely, while reflecting on the content and language together and discovering resources to deepen my understanding. This is the kind of experience I aim to recreate in my teaching - guiding rather than directing, passing along knowledge, and sharing the tools and methods that helped me along my own language learning journey.
By the end of the semester, you’ll feel more confident in your reading abilities and, most importantly, actually enjoy reading in Japanese. The group members contribute to an open and constructive atmosphere where everyone feels comfortable to ask questions - no matter how basic or detailed - and make mistakes as we work together toward our shared goal of understanding the text.
What we’ll read
The reading materials for the new semester are handpicked from recent editions of Japan’s most prominent literary magazines. We’ll read and discuss the latest short stories, essays, and opinion pieces from publications like すばる (Subaru), 文藝春秋 (Bungei shunju), 文學界 (Bungakukai), and 群像 (Gunzo). You’ll be asked to prepare the assigned text to the best of your abilities for each session, look up kanji and grammar points, and write down any questions you’d like to ask during the sessions. At the end of each session, the group democratically decides whether we stick to the same text for another week or switch to a different author or genre.
The format
10x 55-minute lessons (via Zoom)
Interactive group setting to level up your Japanese reading skills
Contemporary literary works and essays from major literary magazines (scans provided)
Fixed curriculum (texts handpicked by me)
Max. 10 people per group
Price: €425 per person (for 10 lessons)
The schedule
All group lessons take place on Mondays 7:00-7:55 am, Japan local time (Sunday afternoon/evening in the Americas), starting November 24th 2025. The sessions dates are as follows:
Session 1: 24 November
Session 2: 1 December
Session 3: 8 DecemberWINTER BREAK: 15 December - 4 January
Session 4: 5 January
Session 5: 12 January
Session 6: 19 January
Session 7: 26 JanuaryBREAK: 2-8 February
Session 8: 9 February
Session 9: 16 February
Session 10: 23 February
NOTE: All times and dates above are listed in Japan local time. The semester begins after a shift in daylight savings, turning the clock backward by one hour in many places at different moments around the globe (Japan does not change time). Please take this into account when checking your schedule.
Policy
No refunds once a payment is made.
No rescheduling for missed classes. If you miss a lesson, you cannot make it up later, no matter the reason for your absence.
If I have to cancel a session on my end, it will be rescheduled.
How to apply
Reply to this email and introduce yourself! I’d love to hear about your background as a Japanese language learner and what you hope to gain from these lessons.
Once we’ve verified that there’s availability in the group, you’ll be sent an invoice with a payment link. Your enrollment is confirmed once the payment is received. Spots tend to fill up fast, so make sure to secure yours promptly.
If you have any questions, feel free to reply to this email.
I’m looking forward to hearing from you and working with you from November.
Yours,
Bunsuke