Summer High School Programs in Japan

I can honestly say that coming to Local Life Japan was one of the greatest decisions of my life! As a 19 year old on my gap year after high school, I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life when my mum showed me this place. A week later I was on a plane, in foreign country whose language I didn’t speak. The next month was a wonderfully chaotic whirlwind of experience and rapid learning. In a month I went from knowing only Hiragana and Katakana to being able to have full conversations in Japanese and make friends in a whole new part of the world. I couldn’t recommend Local Life Japan more! From the caring and attentive teachers, to the fast paced and engaging lessons to the wonderful local and cultural experience, this place has it all!

I had an absolutely fantastic experience with Local Life Japan's teen summer program! I found this program as a rising senior in high school looking to continue my study of the Japanese language, and it completely exceeded my greatest expectations. The staff is very warm, caring and flexible, and the teachers are engaging and helpful; they would even research the answers to difficult/obscure questions and share their findings the following morning. They were able to accommodate every students' level of Japanese proficiency while providing additional challenge to those who wanted it. The cultural activities were also amazing! There were loads of fun adventures, from Zen meditation to tea ceremonies to bowling. My personal favorite was probably our visit to Himeji Castle, which was both scenic and loaded with fascinating historical and architectural knowledge. I seriously cannot recommend this program enough to people who want a healthy mix of language learning and cultural immersion. I am incredibly lucky to have found this gem. The sense of community is incredibly powerful, and I can't help but want to find an excuse to visit again. Thank you Local Life Japan!

Going on trips with my school, Ritsumeikan Uji High School, was one of the best parts of the program. Traveling together, exploring new places, and spending time with classmates made the experience more fun and helped us bond.

My most memorable experience was going to Universal Studios with my new friends from school. Even with the language barrier, it was the first time I truly felt connected with them, and it made the day even more special.

This program was a truly unforgettable experience. From going on excursions with people from all over America to living with a Japanese host family and attending a local high school, I got a real look into daily life in Japan. Spending time with school clubs and classmates made the experience even more meaningful, and I can say with full confidence it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I’d be more than happy to share that experience with peers.

I traveled to Tokyo, Japan for the Anime and Manga program. It was an amazing experience. I met new people along the way. Our leaders were very informed and experienced. I was able to not just learn the anime and manga but also the Japanese culture. My host family was welcoming and I enjoyed my time with them. A great life experience.

Going to Japan was something I had dreamed about for a long time. I was introduced through anime and manga, but quickly became fascinated with their history, language, and culture. Participating in the Experiment gave me the opportunity to experience the things I had admired and researched independently. Going to historical sites like Hiroshima Castle, viewing art at the Osaka National Art Museum, and eating cultural cuisine like Takoyaki were memories that I will always treasure. I learned so much about Japanese people by talking to the college students who accompanied us and observing people in everyday settings. This was especially true during the Homestay. Spending time in a Japanese home I got to experience a typical weekend for my family, allowing me to have an authentic perspective of what life is like in a different culture. With my homestay family I got to dress in Yukata and go to a local festival, or Omatsuri. This was the highlight of my trip! Watching Taiko and talking with local residents was such a unique experience. I’m so glad the Experiment matched me with such welcoming and lovely people! Everything from the quiet bullet train rides to the bustling area of Dotonburi were thoughtfully planned by the experiment to give greater understanding of Japan. This program was great for people who want to be introduced to Japanese culture!

I would likely recommend CIEE Global Navigator High School Summer Abroad to a friend because it is a great opportunity to engage personally with a new culture in any target country of your choosing. The host family experience is unique and helps you immerse with the daily lives of a native resident. You end up building very strong connections with people from not just within your program but also with people in your host family. The activities are overall very good at highlighting various aspects of Japanese culture and felt extremely fruitful.

I have had such a great experience during my month abroad. I have learned so much more in this short amount of time that I could have even imagined, and yet I still had so much fun on the trip as well. All the activities were so well organized and unique and really fun. Finally, all of the staff that I have interacted with on the program have been so approachable, friendly, knowledgeable, and seem like they genuinely care about the program and the kids on the program.

My study trip in Japan all felt like a wonderful dream. I learned so much about their culture, food, hobbies, and the people. They have amazing food and the people are so polite. My host family was amazing and we both loved to play volleyball and we played volleyball once a week at the gym! Overall I had a great time!

I would be likely to recommend CIEE Global Navigator High School Summer Abroad to a friend or peer for a lot of reasons. One reason I would recommend the program is the various opportunities it provides for individuals to explore a foreign world different from their own. Whether it's a Robotics and Engineering program or a Language and Culture session, each program allows individuals to learn or expand on a skill they might want to expand on in the future while exploring the culture and lifestyle behind a place like Japan or Spain. It allows students to become a part of their host country's day to day life and differentiate qualities of the country from their own while expanding on their own knowledge of their desired subjects in new forms. Another reason I'd recommend the Language and Culture programs on the CIEE platform is their ability to help individuals understand the way of life of a culture and become a member of the country as well. Promoting homestays and allowing people to feel as if they're truly living in their host country for a month allows for a greater recognition and attention towards the way of life in a new country and the difference it holds towards their own home country. It allows for such a great expansion and learning opportunity that it grants the "culture" aspect of the program through one's day to day life, providing the "language" experience through the 3 hour class times and community conversations with others.

I loved everything about the program and we did lots of fun things. However, I didn't learn as much history as I thought I would. I learned a lot of Japanese but only about 40% came from my Japanese class. It was hard because our teacher didn't speak much English so there was a lot of unclear information that I never fully understood. I would recommend the trip if they weren't super serious about becoming fluent or learning history.

I enjoyed the people I was with by far the most during my time in Japan & Rustic Pathways. The community that we were able to build was absolutely stellar, and it is very upsetting to me that we are separating.

This was my first time travelling abroad and I am glad I had the opportunity to travel as part of this program. This experience was really fun, beyond my expectations. There was so much I got to do in the country within a short period of time. The reason I would pick this program again is because there is still more to explore within the country and other opportunities that I didn't get to be a part of/do because of the short time. I made a lot of friends and also got to explore a whole different place I never knew I would have gone to if it wasn't for the program. It was definitely worthwhile. My favorite part is the amazing people I met and the impact they have had on me and this experience. The leaders and teachers were also a great part of the experience they were very kind and understanding people. They also did not feel like authority and were relaxed, friendly and open minded people. They also made sure were were doing fine mentally and physically.

This program was extremely fun and a lot more eye opening than I thought it would initially be, When I first signed up, I thought it would be just a language class and go around visiting historical landmarks, then go to a high school and talk with some Japanese highschoolers and that's it. But, we did things that most people probably wouldn't be able to do in Japan without a company backing them up, such as meeting with local college students and talking to them about almost anything culture related, such as political problems in Japan, how the Japanese view foreigners dependent on their age (the older generation dislike foreigners while the younger generation don't mind/welcome them). and so on..

PICKY EATING: Although I have no food allergies, I was a picky eater and was worried if I would be able to eat anything in a foreign country, but to my surprise everything just tasted so good that it didn't matter. Coming back to America, I've been able to get over most of my bad eating habits, and will eat almost anything now. (I also know that this may vary from person to person.) MEETING AND MY GROUP: When I first arrived at the airport, it was difficult to socialize because I was nervous meeting the people that I have been looking forward to since I got the Group List. Some questions that popped into my head were, "What if they think I'm weird?" "Will I be able to get along with them within the month?" But, all my worries and stress was blown away in just a couple hours. They people that I traveled with had amazing talents, personalities, and opinions to share. I came to love everyone that I traveled with like they were family. I assume it was also partly because we were living in close proximity with each other and we would be the first and last thing we see and hear each day. ARRIVAL & BRIEFING OF WHAT WE DID: When I first arrived to Japan, I was dying of the heat and humidity, but I believe on the third day I adjusted and got somewhat used to it. Our main mode of transportation was the train and our feet. I like to believe that I gained a lot of leg muscle from all the walking. We explore many districts in Tokyo, did a lot of shopping, ate/tried really good food, and met and conversed with Japanese people to the best of our abilities. DAILY SCHEDULE: An average day for me during the program was waking up, getting ready (brushing, eating, etc.), and having a short meeting. We would then attend class, be guided around the district (or do an activity such as candy making or calligraphy), and be given free time to explore (in groups of at least 3) for the remainder of the time we were in the district. We would then head back to our accommodation and be given free time (after a debrief if there is one) to go wherever we wanted with in the boundaries that were set for us. HOMESTAY: Everyone's host family experience is different, and for me I loved my host family. They were very sweet, understanding and patient. We spent as much time as we could together with just the 4 days we could stay ?. With my family, we cooked together and went to the park, aquarium/amusement park, and ramen museum. We would also relax in the living room with each other, talking and enjoying each other's company. SCHOOL: When the itinerary said that we would be going to a Japanese High School it was nothing like how I imagine we would be doing it. I thought that we would be attending a class like normal, but instead we were welcomed by a committee made up of students who were really good at English. Their skills were definitely better than our skills in Japanese. We paired up with a buddy, and learned about each other school life through conversation and tours around the school. OPINION: The experiences I had through this program was definitely unique and could not be replicated. I would like to encourage anyone who is interested to immerse themselves into another country's culture. I had such a great time that when I arrived back in America I wished that I was still in Japan. And, although it hasn't been too long since I got back I am still in contact with my host family and friends that I traveled with. So, although I miss seeing everyone in person I believe that it's not a "Goodbye forever", but a "Goodbye for now" and "See you soon."

The classes are good for beginners. The teachers were very friendly and helpful, and the family at my homestay was very welcoming and kind. The students at the school were primarily adults, at least during my program, so it was a little bit harder to make friends and find stuff to do after classes. It was coordinated well and communications were usually responded to quickly. Overall I enjoyed my program and the opportunity to experience life in Japan.

I'm grateful to have gone to Japan through Greenheart Travel. Here is my honest opinion on my experience. Overall, it was great. My flights to and from went smoothly, aside from my broken laptop :( , and my host family's home was, honestly, bigger and more comofortable than mine in the US. My schoolteachers were very understanding of me and the other students, and pushed us to practice Japanese in a variety of ways. They occasionally scolded us for speaking in English while in between classes! My experience was faithfly immersive, and I got to learn a lot about the Japanese way of life along with their historical culture. This was done through organized field trips, or outinfs with my host family. I enjoyed my time there, and received reasonable communications from the language school of events and schedule changes. However, Greenheart Travel's communication itself disappointed me. While I was preparing for my trip to Japan, the program manager seemingly changed between 2 or 3 different people at different times. There were times when I didn't know who my main point of contact was because of the confusion, and it was very scary for me because I had never been abroad, and had no idea what kind of information I needed to provide along the way, or who I would ask my questions too. I was grateful that Greenheart had the ability to provide scholarships for students like me, especially because I was paying for the program myself, but aside from that have limited good experiences with the agency. My program handbook mentioned that I was supposed to have at least one video call with my host family before I left to get to know them before departing, but this never happened. Instead, I wasn't even given any information about them until less than a week before my departure. I'm glad to have had this experience, but have now ascertained that I'm unlikely to travel with Greenheart again until they build a more reliable team. It was the people I met while abroad that truly made my experience so wonderful, and I hope that Greenheart can give future students a better experience!

Greenheart Travel responded to this reviewAugust 16, 2022

I’m glad to hear that your overall experience in Japan was great and apologies for the fact that you did not feel supported by Greenheart. We did have a staff change and having your main point of contact change a couple of times is understandably not ideal. This was the first summer for teen language camp programs after the pandemic and finding host families that were good matches with students took much longer than usual. We appreciate your honest feedback as it is always a priority for Greenheart Travel to evaluate and review all student concerns in order to further improve our programs. Thanks again, and we are happy to hear you had an enjoyable program!

Besides being affordable compared to other programs, Greenheart Travel strives to not only make a difference to travelers, but also to their community and world around them. They provide many opportunities to help you in making a change in your community. They provided a lot of information before leaving to a program and program managers are always there to help! I had an amazing experience and would do it again if given the chance. Don't be scared to try new things! Talking to others in their language, trying new foods, making new friends, etc.. Before the program, I was reserved, (a little) picky with food, and worried about my language abilities. However, after the program I have growned to love foods I did not before, made a lot of new friends and talked with lots of people that changed my life, and improved my language skills a lot! I hope you enjoy your trip because I certainly did.

During the winter of 2018, I looked up Japanese Language Programs for High School Students and found this Program. I wasn't sure whether to sign up for this Program or the many others you can find across the web but I am so glad I chose this one. What interested me most in this program was the Home Stay aspect, staying with a family and acquiring language knowledge through a more natural setting. Through this program I was able to meet friends I still talk to and a family I hope to never lose contact with. I noticed through the very few other reviews that hardly any negatives are mentioned in them, I thought this was odd so I'll try and talk about both the good and the bad. I went on LanguBridge's Japan E Summer program. The staff: The staff in the program are very supportive, there will likely be at least two English native speakers that will be there to help you every step of the way. Throughout the Program, there were some misunderstandings between me and the Teachers as they were not native speakers but the trip leaders helped me out each time to avoid any problems. I was very grateful to most of the staff, they helped the trip become less stressful and so much more enjoyable. Other students in the Program: I arrived at the airport the first day worried that meeting 20 strangers would be super awkward and that I would leave having made no friends but I was so wrong. I am extremely shy, talking to complete strangers was something completely out of my comfort zone but luckily the program leader connected everyone to a Facebook group chat so we could talk to each other beforehand. It made everything less stressful. I made some friends I hope to never lose. You have multiple opportunities to talk to people from the other class. Multiple times after class and even once during the weekend I hung out with my friends in Harajuku, Akihabara and Ueno Park. Hanging out with everyone were some of my fondest memories. Host Family: I loved my Host Family, They have become like a second family. If I had known how great they were I wouldn’t have had any doubts to go to Japan with this Program. They helped me so much over the three weeks. In my family, I had two younger brothers (13,15), an older sister (16), the Parents and grandmother, aunt and cousin also stayed over for a couple of nights. They brought me to a summer festival, I got to see my younger brother’s baseball games and we even got to eat out a couple of times. My favorite moments were playing card games with my host siblings, even though there was often a language barrier, they were encouraging, loving and everything I could have asked for in a family. We’re still in contact. Morning and Evening Transport: The transport is long unless you’re lucky but the shortest my year was 45 minutes, mine was close to over 2 hours and that was one-way. It is likely that after a week the excitement of traveling alone will have worn off. I found myself later having memorized the scenery which ultimately aided in not getting lost later. Though since the commute was so long I got lost It was part of the experience. It was in those moments that I felt I grew the most and became more independent. Some of the things you could do on the commute are: Brining a book, Studying the previous day’s lesson or just looking out the window. I would go on my phone and listen to music offline to avoid wasting my data. Many days I found myself unable to do anything because of rush hour. Rush hour was an experience, to say the least. Locals will push you to get in, there is hardly any space to move so I would recommend that you stand in front of the seats as it is always less crowded there. Classes: The classes were my least favorite part of the trip. Though I didn’t dislike them and they allowed me to meet amazing friends, I quickly fell into a routine and I found myself becoming distracted. I wish the program had had a higher level class as I was not a beginner. I was put in the intermediate class but the level was still quite low. Overall though the lessons were interesting and we often had field trips which added an element of change to the routine. We went to Akihabara, A local shrine and an animation museum. Tips: Some tips I have for future participants are: First, BRING SUNSCREEN!! I left it at the bottom of my suitcase and ended up with a really bad sunburn which didn’t leave until after the end of the trip. Second, don’t be scared to talk Japanese with your family and practice. They don’t expect you to be fluent or even know much more than a greeting. They chose to be hosts because they want to help you! Finally, don’t worry so much. It’s truly an amazing experience and whether or not everything ends up the way you wanted/expected, you’ll certainly leave having learned something. You’ll leave with unforgettable memories and new bonds which will make the whole trip worth it.