Program Reviews

I participated in the Kyoto JaLS Standard + Internship course over Winter and Spring 2020. I had an amazing time, both in class and outside of it. I was able to meet so many people from different parts of the world, and I made a lot of new friends. The school found me a really great apartment near Sanjo Bridge, about 15 minutes by train from the school. After classes ended for the day, there was a huge variety of activities to sing up for. I was able to try making lots of traditional Kyoto style crafts (kumihimo, yuzen, karakami, etc), and I even got to make Soba! One of my favourite events were the Japanese Conversation classes. We students got the chance to practice our conversation skills with locals, who had some really interesting stories about the city.

The classes were very small, with a max of 8 students, but the average was more like 5 per class. The placement test was fairly accurate, though getting into the swing of things the first week was really the only confusing thing. The teachers were amazing! They were very friendly, and extremely patient - especially when it came to difficult concepts. My Japanese skills improved a lot while I was learning with them, and I don't think I would have advanced as quickly without them. By the time you graduate, the teachers feel more like old friends.

The Internship course was the first time I had done an internship. The staff members were very welcoming, and constantly made sure I could understand what I was doing, since most of the instruction was in Japanese. They arranged for me to take a private Japanese Business Etiquette class, and helped me practice interacting with customers. Part of my responsibilities included running and hosting student events, working in the on-site cafe, and coordinating social media. The staff constantly checked in with me to check if I wanted to try learning something new, or if there was something specific I wanted to learn from them. If you are interested in taking the Internship course, I would recommend already knowing some conversational Japanese, since most of the internship takes place in that language.

I would definitely recommend Kyoto JaLS to anyone looking to improve their Japanese. The facilities are excellent, and they have a free resource library to help you study. Both the teachers and the staff are amazing, and are really invested in giving each and every person the best experience possible.

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.

It has been satisfying for 9 weeks. Everything was perfect and I was impressed by the support at the school. The teachers are kind of teaching and always try to let us understand well.

When I arrived I only understood how to read Horagana but now I can speak Japanese and express my feelings and opinions as well. Thanks to teachers I could speak Japanese.

In addition, the staff were also kind so that they let us know what Kyoto is like well. Thanks to the staff, I am now interested in Kyoto and Japan. I am company employee so that I want to work in Japan if I have an opportunity. With their support I could stay well in Japan.

I really recommend other people who are interested in Japanese to attend this school. Because I was satisfied with the school.

I signed up for only a week because I was unsure what to expect. It was my first time in Hokkaido, and the first time studying at JaLS.
After my one week, I find JaLS--with its teaching method, the Sensei, and the supporting staff--to be excellent, and I plan on coming back again.
Among the JaLS' teachings that I find especially valuable is what they called "shadowing". It involves memorizing and reciting a set of short dialogues--dialogues, in the vernacular/casual form, involving situations that you're likely to encounter often. Now, when I speak to Japanese people, I use (with slight modifications) some of the sentences and phrases from those dialogues.

I studied under three sensei during my week there. All were excellent. All were approachable and receptive to your questions--whether during class time or during break time.

A final point that makes me want to return to JaLS is its support staff--your point persons for everything relating to JaLS. They've among the most friendly and helpful staff I've ever encountered. Sayakaさん, in particular, made my stay in Hokkaido especially enjoyable. She helped me with suggesting what to do in Sapporo, finding a good maid cafe, directing me to the best Hokkaido ramen place, etc.. And she follows up!
Go ahead and give JaLS a try. It's great!

The small size of class is perfect for practicing conversation of a language. JalS staffs are energetic and helpful as they can speak in Japanese and English during non-lesson hours and cultural activities. The home stay life is the best choice if you want to integrate into the local life.

Visit unique coffee lounge where great care and pleasure has been taken to create a thoroughly relaxing environment and atmosphere for you to enjoy a bit of time out. You are invited to take a seat in one of comfortable chairs or relax on one of sofas and read the note or books. Keep stay there for a tasty local coffee or drinks and enjoy communicating with your classmates or new friends.

Let the study life in JalS be the happiest moment in your memory.

When I decided to enter JALS Hokkaido, my goal was just to learn more Japanese. But through the spring course, I had an amazing experience for 6 weeks I'd never imagined before.

Jals was always full of students who want to learn Japanese and also there were a lot of Japanese studying foreign languages. Cafe of jals is literally the perfect place for people who want to share their language with others.

One of the best parts of spring course was its cultural activities. Activies such as making soba, making own chopsticks definetely helped me experience diverse cultures of Japan. I also had a lot of fun with the staffs and other students during the activities.

The class of jals was different from any other language schools. I definitely had more chance to speak japanese and have conversation with classmates and I found out it's much more helpful not only for developing speaking ability but also grammar or kanjis.

I really enjoyed my 6 weeks in jals, and I still believe it was the best decision to join jals.

I had a lot of fun with this language school. I made amazing friends, got way better at Japanese, and did stuff that would be unavailable otherwise, such as sushi making, indigo cloth dyeing, and the Yosakoi festival. I highly recommend this program, and I encourage everyone looking for a language school to try the Sapporo or Kyoto Japanese Language School! My fellow students were very kind, and I felt safe in this school. When I had a problem, I felt I could ask the staff for a solution, and they wouldn’t send me away. By the end of my 4 weeks, some of the staff felt like family, and I really enjoyed my time there. Going to JaLS made my Japanese better by a mile, and improved my confidence too. I’d recommend JaLS to anyone that wants to improve their Japanese, or wants to expand their worldview.

On top of this place having great instructors, great learning material for new learner's and a fun atmosphere. This place has coffee that rivals what the gods are drinking.

The classes are small and very well contained. The teacher in each class is very knowledgeable and makes understanding a new language easy. Once class is over there is an optional one on one study session you can have with a teacher.

Once you are done with class there is a main hall where you can study alone or in a big group. Either one is okay depending on your preference and how you like to study. The main hall also doubles as a library and a the coffee house.

So if you're looking to learn Japanese at a steady pace, drink some amazing coffee and socialize with the local people, you've found your home and then some.

JaLS definitely provides a really great experience no matter who you are.
The staff is very friendly and helpful and they will talk Japanese/English with you to help you practice.
The classes are especially good due to their small sizes. The teachers will help you with all questions and it just seems more personal.
The cultural experiences were always a lot of fun and super interesting.
They really helped to make you understand Japanese culture and traditions more.
I think all living options are great but I went with the share house option which was exactly the right choice for me.
If you want to meet a lot of new people and have some great times even outside of school I can’t recommend the share house option enough.
All in all it’s a great experience I would recommend to anyone who’s looking for some fun time while learning a great language!

For the beginning of this summer I had the once in a lifetime opportunity to complete an internship with Kyoto JaLS for 7 weeks. During this time I took Japanese classes, gained many skills through interning and experienced the wonderful culture of the area with new friends.

While in Kyoto, I lived in a sharehouse and absolutely loved it. My roommates and I always planned get togethers and would host things like pancake nights, curry night, omurice parties, and an okonomiyaki party. Life in the sharehouse made my time in Japan unforgettable- I will treasure the time I got to spend with all the amazing people I got to live with for 7 weeks! I definitely recommend living in a sharehouse because it’s a great way to engage with local people as well as fellow JaLS students.

One thing I really appreciated was how small the class sizes were, because it ensured personal attention from the instructors. All of my teachers were amazing! They made the classes more interactive by including learning games and challenged us to converse only in Japanese. The teachers and staff members were helpful, cooperative, and always available for any kind of support. Additionally, they created a friendly and welcoming environment which made me feel at home! :)

The activities organized by JaLS provided me with the opportunity to truly experience Japan on a deeper level, develop my Japanese, and make friends with other JaLS students and the locals. I became friends with many students from different parts of the world which allowed me to experience and learn about different cultures. Overall, my experience at JaLS was WONDERFUL, and I recommend it to those who want to experience Japanese culture while making incredible memories and gaining useful skills!