Review from a student who took JPN 507
Katayama was great. She is very cool and easy to talk to if you ever wanna drop by after class. She is always willing to help you if you need some extra attention. How well you do in the course depends on you, not her. If you're willing to put in the work or you can just pick up languages easily, you can get the A no problem.

Review from a student who took JPN 506
Katayama-Sensei is a very traditional Japanese instructor. You might have some trouble understanding her English sometimes due to her Japanese accent but you're not there to learn English. The workload is very heavy, with homework and vocab quizzes everyday, but the work is essential/necessary to learning the Japanese language. The tests are used make sure that you have an adequate understanding of what you have learned about the Japanese language, including: culture, grammar, vocabulary, writing, reading, listening, and speaking comprehension. Katayama-Sensei strict but fair. The grade that you earn in this class is an accurate reflection of the amount of effort you put into learning the language. I would highly recommend making the time to practice the material each and everyday because otherwise it is really hard to learn a foreign language. Make good use of the office hours for any questions or clarifications.