Study Abroad in Japan

With KCP International, you can earn more Japanese credit than you would in an entire year at your university. Plus, you can pick your start date!

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Immerse yourself in the heart of Tokyo with a wide variety of courses, flexible schedules and convenient packages you keep your experience easy!

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Read all about Japanese immersion learning and studying abroad. Check out our eZasshi archives for more articles!

Yokohama harbor Tetsudo Jokisha

The Guys Have It! new tips on getting the most out of KCP

Don’t get me wrong–it’s not that the women have no good advice.  It’s just that the latest three or four internal KCP comments have been from guys, and once I thought of that title I had to use it.

So, here goes.

from Ying Xue Chen
To better gauge what level you want to be in, ask KCP for the materials covered in that level.  If you’re borderline, cover the lower-level material on your own so you can test into the higher level.

The lectures on the Japanese way of communicating helped me understand the culture as a whole.

In your leisure time, wander.  Shinjuku and Ikebukuro are favorite districts.

Sega center

Sega center at Ikebukuro, Japan. | S.

from Brian Walker
Whether getting to school or buying a quick drink at a store, go outside your comfort zone when you speak Japanese.

Make the plunge!  If you’re serious about wanting to learn Japanese, this is where you need to be.

Pair work (encourages creativity) and drill practice (memorizing conjugations and grammatical forms) helped me.

With 15 classroom hours per week, new kanji and grammar introduced daily, and entire chapters covered quickly, this is without doubt an intensive route to learning Japanese.  You need determination, and even then, you might question your own motivation or ability. These are all important steps not only in mastering Japanese, but also in making a stronger you.

It may be possible to travel as far as, say, Kyoto, so plan accordingly.

Kinkaku-ji

Kinkaku-ji (金閣寺) Buddhist temple in Kyoto, Japan. 

from Ben Gusto
Get outside your room; interact with friends and natives. Explore outside Tokyo, especially Yokohama and Kamakura.

Yokohama harbor Tetsudo Jokisha

Yokohama harbor, Japan. 1872 print of kaigan tetsudō jōkisha no zu / Steam train in Yokohama. Japanese triptych print showing foreigners watching a train carrying passengers going by as Western battleships and Japanese sailboats sail in the Yokohama harbor.

from Dan Ritchie
Devote good time and energy to the excursions.  We’ve all had lectures on Japanese culture; these allow you to experience that culture in Japan, and the difference is enormous.

The pre-departure packet includes an essay and a letter of recommendation–dont’ fall behind on it.

Connect with the support staff early and often–they are *great* at solving problems.

Find stuff you want to do!  Tokyo is huge and there is fun in every part of it.  Extend your comfort zone within the city.

Try the Shakka Shakka chicken!

Fuji-Kyu Highland amusement park

McDonald’s Shaka Shaka Chicken. | johncatral

(Is this just like a guy, or do some of you ladies love it too?)

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Read all about Japanese immersion learning and studying abroad. Check out our eZasshi archives for more articles!