CIEE College Study Abroad in Kyoto, Japan

The classes offered through the Ancient and Modern Japan program were incredibly fitting with the theme of the program and also incredibly fascinating. I really enjoyed learning the content of all the classes, although I particularly loved the history courses. Additionally, all of the chosen teachers were fantastic at helping ups learn their subject and facilitating debates and general classroom participation. I feel like I have made not only lasting connections with my fellow classmates, but also academic connections for letters of recommendation and the like with all of my teachers as well.

The experience Japan was other worldly I have always wanted to go to Japan and the CIEE did a great job on organizing out of class trips and excursions that were super fun and exciting. They were able to help with travel expenses as well and they provided all the necessary things to helping keep a nice safe environment to live in. After staying here for 3 months I am happy that I chose this program as well as this country to stay in and I definitely would recommend this to other people who want to go abroad,

I'm confident that I'll always remember my time abroad as one of the best parts of my life; I used to think people who talked about these kinds of things changing their lives were a little cringe, but now I feel like I understand. The program and the city were amazing, the food was great and I made a lot of great friends, both participants and locals. I'm really glad I did this, even though I'm not sure how much it'll add to my resume; I definitely think it was worth it to come. I would recommend it for sure

It was such a unique experience. The teachers, the staff and even the other students helped create an adventure that I will never forget. I feel in love with the classes and was so excited to learn more about Japan’s history. It was an amazing opportunity to grow my japanese speaking skills as well as use these credits for my major. They program offered many excursions to help expose the students to japanese culture. Even class had extra curriculars where we would be able to see the things we were learning about.

My experience in Kyoto was unique and insightful because I got to learn the Japanese language in the historical and cultural capital of Japan. As a mix between old and new, Kyoto provided me with a holistic perspective on what Japan evolved from as well as the direction it is going in. I would recommend this city to anyone who is looking to study abroad in a dynamic city that is also very clean and safe. During the summer here, pack for heavy heat and humidity. During the winter here, pack for a lot of snow!

My experience abroad in Kyoto has allowed me to witness a number of cultural facets pertaining to Japan. Attending tea ceremonies, participating in the Gion Matsuri, visiting many shrines and temples, and hiking the local mountains are only a fraction of the fun activities I've done during the program. I was also able to enjoy the city life that the Kyoto youth enjoys, partaking in nightlife like clubs, and rooftop bars. I frequented the Round One arcade in Kawaramachi and the BiVi arcade near Nijo Castle. The cuisines in Kyoto are so diverse that I have nearly 300 restaurants marked and have been to a fair amount of them and all of them have been affordable and more than satisfactory.

This was a condensed 6-week program, and you definitely feel the fast paced course load. That being said, if you are able to stay on track with the course work, you still have plenty of time to explore the Kyoto, both through program organized excursions and through independent travel if you so desire. I personally really enjoyed the independence and encouragement given to the students to explore Kyoto on behalf of the program. Additionally, Kyoto is simply an incredible city to study in. Would definitely recommend!

The CIEE staff are really over worked, there are too many programs going on at the same time. The professors were not organized and one professor was completely unhinged and made me feel unsafe. The student life staff was extremely accommodating and invested in our success. The housing was really nice and the location was incredible. My positive of the experience is I got to immerse myself in Japanese culture. I loved being in Kyoto, I think it’s a fabulous place to stay over Tokyo and Osaka. I loved my classmates, it was super easy for me to make friends. I wish I grew professionally a bit more and gained more academic and transferable skills. The classes simply were not what I expected for a college level. They were very informal.