The University of Iowa Japanese Program

10/15/2026

Tomorrow night, at the downtown public library, the magic returns, when the poet Kawaguchi Harumi and the translator Rina Kikuchi take the stage with student-translators in the Workshop in Japanese Literary Translation. Join us!

09/22/2026

Four former students of our visiting IWP poet from Japan, now all poets in their own right, have come to Iowa City with their editor to read with our students. Followed by Kawaguchi Harumi (IWP 2026) and her translator Rina Kikuchi (Obermann-CAPS Fellow 2026). In the tradition of 百人一首 (One Hundred Poets, One Poem Each), we bring you 五人一首: Five Poets, One Poem Each. It's a reminder of how artistry is passed from one generation to the next as a labor of love, and of how fortunate we are to have twin pillars of the poetry and translation worlds with us in Iowa this fall!

08/19/2026

Congratulations to Denise Cabrera, Ruthanne Haug, and Zach Hemmen, who are headed to Japan this year to teach English on the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program! The total number of UI students who have gone on JET since we started keeping records in 2013 now stands at 45!

08/19/2026

Congratulations to Brenda Gao, Japanese minor and program mainstay, for snagging a coveted Fulbright to Taiwan! Have fun on your next adventure, Brenda!

Brenda Gao (BS psychology ’25) has received a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant Award to Taiwan for the 2026–27 academic year.

05/07/2026

I am pleased to announce that Penguin UK and WW Norton in the US have published my translation of the Japanese bestseller The Neverending Book, by the Akutagawa Prize-winning writer Matayoshi Naoki and the beloved children's book illustrator Yosh*take Shinsuke. LitHub selected it as their daily fiction recommendation last week; click below for a sneak preview! Now available at Prairie Lights and other fine bookstores! --Kendall Heitzman

There was this one book that was a real mess. It was the most beaten-up of all the books in the used bookstore. The other books were used, too, but they were all in such good condition that they ve…

05/01/2026

Join us on Monday evening for Honors presentations by graduating seniors Iris Engelhardt and Ava Nollen!

04/25/2026

We had a great few days with the Akutagawa Prize-winning writer Hirano Keiichirō. He read from his novel Eclipse and signed copies for dozens of people at two standing-room-only events, met with various people on campus, and toured the town with our UNESCO City of Literature office. We are grateful to the Japan Foundation New York for making this possible even after a rare New York blizzard forced us to cancel the event in February.

04/23/2026

This evening at 5pm, the Akutagawa Prize-winning writer Hirano Keiichirō will read in 1115 UCC. Books will be sold at this event by our friends at Prairie Lights. Join us!

04/23/2026

Today at 12:30 in the CLCL--a conversation with the Akutagawa Prize-winning novelist Hirano Keiichirō!

04/12/2026

Start Your Career in Japan: Beyond Study Abroad & Teaching (Webinar 4/14)

Are you wondering what’s next after graduation? While many paths to Japan involve study abroad or teaching English, there is another exciting professional option: starting a direct career in a Japanese corporation.

NECTJ and Mynavi (Japan’s leading career platform) are co-hosting a special session to show you how to navigate the "Shinsotsu" (entry-level) hiring system and launch a global career.

Why attend?
Direct Insights: Hear from Mynavi experts about how major Japanese companies hire global talent.
Market Differences: Understand the key differences between the U.S. and Japanese job searches.

Professional Asset: Learn how to turn your language skills into a long-term career strength.

Everyone is welcome, from beginners to advanced learners!

[Event Details]
Date: Tuesday, April 14
Time: 8:00 PM – 9:00 PM (EDT)
Platform: Online (No camera or mic required)
Register here: https://forms.gle/MoZjT7vAjjHknXTJA

If you have questions, feel free to ask me or contact NECTJ at [email protected].