i don't think that there are any really famous ones. i think they're more impressed by what level of the JLPT you pass.

there are a ton of schools out there, so start to narrow down the list by price and location. also... most of the schools want you there for 1.5 or 2 years, so if you're taking a 6-12 month course, they usually don't need to you sign up well in advance. so it's possible to move to a city, check out a few schools, and then attend the one that fits you best.

Actually, when Japanese people ask WHERE you have studied, they ask 'which university', not which language school. Therefore, in your case, it will be harder to find out which language school is more famous than the other for there is less attention for those language schools in this respect. After all, Japanese people themselves don't go there.

I second the Yamasa recommendation though.

Last edited by roderik (2008 September 05, 12:32 pm)

Thanks so much for all your comments so far!

Of course my main goal is to pass 1kyu some day, I just thought that a certificate of a "good language school" in ADDITION to that might look good, that's why I was asking

@Tobberoth: Are you serious? I think the difference between 2kyu and 1kyu is still HUGE and that it's NOT easy to pass 1kyu at all. Even if you meet all the requirements you might still fail.
Either way working full-time just won't give me enough time to study and working part-time in Japan won't give me a work visa, so .... I think saving money and then go to a language school to fully concentrate on my studies might be the best and fastest way to reach fluency SOON.

@KristinHolly: Thanks for the tip, I'll look into that then

wasurenaide, thanks so much for sharing your experience
I'm currently reading through their whole website as so many people recommend this school. Seems really like a good deal.

So in 9 months your reached ~2kyu level? May I asked what level you had before you went to the school, so I can get an idea of what is possible in that time?

I spent 2 weeks at Yamasa as well (last fall), but I didn't think Okazaki was *that* bad, and I had fun in Nagoya when I could go.

The only thing I didn't like about Yamasa were the "beds" in the student village. Those things should be put on a UN human rights watch list or something. -_-

The "bed" is basically a platform with a board on it, then you rent a futon and throw it on top and try to sleep on it. My back was screaming after a few days of that. I don't know how they do beds in the apartments... but then again, if you want maximum immersion, you should probably do a homestay anyway if you can afford it.

I had good teachers, and lots of opportunities to use my Japanese. I rented some wretched little mamachari for a couple of weeks for 2000 yen and wandered around town a lot. Considering that I hadn't spoken any Japanese in 2-3 years before I came there, I felt that I successfully managed to master things like buying underwear.

I really want to go back sometime and study seriously, but I have a lot of career stuff to take care of first.

To sort of tie in with another thread, I think going someplace like that can't help but improve your spoken Japanese as well.

But yeah, check out the location first. On the upside, you aren't too far away from Kyoto/Osaka/Nara. It's ~45 minutes by Shinkansen from Nagoya to Kyoto, and ~30 minutes from Okazaki to Nagoya. And it's about 2 hours to Tokyo from Okazaki... maybe a little more. Depends on how you go there.

rich_f wrote:

The only thing I didn't like about Yamasa were the "beds" in the student village. Those things should be put on a UN human rights watch list or something. -_-

Aww, I thought the beds were comfy!
But yes, if you do end up going, I wouldn`t recommend staying in the student village. The rooms are tiny (especially if your not sharing) and the kitchen always gets so busy that you have to wait till` the late hours before you can cook...I spent the last few months living on stuff from the konbini next door!

Also, you can do a home stay for a month or so (maybe longer) while your there which Yamasa can arrange for you.

Having JLPT1/2級 does help a lot with job hunting in Japan - but it will only get you the interview. If your speaking ability is awful (JLPT doesn't test this, or writing ability) it's not going to get you hired. Certifications and degrees just help you get your foot in the door. You need actual ability (and preferably some skills other than "knows Japanese") to get hired & succeed.

Last edited by Jarvik7 (2008 September 07, 8:30 am)

Well having the 1kyu certificate is for sure better than not having it, right?

Definitely! Just keep in mind it's not the golden ticket to money, power, and world domination. It's just a piece of paper

Of course speaking skills are important, too, but I think if you spend quite a long time at an intensive language school (and Yamasa seems to be one), then that shouldn't be a problem.

You would be surprised. I met guys there that went to class as much as I did, but any time outside of class was spent with other foreigners; so they were speaking Japanese for maybe 4 hours a day, and then English for the remainder.  A good lot of them had been in Japan for over a year, but could barely sputter out a coherent sentence.

You're in Japan now, right? You have TONS of opportunites to speak Japanese! Find a local volunteer center, go to a library and chat up the librarian, look online for conversation parnters in your area, hit up Starbucks and chat up the cute girl sitting by herself sipping her macca frapachino. Speaking possiblities here are limiteless, and better yet, FREE.

I'm pretty much in your postition - I work 40 hours a week in Japan, but I've made learning Japanese real my full time job. I have a tutor I see twice a week for two hours, and she's helping me through a couple textbooks. Every Wednesday there is a group of Japanese volunteers that get together and teach Japanese and do other cultural activites with foreigners. I've made good Japanese friends (who I speak to in Japanese) through that club. Even at work I study when I can get away with it, and talk to the students in Japanese as long as I'm not teaching.

In those 1.5 years, you have the possiblity to gain more fluency than you ever would at a language school. Take advantage of what you have available now, and don't equate money to fluency.

I'm so envious of you guys. And I'm so angry with your friends.
They have not enjoyed their stay in japan! 許さない！