IES Abroad Tokyo – Language & Culture

I had such a wonderful time studying with IES Abroad in Tokyo! The administrators were so encouraging and enthusiastic when I expressed interest in getting involved with the local community. The traveling opportunities were so much fun, and I enjoyed our excursions a lot. The coursework was a little light, but it allowed me time to really get out and explore Japan, and most of my Japanese learning happened when I interacted with other students at Kanda University of International Studies. The KUIS campus is absolutely gorgeous - a wonderful place to spend a semester. Their English language learning building/library is the nicest academic building I've ever seen - I spent time in there every day.

Having been to Japan--and specifically Makuhari--before, I more or less knew what to expect. Still, with getting to explore new areas of Japan through IES field trips, cultural activities, and just learning my way around my housing area, I got to learn and experience new things! The IES Tokyo staff is incredibly friendly and helpful, which made the entire process so much easier. The E-Pals are fabulous, too--they really helped us navigate the "official" side of things, like getting commuter passes for the trains and buses and helping us fill out paperwork at the city office. The campus itself is also incredible! KUIS has lots of different clubs (one of my friends did taiko!), and they have a specific building for encouraging students to speak English; naturally, most IES students hung out there! Even with classes, my friends still had time to do things like go to cat cafes, visit Universal Studios Japan in Osaka, and explore all the popular spots in Tokyo. The IES field trips (both class field trips and special IES field trips) and cultural activities allowed us to learn about Japanese culture alongside friends outside the classroom, so we got to do more than just study in a classroom while abroad. Between making new friends, learning more about Japan *in* Japan, and getting the opportunity to focus on growing my language skills, fall semester was oh so worth it!

As the clouds above soaked a dampened atmosphere, I hurried under an awning to take shelter from the first shower of the rainy season. As if being conducted by maestros along the tops of adjacent skyscrapers, flurries of hotfooted salarymen began to weave between their fellow commuters in a rush hour ballad, only to crescendo in the simultaneous opening of their clear plastic umbrellas as they left the stage of Shinjuku station. Once notorious for employing “pushers” to push commuters onto overloaded trains, Shinjuku station remains one of the busiest train stations in the world with over 3.5 million commuters passing through its gates every day. Although maybe not something that everyone would find amusing, it is a sight that made me truly appreciate the scope of the world. I grew up surrounded by the sugar plantations sowed along the hills of Hanapepe, Hawaii. Though I would leave the island for university, I would again find myself in a bucolic bog in the wheatlands of Pullman, Washington at Washington State University. Studying computational neuroscience and Japanese, I decided that I should study abroad in Japan to gain an immersion into the language and culture to understand more of what Japan was about. That is when I discovered IES’s summer Tokyo program. If chosen to participate in the program, you will meet up with your fellow students for a few days of orientation and placement examinations. At the time of my writing this review, there are six total classes spanning from the 1000 to 3000 level with two classes in each division. They are all held on the same campus that you will dorm at in the National Olympic Memorial Youth Centre in the outskirts of Shinjuku. You will dorm in an on campus dormitory, living in an approximate 15’X 5’single room with a desk, communal restrooms/wet rooms, and communal laundromat. I had tested into the higher division of the 3000 level classes. I believe the level of instruction in class is more than satisfactory. Classes are quite personal (~8-20 people). Each class does various extracurricular activities throughout the semester based on level. These range from cooking classes with native Japanese students to traveling to national museums to learn more about the country and culture of Japan. But I believe the true value of the program is found beyond the boundaries of the campus. Shinjuku station lies a twenty-minute walk or five-minute train ride to the North of campus. From there, the entirety of Tokyo’s 23 wards, an area spanning 239 sq mi, is accessible via subways. metros, buses, and a multitude of other modes of transportation. A new perspective of Japanese culture to the commuters that get off at every station. From the hub of anime and everything Japanese pop related in Akihabara, to the 3-starred Michelin restaurants and ultra-luxury malls of Ginza, every destination that comes to mind when thinking of Japan is within a stone’s throw from the youth centre. You could even take a weekend trip to Kyoto or Sapporo if you wanted (something that I frequently did via the bullet train coming out of Tokyo station). I have made many friends in the program, fellow exchange student and native Japanese alike. I will never forget the memories that we made in class, the nights in the karaoke booths in Shibuya, or the subsequent trips to the adjacent streets lined with “izakaya”s. You can only learn so much about Japan from inside of the classroom. But, if you are truly interested in learning more about the country, what its people and culture are really like, then why not take a summer to learn abroad in the most populous city in all of Japan?

This program is really great for anyone who really wants to improve their Japanese or have great cultural experiences. The program places you at a school in Japan, where the students are very friendly and interested in getting to know you. Staying with a host family is an option, and provides cultural immersion. The staff at IES Tokyo are always friendly and helpful, as well as funny. Most of the classes are on the easier side and meet only once a week, which leaves time for traveling around Japan. It is important to keep in mind that the program is actually located in Chiba, about a 45 minute train ride from central Tokyo.

Studying abroad is such a unique experience, and I feel like I was able to get the most out of my time by studying through IES Abroad Tokyo. The program staff in Japan were fantastic, and they held regular events to help us explore the local area and culture. These included trips to nearby cultural or historical landmarks, such as the big Buddha statue in Kamakura or the shrines in Asakusa, as well as kabuki theater and a glass-blowing shop where we made our own Japanese-style wind chimes. There was also a big trip to Okinawa for four days, which was the most fun I have ever had. We had the chance to partake in various activities not typically available to tourists and got to see some beautiful scenery and historic landmarks. I definitely recommend participating in as many of these and similar events as you can. The school I attended, Kanda University of International studies (KUIS) or 神田外語大学, was also special and helped my time in Japan be as amazing as it was. As a foreign language school, everyone at KUIS is required to study English. While the majority of students are of course not yet fluent, this meant that they were overall more comfortable in speaking English and, more importantly, more eager to interact with overseas students and make international friends. I came in with several years of Japanese study already under my belt, and improving my language skills was probably the biggest reason I decided to study in Japan. I was very glad to attend a school where everyone was excited to talk to me and would be more than happy to help me with my Japanese when requested. I was easily able to make many close friends who I still keep in touch with. In terms of housing options, we could either do homestay or live in a dorm or an apartment. Students were on average probably 45-60 minutes away from the school via train and walking or biking; this commute was a little tiring every day, but that's not too bad for Japan, and you get used to it. I personally lived in the apartments, and I really enjoyed it. It gave me more freedom than the dorms or homestay (I didn't have a curfew, for instance), and it gave me the chance to cook more and explore the local cuisine rather than being on a meal plan in a dorm. I had a single, with two other people (local Japanese people) living in the same apartment, but they mostly kept to themselves so it honestly felt like I was living alone sometimes. This was nice at times, but I had also hoped to be able to talk with them more and become friends. From talking to my other friends living in the apartments, this seemed to be a somewhat common experience. My main complaint about the program would be the classes; in particular, the three-hour lecture-based classes were often tedious, and I felt like most of the classes didn't cover their topics as deeply as I would have liked. The required Japanese language course was an exception - I improved my language skills a lot, and the teacher was extremely helpful. I wish we had learned more kanji, but the class focused on mostly grammar, vocab, and speaking, which, in my opinion, are probably the most important aspects of learning Japanese. (If you are relatively advanced at Japanese, there are options for further language study available.) Other classes could be boring at times, but the workload was very manageable and left plenty of time to enjoy the local culture. Though it sounds a bit cliche, my study abroad experience in Japan was definitely the best time I have ever had in my life, and I think that IES Abroad Tokyo offers something for everyone.

I was expecting just to make some Japanese friends and be friend the other students in our program, But I totally did not expect to make friends with people from over 20 + countries. I'm forever grateful for all of the opportunities IES provided us with. Such as the E-Pal, guest lectures, and various cultural excursions. Most especially I was thankful for the our E-Pal program (Which is our online pen pal we connected with before the start of the program). You have the option to have an E-Pal or to not have one and if I chose not to that would've been the only thing I would regret the most about this program. Now my E-Pal is one of my best friends, but I bonded with the other E-pals as well. The E-Pals were there to assist us with our transition into Japan to make things easier for us and also to be a language practice partner. By having E-Pals we got a better understanding of Japanese life. They took us on many different excursions that a typical tourist or student abroad would've not been able to experience. Like visiting their hometowns summer festivals, going to onsens, meeting their friends, visiting their high-school, and of course showing us the best places to get food in Japan. If I did not participate in the E-Pal program through IES I feel like my abroad experience wouldn't have been as great as I wanted to. I am forever thankful for participating in this program.

Thanks to the generosity of financial aid from Occidental and IES Abroad, I was able to have a transformative semester abroad. I ultimately chose IES Tokyo's program based on its Field Placement program--my field placement/internship at the Self-Access Learning Center allowed me to gain real-world experience at an international Japanese institution. I would highly recommend participating in the Field Placement portion of IES Tokyo if you're ready to put in the work! Shout out to the IES Tokyo staff for cultivating a wonderful community within our little cohort. I miss you all dearly.

I loved my experience studying abroad in Japan. The program is run through the Kanda University of International Studies, and there were lots of great ways to meet local students and get involved in the university community. Everyone I met was extremely welcoming. Many of the students at KUIS study English and are interested in learning about foreign, especially American, culture. I enjoyed sharing things about English or America with them and learning in turn about Japanese and Japan. The friends I made in Japan were an important factor in what made the experience so good. I think this is something which also makes this program unique. The location of the university is about an hour outside of Tokyo, which was frustrating at times, but the public transportation is so great that it was never really a problem. All the students were housed in dorms or home-stays in Chiba. Again, this meant it was sometimes a long train ride to get into the city, especially for students living farther away. While this sometimes made it hard to make plans or go into the city on weekdays, it did provide a different perspective to life outside of Tokyo. Transportation was probably the biggest cost. Trains can expensive, especially outside the city, and there is often no alternative way to travel. The food at the dorm was not very good, but all the other food I ate was really good. It was easy to find high quality food at low prices. There were often free festivals on weekends in Tokyo and many museums offered student discounts, so it was never hard to find something interesting to do on a budget. Probably the lowest point of the program was the academics. Aside from the language courses, the classes weren't especially engaging or challenging and many of the professors seemed inexperienced or even unqualified. However, this also meant there was a very low workload, which allowed for more time to enjoy and explore Japan. At first I felt somewhat unstimulated by the academics, but I ended up being glad to have the time to see more of Tokyo and Japan. Overall, while the program was not perfect, I really enjoyed my time in Japan and I would recommend this program.

No really, Japan feels just as much like my own home. That's how good it was. Don't believe me? Read on! I made the choice to study abroad long before I entered college. I was fortunate enough to have some international experience growing up; I genuinely felt like I knew what I was getting myself. I was so wrong. Turns’ out, living in another country for 4 months is a lot different than sightseeing around Paris or Machu Picchu. It’s better. As a tourist, you miss everything that isn’t on the front page of the guidebook. Cool, you took a selfie in front of the Eiffel Tower and posted it with a different caption on four social media sites. 7 million people visit the Eiffel Tower every year, and nearly all of them take the picture. It isn’t special anymore; it’s a humble brag. I’ve been to the Eiffel Tower; it gave me a few minutes of happiness, which at the time, I believed was because I went on this foreign excursion where I learned so much about France. Or something like that. Anyway, what you miss is people. Tourists don't make friends. How can you? If you only have 7 days and can’t speak a word of the language, meaningful relationships can’t be built. My time in Japan isn’t memorable because I went to Tokyo Tower, Tsukiji fish market, Sky Tree, Kyoto, Osaka or Hiroshima. It’s memorable because of who I spent that time with. My only reason for choosing Japan rode along the lines of “I’ve never been anywhere in Asia. I’ll go somewhere there!” From that, I applied for IES Tokyo. I knew surprisingly little about Japan before getting there. Many IES Tokyo students are Anime/Manga fans and cited that as the reason they came. Don’t worry, there’s a lot more in Japan than cartoons. IES Tokyo has an E-Pal program where they assign a local student from KUIS to help you in your transition. They are mostly English/International business majors, who speak English if you have no Japanese skills. The E-Pals in Autumn 2016 were wonderful. They aren’t being paid; they are there for the cultural exchange and the opportunity to meet foreign students. Don’t even consider not signing up for it, it’s the single best thing about IES Tokyo. The first two weeks you spend a lot of time as a big group of IES/E-Pal, and during this time, I started so many unforgettable friendships with not only my E-pal, but many others too. You’re going to Japan for cultural exchange; so do it! Take a genuine curiosity in your new friends, and just maybe you will find that they are also interested in who you are. Japan itself is a fantastic country, you’ll get used to it fast. Use your Japanese skills, and you will find that Japan is accessible, customer-service oriented, and efficient. Almost everything is a tad different than we are used to in western countries, which is a good chance to do some cultural reflecting as to why that is. Broaden your mind! Also, Japan is safe. So safe, that if you lost your wallet, a Japanese person will run down the street to return it to you. Venturing out at night and feeling safe is something we don't have in the United States. IES Tokyo is actually in Chiba, not Tokyo. Please be aware of this if you think you’re going to be living in Shibuya or something. That said Chiba is great! The dormitories are somewhat central between KUIS and Tokyo station, and many homestays are too. I lived in Ichikawa-Shi with a wonderful host family in a very central location. Most students were in homestays, and all recommended it. IES has a great pool of host families they use, so take advantage of that! Your host family is there to be your family, try to be close to them because they care a lot about you. I spent countless hours chatting with my host mother after dinners, I learned so much just by talking. Many older Japanese people have different world views than your peers at KUIS, so take advantage! The staff at IES Tokyo is wonderful. They are kind, helpful and knowledgeable if you need anything. Need a doctor? Ask the staff! Lose your glasses? Ask the staff! Mail a letter, feeling homesick or need to know the best ramen shop in Tokyo? Ask! Caleb (IES Tokyo director) told me of what he called the “magic” of studying abroad. When IES students and E-Pals come together, it creates an atmosphere so amazing, he could only call it magic. I couldn’t agree more. It’s impossible to recreate, you need to live it yourself. When I first arrived in Japan, I told myself that this would be my only chance to be here, to take advantage and have fun. I’ve never returned to a country before because I like to see new places. Japan blew that out the window. I can’t imagine not going back now. Saying goodbye hurt a lot, which made the last day at the airport even worse. I was not ready to leave.. My story in Japan isn’t over yet. Actually, it’s just getting started. Take a chance on IES Tokyo, and it might change you. Maybe you will find a new home too. See you soon. Kellen

I had a great time studying abroad at Kanda University of International Studies. The IES Tokyo office (which is technically located in Chiba, a prefecture right next to Tokyo) is about a 15-minute walk from the campus so it is not hard to get involved with the local student population. In addition, this program offers a very good E-pal system which pairs you up with a partner for the semester. You can practice your Japanese skills, hang out, and get introduced to on-campus events. Everyone was very close with the E-pals my semester and we were all one big family. Although most of your classes are not on the college campus and are actually held at the IES center, I found the classes to be very interesting and insightful. It was very nice learning about some of the theories I've learned at my home campus back in America, but applying them specifically to Japanese society. The Japanese class I took (which is on the college campus) was challenging, but unfortunately be aware that there will probably be a great diversity of language levels within the class as there are only four levels. I personally have spent a great deal studying Japanese and had a lot of exposure to Japanese culture growing up, so it was a bit difficult for all members of my class to sometimes maintain a Japanese-only discussion in class. In addition, because the college you will be studying abroad at is a language school, many of the students are very proficient if not fluent in everyday English, so beware that you really have to take the initiative to improve in Japanese on this program. Well I can't say I became fluent in just one semester, I did improve and became more confident particularly in my presentation skills. Other students who lived with a host family also said their Japanese improved significantly. I personally chose to stay in a dorm just because I wanted to have a little extra freedom, but both living situations are excellent in my opinion. Living in the dorm was great for me because I got to experience a much stricter, different dorm life than from what I'm used to in America, plus I got to meet other foreigners who speak Japanese. In conclusion, I am so glad I chose IES to study abroad in Japan, and I can't wait to go back to visit all of the friends I made.

I had a fantastic time with IES Abroad in Tokyo, Japan. First of all, the location of the program was exactly what I'd been hoping for during my semester abroad. The IES Tokyo program is largely conducted in Chiba, Japan, the prefecture (like states in America) next to Tokyo, which was an ideal location in my opinion. Chiba is very comparable to Long Island, NY in that it is by the water, and a slower-paced residential area only an hour away (by first-rate public transportation) from one of the largest and brightest metropolises in the world. So you can go into Tokyo for the day by train, enjoy the city, and leave the bustle and fast-pace as you return to your quiet and welcoming town to rest after an action-packed day in the big city. The next thing I'd like to mention is the IES Abroad local Tokyo, one of the most wonderful staff groups I've ever met. The 5 primary staff members are extremely nice and caring, fantastic at their jobs, and will do anything humanly possible to make your time in Tokyo one of the best experiences of your life. Thanks to the housing director at IES I was given my host family, an aspect of the program that was one of my all-time best life experiences. My host family and I got really close and learned so much from each other, and that's all thanks to the time and effort IES Tokyo puts into finding a home that is the right fit for you. The only part of the IES Tokyo experience that I didn't absolutely love was the fact that most of the classes were in English. I am a mid to advanced level Japanese speaker (I have been studying since middle school) and while IES does offer classes taught completely in Japanese, the classes are 2 credits each, making the only classes that would apply to my major in English (all courses taught in English are 3 credits and my home institution only accepts 3 credit courses towards majors). My Japanese language ability improved immensely while I was in Japan, but I had hoped that more of my required coursework would be taught in Japanese so that I would have developed more academic Japanese language skills. The disclaimer for this section is that this situation is unique to my personal Japanese level and study abroad objectives. Many students that study abroad in Japan come from backgrounds with no formal Japanese study, and are very content with the English courses offered. Overall, I had a phenomenal time studying abroad with IES Tokyo, and would wholeheartedly recommend IES Abroad as a study abroad provider, in addition to generally recommending Japan as a study abroad destination, with any provider.

My study abroad through the IES program was an amazing experience. From the beginning, IES Chicago and Tokyo kept in good contact, regarding all predeparture information and tips. If you choose to do so, there is also an E-pal program through IES and university in Japan, which lets you get in touch with a Japanese student before arriving. This makes for an easier transition into school and friend life once in Japan! My home stay family was caring and supportive, adding much to the program as a whole. Academics may be challenging to some, easy to others, depending on what classes you choose to take, and what level of Japanese language class you are placed in. No matter what you take in school- there is plenty of time to explore, go on IES sponsored trips, and participate in your own interests (nightlife, shopping, touring, etc.). But make sure to take time to immerse yourself in the culture individually as well, and go out there and explore! IES does a great job allowing guidance as well as freedom.

Study abroad is an eye-opening experience. Japan is an amazing place to study abroad. The culture is different from America but after a week or two you will adapt to it. Coming to this program I wanted to make Japanese friends and hang out with them, what happened during the program went way beyond my expectations. The Japanese are very nice and eager to learn English and speak English with you so it was so easy to make friends and go to different places with them in Tokyo. Tokyo is a large city with many beautiful places where you can go meet and hang out. The amount of parks within this metropolitan city is very surprising. They take care of their trash and keep the city clean unlike many US cities where there is litter all over the place. With the program, there is more than just Tokyo. You have a week where you can travel with your friends to anywhere within Japan since everyone has break. The program also includes trips to other famous cities where you might not even think of like Kanazawa and Nikko. Even though Japan is small the different areas have different specialties. In the end, study abroad is about having fun, making friends, and lifelong experiences. You have to be self motivated to explore all of Japan and create these memorable experiences for yourself. In the beginning it may seem like you have 4 months but it flies by when you have amazing friends by your side.

Coming from the position of trying to fulfill graduation requirements to completely falling in love with a country, studying abroad in Tokyo is absolutely a life-changing experience, and IES Tokyo is what made that happened for me. I was given the chance to learn about not only the language, but also Japanese culture, sub-culture, living with a traditional Japanese family, going to a Japanese university, meeting many Japanese and international friends, and last but foremost become a global citizen. The academic requirement with IES in Tokyo was challenging but fun which facilitated my learning of both the language and the culture. The events and trips that IES Tokyo office host are often times free of charge which they provides the best opportunity as they could to facilitate your experience of in Japan. During my stay, I traveled to Kyoto, Nikko, Kanazawa, and I also went to many museums inside Tokyo. I decided to go study abroad in Tokyo just because I have to go some country, and now I am completely in love with the culture and the people there. If I had not study abroad with IES, I wouldn’t have such a great opportunity to explore the other side of the world and meet so many wonderful minds coming from different backgrounds.

Tokyo is an amazing city, and there are more opportunities and activities there than you will ever manage to try. But while the program is centered in the Tokyo area, that's not all there is to Japan. The beauty of studying in Japan is that there is a fantastic train system that can take you just about anywhere in the country for relatively cheap. All you need to do is get the hang of riding those trains, and the whole country opens up! Most of Japan is still pretty rural, and the landscape is beyond breathtaking. This is especially true when the leaves are changing during fall semester, or the sakura are blooming during spring semester. If you're feeling athletic and want to get outside, there are historic nature and hiking trails just about everywhere. Nikko is especially good for this, as there is a truly stunning gorge you can hike along.The river at the bottom is an unbelievable turquoise, and with the red and gold leaves it's beautiful and fun both. If nature hikes aren't really your thing, a fun activity would be to look up famous Japanese festivals and then take a day trip out to visit them. My personal favorite was the Narita taiko festival. The food was delicious, the mood festive, and the drum performances lining every street where just unbelievable. I'd highly recommend going to see it (and make sure to try the unagidon! It sounds strange, but it's delicious!). And hey, if you really don't want to leave the city, that's fine too. There's plenty going on right there in the Tokyo area. If you're looking for something fun there, see if you can't catch the Jidai Matsuri in Asakusa. It's main feature is a parade down main street, and it's amazing. Feudal lords, samurai, princesses, ninja, peasants, and about fifteen hundred different performance acts just strolling along. Talk about a blast from the past! My point is, as much fun as the bright lights of the big city are, there's a lot more to Japan than that. And with access to the train system available to all, you can get out there and explore it yourself! So don't be afraid to take trips out of the metropolitan area, even if it's just to another big city like Yokohama or Kyoto! I guarantee you'll have the most fun at the most random places!