Meiji Academy

Why choose 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 Japanese. Courses range from complete beginner to advanced speaker. Meiji Academy also offers intensive Japanese courses where students take up to 24 classes per week and have a private teacher to help focus on personal needs.

Japanese business classes and internships are also available. These courses are for people who plan to do business in Japan or with Japanese clients. The course focuses on Keigo (Japan’s business language), the Japanese business mind/manners and business role-plays.

Meiji offers additional courses in Japanese ancient arts, pop culture, and Kanji. Check out our website for more information!

Website

meijiacademy.com

Connect with us

Community Photos

Reviews

"I would like to share my experience of Meiji Internships in Fukuoka here. The location is very central and very easy to reach by public transport. The staff is very friendly and always accommodates you. Through Meiji I was able to learn about traditional customs from Japanese culture. Taiko drumming, tea ceremony and mochi pounding. This made me feel very at home in Japan. I was also able to try out traditional kimono wearing. Overall, I had a nice and exciting time in Fukuoka."

Ich würde meine Erfahrungen von Meiji Internships in Fukuoka gerne hier teilen. Die Lage ist sehr zentral und mit den öffentlichen Verkehrsmitteln sehr gut zu erreichen. Das Personal ist sehr freundlich und kommt dir immer entgegen. Durch die Meiji konnte ich traditionelle Sitten von der japanischen Kultur kennenlernen. Taiko Trommeln, Teezeremonie und Mochistampfen. Dadurch fühlte ich mich sehr angekommen in Japan. Das traditionelle Kimono Wearing durfte ich auch ausprobieren. Insgesamt hatte ich eine schöne und spannende Zeit in Fukuoka.

I had the most enriching experience during my internship at Meiji Internships. From the moment I stepped in, I was warmly welcomed and superbly supported throughout my time there. Not only did we receive excellent guidance from the staff, but we also had numerous opportunities to engage in activities outside of work hours, which really added to the overall experience.

The tasks assigned to us were both stimulating and challenging, allowing me to apply and enhance the skills I had acquired. The dynamic nature of the work kept me engaged and motivated, and I truly felt like a valued member of the team.

One highlight of my internship was undoubtedly the Taiko drumming session. It was not only a fun and memorable experience but also a great way to bond with my colleagues and immerse myself in Japanese culture.

Overall, my internship at Meiji Internships was nothing short of exceptional. The supportive environment, coupled with the exciting tasks and enriching experiences, made it a truly rewarding journey. I am grateful for the opportunity to have been a part of such a fantastic team and would highly recommend Meiji Internships to anyone seeking a fulfilling internship experience.

J'ai passé 3 mois à Meiji Academy et c'était le feu !
Les cours sont très bien organisé. Tout d'abord les 4h de cours par jour (3h si vous n'êtes que 2 dans votre classe) sont tout à fait suffisant. Juste ce qu'il faut pour vous laisser du temps pour profiter de la vie avant ou après les cours. Les profs sont différents chaque jours. Cela peut paraître moins bien pour le suivi mais avec le temps j'ai apprécié avoir différentes méthodes de travaille. Le suivi est très bien géré également. L'accueille de l'école est à l'écoute et près à vous aider dès que possible. Merci à eux !

En sharehouse c'était génial ! Même si on peut parfois se sentir un peu serré car nous étions 9 dans une maison sans salon, 1 salle de bain et 2 toilettes, la cuisine étant notre seul lieu de vie commune. Mais malgré cela, le fait d'avoir sa chambre individuelle rend la collocation très agréable. J'ai toujours eu des colloc super ouvert d'esprit, propre et respectueux. La maison était dans un quartier huppé à 35min de marche de l'école. Evidemment il y avait un arrêt de bus juste à coté. Bref si vous aimez avoir le choix d'avoir de la compagnie ou non, je recommande la sharehouse !

Très bonne expérience que ce soit dans l'école mais également dans la ville, qui à une population assez jeune comparé à d'autres villes du Japon. Je recommande à 100% !

Translation:
I spent 3 months at Meiji Academy and it was fire!
The courses are very well organized. First of all, the 4 hours of lessons per day (3 hours if there are only 2 of you in your class) are completely sufficient. Just what you need to give you time to enjoy life before or after class. The teachers are different every day. This may not seem as good for follow-up, but over time I appreciated having different working methods. The follow-up is also very well managed. The school reception is attentive and ready to help you as soon as possible. Thanks to them !

In sharehouse it was great! Even if we can sometimes feel a little tight because there were 9 of us in a house without a living room, 1 bathroom and 2 toilets, the kitchen being our only common living space. But despite this, having your own room makes sharing a room very pleasant. I have always had super open-minded, clean and respectful roommates. The house was in an upscale neighborhood, a 35-minute walk from the school. Obviously there was a bus stop right next door. In short, if you like having the choice of having company or not, I recommend the sharehouse!

Very good experience both in the school but also in the city, which has a fairly young population compared to other cities in Japan. I recommend 100%!

I have studied at other schools in japan but i found Meiji Academy to be the best . The teachers and staff were all excellent and accommodating. I thought teachers especially iiwata nanami were excellent.
I plan to return to Meiji Academy this year for more study . I look forward to continuing my Japanese study
I have studied in other countries at languages schools but i found meiji to be excellent and also a very good value. I also tool private classes which i felt helped me very much . I feel i made alot of progress in my japanese .
I would recommend Meiji to anyone who wants to learn japanese .

Pros

Small class size with excellent instruction
Good location
Very accommodating staff

Cons

None

If you want to begin your Japanese language adventure or continue to improve from an advanced level, Meiji Academy is where I recommend. I studied at Kansai Gaidai University online during Covid and never had the in-person experience I was searching for so I found and chose Meiji Academy and I'm glad I did. The staff are very friendly and go above and beyond to accommodate to the student's needs. The teachers and very professional and are very detailed in their explanations, and even personally go one on one with you about topics or areas you need improvement on. If you have questions they are there to help. The housing option I chose was the share house and it was a fun experience and made some nice friends. If a share house experience isn't what you're looking for then they have affordable apartment options as well. I personally studied business etiquette and Keigo which will help myself to succeed in finding long-term employment here in Japan. There were many fun opportunities to meet Japanese students as well! Beginner or advanced level, I highly recommend Meiji Academy and you won't be disappointed!

Pros

Accommodating
Professional
Flexible

Cons

Share house is a little small
Changes need to be made at least two weeks in advance for scheduling
Living abroad is always a struggle!

5.00 •6 reviews

Doraemon, Death Note, Dragon Ball, Ditto: Manga and Anime have clearly...

View Program

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 as when I was studying overseas. I had the opportunity to travel most of Europe and experience the differences in culture and traditions between Europe and Asia. That made my sense of pride as a Japanese stronger and I was determined to return to Japan and make an impact on people’s lives after this.

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

Ever since working for Meiji Academy, I was able to share my passion for the Japanese culture and language with the students I have interacted with, which has deepened my understanding on how international students perceived our culture to better organize future cultural events based on their interests.

View Entire Interview

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

One of the best memories I have from talking to return students is how I have managed to impact one particular student's life with my passion for Japanese culture and fashion. In fact, he actually decided to pursue Japanese culture for his major in university because of what I had taught and told him in class.

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

If I were a student here at Meiji Academy, I would definitely take part in the Pop Culture course to understand more of the interesting cultures we have here in Japan. It is unique as compared to all other countries on this planet and I encourage students to explore this exciting mix of traditional and modern culture!

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

What is unique about Meiji Academy is that it is not only a language school but also a centre for intercultural exchange. Here, students can also earn more about Japanese culture (both pop and traditional) and explore the culture that lays outside of the textbook. I believe this to be an invaluable experience.

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

Passion. Without passion, employees will not be able to work to an optimal level. Staff must be passionate about his/her job so they will give their best in their tasks at hand. Passion also makes teaching more enjoyable to the teachers as well as learning more fun for the students. I can most certainly see that staff members, teachers and students at Meiji Academy are highly motivated and passionate, which makes me happy to be teaching here!