Japanese Class (free)

7 Japanese Lessons –

Please feel free to use the lesson plans below

Japanese Language Proficiency Test Preparation –

Contact Kaz for an interview.

Lesson One: Weeks ようび

Lesson Two: Days 日にちとカレンダー

Lesson Three: Direction – みちじゅん

Lesson Four: Weather / Temperature てんき

Lesson Five: Countries in Katakana / Kaniji 他国ーたこく

Lesson Six: Counting methods かぞえかた

Lesson Seven: Family – Persons かぞく

Lesson Eight: Body parts からだ

Lesson Nine: Color – “My favorite color is ——“

Lesson Ten: Foods

Lesson Eleven”: Clothes –

Lesson: Twelve: Houses / Buildings / Rooms

Lesson Thirteen: Activities and Hobbies

Lesson Fourteen: Daily Life –

Lesson Fifteen: Opposite

Lesson Sixteen: Sample Test

Kaz Matamura is an internationally-recognized theatre director & media trainer based in Los Angeles. Kaz has trained numerous public speakers, directors, and actors both in the US and Japan. Currently, she is the Development Director and Youth Program Director at the renowned Stella Adler Academy of Los Angeles, an Adjunct Professor at the Art Center of Design in Pasadena (teaching “Acting for Film Directors”) and a Board Member of the Cultural News Association, a non-profit organization whose focus is to share Japanese culture with people of all backgrounds.

Kaz created the Cultural News Association’s preparation course for the Level 5 Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) for non-native speakers. The JPTL is Japan’s official language proficiency test, and is offered worldwide.

In the late 1990s, Kaz co-founded the Secret Rose Theatre in North Hollywood as part of a movement to revitalize the NoHo Arts District, and in 2000 founded the non-profit Fire Rose Productions. Through Fire Rose Productions, Kaz created and managed three theatre companies: New Rose Ensemble, Mini Rose Ensemble, and Arigato Kai, the only all-Japanese language performing troupe in the United States. In 2016, she organized and produced the largest short play festival in North America – “Short + Sweet”. Over her career, Kaz has produced over fifty events and festivals.

A lifelong educator, Kaz has established student exchange programs, formed children’s readers’ theatre at local libraries, and put on free children’s art classes. She has taught Japanese high school students preparing for college examinations on classical languages (koten). Since 2000, Kaz has trained and coached more than three hundred Japanese and American clients.

Lesson 1