Hi all,

Like most of you on here, I'm trying to learn Japanese. Like the ten thousand other people that have posted with similar threads in the past few weeks, I'd like to go to Japan this year and learn more.

In particular, I finished RTK last week and I'm currently halfway through Tae Kim. My plan is to go to Japan in two to three months once I've gotten through KO2001 and possibly some other materials, and I'd like to stay for about six to nine months. A language school seems like my best option since I haven't graduated from college yet, so getting a work visa would be hard.

My question is: where should I go? Half of this question is about specific schools. From other posts on the board, I know of some to look into, but more recommendations are always welcome.

The other half, however, is about cities: I really, really, really want to have fun in Japan. So: where's the best place to do that while learning? I've heard good things about Nagoya, Fukuoka, Kyoto, and Osaka, but I know that the dialects in those places are all different from the norm. Is that a problem? Of course, there's Tokyo, but I've also heard that the people there are perhaps colder than elsewhere, and there are the prices.

If I want a student visa, I'm going to have to apply somewhere relatively soon, so all suggestions are definitely welcome.

Thanks!

Why not apply for exchange study through your college? That is always the cheapest way to go. I went to a top private university in Japan that normally costs $8000/semester, only paying $800/semester.
I've never been to Fukuoka or Nagoya other than to change trains, but most people agree that Osaka is the best

Thanks for the plug for Osaka =).

About exchange programs, though: I'm taking a year off from school, so unfortunately anything college-related is a non-starter. Alas.

Also: any comments about Osaka and the dialect issue?

I didn't consider the kansai area because I was afraid of the dialect, but then I ended up about an hour outside of Fukuoka where they have a strong dialect. Since I moved into the city it's been much better though- the Fukuoka dialect isn't too bad at all.

Kobe.

Everything within the Kansai area is at most 1.5 hours away and Osaka is only 20 minutes

Here in Kobe, the dialect isn't much of an issue. You get used to it quickly. Decide where you want to go, then make it happen. Once you get there, you'll deal.

Give smaller towns some consideration. My town is kinda rural (50,000 people) but there's a Shinkansen close by so I can get the best of both worlds. As much as I love the big cities I'm glad to have them on weekends and be able to relax Monday to Friday.

Yeah, I have actually been giving smaller towns some thought, since I'm not much of a city person. But, if I feel like staying out late on weekends and I live half an hour away by train, is there really any solution to that?

Also, I'm hearing from you guys that kansai isn't much of a problem. This despite the fact that it's rather different from standard Japanese, from what I can tell. Will this not be a problem?

PS: Ambassadog, I am honored to have one of your seven posts. You must really like your town.

I think I am going to Sendai next year to study on university exchange. It looks like a nice city and seems to be often forgotten, and it isn't so small either (1 million people). Not so sure about Zuzu-ben (Miyagi dialect) though...

Knowing what I know now, given the places I've had a chance to visit... if I could pick anywhere to live, it'd probably be somewhere on Kyushu. The locals are the friendliest of anywhere I've visited yet. Aomori or somewhere up north would probably be my second choice.

(I do love where I live.... its beautiful.... and all the good things about inaka but within commuting distance of Tokyo..... but the locals in my area are notoriously stand-offish... and pretty leery of foreigners... which I find funny considering I'm 25 minutes from the western side of Tokyo by train).


@OsakaDan - I just visited Sendai over break... which is obviously different than living there... but it's a really nice city. It might be forgotten among people going to study/travel, but I know several Japanese people who swear Sendai is in their "10 best cities" list. (Maybe it's the gyu-tan? )

And as for dialects... like mentioned before... you'll pick up on them pretty quickly once you're in the area.... I wouldn't worry about it too much....

You only have to worry about old people when you think about dialects. Anyone younger than 50 speaks dialect-lite, which is pretty easy to understand.

shneen Wrote:Knowing what I know now, given the places I've had a chance to visit... if I could pick anywhere to live, it'd probably be somewhere on Kyushu. The locals are the friendliest of anywhere I've visited yet. Aomori or somewhere up north would probably be my second choice.

Actually I'd agree with you on Kyushu. I stayed in a smallish city in Miyazaki-ken with some Japanese friends in March and also visited Kumamoto City. It was a fantastic place and everyone was so friendly. I don't think it matters where you go, because you are still going to get the full 'Japan experience' just because it is so different (physically, culturally, language, people) from Aus, UK, US, Europe etc.

Jarvik7 Wrote:You only have to worry about old people when you think about dialects. Anyone younger than 50 speaks dialect-lite, which is pretty easy to understand.

I found this too. I had no trouble (in terms of dialect) understand Okaasan's Japanese, but Obaachan on the other hand... Then again I think Okaasan was probably more conscious to speak standard Japanese and slower as well. I did notice the use of Miyazaki-ben when they spoke amongst themselves, but as Jarvik7 amd shneen said, it didn't really make it any more difficult (the extreme casualness of the conversation was hard enough).

I was born in Tokyo, so naturally my vote goes for her, but I have to admit people are more cheerful in Osaka, probably even more so in Fukuoka, and although people there are kind of quiet, places up north like Sendai should be interesting too, and Hokkaidou is a whole different world. I guess it depends on what you are looking for. If you are looking for cheerful people and good food, Osaka and Fukuoka are hard to beat. At least that's what I've heard. Big-city kind of interesting things, Tokyo hands down. More reserved/traditional people, you can find in 東北 area. Big mountains and great nature, and great カニ and ウニ, Hokkaido.

I don't think dialects will be that much of a problem. It'll be very hard to catch an accent in the first place, and if you manage do so, I think It'll make you very unique and possibly it'll be an advantage to you.

I lived in Tokyo for one year, going to a language school, and I wouldn't change it. Tokyo is amazing and awesome.

Osaka is definitely a good alternative though, it's a nice city.

Tobberoth Wrote:I lived in Tokyo for one year, going to a language school, and I wouldn't change it. Tokyo is amazing and awesome.

You rock Tobberoth

Tobberoth Wrote:I lived in Tokyo for one year, going to a language school, and I wouldn't change it. Tokyo is amazing and awesome.

Osaka is definitely a good alternative though, it's a nice city.

Which language school did you attend Tobberoth? I'd be very interested to know more about the program if you had a positive experience.

He went to ISI: http://forum.koohii.com/showthread.php?tid=3800

It DOES sound really good.

shneen Wrote:Knowing what I know now, given the places I've had a chance to visit... if I could pick anywhere to live, it'd probably be somewhere on Kyushu. The locals are the friendliest of anywhere I've visited yet. Aomori or somewhere up north would probably be my second choice.

(I do love where I live.... its beautiful.... and all the good things about inaka but within commuting distance of Tokyo..... but the locals in my area are notoriously stand-offish... and pretty leery of foreigners... which I find funny considering I'm 25 minutes from the western side of Tokyo by train).


@OsakaDan - I just visited Sendai over break... which is obviously different than living there... but it's a really nice city. It might be forgotten among people going to study/travel, but I know several Japanese people who swear Sendai is in their "10 best cities" list. (Maybe it's the gyu-tan? )

And as for dialects... like mentioned before... you'll pick up on them pretty quickly once you're in the area.... I wouldn't worry about it too much....

I used to live near Sendai. It's a great place. I'm sure you'll enjoy it.

the bars.

Thanks so much for all the help, everyone.

Based on this thread, and on some questions to people I know in real life (although I admit this is an unorthodox approach), I think I've narrowed it down to Osaka or Fukuoka.

Anyone have any thoughts on the comparison, or on any good language schools in either?

I didn't want to create a new thread, and this one seemed like a pretty good fit for what I want to ask, so:

I have the opportunity to go on exchange in Japan next year during my 2nd semester (would have liked to go for the whole year but I can't for various reasons), but I need to apply by the 7th of December. I have the following Uni's to choose from, any recommendations?

Doshisha
Keio
Kyoto University (including KUINEP....whatever that means)
Ritsumeikan
Sophia
Waseda University ---> This is my University's preferred exchange partner, and they offer (more) scholarship money for going here. But they don't offer subjects in English, just in Japanese.

Firstly, I'm looking for general recommendations on which Uni's are good. Secondly I was kind of a bit worried about how I would fare if I decided on Waseda University. By the time I arrived I will have had around 18 months of AJATTing but still...I worry.

Waseda and Keio are the best Japanese universities outside of Tokyo U, so they'll look good on a resume if you plan on working in Japan.

Having no English classes is a good thing, since at universities with them you'll end up taking mostly only those classes with a Japanese language class, just as if you were at your home uni. Japanese universities aren't that hard once you actually get into them, so don't expect to have to do the kind of work you do in AU, but in Japanese. It won't be that hard.

I'd probably choose Waseda, but thats only because I have a ton of JP friends who are there.

Thanks for the suggestions. I was kind of leaning towards Waseda already.

You mentioned that they are a lot easier in terms of coursework than what I would be doing here in Aus. Right now I'm writing a couple of 2000 word essays for my subjects. In English thats all fine and good, but there's no way I'm going to be able to write an essay in Japanese that is even half as good as someone who has been writing Japanese essays for 18+ years [aka a native]. Thats my major concern. Am I worrying too much in regards to this? I sometimes wonder how the foreign students who come here to study cope with that sort of thing.

Go with Waseda. With your current extreme learning, you should be good to go after 18 months, hopefully. Waseda is pretty run down IMO (I took JLPT2 there) but the school yard is awesome and Takadanobaba rules.

Extra scholarship money? Yeah, sounds good.

I've studied at Ritsumeikan in Beppu and I can certainly recommend it. It's very international minded, meaning that half the students are Japanese and the other half comes from all over the world. The university also offers a Japanese course for new students (4 days a week). Within two years you're expected to attend Japanese spoken lectures.
One drawback is the location; on top of a mountain 25 minutes from the nearest town!
But before you pick a university you should look at their curriculum, so you don't choose one which has anthropology as main area, if you want to become a rocket scientist.