Japan Society of Northern California

I took Japanese classes here for a quarter. I wasn't aware that memberships auto renewed, but a year after I was automatically charged for the membership fee. On their website, I didn't find any way to cancel my membership, as there is no easy log-in button. Additionally, I learned that unlike most modern services, membership cancellations immediately stop the service the day off, so if you cancel one day after you get renewed, you are paying for nothing for the remaining 364 days. This is an innately predatory practice that no modern organization should engage in. Finally, in the state of California, businesses are actually required by law to send out a reminder before charging for a recurring service, which I did not receive. As for the class itself, I didn't learn as much as I thought I would, but I think that's just a mismatch between teaching style and my learning style.

I was thoroughly impressed by the quality and level of language classes that the Japan Society of Northern California has to offer. They have multiple classes at all ability levels, and I was able to find a course that matched my current skill level and was appropriately challenging. I was likewise impressed by the quality of the instructors they had as well. I took online courses with Ikunaga Sensei, and was touched by how much effort and care she put into teaching her students. Classes were a fun balance of cultural lessons, conversation pair work, and grammar/vocabulary practice - although the focus tended to be slightly heavier on reading and listening comprehension than dynamic conversation practice. The JSNC also offers a wide range of engaging seminars exploring the culture and society of Japan that serve as an excellent supplement to any curriculum. My experience taking classes with them was extremely positive, and I would highly recommend them to any of my family or friends.

The language classes here are excellent! I have been studying Japanese here for several years (both in groups and 1:1), and I have enjoyed every single teacher I have worked with. They are all really knowledgable, patient, and available for questions and help even outside of class. In addition to the courses, I enjoy the occasional cultural events to learn about Japanese culture, politics and business.

The Japan Society of Northern California continues to provide great value to its members. I took Japanese language classes at their location at 88 Kearny and I recently attended a Kioke (Wooden Barrel) Soy Sauce event here. Here's what I like: excellent location; close to Bart, Muni, and parking. Great language class, with excellent teacher (Sunny-san) and class materials. There are several eating and caffeine-delivery establishments nearby for pre-class dining/studying. I recommend the Peet's/Capital One Cafe diagonally across the street. For the Soy Sauce event, the Society hosted several artisanal soy sauce makers from Japan, whose passion for their craft showed in their presentation and the food they offered. If you're interested in all things Japanese, you're in luck with the Japan Society of Northern California.

All year long we look forward to the US-Japan Friendship Cup Tennis Tournament! It's been going on for over 30 years and is a great way to meet people, play tennis, and enjoy a delicious Japanese lunch. What could be better, right? The Japan Society of Northern California staff run a seamless tournament! Did I mention the fun prizes and swag, too?

Strongly recommend. This is one of the best language classes I have taken. It’s a small cohort so everyone will be covered and has lots of opportunities to practice. The teacher is really nice and considerate. Price is affordable. I’m taking Beginning 2 and will sign up for the next level once completed.

The Japanese teachers here are awesome! The cost is super reasonable for the quality of lessons you're getting. They also have a lot of different levels, and timezones, which makes it amazing for working adults.