Reading Literary Magazine "Gunzo" (New Group Lessons) + Verb Masterclass.
Starting this April!
Dear fellow language learners,
I’m happy to announce a new semester of lessons starting this April! There are two things on offer this round. First, there are weekly group lessons (10x 55 minutes) where we read short stories published in the renowned literary magazine Gunzo (群像) from the 1940s until the present. Second, there is a one-off 2,5h interactive Verb Masterclass about Japanese verb conjugations. See below how you can apply for either, or even better, for both at a discount!
Important: all times mentioned below are in local Japan time. By the time the new semester starts, many places around the globe will have switched from winter time to summer time. Japan does not have Daylight Savings. Please take these changes into account when calculating the time difference.
1. The Group Lessons
This block we’ll read short stories from Gunzo (群像), a literary magazine that has helped launched many authors’ careers over the decades of its existence. We’ll tackle some of the classic stories from the immediate postwar period and read all the way through the latest publications. Texts written between 1946 and 2014 are taken from the books in the picture below. Later publications are taken directly from the magazine. (Coffee not included.)
The Format:
10x 55-minute lessons on Zoom (as a rule, no recordings will be made)
Interactive group setting to level up your Japanese reading skills
Literary works and essays from Gunzo (scans provided)
Fixed curriculum (texts handpicked by me)
Max. 10 people per group
Price: €425 per person (for 10 lessons)
Lessons take place on Mondays 7 am, Japan time, following the schedule below
The Schedule:
Session 1: 6 April
Session 2: 13 April
Session 3: 20 April
Session 4: 27 April
BREAK: 4 - 10 May
Session 5: 11 May
Session 6: 18 May
Session 7: 25 May
BREAK: 1 - 7 June
Session 8: 8 June
Session 9: 15 June
Session 10: 22 June
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.
2. The Verb Masterclass
The Verb Masterclass is a 2,5 hour, one-off session in which I talk you through the comprehensive overview of verb conjugations that I have created. This Masterclass started from the observation during class that even intermediate and more advanced students sometimes struggle to parse verbs correctly (passive/causative/etc.). Without a solid understanding of verb conjugations, it's often unclear who does what or how subjects and objects relate to each other in a given sentence. If you are someone who struggles with verbs, this masterclass will help you understand conjugations better and significantly increase your overall reading comprehension. The last 30 minutes of the session are reserved for Q&A so you can ask all your questions there, or email me afterwards at any point.
When?
To accommodate participants in different timezones, the Verb Masterclass is offered on two consecutive days at different times.
Session I: April 4th (Saturday) at 6.00-8.30 pm, Japan time.
Session II: April 5th (Sunday) at 7.00-9.30 am, Japan time.
What?
I offer the masterclass at three tiers, with discounts for those who book a combination of group lessons and the masterclass:
Tier 1: Participation in one of the two sessions on offer (Session I or II), a full handout with explanations of verb conjugations complete with exercises and answer sheets, and a handy cheat sheet for verb conjugations. EU149,- (EU199,- if booked separately).
Tier 2: Everything in Tier 1 + one month access to the recording of the session you participated in. EU199,- (EU249,- if booked separately).
Tier 3: Everything in Tier 1 and 2 + access to future updates of the handout as I expand and improve the masterclass over time + lifetime access when I turn the masterclass into a digital course in the future. EU249,- (EU349,- if booked separately).
※ The recording of the session will only be distributed among Tier 2 and 3 participants of your own session. Participants in Tier 2 and 3 who cannot join the session will still be sent a link to the recording. Participants in Tier 1 will not be sent the recording if they miss the session, no matter the reason. Although I prefer to see the participants during the masterclass, you are free to keep your camera turned off/change your name during recording if you prefer.
※ If you’ve previously joined the Verb Masterclass at Tier 3, you will receive the updated handout by email in early April.
Booking policy
No refunds once a payment is made.
No rescheduling for missed classes. If you miss a lesson or masterclass session, you cannot make it up later, no matter the reason for your absence.
If I have to cancel a class 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 availability , 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.
Please include the following information:
Whether you’d like to book for the weekly group lessons, the Verb Masterclass, or both.
If you apply for the Verb Masterclass, let me know:
which of the two sessions (I or II) best suits your schedule, and
at which tier you’d like to join.
If you are already sure you’d like to book, please include an address I can use to finalize your invoice.
I’m looking forward to seeing your responses and start reading with the new cohort!
Yours,
Bunsuke
So sad I'll be missing this one :(