Find Your Level, Master Your Japanese

Our curriculum, aligned with JLPT and CEFR standards, offers a clear roadmap from your first hiragana to advanced fluency.

A Curriculum Built for Success

At Nihongo Center, our Japanese language course in Kyoto is designed to provide a clear and progressive learning path. Our curriculum aligns closely with both the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) and the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). This means you’re not only preparing for official exams but also gaining a clear understanding of what you’ll actually be able to do in real-world situations at each stage of your learning. This balanced approach is the core of our effective teaching philosophy.

The Right Start for Everyone

To ensure you are placed in the most suitable class for your abilities, all new students will take a placement test before the semester begins

From Zero to Conversational in
6 Months

Our Intensive Program is designed for rapid progress. While every student learns at a different pace, a dedicated beginner can typically expect to:

  • Reach the Elementary (N4) level in approximately 6 months.
  • Reach the Intermediate (N3) level in approximately 1 year.
  • Achieve Advanced (N1) fluency within 2 years of full-time study.

More Than an Exam: Learning for Communication

While achieving a high score on the JLPT is an important goal for many students, we believe that true mastery of a language comes from confident communication. That’s why every Japanese language course we offer here in Kyoto is built around practical application. Our goal is to get you speaking, listening, and interacting from your very first day. We supplement our core curriculum with [internal link to your Practical Japanese page] and [internal link to your Cultural Experience page], ensuring you use what you learn in real, memorable situations.
We provide comprehensive support for students aiming to take the official JLPT, which is a crucial step for anyone planning for higher education or a career in Japan.

Building Your Foundation

Designed for complete beginners. The aim is to master basic pronunciation, hiragana, katakana, and essential sentence patterns for survival in everyday situations.

What You Will Achieve:

  • Speak: Introduce yourself and answer simple personal questions.
  • Listen: Understand slow, clear conversations on daily topics.
  • Read: Recognize hiragana, katakana, and basic kanji on signs and in simple sentences.
  • Write: Fill out simple forms with your name and address.

From Survival to Social

Elevate your Japanese from survival to social use. You’ll learn more complex sentence structures, expand your vocabulary, and be introduced to basic polite speech (keigo).

What You Will Achieve:

  • Speak: Exchange information in familiar situations like ordering at a restaurant.
  • Listen: Understand common phrases about personal life, shopping, and appointments.
  • Read: Understand menus, timetables, and short articles on Japanese culture.
  • Write: Compose simple notes, messages, and short personal letters.

Become an Independent User

This is the key stage to become an independent Japanese user. You will learn to handle most travel situations, express experiences and plans, and communicate fluently with native speakers on a range of topics.

What You Will Achieve:

  • Speak: Engage in unprepared conversations and clearly express opinions on current issues.
  • Listen: Understand key points from TV/radio programs and comprehend most news and films.
  • Read: Understand personal letters, reports, and modern literature on contemporary topics.
  • Write: Create simple, coherent texts on personal interests and well-structured, detailed reports.

Achieve Professional & Academic Fluency

Develop the ability to use Japanese flexibly and effectively in academic, professional, and social settings. Express complex ideas fluently and precisely, appreciating subtle nuances in the language.

What You Will Achieve:

  • Speak: Speak fluently and naturally with minimal effort, presenting and defending complex arguments.
  • Listen: Easily understand complex speeches, TV programs, and films, even with implied meaning.
  • Read: Comprehend long, complex texts of various styles, from literature to academic papers.
  • Write: Produce logically structured, well-developed essays and reports on complex topics.

Your Academic Future in Japan Awaits

The journey to a Japanese university or vocational school begins with a solid language foundation. Our Intensive Program is specifically designed to give you the JLPT level and communication skills you need to succeed.

Explore the Intensive Program
See Course Levels