About this site

With the closing of the Organization for the Promotion of International Relations (OPIR) and the International Center in March 2016, the Center was newly established within the Institute for Liberal Arts and Sciences (ILAS) the following April and named the Education Center for Japanese Language and Culture. Samidori was renewed at that time to reflect the organizational change.

Subsequently in 2017, we obtained university funding to add new lessons and several new features to the learning system, which are described in detail further below. The newly-designed and expanded system was opened to the public in March 2018.

Kyoto University has set a goal of increasing the number of its incoming international students to 3,300 students (year-round total) by the 2021 academic year (the final year of the university’s current “Medium-Term Goals and Plan”). One of the primary aims of samidori’s most recent system renewal is to provide Japanese learners worldwide an opportunity to begin studying the language systematically before enrolling at Kyoto University, and to continue using the system after their arrival to strengthen their understanding of Japanese. We hope that by doing so, they will be able to pursue their study of Japanese with greater efficiency and adapt to living and studying in Japan as quickly as possible.

Samidori’s new features and content as of March 2018

Re-designed the user site for improved smartphone usability. Implemented interface and design changes with an emphasis on increased user interactivity.
Added new lessons covering grammar and vocabulary at the elementary level (equivalent to the N5 level of the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test [JLPT]). As before, the learning content is available to users in four languages.
Made system changes that enable us to create new types of practice exercises, such as kanji questions and questions which call for combining words and parts of speech to form short phrases/sentences. These new question formats in addition to the more traditional types of questions (multiple-choice, fill-in-the-blank, arranging words in the proper sequence, etc.) allow us to offer a greater variety of practice material to the user.
To promote more effective and more efficient learning, a new feature was added to allow the system administrator to sequence practice questions or place them in random order depending on the content. An automatic timer feature was also installed which requires users to answer each item within the time indicated.
To further increase learner motivation, visual improvements and changes were made to the answer feedback screen, the format of the PDF file containing the lesson results, and the method for providing feedback, including explanatory notes for each question.
We are currently developing new lessons which cover grammar items and vocabulary for the latter half of the elementary level (equivalent to N4 of the JLPT), and are scheduled to release them as they become available starting April 2018.

For a description of the initial stages of samidori’s development and release prior to 2015, please see below.

Team samidori

In response to the MEXT plan to receive 300,000 international students by 2020, Kyoto University aims to double its number of international students in attendance from 1,500 to 3,200 in the same time frame. In order to fulfill this mission, Kyoto University is making it top priority to assist international students and researchers in their Japanese studies to enable them to better adapt to their Japanese lifestyle and carry out their various research and study activities.

Kyoto University consists of several satellite campuses which are home to students who must often conduct experiments or field work. Consequently, these students are sometimes unable to attend regularly held language classes. The need for a Japanese learning site which can be freely accessed by students without the constraints of time and place is an urgent and pressing issue.

The International Center of Kyoto University launched the beginnings of the Samidori project in 2005 and opened the site to the public in March 2012. There are a great number of people who contributed and helped to make this project a reality. We would like to express our deepest gratitude to the following persons.

Kyoto University International Center, Japanese Learning System “Samidori”

Development Project, Core Members

Mariko Mori

Ruchira Palihawadana

Taro Iemoto

Shikiko Kawakami

Phase 1

2005 - 2009
Japanese Course Material Development and Translation

Through the support of a grant from Kyoto University we conducted bi-monthly meetings to develop a highly customized set of Japanese learning materials unique to the International Center. By analyzing examples of common misuse, we developed kana, grammar and reading comprehension exercises for beginner through intermediate levels. The contents of these lessons were discussed and revised at length and ultimately made into a complete collection of exercises. The lessons have been used on a trial basis in some of the International Center’s Japanese language classes.

We would like to express our gratitude to the following people for their cooperation.

Course Development	Sawada Hiroko	Kyoto University International Center, Lecturer (formerly)
	Migliacci Keiko	Kyoto University International Center, Part-time Lecturer (formerly)
	Liu Zhi Wei	Kyoto University International Center, Part-time Lecturer (formerly)
	Kinuhata Tomohide	Kyoto University Graduate School of Letters, Researcher (formerly)
	Tamura Sanae	Kyoto University Graduate School of Literature, Doctoral Program (formerly)
	Takahashi Natsumi	Kyoto University Graduate School of Literature, Doctoral Program (formerly)
	Lu Jia Rong	Kyoto University Graduate School of Human and Environmental Studies, Doctoral Program (formerly)
	Wakabayashi Reina	Kyoto University Graduate School of Human and Environmental Studies, Doctoral Program (formerly)
	Kato Yasuyo	Kyoto University Graduate School of Human and Environmental Studies, Masters Program (formerly)
Translation	Alison Evans	Kyoto University, MEXT Japanese Studies Student Program (formerly)

Phase 2

July 2011 – March 2012
“Samidori” Website and Contents Management Site Development

Through the aid of a grant from Kyoto University, we requested the help of the following four members in the development of the “Samidori” website. It is through their dedication and hard work that its publication was finally realized. Along with the open website “Samidori,” an administrative site was also created in order to maintain and make further improvements to “Samidori.” Through this administrative site, it is possible to add and edit course material as well as analyze user history and survey responses.

After an extremely rigorous 9 month schedule, we would like to give our deepest thanks to the following four members who have strived continuously to put the thought of the user’s needs first in the development of this learning system.

Director	Yukawa Masao	Keyton, Ltd.
Programmer	Hayashi Naoki	Keyton, Ltd.
Programmer	Tanaka Hisateru	Loop Inc.
Designer	Okadome Koutaro	Blue Moon Café Studio

November 2011 – March 2012
Course Material Development, Editing, Translation and System Data Entry

The release of the “Introduction to Japanese” section was made possible with the cooperation of the following members who were involved in the recording and editing of audio/video material, translation of the learning exercises (English, Chinese, and Korean), and entry of all of the data for these exercises. It is due to their diligence and perseverance that we are able to offer you these course materials. We would like to express our sincerest gratitude to the following members.

Course Development	Sugiyama Sayaka	Kyoto University Graduate School of Human and Environmental Studies, Doctoral Program
Course Development	Ekaterina Nazarova	Kyoto University Graduate School of Human and Environmental Studies, Doctoral Program
Voice Recording, Data Entry	Kazaoka Yuuki	Kyoto University Graduate School of Literature, Doctoral Program
Voice Recording	Miki Eriko	Kyoto University Graduate School of Education, Masters Program
Media Editing	Tsushimoto Yo	Kyoto University Academic Center for Computing and Media Studies, Academic Affairs Assistant
Media Editing	Zhao Xiaoqi	Kyoto University Faculty of Engineering
Translation and System Data Entry	Ou Gan	Kyoto University Graduate School of Human and Environmental Studies, Masters Program
	Park Youngkil	Kyoto University Graduate School of Global Environmental Studies, Masters Program
	Daniel Milne	Kyoto University Graduate School of Human and Environmental Studies, Masters Program
	Zhang Yuhan	Kyoto University Graduate School of Education, Research Student
	Zhang Pingxing	Kyoto University Graduate School of Agriculture, Research Student
	Lei Hao	Kyoto University Graduate School of Law, Research Student
	Kim Soyo	Kyoto University Graduate School of Science, Exchange Student
	Jo Ju Yeon	Kyoto University Faculty of Science, Exchange Student
	Joey Ishii	Kyoto University Faculty of Education, Exchange Student