The Japanese Language Festival (JLF) is supported by community organizations that wish to create a fun and inspiring environment to study the Japanese Language and celebrate Japanese culture.

The Japanese Language Festival started in 2020 in celebration of the Society’s 25th year anniversary of its Japan In the Schools (JIS) program. Originally planned as an in-person festival, it quickly transitioned into a virtual event that year due to the pandemic. Since then, JLF has been an online event to celebrate Japanese language learning and education in Washington State. In 2024, however, we decided to transition to in-person programming to better cater to in-state students and to better bring attention and focus to providing students with a space to continue their language learning into higher education and beyond.

The goals were for students to (1) discover cultural aspects of Japan and (2) give them an intimate opportunity to practice Japanese in real-world settings. The programming was inspired partially by Japanese immersion camps held in the past and by the Society’s JIS education program.

We collaborate with various organizations and individuals to showcase things such as the Annual Washington State Japanese Speech & Skit Contest, a kendama performance and workshop by the Kendama Brothers, Nick and Zach Gallagher, voice actress Run Sasaki and her career, information about the JET Program from a JET Alumni, information about the Japanese Language Schools at the Japanese Cultural Community Center of Washington State, and more!

Be sure to join us for our next festivities!

Japanese Language Festival 2024 (March 16th, 2024)

Posts about the Japanese Language Festival


News

Sakurai RyuichiJuly 24, 2024 ~ December 5, 2024
Yumi TsunodaApril 29, 2024 ~ August 15, 2024
Shion YamazakiApril 15, 2024 ~ May 31, 2024
Ryutaro KinzoFebruary 6, 2024 ~ May 31, 2024
Yujin HeoDecember 18, 2023 ~ December 13, 2024
KyungYoung (Jenny) KimApril 10, 2023 ~ November 19, 2023
Christie JungMarch 31, 2023 ~ July 8, 2023
Taira ShimotsuyaFebruary 27, 2023 ~ June 1, 2023
Koki MatsumuraJanuary 23, 2023 ~ March 30, 2023
Harin ParkOctober 3, 2022 ~ January 20, 2023
Chihiro MatsuoJune 29, 2022 ~ September 2, 2022
Moena YamakawaJune 29, 2022 ~ August 19, 2022
Jiwoo JungApril 4, 2022 ~ July 31, 2022
Satoshi MikiJune 2022
Ellen UchidaApril 2021 ~ December 19, 2023
Isami February 24, 2020 ~ April 3, 2020
RioFebruary 3, 2020 ~ February 27, 2020
DaichiFebruary 3, 2020 ~ February 27, 2020
Tomohiro IshiiJanuary 2020 ~ February 2020
Naoki KokubuNovember 1, 2019 ~ 
Randy UnJuly 2019 ~ September 2019
Tomomi July 1, 2019 ~September 13, 2019
Nanami KikuchiAug 7, 2019 ~ August 30, 2019
ChirikoJuly 2019 ~
Misako SatoJuly 22, 2019 ~
Kana KitahamaFebruary 6, 2019 ~ April 30, 2019
Aya OgataFebruary 1, 2019 ~ February 26, 2019
Yuno TanifujiJanuary 28, 2019 ~ March 30, 2019
Shari MonsonOctober 2018 ~ February 2019
Midori NakanoAugust 16, 2018 ~ August 31, 2018
Hiroki IshiiJune 26, 2018 ~ August 31, 2018
Yuka MuroiFebruary 7, 2018 ~ March 2, 2018
Lee Hyung WooFebruary 2018 ~ June 2018
Nao MiyamotoJanuary 28, 2018 ~ April 1, 2018
Hitomi Kase January 2018 ~
Ryoko YamamotoOctober 11, 2017 ~
Raymond SimOctober, 2017 ~
Chihiro KurokawaOctober 9, 2017 ~ December 1, 2017
Tomomi TsukadaAugust 25, 2017 ~ September 13, 2017
Shohgo MiuraJuly 6, 2017 ~ 
Jumpei AsakuraEnd of February 2017 - Mid-March 2017

List of Our Past Interns