Winter Study Abroad Programs in Kyoto, Japan

It was my first time coming to Japan, and also my first time in Asia. I was extremely nervous because I didn’t know how to speak Japanese, aside from saying ‘thank you’ and ‘hello.’ Despite not speaking the language, everyone was always very kind and respectful to me. I met a lot of amazing people, who I now consider my friends. I have enjoyed every single day I’ve been here, and I would love to come back as soon as possible.

The ability of this program to provide freedom and independence in exploring Japan while still providing opportunities to learn and interact with the culture. The classes offered range in a variety of subjects and really allow you to learn what you want.

I have already been recommending people since I have been out here because it's an amazing experience to learn and grow! You're in another country learning and using the language and you are studying at the same time plus doing so many activities outside the classroom its a win win win situation.

They (CIEE) provide excellent cultural immersion opportunities, allowing students to deeply engage with local traditions, language, and communities, which enhances both personal growth and global awareness.

It was the best option to join jals. People are really nice, open minded and the staff is great. I got connected to people all the time and recieved help immediately if i had questions. The atmosphere is really relaxing and the teacher's are great. Once a week there is a test based on what you learned in school. The test are based on the homework you get. The lessons are easy to understand and all questions get answered. The school has an activity list after class, i did many of them and they are always fun.

My experience was enjoyable! I really enjoy the classes with Emi and Ríe sensei, who's beside being patient, were super fun! Also, I couldnt have been luckier of having great classmates. Clases had the perfect duration and wasnt boring at all.

I stayed at Kyoto JaLS for 5 months and I highly recommend it! The teachers and staff are all extremely friendly and will help you in whatever way they can. The classes themselves are small group (8 or less people) which allows each student to receive the appropriate amount of attention needed when learning a new language. Speaking practice is well integrated into the curriculum as well as reading and easy writing. The school also offers after class activities that you can pay to join and they are all very good cultural experience activities that anyone can enjoy! This is the perfect school to go to in Kyoto especially if you are only in Japan for a few weeks since you can pay week by week. Thanks again Kyoto JaLS staff and teachers for the wonderful time I had there!

The lesson was great, things I studied was very useful and can be used in reality, everyday life, teachers are very helpful and kind, they help and explain to students very well. On each lesson teacher tough fast but easy to learn and understood. The activity was great good choices and always fun and interesting, good to relaxed after a long study. Most of the experiences are from activities. Staffs are very friendly and helpful. Good coffee.

The time here was wonderful. I got to know many new people, with whom I did many interesting things. Some of them are locals, they showed me some places of Kyoto that not everyone knows. My time here couldn't have been better.

I spent four weeks learning Japanese at Kyoto JaLS, taking part in the Winter Course. Not only did I improve my Japanese but I had such a great time and made friends for life. The staff were super supportive before, during and after the course and made it really easy for me to move to Kyoto. The atmosphere in the lounge is fantastic - the staff are always happy to talk (in Japanese and English if you need it) and it's great to have a relaxed study space available. It also creates a lovely community between everyone at JaLS, the Japanese students, English students, teachers and staff. The teachers are all lovely and have their different teaching styles, but they all make sure the students learn in a fun, easy-to-understand way. I really enjoyed the cultural activities too; I lived in Japan for 18 months before studying at JaLS but it was the first time I really immersed myself in traditional culture like tea ceremony and kimono. The housing arranged by the school was lovely and good value for money. I can't recommend JaLS enough.

I spent 8 weeks at JaLS learning Japanese. I had a wonderful experience; it was everything I hoped for and more! Everyone at JaLS is super nice and helpful, staff and teachers alike. The staff helped me from the moment I stepped foot in Japan, with housing and transportation. They also gave me safety instructions in case of natural disasters. The classes are fun and the activities are just the best to really immerse yourself in Japanese culture. I met a lot of different people and made many friends. I had a great time and would strongly recommend this school. Thank you JaLS! :)

I spent 2 weeks in JaLS as an absolute beginner. Being a slow learner, i didn't expect much from the course, in the end i feel amazed for managing to learn so much in 2 weeks, Hanagana, katakana and 4 chapters of the textbook. The teachers are all very patient and professional, the teaching materials are organised and well prepared, which helps us to learn Japanese efficiently and effectively. Besides, the cultural courses from JaLS are all very interesting and organised. i have joined several classes like the Taiko, mochi making, pottery class, sushi making and the outing to Shiga (an art exhibition). They were all amazing, i could experience Kyoto culture in a very relaxed and organised way. We were well taken care of in each activity, it allowed us is to experience Kyoto in a relaxed n organised way without the language barrier. Last but not least, the staffs of JaLS are extremely friendly and helpful, they are very professional and detail minded to arrange things for me, from accommodation to all the classes. It was a wonderful holiday in Kyoto!

The nicest Japanese school I have ever had the pleasure of attending(twice!!!) Yes I love it so much I had to go back for more! I attended Hokkaido Jals in 2017 and this year attended Kyoto Jals. With amazingly beautiful classrooms and cafe, an extensive Japanese curriculum to suit your Japanese level and a wealth of activities and opportunities to improve your Japanese Jals honestly has it all. For people who want to experience Japan, and I mean REALLY experience Japan more than your average tourist, Jals is a great place to start! I had some amazingly fun cultural experiences at Jals, like temple visits, tofu making classes and many conversation classes/casual gatherings that I could have never had anywhere else. I was able to experience Japan on a deeper level, develop my Japanese and make friends with some lovely people along the way. Whats more, I found the staff so friendly and accommodating. They went above and beyond to make sure that my stay, as well as that of all the other students, was fulfilling. The teachers as well were always checking in to make sure that the level of the classes suited us, if there was any other questions or problems we were having in regards to our stay in Japan and always did their best to make our classes as fun as possible! Cannot recommend this place enough! If you haven't signed up you're already missing out people!

Last September I spent 3 wonderful weeks at the JALS school in Kyoto, after a likewise wonderful experience at the JALS school in Sapporo last year. Kyoto JALS is an excellent school, conveniently located in the city centre. The staff was kind, friendly and really supportive, and everything was very well organised. The teachers were excellent and made classes really informative and engaging. The classes were small and that was ideal to practice the language in the best way. Furthermore, the school provides several activities and excursions to points of interest in Kyoto.

I've spent 5 weeks at the JALS school in Kyoto. It's very personal and the staff is very friendly and always concerned about your wishes and they are very uncomplicated. The location is very new and clean. The teachers were absolutely lovely and took there time to explain the theories and practice it. The Book at first was intimidating, because it was all in Japanese, but you get used to it and maybe thats not even a bad thing, thats the way you learn it. I am currently using this book to continue to study Japanese. The school is very active in organising activities for everybody, and you can feel they are doing it with all there love and energy. There are only positive vibes at the school. They organise things such as making chopsticks, going to festivals, conversation afternoons and other Japanese activities.

This is my first time that leave my home and go to other country by myself. I'm very excited! Japan is my favorite country.Kyoto have a lot of shrines, temples and landscapes, so I choose Kyoto.In Taiwan,I find UF Japan to arrange my schedule. In all school,JaLs's application information is most attractive. First day I came to school,"wow it's so beautiful." I think.In JaLs everyone was very friendly to me.In a month I learned a lot of things and got a lot of experiences. Although I encountered two typhoons, one was I go back to Taiwan.Airport was closed and flight was stop to fly,I stayed in Osaka four days.Patrick who is school's staff gave me a great help. I'm very happy what I choose this school. Everyday is wonderful!

Although my stay was short, I had a great time and classes were great as well. Classes are structured really well and with few students, which is good. Huge variety of activities. The staff is just amazing, always ready to help and make your experience worthwhile

I spent two weeks at Kyoto JaLs in July. I felt very welcome and comfortable from the first moment. The classes are very small and the teachers are great! I learned a lot and at the same time I had a lot of fun in class. In the breaks there is always opportunity to talk and exchange with other students. The lessons are very well organized and there are always on-site staff who are happy to help with any problems. There are also many great offers for the afternoon, some are a little expensive, but it's still worth it, others are free. Overall, my experience at this school is very good. My Japanese has improved a lot, I met many people from different countries and I would have liked to stay longer. In fact, I'm already thinking about whether it's possible to go to Kyoto again...

I completed a two week course this summer and really enjoyed my time at the school. The classes were small, the teachers were experienced and the atmosphere at the school was fun. I would return in the future for a follow up course

Kyoto JaLS gave me more than I could ever hope for in my 2 short weeks in Japan! The staff was super helpful from the day of my application through to the time that I left the country. The staff and teachers were all very friendly and were ready to assist me with just about anything I needed (I got sick one day and they went with me to see the doctor!). Classes were small making it easy to ask questions to my teacher and they went at a great pace so I was never bored. There was also a great variety of activities in which I was able to really see and get to know Kyoto. My favorite were the guided visits to Kinkaku-ji, Ginkaku-ji, and Fushimi Inari. They have a great lounge and I made a few Japanese friends while I was there. I would definitely go again and highly recommend this program to anybody looking study Japanese for a short time in Japan.