Japanese Courses in Japan - Japanese Schools in Japan

Learn Japanese in Japan and witness a culture distinct and exquisite; nothing can compare to this country rich in cultural history yet at the forefront high-tech gadgetry and design that is spreading its influence across the world.

Study Japanese in Japan and see images of kimono-clad hostesses performing tea ceremonies, brisk business men commuting on high-speed shinkansen, sushi, anime, martial arts, and high technology, the Japanese flavor has influenced the hearts and minds of many.

Extending from picturesque snowy peaks to tropical paradises, encompassing extreme, futuristic urban habitats and rural retreats, expressing itself through kabuki theatre and Kurosawa cinema, Japan packs more inside its borders than you could imagine.

Join us at our Japanese schools in Japan, an island nation that stands uniquely apart from the rest of the world and demonstrates a fascinating mystique. With every traditional temple or urban idea you recognize, the country will catch you off guard by throwing an isolated islet or undiscovered subculture into the mix. Come with an open mind and the guarantee of surprises.

Japan is certainly unforgettable, whether it is because of the dazzling lights and skyscrapers of the big cities, the exquisite art of the geisha, the skill of the sumo wrestler, the ancient festivals or the great natural beauty, that is for you to decide.

Japanese History

While geography is not destiny, the fact that Japan is located on islands on the outermost edge of Asia has had a profound influence on its history. Just close enough to mainstream Asia, yet far enough to keep itself separate, much of Japanese history has been the alternation of periods of closure and openness. Until recently, Japan has been able to turn on or off its connection to the rest of the world, internalizing foreign cultural influences in fits and starts. It is comparable with the relationship between Britain and the rest of Europe, but with a much wider channel.

Recorded Japanese history begins in the 5th century, although archaeological evidence of settlement stretches back 500,000 years and the mythical Emperor Jimmu is said to have founded the current Imperial line in the 7th century BC. The first Japanese state was centered in Nara (8th c.). It later moved to Kyoto and Kamakura until Japan fell into the anarchy of the Warring States period of the 15th century. Tokugawa Ieyasu eventually reunited the country in 1600 and founded the Tokugawa shogunate. This was a feudal state ruled from Edo, or modern-day Tokyo. The imposition of a strict caste system took place, where the Shogun and his samurai warriors were the highest ranked, and no social mobility was permitted.

Tokugawa rule kept the country relatively stable with its policy of total isolation, but the world around them was rushing ahead. U.S. Commodore Matthew Perry's Black Ships arrived in Yokohama in 1854, forcing the country to open up to trade with the west. The resulting shock led to the collapse of the shogunate in the Meiji Restoration of 1867. Japan then launched itself full force towards industrialization and modernization. This quickly turned into a drive to expand its borders and colonize its neighbors, culminating in the catastrophic Second World War that ended with 1.86 million Japanese and well over 10 million Chinese and other Asians dieing from battle, bombings, starvation and massacres. After being forced to surrender in 1945 following the nuclear attacks of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan became occupied by the victorious Allies for the first time in its history. The Emperor kept his throne, but the country was turned into a constitutional monarch. Thus converted to pacifism and democracy, with the U.S. taking care of defense, Japan now directed its prodigious energies into peaceful technology and proceeded to conquer the world's marketplaces with an endless stream of cars and consumer electronics, rising from the ashes to attain the second-largest gross national product in the world.

Learn Japanese - Japan Geography

The mountainous islands of the Japanese Archipelago form a crescent off the eastern coast of Asia. They are separated from the mainland by the Sea of Japan, which historically served as a protective barrier. Japan's insular nature, together with the compactness of its main territory and the cultural homogeneity of its people, enabled the nation to remain free of outside domination until its defeat in World War II. The country consists of four principal islands: Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu; more than 3,000 adjacent islands and islets, including Oshima in the Nampo chain; and more than 200 other smaller islands, including those of the Amami, Okinawa, and Sakishima chains of the Ryukyu Islands. The national territory also includes the small Bonin Islands (called Ogasawara by the Japanese), Iwo Jima, and the Volcano Islands (Kazan Retto), stretching some 1,100 kilometers from the main islands. The archipelago covers about 377,000 square kilometers.

The distance between Japan and the Korean Peninsula, the nearest point on the Asian continent, is about 200 kilometers at the Korea Strait. Japan has always been linked with the continent through trade routes, stretching in the north toward Siberia, in the west through the Tsushima Islands to the Korean Peninsula, and in the south to the ports on the south China coast.

Study Japanese - Japan Economy

Government-industry cooperation, a strong work ethic, mastery of high technology, and a comparatively small defense allocation (1% of GDP) helped Japan advance with extraordinary rapidity to the rank of second most technologically powerful economy in the world after the US and the third-largest economy in the world after the US and China, measured on a purchasing power parity (PPP) basis. One notable characteristic of the economy is how manufacturers, suppliers, and distributors work together in closely-knit groups called keiretsu. Another remarkable feature is the lifetime employment guarantee for a considerable portion of the urban labour force. Both features are now eroding. Japan's industrial sector depends heavily on imported raw materials and fuels. The tiny agricultural sector is highly subsidized and protected, with crop yields among the highest in the world. Usually self sufficient in rice, Japan must import about 60% of its food on a caloric basis. Japan maintains one of the world's largest fishing fleets and accounts for nearly 15% of the global catch. For three decades, overall real economic growth had been spectacular - a 10% average in the 1960s, a 5% average in the 1970s, and a 4% average in the 1980s.

Growth slowed markedly in the 1990s, averaging just 1.7%, largely because of the after effects of overinvestment during the late 1980s and contractionary domestic policies intended to wring speculative excesses from the stock and real estate markets and to force a restructuring of the economy. From 2000 to 2003, government efforts to revive economic growth met with little success and were further hampered by the slowing of the US, European, and Asian economies. In 2004 and 2005, growth improved and the lingering fears of deflation in prices and economic activity lessened. Japan's huge government debt, which totals 170% of GDP, and the aging of the population are two major long-run problems. Some fear that a rise in taxes could endanger the current economic recovery. Internal conflict over the proper way to reform the financial system will continue as Japan Post's banking, insurance, and delivery services undergo privatization between 2007 and 2017.

Japanese Food

Japanese cuisine, renowned for its emphasis on fresh, seasonal ingredients, has taken the world by storm. The key ingredient in most Japanese meals is its steamed white rice. G ohan, meaning "meal", is the Japanese word for rice. Soybeans are a key source of protein and take many forms, notably the miso soup served with almost every meal, but also tofu bean curd and the ubiquitous soy sauce. Seafood is a prominent feature in Japanese cuisine, and includes many varieties of seaweed as well as creatures of the sea.

One of the benefits of leaving Tokyo and traveling throughout Japan is discovering the local specialties. Each region in the country has a number of there own unique dishes. In Hokkaido try the fresh sashimi and crab, and in Osaka you can't miss the okonomiyaki stuffed with green onions.

Most Japanese food is eaten with chopsticks, the exceptions being curry rice and fried rice, which are eaten with spoons. Using chopsticks is an easier skill to pick up than you might imagine, but mastering them might take a while. Here are some chopstick guidelines:

• Never place or leave chopsticks upright in a bowl of rice, and never pass something from your chopsticks to another person's chopsticks because of their association with funerary rites.
• If you want to give a piece of food to someone, let him or her take it from your plate, or place it directly on their plate.
• When you are finished with the chopsticks, you can place them over the edge of your bowl or plate. Nicer restaurants may put a small chopstick rest ( hashi-oki ) at each place setting. If the restaurant does not offer this, you can simply fold the paper wrapper that the chopsticks came in and construct your own hashi-oki.
• It is considered rude to use your chopsticks to move plates or bowls.
• Pointing at people and things with your chopsticks is also rude.
• Stabbing your food with the chopsticks is generally considered rude and should only be used as a last resort.

Disposable chopsticks (wari-bashi) are provided in all restaurants as well as with bento and other take-out foods.

Many Japanese dishes are served with different sauces and garnishes. The Japanese people do not put soy sauce on their rice, but they do use it to dip their sushi in, and to pour on grilled fish. Tonkatsu (pork cutlet) comes with a thicker sauce, tempura comes with a lighter, thinner sauce made from soy sauce and dashi (fish and seaweed soup base), while gyoza are usually dipped in a mixture of soy sauce, vinegar and chili oil.

Japanese Schools - Japan Climate

The Japanese are proud of their four seasons (and a surprising number believe the phenomenon is unique to Japan), but the tourist with a flexible travel schedule should try to aim for two of them.

• In spring, one of the best times of year to be in Japan, the temperatures are warm but not hot, there is not too much rain, and March-April brings the justly famous cherry blossoms ( sakura ) and is a time of revelry and festivals.
• Summer kicks off in June with a dreary rainy season (known as tsuyu or baiu) and turns to extreme humidity and high temperatures in July and August. Avoid, or do as the Japanese do and head to northern Hokkaido or the mountains of Chubu and Tohoku to escape. The upside, though, is a slew of fireworks shows ( hanabi taikai ) and festivals big and small.
• Autumn, which starts in September, is also an excellent time to be in Japan. Temperatures and humidity drop, making it more tolerable, and the fall colors can be just as impressive as the cherry blossoms. However, typhoons often hit the southern parts of Japan bringing everything to a standstill in early autumn.
• Winter is a good time to go skiing or hot spring hopping, but as the Japanese have yet to figure out the wonders of central heating, it is often miserably cold indoors. Head south to Okinawa for some relief from the blistering cold.

Japanese Interesting facts

Japan is about the size of California and has half the population of the entire United States.

• In many businesses in Japan, alcohol is offered to the employees after six pm.
• It is a mandatory tradition to give a landlord a gift of $1,000-$2000 when moving into his apartment building.
• The Japanese enjoy corn, sesame seeds, and mayonnaise on their pizza.
• 24 hour ATMs do not exist in Japan. They are closed on holidays and most only remain open during normal bank hours.
• As opposed to Western cultures, newspaper editors make their headlines to not attract attention.
• Japan has about 1,500 earthquakes each year.
• In the Japanese language, saying the word “no” directly is considered rude.
• It is next to impossible to become a naturalized citizen of Japan.
• You can smoke just about anywhere.
• Japanese take a hot bath each night. Some do not even have showers installed in their bathrooms.
• There are roughly 200 volcanoes in Japan.
• It is considered rude to show signs of affection toward a loved one in public.
• Three words: "heated toilet seats".
• Flower arranging is an art in Japan.
• The new generations of Japanese people are not as short as Westerners think.
• You can buy batteries, beer, wine, condoms, cigarettes, comic books, hot dogs, light bulbs, and used women's underwear from vending machines.
• Many people in Japan eat rice with or for their breakfast, lunch and dinner.
• In Japan you will find cars by the names of "It's", "Let's", "Sunny", "Perky", "Gloria", "Move", "Toppo", "Lepo" and "Dump".
• McDonald's employees run outside to hand you your drive-thru order.
• The Japanese visit shrines and give each other money for New Year's.
• It is impolite to rip the wrapping paper from a gift.
• Japanese junior high school students do not need to pass any of their classes to graduate.
• Young women will hand you toilet paper outside of train stations.
• Vandalism is almost non-existent in Japan.
• Gas station attendant's bow to the driver as the car pulls out of the station.
• It is okay to pick your nose in public and to urinate at the side of the road, but it is not socially acceptable to blow your nose in public.
• Approximately 85% of Japanese people have never tasted turkey.
• There is at least one vending machine on every corner.
• All you ever wanted to know about the world's largest phallus festival can be found here.

Learn Japanese in Japan - Advice

At our Japanese schools and courses in Japan our advice can really be summed up with one simple word - practice! The kind of study materials you use is not quite as important as how or how often you use them. Your hard work and determination will be one of the biggest factors in successful language learning.

The Japanese school and course you choose in Japan is going to be the core of your Japanese study, so make sure you choose a Japanese language course that gives you structured lessons and lots of opportunity to practice your new language skills. Our Japanese courses at our Japanese schools in Japan, will give you the perfect opportunity to study, learn, and practice Japanese in a supportive, well planned and friendly environments.

You must work at your new Japanese language skills every day. Ideally, you should study Japanese an extra hour or more every day. If you can get at least an extra half-hour of study time, that's pretty good too. Try to at least get a little review and study, learn and practice Japanese every single day.

If you attend one of our Japanese courses in Japan and you learn Japanese everyday, you will have a good basic knowledge of the Japanese language in a reasonable amount of time. Your knowledge and ability will increase and improve depending upon what other tools you use and what kind of experiences you have using the Japanese language.

Grammar book. A good old-fashioned grammar book may be boring but they are a great way to really get to grips with the details of the language.

Phrase Book

These are extremely helpful books that you can carry with you. They can be useful for practicing pronunciation, or for quickly finding a lot of more commonly used phrases, words and idioms. Phrase books are always a nice supplement to learn Japanese and they are convenient and cheap.

Dictionary. Absolutely necessary in the long run. You must have a dictionary if you wish to expand your vocabulary, and you will need one in order to take full advantage of many of the Japanese language learning tips set out here. Make sure you get one that translates both ways e.g. English to Japanese AND Japanese to English. It is also helpful to find a dictionary that contains idioms - the phrases particular to the language which you are studying - as well as phrases that are commonly used in the Japanese language, but may be difficult to translate.

Flashcards

A simple Japanese language learning tip, but a very effective way to review, refresh your memory and expand your vocabulary. There are pre-made flashcards that can be purchased, or for extra help, you can create your own. Keep them with you at all times, in your pocket or in your car, and look at them for a quick review or language lesson at every opportunity. They are very convenient.

Talk to yourself

It may be obvious, but the best way to learn Japanese in Japan is to speak Japanese in Japan! This convenient method can be use at all times, as you can even talk to yourself. Even if you are in public and do not feel comfortable talking to yourself out loud, you can make it your habit to practice Japanese by thinking Japanese. Throughout the day, think of the Japanese words for everything you pass - objects in your house, things you pass when you are traveling, things you use at work or school, etc. Learn basic Japanese phrases like - ‘it is cold today' or ‘it is sunny today' and use whichever is appropriate when you first look out the window. By putting this tip into use on a regular basis, the vocabulary and phrases will become routine and automatic.

Practice with friends

Taking it even further than talking to yourself, you can practice with your friends. Even if they do not speak Japanese, talk to the people you know by using your new language. Warn them in advance that you are practicing your new knowledge and they'll know what's coming. Even a simple 'good morning' or'see you later' in Japanese will make those phrases more natural to you. Your friends may even begin to learn a few words and join in the fun too!

Listen to music

Listen to Japanese music. You'll hear the Japanese language used in a real context and this will help you pick out the rhythm and pronunciation even better. This method will also give you a further understanding of, and appreciation for, the culture and customs of the people. Music in Japanese might be easier to find than others, but Amazon or eBay and many other global websites will enable you to find music in Japanese and many different languages.