Learn Japanese with Polyglottist Language Academy
Japanese Classes in Berkeley – Open to Students from Oakland, San Francisco & San Jose + Online Worldwide
Please select your desired level below to proceed!
Japanese Classes in Berkeley, CA
Polyglottist Language Academy offers small-group and private Japanese classes for adults in Berkeley and online. Our Japanese courses are designed for complete beginners, low beginners, and continuing students who want structured lessons, speaking practice, cultural context, and personal attention from experienced instructors.
Our in-person Japanese classes meet at our downtown Berkeley location at 2161 Shattuck Ave, Suites 234–235, Berkeley, CA. We welcome students from Berkeley, Oakland, Emeryville, Albany, Alameda, San Francisco, San Jose, and the wider Bay Area. Online Japanese classes are also available for students who prefer to learn remotely.
Whether you are learning Japanese for travel, culture, anime and manga, business, family, academic study, or personal enrichment, our classes help you build a strong foundation in speaking, listening, reading, and writing.
Upcoming Japanese Classes
Online Complete Beginner Japanese
Dates: July 23–August 27, 2026
Day & Time: Thursdays, 6:00–7:00 PM Pacific Time
Format: Online, small group
Class Size: 3–6 students
Instructor: Elsiemae
Tuition: $290
This class is designed for absolute beginners with no prior knowledge of Japanese. Students will begin with pronunciation, basic greetings, simple sentence patterns, and an introduction to Hiragana.
Register for Online Complete Beginner Japanese
Online Low Beginner Japanese
Dates: July 23–August 27, 2026
Day & Time: Thursdays, 7:15–8:15 PM Pacific Time
Format: Online, small group
Class Size: 3–6 students
Instructor: Elsiemae
Tuition: $290
This class is designed for students who already have a basic foundation in Japanese. It is a good fit if you have completed a complete beginner course, studied some Japanese before, or already know basic greetings, Hiragana, and simple sentence patterns.
Register for Online Low Beginner Japanese
In-Person Complete Beginner Japanese in Berkeley
Dates: September 8–October 13, 2026
Day & Time: Tuesdays, 10:00–11:00 AM Pacific Time
Format: In-person, small group
Location: 2161 Shattuck Ave, Suites 234–235, Berkeley, CA
Class Size: 3–6 students
Instructor: Mari
Tuition: $330
This in-person class is perfect for students who are completely new to Japanese. You will begin step by step with pronunciation, greetings, Hiragana, basic sentence structure, and simple everyday communication.
Register for In-Person Complete Beginner Japanese
In-Person Low Beginner Japanese in Berkeley
Dates: September 8–October 13, 2026
Day & Time: Tuesdays, 11:15 AM–12:15 PM Pacific Time
Format: In-person, small group
Location: 2161 Shattuck Ave, Suites 234–235, Berkeley, CA
Class Size: 3–6 students
Instructor: Mari
Tuition: $330
This class is designed for students who already have some basic Japanese. You will continue building vocabulary, grammar, listening skills, reading confidence, and speaking ability in a friendly small-group setting.
Register for In-Person Low Beginner Japanese
Why Learn Japanese?
Japanese is one of the most fascinating and rewarding languages to study. It opens the door to Japanese culture, travel, film, literature, food, technology, anime, manga, business, and meaningful cross-cultural communication.
Learning Japanese also gives students a new way to think about language. Its sentence structure, writing systems, levels of politeness, and cultural nuances are very different from English, which makes the learning process both challenging and deeply rewarding.
At Polyglottist Language Academy, we make Japanese approachable by combining clear instruction, speaking practice, reading and writing support, and cultural context. Our goal is not only to help you memorize words, but to help you actually use Japanese with confidence.
Why Choose Polyglottist Language Academy?
Small group classes
Our Japanese classes are intentionally small, usually 3–6 students, so you receive personal attention and regular speaking practice.
In-person classes in Berkeley
Our Berkeley location is convenient for students from Oakland, Emeryville, Albany, Alameda, San Francisco, San Jose, and the wider Bay Area.
Online Japanese classes
Students can also join live online Japanese classes from anywhere, while still benefiting from an interactive small-group format.
Experienced instructors
Our Japanese instructors bring strong teaching experience, cultural knowledge, and a supportive approach to the classroom.
Structured levels
Students can begin with Complete Beginner Japanese and continue into Low Beginner, High Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced levels as classes become available.
Language and culture together
Japanese is not only grammar and vocabulary. Our classes also introduce students to Japanese etiquette, communication style, culture, and everyday usage.
Japanese Classes for All Levels
We offer Japanese instruction for students at different stages of learning.
Complete Beginner Japanese
For students with no prior knowledge of Japanese. You will begin with pronunciation, Hiragana, basic greetings, simple vocabulary, and essential sentence patterns.
Low Beginner Japanese
For students who have already studied some Japanese or completed a complete beginner course. You will continue developing basic conversation skills, reading ability, vocabulary, and grammar.
High Beginner Japanese
For students who can already use simple Japanese and want to become more comfortable speaking about everyday topics such as food, shopping, schedules, family, travel, and preferences.
Intermediate Japanese
For students who already understand basic Japanese and want to improve fluency, listening comprehension, grammar accuracy, reading ability, and confidence in conversation.
Advanced Japanese
For students who want to refine their speaking, reading, writing, and cultural understanding at a higher level. Advanced students may focus on conversation, literature, media, professional Japanese, or academic Japanese depending on their goals.
Individual Japanese Lessons
Private Japanese lessons are available for students who prefer a personalized schedule or want to focus on specific goals such as travel, JLPT preparation, conversation, grammar, reading, writing, or Japanese for work.
In-Person Japanese Classes in Berkeley
Our in-person Japanese classes take place at Polyglottist Language Academy in downtown Berkeley:
2161 Shattuck Ave, Suites 234–235
Berkeley, CA
Our location is convenient for students from Berkeley, Oakland, Emeryville, Albany, Alameda, San Francisco, San Jose, and nearby Bay Area communities. Students choose our in-person Japanese classes because they want a real classroom experience, direct interaction with the instructor, and a supportive group of classmates.
Online Japanese Classes
Our online Japanese classes are live and interactive. They are not pre-recorded courses. Students meet with an instructor each week, practice speaking, ask questions, complete guided exercises, and receive support throughout the course.
Online Japanese classes are a good option for students who live outside Berkeley, have busy schedules, or prefer to study from home while still receiving structured instruction.
Who Can Join Our Japanese Classes?
Our Japanese classes are designed for adult learners from a wide range of backgrounds.
Students often join because they want to:
Learn Japanese for travel to Japan
Understand anime, manga, film, and Japanese pop culture
Communicate with Japanese-speaking friends, family, or colleagues
Prepare for future study or work opportunities
Build a new intellectual and cultural skill
Study Japanese in a structured, supportive environment
No prior experience is needed for our Complete Beginner Japanese classes.
FAQs About Our Japanese Classes
Do I need to know any Japanese before joining?
No. Our Complete Beginner Japanese class is designed for students with no prior knowledge of Japanese. If you already know some basic Japanese, our Low Beginner class may be a better fit.
What is the difference between Complete Beginner and Low Beginner Japanese?
Complete Beginner Japanese is for students who are starting from zero. Low Beginner Japanese is for students who already know some greetings, basic sentence patterns, Hiragana, or simple vocabulary.
Do you offer Japanese classes in person?
Yes. We offer in-person Japanese classes at our Berkeley location at 2161 Shattuck Ave, Suites 234–235.
Do you offer online Japanese classes?
Yes. We offer live online Japanese classes for students in the Bay Area and beyond.
How many students are in each Japanese class?
Most of our small-group Japanese classes have 3–6 students.
How long is each term?
Most group classes meet once per week for six weeks.
Do you offer private Japanese lessons?
Yes. Individual Japanese lessons are available online and may be customized around your level, schedule, and goals.
Which Japanese class should I choose?
Choose Complete Beginner Japanese if you are new to the language. Choose Low Beginner Japanese if you already know some basics. If you are unsure, contact us and we can help you choose the best level.
Explore Japanese Language and Culture
Want to learn more about Japanese language, culture, and study strategies? Visit our blog for articles about language learning, travel, culture, grammar, and practical tips for becoming a more confident language learner.
Sign Up for a Japanese Class Today
Ready to begin learning Japanese? Join Polyglottist Language Academy for small-group or private Japanese lessons in Berkeley or online.
Polyglottist Language Academy
2161 Shattuck Ave, Suites 234–235
Berkeley, CA
Email: info@polyglottistlanguageacademy.com