More than 125 million people speak Japanese worldwide, but for students learning the language here at Boulder High, the Japanese program offers far more than communication.
Arguably one of the lesser-known languages offered at Boulder High, the Japanese program opens students’ eyes to a new culture, future career and educational opportunities, and relationships across the globe, ultimately benefiting all who study.
Yes, learning Japanese can seem like learning five languages at once – one of the most intimidating things about the program is that students have to learn three new alphabets within their first year – but students will be surprised at how quickly they pick up Japanese and how much they can speak, read, and write in a language totally indecipherable to most Americans after just a few years.
But the best part of the program is that it focuses on so much more than grammar, vocab, and conjunctions (unlike the stereotypical “high school language class”). With a focus on Japanese-American connections and multicultural understanding, students across all levels of Japanese have the opportunity to participate in live exchanges with students in Japan, study abroad programs, and cultural presentations.
This spring, the Japanese and US History classes combined to host a special guest speaker: Ms. Marge Takiwaki, a survivor of Japanese-American Internment. Ms. Takiwaki gave a poignant presentation on her lived experience in internment camps during World War II, and conveyed a message that the mistakes and antagonism between America and Japan in the 1940s must never be repeated. Overall, the event deepened students’ understanding of history and encouraged activism as Ms. Takiwaki inspired younger generations to end xenophobia and foster intercultural understanding.
A few weeks later, the AP Japanese class invited Governor Jared Polis and other important guests to their class period for a series of speeches given by students and a traditional tea ceremony. This event also demonstrated the Japanese program’s focus on sharing the beauty and complexity of Japanese culture and customs with American society, and increased intercultural understanding.
Even more unique, Boulder High is actually the only high school in BVSD that offers Japanese. This means that not only does it make Boulder better than Fairview once again, but the study of the language also stands out in college and job applications! Additionally, the process of learning Japanese provides students with a distinctive skill set, opening the door to learning Mandarin or studying abroad in Asia, an especially useful opportunity for those interested in medicine or technology.
For those who hope to learn many languages, learning a new system of writing in a secondary language actually makes it easier to pick up a third language that uses the Latin alphabet (such as Spanish, French, or German).
Back in freshman year, I didn’t expect to learn life lessons from a language I could barely pronounce. But now, four years later, I recognize that choosing Japanese as my second language changed how I see the world. Learning Japanese at Boulder High isn’t about memorizing vocabulary, but stepping into a culture that reshapes how you think, connect, and grow. I would highly encourage anyone interested to take that first brave step and try out learning a new language.
