KCP International works with study abroad students as well as aspiring teachers. What makes it stand apart from other Japanese education organizations?
Everyone at KCP, teachers and staff, has one focus: to help students learn Japanese.
Learning is challenging—language classes are in Japanese and the pace is relentless. Professors and staff are exceptionally dedicated. The classes include lively discussions, games, interesting drills, and highly useful language knowledge. Outside-class help is readily available, in English if needed. Since KCP is not in a typical university locale but is on a side street in the Shinjuku district, students are plunged into daily interactions with Japanese just on their trips to and from school.
Since KCP enrolls students from other parts of Asia and worldwide, there is truly no other common language besides Japanese. Students adjust quickly to “living in Japanese” and connect with people from many other cultures. This makes for lasting relationships around the world.
Students rate their KCP experience as one of the most important events in their lives. They report excellent instructors, huge increases in their Japanese proficiency, and substantial growth in their ability to thrive in new situations.
KCP International manages to do the impossible: offer highly intensive Japanese language instruction for the serious student, assist students in all their needs, and charge a very reasonable price.
Potiron Park. Photo courtesy of KCP International.
How did you come to be involved in KCP?
I was an East Asian Studies–Business major at Western Washington University in 1995. Through family and friends, I learned about KCP International and met its leaders. KCP offered to set up a U.S. office if I was able to get a partnership with WWU. I was lucky—I had a good relationship with the International Programs and the Japanese language department. We secured the partnership in 1996, making WWU our first school of record. To supplement my knowledge I earned an MBA, focusing on international business.
When can students study at KCP?
American students operate on different academic schedules, and many have other unusual goals as well. KCP’s many, varied terms of study are an asset here. Students can choose from a typical semester, extended semester, academic year or more, an 8-week summer short term, and a 4-week summer Japanese and Anime-Manga program.
What are some of the biggest changes you’ve seen in the 30 years that KCP has been around?
KCP celebrates its 30th year now, in 2013. We are very proud of this—KCP is a recognized leader in Japanese language education. KCP’s goal has always been to increase the world’s knowledge of Japan and the Japanese language, one student at a time, and they have remained true to it.
When I first began supporting KCP in North America in 1996, there was me and one student coordinator in Japan. I’d travel to Japan to coordinate the start of every single term. Then, enthusiastic students began spreading the word. We took hold! We now have over 150 U.S. participants each year (600 students total) and four full-time English speaking support staff in Tokyo.
From our humble beginnings in 1983, when the cofounder taught Korean businesspeople in a small apartment, KCP has grown to our current comprehensive program offering eight levels of Japanese, six terms of study, and a dozen university partners. KCP has come a long way.
What is the typical KCP student like?
I don’t think there is a typical KCP student. Some are Americans, some Koreans, some Canadians, Chinese, Australian, or French. Most are earning college credit, but we get a generous sampling of professionals acquiring language skills for their career. Some students are Japanese majors; some combine Japanese with other majors such as business, international relations, or the arts.
Students have come from many different colleges—in all, from well over 300 U.S. colleges and universities.
I take it back—there are a few things all KCP students share: a genuine interest in absorbing and appreciating a culture different from their own, and a willingness to work hard. These two traits serve them in extraordinary personal and academic growth.
Shinjuku Gyoen. Photo courtesy of KCP International.
What advice would you give to a student interested in going abroad to learn Japanese?
Our program is intensive. It requires real effort. There is a lot of memorization involved. Past students suggest taking every opportunity—on the commuter trains, for example—to study, and asking for help if you need it.
We’ve created a resource to help our students succeed: KCP Student Life, with lots of tips for students on life in Tokyo.
What are some the highlights KCP students get to explore in Tokyo?
There are many to mention, and they change every term. Typical excursions have included Kamakura, the Edo-Tokyo Museum, Nikko, Asakusa Temple, the Imperial Palace, NHK Broadcasting Company, a Sumo beya, and Kabuki and Bunraku theaters. Extended trips are part of every culture class, as are lectures to provide context for students about the unusual things they are going to see. Many of the excursions are chronicled in our KCP Window on Japan, under Student Views.
KCP has a fantastic social media presence! What’s your secret to connecting with users?
Well, thank you! I think the best way for a student to understand our program is through other students. We consistently rank very highly on review sites. We encourage students to contribute to our Window on Japan blog, or to share photos on our Flickr collection. It’s important to help students understand our program, but also we want to introduce Japan and the Japanese language to everyone.
Tokyo Cityscape. Photo courtesy of KCP International.
Anything new at KCP International everyone should know about?
Our new summer language and anime-manga program! It’s short—4 weeks—so that students can use just a part of their summer for it. In the first 2 weeks, students learn Japanese (4 levels are available) in intensive classroom study and excursions. The focus is on being able to converse with Japanese anime professionals as well as daily interactions. In the second 2 weeks, students learn about the long history of anime-manga, its place in society now, and how it is created. Lectures are richly supplemented with trips to specialized museums and anime studios.
Also new is the KCP campus. Real estate being what it is in Tokyo, KCP president Takusuke Kinoshita decided to tear down the old KCP building and erect a new, state-of-the art building on the same spot. Square footage will be doubled! Facilities and technology are especially designed to support language learning and collaboration. In the interim, classes are held in a nearby building that KCP has used before. This way, students can enjoy the spectacular location—a quiet neighborhood within high-energy Shinjuku, less than a 10-minute walk from the subway and from several parks large and small.
Thanks for chatting with GoAbroad, Mike! Explore all of KCP International programs on GoAbroad today. Do you have more questions about KCP International? Share your questions and thoughts below in the comments!
