The Pasadena Japanese Cultural Institute

Great community! And many traditional Japanese Martial Arts to choose from!

I began my life in the Martial Arts world at 6 with an extraordinary professor of Tae Kwon Do that showed me the Splendor of pure and traditional Martial Arts.
But that was back in Mexico… It was until I ended up invited to a Judo class by some cool guys I met one day at 24 Hour Fitness in Pasadena that I discover this Amazing group of people and Incredible Athletes at Pasadena Judo Dojo. This class like many others, is offered at the Japanese Cultural Center of Pasadena California and it is ran by very experienced Senseis with very high level of Judo. And like in the battle field, you sweat you bleed and you make brothers in arms… no different at Pasadena Judo Dojo. When I need my Judo brothers they are there for me!

Cool hidden little place where some of the best athletes train. Learned From the best trainers in ju jitz Su. I couldn’t do to much but my girl loved it. She learned how to escape and throw people and such!

Fun classes with dedicated & friendly teachers!
I’ve been taking the adult Japanese class here at the Pasadena Japanese Cultural Institute for three terms. There are multiple levels available, so you can easily find a class to match your skill level. All adult classes are on Saturday afternoons.
The adult class sizes are small (3 – 5) people, and the rates are very affordable in comparison to other schools. A major advantage is that this is a school specifically for learning Japanese, not a catch-​all language school. The native Japanese staff and instructors are very supportive and they put a lot of effort into tailoring each class to suit the needs of the students. It’s also great to have native Japanese teachers because they can give you speaking tips that aren’t in the textbook.
Having tried many private Japanese teachers and public classes over the past few years, I’d recommend this school as a best bet for students who are serious about studying the Japanese language. You won’t just learn cute phrases here, but instead a solid grammar structure and vocabulary to help you communicate comfortably in Japanese.
Classes are $ 200 for 10 weeks, with discounts for returning students. There’s also a one-​time $ 30 registration fee and the instructors use the «Genki» series (which is a solid but somewhat formal/​academic series — for a more practical Japanese textbook, I recommend «Japanese From Zero»).
Note: the Unilocal phone number seems to be different. Call 213– 383‑4706 for the school admin office.

They have a lot of programs here (Judo, Kendo, Kyudokai, Taiko, Naginata, Qi Gong, Aiki-​kai) but I come here for the Pasadena Gakuen Japanese Language School (basically saturday Japanese School). They got a elementary school and an afternoon adult conversation class (I attend the former). Great place if you want to learn something new and live in the SGV area.