Meiji Academy

About

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

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Reviews

I really liked my online group lessons with Meiji Academy. My teacher was patient and always ready to help us and the other students in my class were as motivated as me to learn Japanese. Since the classes are online, some of my fellow students were from different countries and had different lifestyles than me. It was interesting to hear their personal answers to my teacher's questions and I learned additional vocabulary for things not common in my own life. I thought that was really cool! With group lessons it's easy to improve your Japanese quickly as you will have classes nearly every day! We covered a lot of different skills such as speaking, listening and grammar and also a lot of different topics. I am confident that I will be able to order in a restaurant and ask for the way on my own once I have the chance to travel to Japan.

My Japanese online classes with Meiji Academy were a wonderful experience. Komiya-san really assisted me well with a lot of information about the classes and how they are structured. I have learned Japanese before with another Japanese language school online, but was not very happy about their lessons as the teachers changed randomly and my questions were not properly addressed. I had some misconceptions that certain practices are normal and also worried if my concerns will be addressed. The friendly nature of Meiji's staff helped me to address my worries right from the beginning that I experienced in the past. I am happy that they proved me wrong that not every Japanese school is the same. Their individually addressed customer focus helped me open up and communicating with them about my goals better. The teachers even make the effort to prepare the lessons to focus on my weak points in Japanese grammar and speaking. This made me so comfortable learning and continuing my studies with them.

Their website also provides a lot of useful information. In addition, I highly recommend watching their YouTube and Instagram channel as they provide so much free learning content there.

I already had studied Japanese on my own for a while before I started online classes with Meiji. Even though I had a grasp of basic Japanese grammar and knew a lot of vocabulary I found it hard to come up with my own sentences. I was very nervous before my first lesson, but my teacher was kind and patient so I calmed down quickly. My teacher also praised me for my reading and was surprised that I understood most texts presented in class easily. Quickly we focused on composing sentences and speaking instead of reading and listening. I was surprised how quick my teacher understood what I struggle with and adjusted the curriculum to fit my needs. In the end of my course I was finally able to speak Japanese naturally and talk about my day and hobbies freely without needing written notes! I did not think I could make so much progress in such short time.

My 8 weeks studies with Meiji Academy are coming to an end and I want to share my great experience. Meiji is very flexible with how long you want to study and how many hours you can invest per week, which made their classes perfect for my summer break. I decided for private lessons 5 times a week, which was pretty intense, but so worth it! Because of the time/date difference between Japan and the US I had my classes from Sunday to Thursday in the evenings. This was really convenient because I could meet friends Friday and Saturday nights - after all it's summer break, right?!

I already miss my classes and once I know my schedule at college, I will decide if I can take more online classes with Meiji even after the semester has started again.

Japan

9.67 •6 reviews

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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.

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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.

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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!