Study Japanese in Fukuoka, Japan with Meiji Academy

Name: Study Japanese in Fukuoka, Japan with Meiji Academy
Brand: Meiji Academy
SKU: 247904
Rating: 4.97 (38 reviews)

Read 38 reviews

4.97 Rating

Leave a Review

Location

Japan
- Fukuoka

Language

Japanese

View Other Details

Program Details

Housing

Apartment Guesthouse Host Family

Pricing

What's Included

Accommodation Airport Transfers Classes Some Activities Wifi

What's Not Included

Airfare Domestic Airfare Meals Some Activities Transportation Visa

Last Updated: Nov 01, 2019

Last Reviewed: May 08, 2024

Wish List

18 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

Meiji Academy provides high standard beginner to advanced level Japanese language courses. You can choose from a wide variety of classes to create a study schedule that fits your needs and interests.

Choose courses like Standard Japanese, Intensive Japanese, Japanese Business, Pop Culture, or Traditional Culture and add additional private or Kanji classes, if you want. You create your own personal study schedule! With a very strong focus on conversation, each class accommodates up to six students, so that each and every student gets the attention they need.

After class, you will have time to join various social events and explore the sunny port city of Fukuoka! As a low-key city, Fukuoka is the perfect place to study Japanese as you experience the Japanese way of life together with your new friends. Meiji Academy and Fukuoka are your gateways into Japan - Adventure awaits!

Request Info

Video and Photos

Hanami Festivities with our Meiji Students

Students learning about traditional Japanese culture!

Hakata Gion Yamakasa Festival with our Meiji Students

View All Photos

Program Highlights

Learn Japanese in small classes and take private lessons from dedicated teachers!
Find new friends from all over the world and discover everything Fukuoka has to offer!
Experience the Japanese way of life, choosing between a Japanese host family, an international share house, or your own apartment!
Learn business Japanese from teachers who have in-depth knowledge about the Japanese business world!
Take part in social events and day trips all over Kyushu, the Southern island of Japan!

Related Programs

Program Reviews

4.97 Rating

based on 38 reviews

Leave a Review

Rating Spread Language

5 rating 97.37%
4 rating 2.63%
3 rating 0%
2 rating 0%
1 rating 0%

Instruction 4.95
Support 4.95
Fun 5
Housing 4.8
Value 4.95

Good for Students

Showing 33 - 38 of 38 reviews

My time at Meiji Academy was absolutely great. Let’s be realistic: It takes a lot of work to learn a new language. The teachers and staff genuinely care about you and beautifully accommodate you. Most of them make classes entertaining, which, as I know from experience, takes a lot of effort! Because the classes are rather small, it is very easy to ask questions at all times. Very helpful. Classes are Monday through Friday. I had Japanese classes in the morning and traditional culture on 3 afternoons/week. For me, it was the perfect mix as I could study hard in the morning and have fun in the afternoon. The activities were always great fun and pretty well planned out.

I decided to go for the Traditional Culture Course because I wanted to have a look at the “real“ ancient Japan. I took part in Ikebana, a tea ceremony, wore a Yukata and visited Dazaifu-Tenmangu. During my stay in Fukuoka, I learned a lot more about Japan, its history and traditions. more than any textbook could possibly teach me!

I applied for the classes a little last minute, but Meiji got back to me very quickly. The process of signing up for a class, finding a host family and joining weekend activities were all handled very fell during my stay in Japan. Meiji Academy was easy to get in contact with and they were very accommodating and helpful.
I genuinely love every part of my study-abroad experience in Fukuoka. Out of all the things I did, my favourite part was learning Japanese directly while speaking with my host family. They really shaped my experience to be as great as it was by opening their home to me and making me feel like a family member. I literally cried when I had to say goodbye to them, that’s how close we had gotten.
My goal was to improve my Japanese skills over my summer holidays to be ready for a work&travel year in Japan next year. I think I have a solid basis now and will continue practising as I get home. As soon as I get back to Japan, I will surely visit them all (Meiji & my host family) again! I am looking forward to it!*-*

I took the Business Japanese course for two weeks. One thing that I would advise everyone to do is: Ask all the questions! You want to go to Fukuoka Tower on the weekend, but there is no info on a tour going there? ASK! You want to attend a business meeting, but nobody informed you of any events in your area? ASK! You want to practice Japanese in your free-time, but there are no language exchanges listed on Meiji’s event board? ASK!
Meiji already offers loads of cool things to do apart from studying, but through asking the staff for recommendations, I got so much more out of my experience in Fukuoka. I even attended some craaazy business events. They are very different from what I am used to in the US.
If you want to practice Japanese and have an awesome time, definitely check out Meiji Academy!

My 7-weeks at Meiji Academy flew by! I loved the classes, the people, the learning environment, and my share house. I can highly recommend it to anyone who would like to learn Japanese in a chill environment. Classes have a great balance between speaking, listening, and grammar. My weakest point has always been speaking so I was excited to gain the confidence to communicate with Japanese people by the end of my stay.
I stayed in a Share House and thoroughly enjoyed it. We often hang out in the communal area, studied or cooked together, talked or played cards.
Join the activities that Meiji offers after class! Fukuoka has so much to offer, and you really don’t want to waste your time watching Netflix!
During my stay, I fell in love with Japan and didn’t want to leave. Hopefully, I can return soon and pick up where I left off!

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?

Talk to everyone! It is so easy to meet new people in Fukuoka and it is great to practice your Japanese!

Going abroad to Meiji Academy and to Fukuoka was a wonderful choice. The staff and teachers are amazing and they really care about each student. I felt like being at home thanks to their very friendly and accommodating service, helping me with all my queries. I feel like I could learn an extreme amount while still being able to keep up. Japan is amazingly exciting and the people are always down to help you. I would love to return! I thoroughly enjoyed my classes and the services that Meiji Academy offers. Along the way, I have made many awesome friends and we have already made plans to meet up when we are back in Europe. Meiji Academy truly helped me build an amazing experience that has strengthened my language skills, interpersonal skills and confidence - They are my best recommendation if you want to study in a friendly environment and experience Japan's culture outside of major cities like Tokyo or Osaka.

I studied Japanese (Standard Course and some Kanji lessons) at Meiji Academy for 6 weeks during summer. I have had two different teachers, both who were very professional, fun, and experienced. The school is very centrally located and the atmosphere is always positive and relaxed.
Meiji Academy provides you with a lot of information and help and often holds (cultural) events or activities, both in Tenjin and around Fukuoka. I joined them as often as I could and it was always great fun.
I would definitely recommend this school to anyone who wants to learn Japanese. It was fun, educational and an overall exciting experience. I learnt a lot while attending the Japanese classes and met many wonderful people along the way.
Thanks Meiji for the great memories!

What was the most unfamiliar thing you ate?

Chicken heart, cow tongue, horse meat (and much much more)

Questions & Answers

Do you have to know any Japanese prior to attending this program?

Answer this question

Alumni Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with verified alumni.

Why did you choose this program?

When I was looking for a language school in Japan, I wanted to be in a city with a nice environment and have flexibility in my course. Meiji Academy met both of these requirements. Lot’s of language schools require you to stay for around 1-3 months or over a year, but with Meiji Academy you can decide exactly how many weeks you need and can also customise which classes you want to take. They also have a school in Fukuoka, which I found was the perfect city to live and study in without being too overwhelming.

What did your program provider (or university) assist you with, and what did you have to organize on your own?

Meiji Academy helped with organising accommodation, being picked up from the airport, and doing events and tours to explore the city and Fukuoka lifestyle. However I had to sort out things like my visa, SIM card, and transportation. They give you advice in these areas but in the end you’ve got to figure it out yourself, which can be a bit confusing in a different language.

View Entire Interview

What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?

I’d say definitely research into what the weather will be like while you’re here. I mostly assumed that since Fukuoka is in South Japan, it would be warm all year around. Boy was I wrong. It got a lot colder in winter than I expected and I’d only brought a few jumpers. Especially if you’re going to be here for a long stay, make sure you prepare for all the seasons!

What does an average day/week look like as a participant of this program?

Classes usually start at either 9:30am or 1:30pm and go for 3 hours unless you have extra classes. Mine were usually in the afternoon so I was able to spend the morning doing whatever I wanted and could go meet friends for lunch later. After classes, Meiji Academy would sometimes have parties to eat Takoyaki, Okonomiyaki, Nabe, etc. They would also occasionally have trips on the weekend, which was always really fun. Some of my favourites was going strawberry picking in Itoshima, or riding the boats along the canals of Yanagawa.

Going into your experience abroad, what was your biggest fear, and how did you overcome it? How did your views on the issue change?

My biggest fear was definitely the communication barrier as my Japanese speaking ability was pretty much non-existent when I first arrived. However I decided to jump into the deep end and stay with a host family for my first month. It turned out to be the best decision I could’ve made. They were so friendly and welcoming that I straight away felt at home in Japan. They introduced me to a lot of cultural things I wouldn’t have otherwise experienced and, as a bonus, my Japanese improved so much faster with having to speak it everyday.

This really helped my confidence with speaking and allowed me to use it in real-life situations, like ordering from restaurants or asking for directions. So I’d really recommend this for anyone that’s a bit worried about being able to communicate. Even if your Japanese isn’t very good yet, I found that locals really appreciate you at least trying to say a few words.

How could you have better prepared for your time in Japan?

I would’ve tried to budget my money better. I came to Japan thinking, ”I’ll just see how it goes“ but around a month in I realised how quickly my bank account was being emptied. Everything is so exciting and you want to experience it all, but of course everything costs money.

It’s pretty tricky trying to find a job or part-time work as a foreigner. If your Japanese isn’t at least an N3 level (JLPT) then you’re pretty much stuck with teaching English lessons (if that’s your native language). It’s also not usually paid very well either. So I’d suggest to really make a plan before you arrive to figure out the best way to make your money last.

Francisco Farias

2019 Alum

Mark Yu

Young Il Kim

2020 Alum

Staff Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with program leaders.

What is your favorite travel memory?

My favourite travel memory I was in junior high school. I went on a study exchange program to Holland and stayed with a host family. It was my first time living abroad and exposing myself to the English language. To date, I still keep in contact with the host family and plan to meet up in years to come.

How have you changed/grown since working for your current company?

Teaching here in Meiji Academy is different from all other places where I have taught before because the students here are learning Japanese in small classes and often plan to do an internship afterward. I have learned to tailor and customize their program to fit their needs and place a lot of individual focus on each of them.

View Entire Interview

What is the best story you've heard from a return student?

Many years ago, I taught two girls from Tunisia as part of an international exchange program. One of the girls contacted me this summer that she will be doing an internship in Japan. She told me that I have sparked her interest in learning about Japan and she has plans to pursue her future in Japan.

If you could go on any program that your company offers, which one would you choose and why?

If I were to go on a program as a student learning Japanese, it would be the traditional culture course as it is incredibly interesting. I believe that learning the culture, especially the traditional customs and ideas, is as important as learning the language itself.

It will help you to not only understand the grammar, but also the history behind it all.

What makes your company unique? When were you especially proud of your team?

What sets Meiji Academy apart from all language schools out there is that the class sizes here are small. Therefore, I can individualize the class to each student's specific needs and adjust the pace for an effective learning process.

I think the student's learning process benefits greatly from that individual support.

What do you believe to be the biggest factor in being a successful company?

I believe the biggest factor in being a successful company is building a good rapport with colleagues as well as students. Establishing good rapport develops mutual trust, friendships, and affinity, it helps with establishing good interpersonal relationships. That is definitely the case at Meiji Academy!

Narumi Komiya

Head of Sales & Marketing

Sakura Inoue

Student Advisor / Event Organizer

Misaki Eguchi

School Director

About Meiji Academy

Meiji Academy is an independent educational institution offering a variety of Japanese language and culture classes to make sure students can study in a way that is efficient and fun! The standard courses offer 20 classes per week. Classroom lectures along with training in real-life settings allow you to become accustomed to using actual spoken...