The Japan Bowl® of California "Benkyoukai"
We are pleased to announce that Benkyoukai will be held again on the following dates!
Registration will open in early January.
The Japan Bowl® of California “Benkyoukai” is a virtual study and cultural exchange program hosted by the Japan America Society of Southern California for high school students participating in the National Japan Bowl® (April 17–18, 2026).
For 2026, the Japan America Society of Southern California offered the "Benkyoukai" sessions to student of ALL LEVELS (Level 2, 3, and 4) free of charge!
Session Schedule
Session 1: Friday, February 6 | 5:00 PM – 6:30 PM (PT)
Session 2: Friday, February 13 | 5:00 PM – 6:30 PM (PT)
Session 3: Friday, February 20 | 5:00 PM – 6:30 PM (PT)
Cultural Day: Friday, February 27 | 5:00 PM – 6:30 PM (PT)
*Schedule subject to change
Session Details
Each session will feature original lectures by Japanese university students on a wide range of topics related to Japanese society, culture, and current trends.
After each presentation, participants will be divided into small breakout rooms by language proficiency level to enjoy Japanese conversation with the university students and other attendees.
Who Can Participate in the "Benkyoukai?"
High school students currently studying Japanese and living in Southern California are eligible to participate in Benkyoukai.
Due to limited capacity, registration will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.
What is "Cultural Day?"
Cultural Day is the final session of Benkyoukai, designed for participants to enjoy a fun and engaging cultural lecture as a reward for all their hard work. We invite a special guest speaker from either Japan or the U.S. to present on a fascinating topic related to Japanese culture.
Photos from Benkyoukai Cultural Day 2024
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Thank you to all of our Generous Program Sponsors of 2025!
Would You Like to Sponsor JASSC's Japanese Language Education Program?
Click on the "Donate" button below, and check "JASSC Educational Programs - Japan Bowl of California".
The Japan Bowl Benkyoukai is an independent program hosted by the Japan America Society of Southern California.
The Japan Bowl Benkyoukai is in no way sponsored or administered by the National Japan Bowl.
What is Japan Bowl?
Japan Bowl of California is an academic competition that tests the achievements of high school students who are studying the Japanese language. Its uniqueness stems from its dedication to test high school students not only on the language itself, but also on knowledge of “Japan, the country.” Japan Bowl also recognizes and encourages these students, who have chosen to study Japanese as their foreign language. The competition format is modeled on popular quiz shows such as “It's Academic.” Teams of high school students will compete at three different levels, depending on how long they have studied Japanese. This will be a wonderful opportunity for the students to show their Japanese language skills and knowledge, and meet other students in California that share the same interest.
The Japan Bowl® of California will be modeled on the National Japan Bowl®. Given that one-half of all high school students studying Japanese in the U.S. live and go to school in Southern California, Japan Bowl® of California promises to be one of the most important regional contests of its kind.
During the preliminary round of the competition, students will be tested with written questions, covering both language and non-language topics. Some non-language areas include history, arts and traditional and modern culture, geography, society and daily life, popular culture and current events. Finalists are tested with verbal communication skills in the championship round. Throughout the competition, students must have a decent comprehension of kanji (including names of topics, people and places), idiomatic expressions, onomatopoeic expressions, and affective expressions.
In addition to being an outstanding opportunity for students of Japanese language and culture to meet one another, immerse themselves in all things Japanese for a day, and publicly demonstrate the depth of their knowledge of Japan, the Japan Bowl® of California will serve as a preliminary round for the National Japan Bowl®, with the winning team representing California in the national championship.2016 Japan Bowl® of California
2015 Japan Bowl® of California
2014 Japan Bowl® of Southern California
2013 Japan Bowl® of Southern California
Highlight video from 2013 Japan Bowl of Southern California
Japan Bowl® is a registered trademark of The Japan-America Society of Washington, Inc. The Japan Bowl® name and logo may be used only with the permission of The Japan-America Society of Washington, Inc.