Study in Japan

Japanese:

Kanji Kentei

Thrice-yearly test held in Sendai and other major centres. The lowest level of the test is only 80 kanji as well as hiragana and katakana and tests everything, including On and Kun readings, stroke order. Only 1,500 yen. http://www.ajetmiyagi.com/pmwiki.php/ImportantInformation/KanjiKentai or the test itself at http://www.kanken.or.jp/jidoukanken/jidou.html or simply http://www.kanken.or.jp/ for 8th level and higher. This is the same test that the students in your school take.

Genki Japanese and Culture School

A conversational Japanese school in the centre of Fukuoka City. Run by a former JET PA, it's quite popular with JETs and runs intensive courses combined with homestays in the summer for JETs interested in improving their language skills. They offer flexible courses for private or small group study at a low cost. All the teachers are certified by the Ministry of Education and are bilingual English and Japanese. Courses start every Monday and last for as few or as many weeks as the student wants to study. All materials and topics are personalized to each student and to the specific needs of JET participants. We offer 3 main courses:
1) Conversational Japanese
2) Japanese and Traditional Culture (learn while studying Japanese arts such as tea ceremony, calligraphy, kimono, martial arts, pottery, soba-making, etc)
3) Japanese through Pop Culture (learn using current movies, anime, manga, TV shows, music, etc)
Courses: http://www.genkijacs.com/courseinfo.htm
All classes are taught communicatively, with grammar being introduced as necessary. They are also as practical as possible, so often lessons are outside the classroom.
Classes also use technology where appropriate, including DVDs, wireless Internet, and taking video of students to mark progress. They offer homestays, the Tatami Timeshare or also arrange accommodation in a "weekly mansion", a short-term apartment similar in quality to a hotel.
They can also send materials and a cover letter in Japanese to COs to explain the goals and benefits for both JETs and COs of study or contact COs directly to help gain their trust to help JETs to get the ever-elusive tokubetsu kyuuka(special leave). Tuition discounts available for 2 or more people coming to study together.
http://www.genkijacs.com .
A page devoted to the JET Programme: http://www.genkijacs.com/jet.htm
Tel: 092-716-8673 or email: info@genkijacs.com for info or brochures.

Sapporo Nihongo Gakko (SIL)

Also highly recommended 2-week Summer Intensive Courses in Sapporo, Hokkaido. 6,000 yen non-refundable deposit; 50,000 yen for tuition; study material fees vary by course level. Beginner to Advanced Levels available. Home-stays are available (includes breakfast and dinner), as are dormitory-style rooms and weekly apartments.
Cost for a home-stay is 22,000 yen per week. Dormitory-style rooms also available for the same cost (with meals). A weekly apartment for one person is 21,000-23,000. There's a non-refundable 6,000 yen deposit fee for all of above options.
The class you enter will depend on the result of a short test you take on arrival. You can change classes if it's not to your liking but be firm about it. The course is intensive and is designed to get you speaking lots! To practice what you learn in the classroom, doing a home-stay is recommended. Sapporo is a great place in the summer and it's a break from the intensive heat! If you are cool with total immersion then it's a decent school. There are many out of class learning trips, e.g. interview people on the street, visit a ski jump place and a beach cookout trip to Otaru.
There are various ways to get there - train, plane, or ferry. By ferry, the cost is between 6,000-10,000 yen. Be sure to book your tickets in advance as spaces are limited.
Contact - Harumi Shima (Director & instructor) Tel/Fax: 011-614-1101
Email: info@silnihongo.com http://www.silnihongo.com

Tohoku Gaikokugo Senmon Gakko

Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture, near Itsutsubashi Station. Classes usually last 2 weeks, but may be tailored to fit your schedule. July 22-August 1 (8-day class) also available. Course fee is about 40,000 - 45,000 yen. All levels available, tailored to suit your needs. If the organized courses that are not suitable, they will offer to schedule a course for you as long as there is a minimum of 4 people. They conduct a brief and straightforward telephone interview to gauge your level beforehand. It is a bit more expensive than some of the other schools, but there is only one teacher to four students.
Contact - Jiro Hashimoto (Vice Principal) Tel: 022-267-3847
Email: j-hashimoto@tohokugaigo.ac.jp
Michiko Onodera (Head of Japanese Language Education) or Yukiko Abe Tel: 022-263-0820 Email: nihongo@tohokugaigo.ac.jp
http://www.tohokugaigo.ac.jp

International Christian University (ICU)

Mitaka City, Tokyo. Courses - 6 weeks: July 5 to August 14. Application Fee: (non-refundable) 10,000 yen. Course Fee: 200,000 yen. Levels available - 1 (Basic) to 8 (Proficient in speaking but needing training in reading and writing).
Accommodation available - Undergraduate Dormitory 50,000 yen, Global House 84,000 yen (a dorm with A/C), Home-stay 80,000 yen, or find your own apartment; there's a cafeteria on campus.
This is an intensive Japanese language program at a liberal arts college in western Tokyo. Mitaka-shi is 30 minutes from Shinjuku on the Chuo Line. The teachers are very good and there are many classes to accommodate students of various levels. The homework and tests are abundant and challenging. This is not a class to take if you want to be a tourist in Tokyo for the summer. However, the learning curve is very high and the staff is very helpful and organized. The classes cover language, reading, writing, and speaking, with about 14 students and two teachers in each class. Classes are from 8.30 AM - 12.30 PM. Three times a week there are cultural activities and outings at an additional cost. The college campus is in a suburban setting and it is very green and big. The program participants are mostly college students, mainly from the USA, but a large number were also from Asia. Overall, it is a very solid program, quite long in comparison to other programs, but worth it.
Travel - Shinkansen fare from Sendai to Tokyo is 10,590 yen one-way; overnight bus fare from Sendai to Tokyo Station is about 6,900 yen one-way and 11,800 yen roundtrip. Commuting cost within Tokyo depends on where you live.
Contact - Research Center for Japanese Language Education
Tel: 0422-33-3501 Fax: 0422-33-3631 E-mail: scj@icu.ac.jp http://subsite.icu.ac.jp/scj/

Kai Language School

Shinjuku, Tokyo; 3 weeks, July 25 - August 15; cost about 69,000 yen. Levels available - Beginner through Advanced and preparation for JLPT (Japanese Language Proficiency Test); Beginner through Advanced Conversation; Private Lessons also available. If you are into a no-nonsense but friendly, to-the-point Japanese course, this is for you. Classes move pretty quickly and expose you to a lot of information. Class sizes range from 7-15 students. The teachers are focused, energetic, and inspirational. The atmosphere is laid-back and the focus is on learning. The student body is rather diverse from Professionals to students to JETs.
Type of accommodation - the school does not provide housing, but it does refer you to places you can stay during the course. Alternatively, several guest houses can be found at http://www.jafnet.co.jp .
Cost of travel - Shinkansen fare to Sendai to Tokyo is 10,590 yen one-way; overnight bus fare is about 6,900 yen one-way and 11,800 yen roundtrip. Commuting cost within Tokyo depends on where you live.
Contact number - Tel: 03-3205-1356 Fax: 03-3207-4651
http://www.kaij.co.jp

The Yamasa Institute

Okazaki City, Aichi Prefecture. Yamasa offers many different types of courses. The courses can last from anywhere from two weeks to two years. The SILAC (Short Intensive Language Acquisition Course) starts once every two weeks all year round. These courses can last 4, 6, 8, 10, or 12 weeks.
The course fees vary according to the length of the course you choose. For example, the SILAC course would cost the following:
4 weeks---123,200 yen
6 weeks---170,016 yen
8 weeks---216,832 yen
Discounts are given if you pay the fees in advance and all at one time. JET participants are also given a discount.
Conversational Japanese study to Advanced Japanese study courses are available. Classes are available for absolute beginners to advanced students.
There are many different types of accommodations. Studio apartments are available at four different sites and there are also two dormitory-style accommodations available. Students can also participate in a home-stay program. There are no meal plans available, but each accommodation does have cooking facilities.
The cost of each accommodation is different. For example, if you choose to stay in the Student Village (a dormitory- style facility) the cost for 4 weeks would be 70,000 yen. Additionally, there is also a futon rental fee of 2000 yen a week for each facility.
This is an APJLE accredited program (Association for the Promotion of Japanese Language Education). The website is very user friendly and informative. The staff/teachers are supportive and helpful to their students. Most of the teachers have experience in learning a second language therefore understand their students’ frustrations and problems. One recommendation — do not take any C.A.L.L. Seminars. These are computer-based seminars. You pay extra tuition, go to an extra class, and work by yourself. However, all of the students at Yamasa have access to the same computer program that is used for these seminars. Therefore you can do the same type of class on your own time but without paying the extra tuition.
Taking the Shinkansen from Tokyo to Nagoya costs 10,580 yen (you can also take a Shinkansen to Toyohashi Station for 8,700 yen instead), then it is only about a 30-minute train ride to Okazaki. Alternatively, there is also an overnight bus to Nagoya. From Okazaki, travel to places in central Honshu is relatively inexpensive. Kyoto, Ise, Mt. Fuji, Hiroshima, and Himeji Castle are all within a 3 1/2 hour train ride. Train fares vary from about 2000 yen to 13,000 yen for the above-mentioned locations.
Contact - Declan Murphy Tel: 0564-55-8111 Fax: 0564-55-8113 Email: admissions@yamasa.org http://www.yamasa.org

Kyoto Japanese Language School

Kyoto. The Summer Intensive Course is July 14 – August 10, but adjustments and/or other options are also available. 75,000 yen for 4-week course. Levels available are Beginner to Advanced. Home-stays/lodging can be arranged by the school.
Studying in Kyoto offers you a chance to improve your Japanese skills as well as experience living in one of Japan's most beautiful and culturally-rich cities. Kyoto is centrally-located in Kansai — enough to allow you to travel in and around the surrounding areas: Osaka, Himeji Castle, Kobe, not to mention all the temples and historical sites within Kyoto itself. The school itself is great and the level of teaching is high. Many after-school cultural activities and demonstrations are offered but there is no pressure to attend. You pay a little more money than you would at some of the other schools, but you get to live in Kyoto. You may be able to get a discount if you can't go for the whole course.
The Shinkansen from Sendai to Tokyo costs 10,580 yen one-way. From Tokyo to Kyoto, the Shinkansen fare is 13,220 yen one-way.
Contact number - Tel: 075-414-0449 (M-F, 9:00-17:00), Fax: 075-441-9055 Email: office@kjls.or.jp
http://www.kjls.or.jp

Osaka YWCA College

Osaka. July 20 – August 6 for the Summer Intensive Course. Entrance fee 10,500 yen, Tuition 59,000 yen, Study materials 2,500-3,500 yen
Levels available are Beginners 1 (no Japanese knowledge), Beginners 2 (some Japanese knowledge), Intermediate, Advanced.
Home-stays are available, but otherwise you are responsible for finding your own accommodations. The school may be able to recommend accommodations to you if you ask. To receive an application form email the YWCA. You must submit the application form with a photo by about July 13, but if you want to do a home-stay, you must send in your application a month earlier. The entrance and tuition fees are due mid-July too. There is a placement test but if you can’t make it to Osaka in time, they can mail you the placement test.
Shinkansen fare from Sendai to Tokyo is 10,580 yen. From Tokyo to Shin-Osaka Station, the fare is 13,750 yen.
Contact number - Tel: 06-6361-2955 Fax: 06-6361-2997 Email: college@osaka.ywca.or.jp (Email is best to contact YWCA if you can't speak Japanese.)
http://www.osaka.ywca.or.jp/college/index-e.html

Paikaji Nihongo Gakko

Ishigaki Island, Okinawa Prefecture. Length unset. Availability depends on interest. Usually scheduled during school holidays. Approximately 3000-4000 yen per day. Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced levels available. Depending on the number of participants, more classes may be added.
Home-stays arranged by the school include breakfast. Hotel or camping options can be arranged by participants. Home-stay 2000 yen/day; Hotel from 2000 yen/night; Camping: 500 yen/night.
The school is very relaxed. The objective is to expose students to formal Japanese study while exposing them to the Okinawan culture. Teachers set their own curriculums and don't give homework, although you can (and probably should) do it. This is not the school to go to if you are very seriously trying to prepare for a Japanese proficiency test. Classes are on the large size, 7-10 people.
A ferry ticket from Tokyo to Ishigaki costs 27,500 yen one-way. Plane fares from Tokyo to Naha, on average, cost about 50,000 yen roundtrip. To Ishigaki from Tokyo, airfare costs around 60,000 yen roundtrip. Prices depend on the time of year.
Contact - Martin Sanchez Tel: 0980-88-0520
http://www.shiroha.com/paikaji/

The Study in Japan Program (SJP)

Mie prefecture. Full-time from Sept until January, so great for leavers with intentions to study Japanese. So cheap it's almost free. Mie is a beautiful prefecture, just a skip away from Nagoya and Osaka, and Suzuka International University has a good reputation (and it is right next to the Suzuka Circuit and amusement park).
The SJP is a recently established Japanese language and culture program for foreign students at Suzuka International University. Program participants will gain an increased proficiency in Japanese through active participation in language classes and a deeper understanding of Japanese culture and society through workshops and lectures. Program participants are encouraged to become involved in the variety of SIU sponsored community international exchange programs. Students may also attend regular SIU lectures conducted in Japanese. Program capacity is ten people, five of whom will be taken by exchange agreements with foreign universities, leaving 5 positions open for other participants.
Program length is 16 weeks. Application requirements: University or college graduates only. Native-like fluency in English, German, Spanish, Russian or French. Level 2 Japanese Proficiency (or a letter from your Japanese teacher stating you are at this level). You will also need to write a statement of why you want to take the course, in English or Japanese, when you send in your documents. This program is not only for JETs and is open to those other than English speakers also.
Deadline for Application: June; Tuition fees: 100,000 yen (20,000 x 5 months)
Accommodation: 170,000 yen (6 months and maintenance charges) (furnished 1DK)(you can move in early and leave later than actual course dates)
Please contact: Suzuka International University- International Exchange Center
663-222 Koriyama, Suzuka
Mie Prefecture Japan 510-0298
Tel: 0593-72-3944
Email: takeuchi@suzuka-iu.ac.jp http://www.suzuka-iu.ac.jp
OR contact Jean-Pierre Antonio, Assistant Professor of English, jpinjp@yahoo.com

Amica

Tokyo. Spring Break and Golden Week intensive courses. Amica Language School in Tokyo offers discounted rates for AJET members. This is a golden opportunity to start or accelerate your Japanese. Each course is 4 hours a day for 5 days, total 20 hours. Usually ￥35,000 + tax, only ￥33,000 + tax for AJET members. Seasoned teachers; small groups; limited space.
Comment from past participant: 'I found lessons very useful as there was a big focus on conversational Japanese. That is really what I wanted to work on so the course was perfect for me and I would definitely recommend it.'
http://www.amica.ac.jp
Email: japaneselesson@amica.ac.jp
Tel: 03-5484-0963 Fax: 03-5444-2938

Tokyo YWCA

A course run by the Japanese Mothers for International Students Movement of the Tokyo YWCA. It is recommended as it's a reasonable price and in a good location. You can stay in a hostel in Asakusa and keep your costs at pretty much a minimum (for Tokyo). The teaching itself is good, but very textbook structured (Minna No Nihongo). You will learn a lot though. They have 3 levels so you can probably be sure of an appropriate fit. Contact them for more details.
Kikue Nakamura
Tokyo YWCA Intensive Course of Japanese Language
1-8 Kandasurugadai Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-0062
Fax:03-3293-5570
E-mail:jlcp@tokyo.ywca.or.jp
http://www.tokyo.ywca.or.jp/ryugakusei/eng/index.html

Teaching

David English House offer short courses throughout the year all over Japan.
"One Day Certificate in Teaching English to Children" covers some very interesting topics on supplementary language, educational psychology and student-centred learning. While trainer David Paul concentrates on elementary age children a lot of what he introduces can be applied to any teaching situation, not just elementary school. They also offer the one-week "Certificate in Teaching English to Children" based in Hiroshima in May and August.
http://www.davidenglishhouse.com/teachertraining.html

Post-Graduate

Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University has students and faculty hailing from 75 countries and regions. Prepare yourself for positions in global business and the international stage. New Master programs available this September in Contemporary Japan Studies, Public Health Management and International Material Flow Management - in English!
http://www.apu.ac.jp/ graduate

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