Fall Semester Registration Is Now Open!
Japanese for Travel and Everyday Life
Planning a trip to Japan or simply learning for fun? This beginner-friendly course led by Mari Kato helps adults build practical conversational Japanese skills for real-life situations. You’ll learn to speak, read, and write through useful topics like self-introductions, asking for directions, talking about hobbies, expressing feelings and more! —perfect for travel or casual conversations
Learning Japanese Can Be Fun!
With no tests or exams, the focus is on building your confidence to communicate naturally with native speakers. Mari creates a welcoming, supportive classroom where making mistakes is part of the learning process. Whether you’re shy or just starting out, you’ll feel encouraged every step of the way.
Meet Mari Kato
Mari Kato is an experienced language educator, program coordinator, and curriculum designer based in Vancouver for nearly 20 years. She holds a Master of Education from UBC and is passionate about helping students build strong communication skills through meaningful cross-cultural experiences. Mari has designed and led language programs connecting learners in Canada and Japan, and has continued to innovate in online education.
Outside the classroom, she serves as a board director at the Japan Canada Chamber of Commerce, where she co-hosts international symposiums featuring a wide range of speakers and participants.
Testimonies
"I have had the pleasure of learning Japanese with Mari sensei. Her lessons are always well-structured, engaging, and tailored to my level and goals. Whether it's grammar, conversation practice, or cultural insights, she explained everything clearly and patiently. I highly recommend Mari sensei to anyone looking to learn Japanese, whether you're a beginner or looking to advance your skills.”
Rachel L.
Level 2 StudentLevel 1 and 2 Japanese with Kato Sensei were a great way to kick-start my Japanese learning journey. The class times worked great for my busy work week. The learning pace was just right, we always reviewed the previous lesson at the beginning of each class which was super helpful. The course's interactive style really helped me remember a lot of vocabulary and practice speaking skills with fellow classmates and our instructor.
J.A.
Level 2 StudentThe Japanese classes taught by Mari-sensei are accessible and fun. I'm grateful that the Burnaby School District began offering this language as part of the Community and Continuing Education program, as it is affordable and the schedule is convenient for working adults. Fellow students are enthusiastic because we share a common interest in learning Japanese and exploring Japanese culture. Mari-sensei fosters an engaging atmosphere in which we listen to audio clips of conversations and practice with one another, in addition to reciting newly-learned phrases and vocabulary. The textbook for levels one and two covers common conversational Japanese and introduces key grammar points. In addition, Mari-sensei is patient and thorough in answering all of our questions, including those about linguistic nuances and cultural norms. Helpful supplementary materials, such as optional homework and digital flashcards, are also provided to support our review. I really enjoyed the first two levels of the classes and look forward to taking the next levels.
Tim T.
Level 2 StudentAvailable Japanese Courses
(Sept to Nov 2025 – Weekday 7pm to 9pm – Burnaby North Secondary)
Japanese Level 1 – A1 Part 1
This 10-week beginner course covers practical topics like greetings, self-introductions, talking about family and food, ordering from a menu, describing your home, and daily routines—all to build essential conversational skills.
Japanese – Level 2 – A1 Part 2
This course buildings on level 1 and introduces writing in hiragana and katakana. Students will learn to talk about hobbies, make plans, give directions, read prices, use basic past tense, and express travel goals.
Japanese – Level 3 – A2 Part 1
Proficiency in hiragana and katakana required. This course covers talking about the weather, making recommendations, correcting misunderstandings, apologizing, discussing languages and cultures, offering help and more.
Burnaby Community & Continuing Education
This adult language course is funded and brought to you by Burnaby School District’s Burnaby Community & Continuing Education. BCCE provides multiple language courses like French, Mandarin, Japanese, and Spanish.
Check out their website for more information!
