A perfect studying experience in Tokyo with GenkiJACS

I studied Japanese for 2 weeks in Tokyo with GenkiJACS at a beginner level. I'd been studying Japanese myself for a while but really wanted something more intensive to boost my skills and motivation. I chose GenkiJACS because their website looked professional and reviews seemed to suggest they would suit my style of learning.

It was an even better experience than I could've hoped for. Right from my first enquiry, their staff were extremely helpful, answering the many questions I had about the course. Booking it was easy and they kept in touch without any prompting to update me on any information I needed to know before travelling. They sorted out health insurance and provided all the visa information I needed.

They also gave me a test and an interview online to test my Japanese levels, allowing them to place me in a class that was the appropriate level. This worked really well, I think the class they chose for me was exactly the right one. Being able to talk with one of the teachers on a Zoom call was nice too, it reassured me that I'd made a good choice as she was really helpful and made me feel confident speaking in Japanese.

The school itself is in a beautiful location right next to the Hanazono Shrine in Shinjuku. I chose to use my own accomodation, which was very local, so didn't have experience with the accomodation provided by the school, but walking to the school through the shrine every morning was a lovely experience and one I'll never forget.

On my first day there, I was made to feel welcome and given my textbooks and some orientation about how to use the school and its facilities. Everyone was very friendly and efficient and there wasn't any stress or worry. I went straight from orientation to my first class. I was worried it would feel weird because I was jumping into a class that had already been running for a few weeks. It didn't feel weird at all. There was a very brief introduction and then straight into the lesson and another lesson and by the end of the second lesson, I already understood the style and structure of how things would work for the rest of the two weeks. Their learning model is very intuitive.

The classes themselves were excellent. Every teacher has a different style but the material feels very consistent, with each lesson building on knowledge acquired during the previous one. Occasionally I'd feel a bit lost but we always went over things multiple times as each topic fed into the next one really cleanly. I really felt like I was learning things in a meaningful way, not just rote. To make it better, the classes were really varied and enjoyable. The teachers all had great senses of humour and made things fun. It was the perfect mix of entertaining but meaningful learning.

I enjoyed meeting all my classmates too. As a much older learner than average, I was worried that everyone would be super-young and I'd feel alienated but I didn't at all. They were all lovely, inclusive and fun to learn with. I think this is a credit to both them as individuals but also the school, for fostering such a friendly, upbeat environment for learning.

In the second week we were given a test that was surprisingly tough. I didn't pass first time but asked if I could retake. Technically, I didn't need to retake as I wasn't advancing to another class afterwards but I really wanted to have a second go to prove something to myself, and they kindly allowed it and were very encouraging. The difference in my marks - from 67% to 94% - I think shows the progress I made and also that the course material was both challenging but ultimately achievable.

I wish I could've stayed at GenkiJACS longer. By the time I attended my graduation ceremony on the final Friday, I really didn't want to leave. It's a shame I didn't get chance to attend any of the day trips or social events the school puts on, as that would've been fun, but everything I did experience at GenkiJACS was great. I wish I had some constructive criticism, but I honestly couldn't have asked for more.

I guess their style won't be perfect for everyone - some people may prefer a stricter, more formal style of learning and GenkiJACS is a fun place (they have manga framed on the wall, Pokémon plushies and a Hatsune Miku door chime! :D), but I thought the educational value and quality of the course was superb. I feel more confident and motivated with my Japanese and also feel like I've found the right style and direction for further study. Which is exactly what I wanted to get out of this study abroad.