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 had a amazing time in Japan! I learned a lot about the history of the country, saw many amazing sites, made awesome memories, and tried new things. I made some really good friends on this trip and always felt safe so I would recommend it for teenagers who are looking for life experience. The housing situation is great in Osaka and Tokyo and most of the time we were well fed. Meals could run late at times, but they always made sure to feed us. I recommend the history major because in that one you will take the most advantage of the country your in, sometimes even getting to see more sites than the other majors. But all in all I had an amazing time and am super glad I did it!

In short, this program offers an adventure of a life time in the 3 biggest cities of Japan. From climbing a mountain in Tokyo, to visiting the Osaka Castle, everyday is filled with fun, learning, and support from the amazing staff on this trip. The staff here are what make the trip so enjoyable, in fact one of the staff, Derick, bought me and my friends Uno at a convenient store in Kyoto and we had loads of fun playing it along the trip. We also got to go to a traditional Tea Ceremony in Kyoto where we wore traditional ceremonial clothing and got to whisk our own matcha

This study abroad was genuinely one of the best experiences I’ve ever had. The staff really takes time to connect with the students as well as teaching them in fun and effective ways. The program was so well planned and I really feel like I made the most of my three weeks in Japan. There was such a great balance of education and fun activities. The other students on the trip were incredible, and I made friendships I’ll never forget. I loved this study abroad so much and will cherish the time I spent in Japan with World Class Programs.

this trip was so fun everyone was so sweet and kind and they all felt like family. i’m totally gonna do it again next year. the classes were fun and so were all the activities. it was definitely a lot of walking but they were really supportive if you needed a break or stay back for a day. definitely went to A LOT of shrines and temples which was fun but also meant a lot of walking. had a lot of stuff to ship back so make sure to bring extra money for that. overall one of the best things i’ve ever done and im so happy i got to do

I had a great time, the staff were amazing and very helpful and supportive as well as accommodating the needs of students. The classes and activities we did we really fun and the amount of free time we had was great

This was a delightful expedition to the great and beautiful land of Japan. I was ecstatic to greet my professors and fellow peers on this adventure of a life time. In my time here I expanded my horizons greatly due to the guidance and intellect of my highly experienced and knowledgeable professional staff. I have obtained numerous memories during my travels and made many new palls along the way. It is a great tragity that this journey is at it's end, I hope to make my return in the near future. I give my complete and full appreciation to Derek and his elite samurai and master of the blade.

Singlehandedly one of the best trips I’ve ever been on. I had been anticipating this for 8 months, and safe to say it did not disappoint at all. I am insanely grateful to have experienced everything that I did on this trip. Very friendly group and staff, and would 100% recommend to others!!

World class programs is one of the best programs there is and I highly recommend it. Going to Japan with them is my favorite thing I have ever done! On this program I got to see some incredible places and eat really yummy food! One of my favorite places I went wile on this trip was Nara! The deer were really cute and fun. If you are considering going on this trip you should! The staff are some of the most amazing people you will ever meet. They make sure everyone has an amazing time and you will see the most amazing places!

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.

This is such a great progarm because you get a lot of free time and schedule things to do. I had a great time the people are good and the food is great. The staff care about you and want you to have a great time while keeping you safe. If you want to do something that they didn't plan for they are willing to adpat to things as long as they are reasonable. They also have group flights to and from the place you are visting or take your own flight. They reaaly try to get you to embacre the culture of the country by giving you cool experinces.

Best summer of my life. I met a ton of cool people, the staff were awesome and the food was amazing. In my opinion I think my favorite part of the trip was Kyoto because of the sheer amount of temples and shrines there. All of the courses were cool and teach a good amount of material and let you explore many new places related to the courses. The free time you get nearly everyday is great and super fun to walk around the city with friends. There are also multiple day trips in which you travel to nearby cities. 10/10 program, would recommend.