Institute of Japanese Studies Studies
The Japanese Studies program at Heidelberg provides in-depth knowledge of Japan, its culture and society, and its history, while also building a solid foundation in modern and classical Japanese language. Heidelberg offers a full academic path—from Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees to doctoral studies.
What Japanese Studies in Heidelberg offers:
- Intensive Japanese language training: With a high number of weekly contact hours, students acquire a strong command of the Japanese language. Around 600 active kanji are taught in the first year, and later courses include an introduction to classical written Japanese.
- Specialization options in literature, society, and history within the Japanese context.
- A variety of co-curricular events, including academic lectures and career-related talks organized by our alumni and supporters’ network FANJaH e.V. (Supporters and Alumni Network of Japanese Studies Heidelberg).
- Student-run events organized by our active student council, such as monthly language exchange evenings (Hanasukai), film nights, summer and winter festivals, hikes, karaoke nights, and more.
- International exchange: Semester- or year-long stays at one of our partner universities in Japan.
