Summer in Kyoto: Study, Feel the Culture, Make Friends

Teachers were really kind to teach Japanese and always tried to let us understand well. If I don’t understand well, they provided other useful handouts as well. Staff were also kind and they let us know what Kyoto is like well. I got a variety of good impressions from them. Everything at the JaLS Kyoto was satisfying and I want to learn Japanese later again if I have an opportunity.

I had an amazing experience at JaLS. I attended the advanced class of the summer course in 2019 for 4 weeks. The teachers are really good and take care of your interests and wishes when learning Japanese. The staff members are really nice and friendly and always helpful when you have problems or just need some information. There was a variety of events and activities to experience Japanese culture and improve your Japanese as well as making friends along the way. I highly recommend the school. I made great friends in that time and studying was great.

I came to Kyoto for the culture and historical sightseeing spots and stayed for the people. In the three month I took classes at JALS I could improve my Japanese drastically. The teachers at JALS were always very patiently and, even though strict at times, they encourage their students to speak Japanese which makes learning a fun and rewarding experience. Thanks to the teacher and staff, I was able to make friends by only using Japanese and was able to see parts of Kyoto's life that wouldn't be possible as a normal tourist. The love and support I received from the people here makes this stay really unforgettable. Only heavy heartidly I will leave this city and JALS to venture for new experiences to other parts of Japan.

I spent a month at Kyoto JaLS this summer! Although a relatively new campus, they had a well-thought out programme which provided a good mix of lessons and cultural activities :) The school is in the centre of Kyoto and is located in a co-working space. This gives students the added opportunity to mingle and network with native Japanese, which was really important to me as you get to utilise what you’ve learnt immediately and make new friends to hang out with! Additionally, the process of signing up with the school is fuss free! They are really responsive and genuinely care about what you want to gain out of the experience. Besides gaining more confidence in my language abilities, I am really happy to have forged amazing friendships with the staff, students and the natives co-working at the location! Notwithstanding, Kyoto is an amazing place to be in!!! It was definitely an amazing experience, and I would have loved to spend more time there!

My experience at Kyoto JaLS was absolutely amazing! The staff were super friendly and helpful and the teachers introduced me to a lot of aspects of Japanese culture. There was ample opportunity for me to speak Japanese both in group and private lessons. My classmates came from all over the world so I also learnt about various other cultures too! The summer course activities were very fun and hands-on. Many different events were held that gave me the chance to interact with local English students or other local Japanese people from Kyoto. The accommodation arrangement was also perfect. My share-house manager lived close by and organised a few events each month for share-house members. These events also widened my social circle in Kyoto.

I LOVE KYOTO JAPANESE LANGUAGE SCHOOL! For anyone who wishes the work, study or just live in Japan a few class through this school will change your life and set you up for success! JaLS is a great affordable school for students of all ages and have schedules for everyone! I studied at Kyoto Japanese Language School this past summer for a month (on the summer schedule) with the intention to just learn Japanese. However, I received so much more. By the time I was leaving Japan, I was confidently communicating with my various friend groups in Japanese, reading and writing complex sentences, and extremely well cultured. None of this progress would have occurred this quickly if I had not attended Kyoto JaLS. My experience at Kyoto JaLS was completely immersive. Entering into this school, I spoke little Japanese and within the first week I was speaking and writing correct simple sentences. By two weeks, I had successfully made friends with the staff and many of the diverse students both inside and outside of school. Finally, by my last two weeks in Japan I had become so culturally immersed into my new lifestyle that I was speaking Japanese at school, outside on the streets and at my share house which was something I didn’t think I would be able to do when I first arrived to Japan. The Language School has an efficient system of learning, where class of no more than 8 students are taught by a Japanese speaking professor. The professor only speaks Japanese, the textbooks are in Japanese, and you are only allowed to converse in Japanese for about three hours and thirty minutes a day. As a novice Japanese speaker I did not think I would be able to learn in this climate, however the staff, teachers, and administration of JaLS are so helpful and driven to help me improve that in barely no time I was understanding Japanese. On the topic of the staff and administration, they are the most helpful set of people I have ever met. They equipped to handle various situations they people on hand that speak several languages including English to help make your stay in Japan as comfortable as possible. I speak from extremely personal experience where one of the staff member picked my up from my share house, helped me with my bags to the train so I would catch me flight at the airport! They are amazing people! Additionally, unlike many languages schools in the Kyoto area JaLS administration and staff goes out of their way to plan trips and activities for students to get a full cultural experience every single day! From walking through temples wearing yukatas, to making chopsticks, and learning kendo, JaLS gave me a full cultural experience to supplement my Japanese learning. I wholeheartedly recommend this program to anyone who wishes to get a true experience of a foreign student living in Japan, looking for work or any other situation. I said this before and say it again! JaLS is a great affordable program for students of all ages and everyone should go! I had an incredible time in Japan, many new and intriguing friends and a beautiful language under my belt thanks to everyone at JaLS.

I attended the summer course from July 31 to August 24 and it was one of the best experiences in my life. The school is very centrally located with a stylish & comfortable working space. The staff and interns there were also very friendly & hardworking. Kyoto JaLS organizes cultural activities everyday after school for a fee where anyone is welcomed to join. Overall, the atmosphere in the school is very relaxed. However, your experience will be entirely up to you to decide. I observed many students who spoke in their native language most of the time and many who didn't really try to mingle around with others, so the experience and feelings I had towards Kyoto JaLS and the experience they had was very different. My Japanese has definitely improved, particularly listening and speaking. I was very sad to leave as Kyoto JaLS felt more like home & family than a school to me. Just be respectful, understanding, go with an open mind and try to speak as much Japanese as you can while you're there, I guarantee that you'll have a great time at Kyoto JaLS! :)

Kyoto JaLS is not just a Japanese language school. Instead, it has combined a café, study room, bookshop, and language school for Japanese students (especially English) along with the Japanese language school for foreigners. There was an activity every day after class, and both Japanese and foreigners were welcomed to participate in the activity. This made learning Japanese not only a school subject, but an authentic experience of interacting with the locals and exchanging cultures and ideas. The concept of Kyoto JaLS as a space for people with different backgrounds sharing their ideas with other is amazing, not to mention the cozy environment (including the classrooms, study room, and café) and the friendly and helpful staff. Concerning the Japanese language course, the teachers were very professional that my need was always satisfied and I never had to try hard to concentrate in class. The lessons focused much on conversation and every student had many opportunities to speak. Therefore, my speaking ability had improved a lot and now I am more confident to speak in Japanese. To be honest, the course fee of Kyoto JaLS may be a bit more expensive than other schools. However, the quality of the course is worth the price considering the small class size and learning environment, which enhance the learning efficiency and motivation. If you do not want to waste time doing repetitive grammar exercises or getting bored during class, I would definitely recommend Kyoto JaLS to you.

I attended Kyoto JALS this Summer during the month of June 2018. I took the Summer course program. Before attending the school I had my doubts. The Kyoto location is new and I couldn't find much about it online. I took a leap of faith and to my delight the program was everything promised and more. The staff is hard working and friendly. They were helpful, responsive and did a wonderful job making the experience overwhelmingly positive. I can proudly claim that in one month my Japanese had noticeably improved. I was very happy with the overall experience. I think it's important to go in with an open mind. If you are considering going to to Kyoto JALS go for it. The cafe is centrally located and is a relaxing environment. I was truly sad to leave and will definitely go back at the first opportunity.

I had an incredible experience with this program! Our coordinator Jeff was one of the most fun and immersive people I have ever met. He took us on amazing excursions. I also met many new friends both from all of the world and in Japan. My classes fully immersed me in the culture and atmosphere that is Kyoto, Japan!