This course provides an overview of Japanese society, its key cultural values, socialization processes, and the role of language in expressing and maintaining social structure and cultural identity. Students will examine how people learn cultural norms, how schools and communities reinforce shared values, and how these forces influence behavior, identity, and decision-making. Through case studies, media examples, and hands-on analysis, the course connects big-picture cultural principles to real-world issues in contemporary Japan—from workplace dynamics and group communication to education, technology, and changing social expectations. The course consists of three major components: (a) learning core cultural concepts, (b) understanding how they operate in Japanese society, and (c) analyzing and explaining current social phenomena and concerns. By the end of the course, students will be able to interpret Japanese social phenomena through a cultural lens and compare them to practices in other societies, gaining tools for cross-cultural understanding useful in global engineering, business, and everyday interaction. This course is taught in English and can be used to fulfill the Humanities requirement or towards the Japanese minor.