It’s here—the moment you’ve been waiting for since your college orientation when the Education Abroad Office gave their welcome presentation. You’ve completed a few pre-reqs, made new friends, saved some money (eh, maybe?), and now you’re ready to conquer your next challenge: taking it international.
Do you dream of study abroad in Japan? Let’s do this!
The decision to study abroad is not light—it requires you to literally move your life to an unfamiliar country, where every aspect of every day will be uncharted. You’ll be surrounded by new people, hearing previously-unknown phrases, eating foreign foods, following a different routine… you get it. That’s why we take giving you the unvarnished truth very seriously.
If you’ve made it this far in your search, we’re thinking it’s safe to say you’re considering a Japan study abroad program. That’s so exciting! It’s also quite brave—Japan is probably 12 or more hours ahead of your family and friends, on a different continent,with a deeply-rooted and deeply-felt homogeneous culture. There is nothing we want more than for you to fall heels over head for your studying abroad in Japan experience, so we’re going to give it to you straight, and let you take it from there.
The pros of study abroad in Japan
Once you’ve spent your semester in Japan, having learned to accompany your konichiwa with a bow and getting accustomed to new sights, sounds, and flavors, you’ll have an unfathomable amount of items to list to your “pros.” For now, we’re happy to get you started.
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1. You’ll get to experience umami—and other deliciousness
When living abroad, you have got to be comfortable with the food choices at the bare minimum. Ideally, you’ll be in absolute nirvana. When studying abroad in Japan, you will be inundated with new and familiar flavors and have no shortage of culinary challenges. Sushi and sashimi are a ubiquitous part of Japanese dining, and the variety of ingredients, shapes, and sizes alone are sure to keep your palette entertained.
Not a raw-fish lover? No problem! Let’s fry up that fish and those veggies into tempura instead. If you’re more of a die-hard carnivore, then you’ll find happiness in Shabu Shabu, Japanese hot pot. This is a communal dining experience where friends gather together around boiling water, using chopsticks to dunk various meats for a do-it-yourself dinner. Yakitori, grilled meat skewers dipped in teriyaki sauce, might be the most familiar food to foreigners, if you want to ease into the whole endeavor. Oh, and we cannot forget the famed Japanese soups: a light tofu Miso or a hearty, meat and noodle Ramen anyone? Is it just our mouths watering over here?
2. Japan is known for its high-quality educational system
If you decide to study abroad in Japan, it’s worth noting that the education in this country is decidedly esteemed. Whether public or private, primary school or university, the achievement-based system implemented in the Japanese educational structure has produced some serious results. Consistently ranked in the top 10 countries for education, how could you not be excited to begin your study abroad in Japan program? You can spend a summer in Tokyo with Seisen University, or enjoy the historical old city of Kyoto, home to one of Japan’s largest universities.
Study Japanese in Japan to level up your language skills to more than singing along to “Domo Aragato, Mr. Roboto.” Kanji not quite your thing? You’ll love taking classes in business, marketing, and philosophy. There is enough variety of courses to excite and educate both your right and left brains in Nihongo! Just don’t forget to take a cooking class, too. :)
3. Getting around is a (speedy) breeze
One of the most challenging aspects of traveling abroad is the transportation. What if you can’t read the signs, or recognize your stop? What if, worst of all, there is no public transit? None of these are concerns with a Japan study abroad program! Transportation within Japanese cities includes trains and busses that are known for their efficiency and punctuality. Translation: you won’t have to wait around on train delays as you’re making your way to class or meeting your friends for Ramen. When traveling between major cities in Japan, this is your chance to ride the famed Shinkansen, the 320 kilometer per hour bullet train. Praised for being both extremely safe and exceptionally comfortable, tickets up and down Japan come in a range of prices and can be reserved ahead of time or on sight, making your weekend getaways that much easier.
4. Job opportunities make it easy to extend your stay
It’s natural for your international excursion to begin feeling like home after a while of studying abroad. It can be frustrating to return to your native country and not know for sure when you’ll see your international family and friends again. That’s a major perk of the studying abroad in Japan experience: there is a huge demand for foreign workers. If after graduating you decide to make Japan your permanent home, the demand for English teachers is a constant, that typically comes with secure pay and included housing.
Never a dull—or non-photogenic—moment while studying in Japan
If teaching isn’t your passion, you still might be in luck. Unlike some other more rigid-on-foreign-worker countries, Japan has a wide variety of work visas for international individuals, including temporary and holiday visas. Securing a work visa in Japan can still be an intensive process, but the country is generally open to foreigners.
5. You’ll be constantly entertained
One of the most impervious reasons to study abroad in Japan is the huge cultural impact this country has on the world, and the range of completely unique activities you’ll be able to engage in. If you’re looking to study abroad in a place with flashy, splashy, high-tech and highly influential culture, Japan is your hub. The Akihabara neighborhood is iconic Tokyo: famed as an electric town, this popular tourist destination features scores of stores selling electronics, manga, anime, and video games, encapsulating the Japanese electro techno culture. Famous toys in Japan don’t end with electronics though—Hello Kitty World is just one of the many places across the country you can interact with this iconic Japanese-native.
The entertainment industry in this country reaches even beyond its celebrated toys. Why not engage in more historic Japan by attending a traditional Japanese Kabuki drama? Japan has also perfected its karaoke chambers to be fully soundproofed, giving you the most authentic rock star experience out there. If that’s not enough to get your adrenaline pumping, then you could attend a Sumo match, or better yet, enroll in a ninja-training course or a samurai class.
For those of you who are reading and feeling over stimulated by the vitality of this country, don’t worry—there are plenty of ways to slow down in this deeply traditional cultural. Partaking in a Japanese tea ceremony is sure to touch your heart with solemnity, and practicing the art of Zen while visiting a Buddhist temple will calm your mind and your soul. Aside from its flamboyant skyscrapers in city centers, Japan is host to temples, shrines, and castles that are UNESCO World Heritage sites, where travels can pay their respects to the ancient eras that came before them.
6. There are dozens of great programs to choose from
One of our favorite study abroad in Japan tips? Do a homestay!
You’re not stuck choosing between two crummy program providers who have websites that you can barely trust. No, no—Japan has a well-developed infrastructure for hosting international students, giving you dozens (if not more!) potential options to shop for.
According to student reviews and our recent assessment of the best study abroad programs in Japan, your top options include KCP International and CISabroad. If you’re looking for summer study abroad programs in Japan, we’ve got you covered there, too. Program like IES Abroad consistently delivers high-quality programming to international students in Japan.
7. Everything is cute
Seriously. From the decorations on your pens and notebooks to the sheer number of adorable robots and cafes to patron, you’ll never tire of Japan’s cultural obsession with all things “cute.” Enjoy a heavy dose of adorable thanks to the flurry of cartoons, kitties, stuffed animals, red pandas (!), and more. You’ve never experienced a culture of “kawaii” quite like this—and don’t worry—it’s science.
The cons of studying abroad in Japan for college students
It all sounds ideal—what could go wrong? Japan does indeed have plentiful positive qualities to offer, but every location comes with a few unpleasant surprises. We want to prepare you with some of the less appealing situations you can expect, and a few study abroad in Japan tips for ways you can tackle them.
1. That costs how much?!
Study abroad in Japan for college students includes numerous perks -- luxurious, convenient, and entertaining alike. There’s world-class shopping and night clubs open until 6:00 AM. There are Western-style supermarkets, elaborate, electronic toilets, and cafes with themes featuring anything from hedgehogs to French maids to robotic performances. If only these things were free!
Be sure to spend time traveling around Japan so you really get to know your study abroad destination.
Japan has an extremely high cost of living and is frequently categorized as one of the most expensive countries in the world. Specialty experiences, like booking a trip to see the Cherry Blossoms, visiting one of Osaka’s castles, or climbing Mount Fuji, could end up feeling like an overindulgent splurge. While this may sound like a downside, this actually makes studying abroad in Japan as a college student one of the most prime times. Your study abroad program will likely make housing arrangements for you, freeing up a little bit more of your pocket money for sheik cafes and purikura pictures—those cute little photo booths that make your skin flawless and turn your photo into a sticker.
2. The work-life balance… or lack thereof
Although Japan is rife with stimulation and entertainment, the country is known for its diligent, work-centric attitude. From their early school days, children in Japan are taught to prioritize dedication to education above all else, leading them into careers that do not believe in sick days and frown upon vacations. A famous proverb in the country reads, “The nail that sticks out gets hammered down”…—overwhelming, much? While we appreciate all that hard work in Japan has produced, we get that as a student studying abroad, this mindset might be somewhat severe to adapt. When studying abroad, it’s important to remember that some cultural aspects won’t be pleasant to us, no matter how long we stay. That’s part of the point, though, right? Taking in the ups and downs is part of the journey of observing and adapting a new culture, and who knows, maybe you’ll pick up some tools that will make the rest of your college experience a breeze.
3. Feeling, well—different—from everyone else
For most students studying abroad, every location is going to come with cultural challenges and potentially a language barrier. This experience is likely to be more prominent in Japan than in other places, given the tremendous difference from English in both the written and the spoken language. This could translate to a fun challenge, though—why not enroll in a Japanese script class? You’ll be able to flex your artistic capabilities, delve deeper into the culture, and do something that feels productive and rewarding.
Language barriers aside, when traveling abroad there is the risk of feeling like an outsider just on appearance alone. This is exacerbated in a homogeneous country like Japan, where having differing hair or eye colors is really apparent. It can feel like a con to be pointed out or stared at—you will be pointed out and started at—and it can create an exhausting internal struggle as well. This doesn’t have to define your experience, though. Japanese culture is friendly and receptive, and more likely than not you’ll receive compliments, praise, and questions about your differing appearance and cultural background. What an opportunity to engage in conversation, learn about their culture, and share a little bit of your own, right?
Next steps to studying in Japan
Take all the pictures, try all the things, taste all the noodles
Getting hyped about the pros of Japan and identifying the challenges ahead are perfect first steps, but we’re not done yet! There are several more choices to be made in crafting your ideal studying abroad in Japan experience.
- Narrow it down—where exactly are you going? Tokyo’s the metropolitan hub with the electric vibe, but Kyoto brings all of its history as the previous capitol to the table. Perhaps you’d like to escape the main island all together, and check out the cities on Hokkaido, if you’re worried about missing some greenery during your study abroad in Japan experience.
- How long do you plan to stay? Arguably the best way fully immerse and absorb as much of the language and culture as possible is through witnessing all of the seasons and enjoying an entire academic year abroad. This isn’t for everyone, though! Picking a semester or even selecting a shorter summer option are choices that are completely up to you.
- Pick your focus. Maybe you’re heading to Japan exclusively to finish off that Japanese language major, or maybe you want to take your first look at technology courses. Maybe you’ve got major senioritis and are looking to fill your schedule with something you’ve never tried before—dance, art, women’s studies, food science?
- Communicate with your home university. Selecting a study abroad organization that is different from your school is quite common, but make sure you’ve got all the right people clued in. Your academic advisor might have some input about class requirements, and financial aid might be able to point you towards a scholarship!
You’re ready for an amazing studying abroad in Japan experience!
What’s stopping you from having the best summer or semester EVER?
See? We warned you there were a lot of decisions to make! When you’re witnessing the futuristic fashion on the famed Harajuku Bridge or enjoying the serenity of Zen gardens, it will all be worth it. We’ve outlined a few of the challenges that come with Japan study abroad, because the key to being a strong traveler is being prepared. Now that you’re in the know, though, you’ve got all of the tools that it takes within yourself to tackle them.
Let’s face it: There are going to be highs and lows with every study abroad experience—that’s part of the journey!
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