(Re)Making Sense of Kanji

For many learners of Japanese, Kanji is often considered to be a significant hurdle in mastering the language. Join us in this thought-provoking and interactive seminar, where we will delve into different ways to think of, organize, and learn Kanji effectively. 

Saturday January 20 | Online | 1:30 pm – 3:15 pm EST | Simple Japanese & English

Register at the bottom of this page by Friday January 19

**The maximum number of registrants has been reached for the seminar on January 20. Please reach out to koza_jftoronto@jpf.go.jp if you would like to be added to a waiting list.**


  • In this seminar you will…
    • Learn how Kanji came to be, and different ways it is used in the language
    • Consider different ways to look at and organize Kanji to better remember them, shifting your perspective from looking at Kanji as just “characters”.
    • Evaluate how you’re learning Kanji now, and explore strategies that suit you to be able to use and understand more Kanji.
    • And more!

Do you use Chinese characters/Kanji in your native language?

Click here to jump to our other Kanji seminar on Feb. 24 designed just for you!

  • Target audience: Japanese language learners from anywhere in Canada with at least Late-Elementary Japanese language proficiency, defined as:
    • JF Standard Late-Elementary (A2-2), or
    • JLPT N4/N5 level, Late-Beginner, Level 3 Japanese or equivalent

*you will require a camera and microphone to participate
*preference will be given to JFT students

  • Cost: Free
  • Quota: 30 participants maximum
  • Instructor: Dr. Ikuko Komuro-Lee, Associate Professor at the University of Toronto’s Department of East Asian Studies
    With her primary research field being Kanji, Dr. Komuro-Lee has conducted several workshops, lectures, and publications on learning and teaching Kanji, as well as kanji vocabulary education for those who use Chinese characters in their native language.

**The maximum number of registrants has been reached for the seminar on January 20. Please reach out to koza_jftoronto@jpf.go.jp if you would like to be added to a waiting list.**

Register Here