Standard Course & Intensive Private Lessons

The lessons is totally perfect, teachers are good, the lesson was easy to understood, teacher are very helpful. During class, best part was to get extra exercise paper and chat in Japanese. Having a conversation in Japanese at the beginning of class is very good to heat up before study, very helpful. My favorite teacher was Rie sensei she is very active and always kind to all students. The book we use and paper exercise is just perfect not to easy not to hard. The test once of the week is just perfect. The lounge and cafe of the school is very nice, the atmosphere makes people go there during day off, also steady study room option like wifi and comfy chair was very nice. The activity after school was fun, most of them are very interesting, very good to join, at the end...good to have story to talk about in the class. Staffs san was very helpful, kind and friendly. Keep up the good work... Total was great makes me wanting to come again.

I stayed at jals in Kyoto for 7 weeks and it was one of the best experiences ive had since I started university. The staff is extremely friendly and welcoming, the classes were easy to understand and the teachers made it feel like we were more like friends rather than teacher/student. The activities that take place after class ends are well done and give lazy people like me an easier time planning where I want to go. During my time I felt like I was able to go everywhere I wanted to go sightseeing at with the school.Overall it was a great experience for me making friends from all over the world, from places like India, Venezuela, Britain, Germany and so on. I would highly recommend this to anyone slightly interested in learning Japanese and about the culture.

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.

What inspired you to go abroad?
I've always wanted to go to Japan. I enjoy traveling and learning about different cultures.

Why did you choose your specific program/organization?
I wanted a cultural experience along with an immersion program.

What was your favorite part about your host country/city?
It had a good balance of old architecture mixed with new.

What made your experience abroad unique?
It was set up in a way to help foreigners succeed.

How did local staff support you throughout your program?
They made housing arrangements and made sight seeing and restaurant recommendations.

What's one thing you wish you would have done differently?
The housing I stayed in was mixed gender and had chores. This was not the case for everyone. I would have preferred paying a fee and not having to worry about doing chores as it did take away from the experience a bit. Overall it was no big deal but would have made it nicer. I would also recommend staying the full 6 weeks rather than a month if possible.

Describe a typical day in the life of your program.
I made breakfast, went to classes in the morning from about 9:30 to 12:30. Then lunch followed by an activity organized by the school. I usually went back to the school with friends to do homework around 5:30 or 6 then dinner and maybe a couple hours out or back to my share house by around 8 or 9 pm. The last bus home was usually around 10:30 so I rarely went home later then that.

What did you enjoy doing in your free time?
Sight seeing, restaurants, going to izakayas and going for walks and desserts.

What was your accommodation like? What did you like best about it?
It was a share house with 4 other foreigners from all over. It was compartmentalized so your room could be locked.

What is one thing every participant should know before participating in your program?
If you are not willing to study and try to improve your language skills during your free time or do homework you will likely waste some money.

Now that you're home, how has your program abroad impacted your life?
My reading and writing in Japanese have improved and I am able to study a bit more on my own.

Would you recommend your program/provider to others? Why?
Yes, It is a great well rounded program.

The trip was overall really fun and exciting. The activities that Kyoto JaLS had planned out let us experience many outlets of Japanese culture. We experienced the food, the entertainment, and the people. We were able to socialize with many Japanese locals and make many new connetions. The views and scenery of Kyoto are also very beautiful if you like to take photos. Would reccomend Kyoto JaLS to anyone that has the time and money to explore the world.