Program Reviews

Zentern was a great support system for me during my internship in Japan. On my first day a Zentern employee escorted me to my internship and offered me advice before starting my first day. Zentern also helped me navigate my life in Japan by helping me find foreigner-friendly clinics, housing, and offered an orientation to give me an idea of what to expect during my internship. Overall, I really appreciated their support and help coordinating my life while I was in a foreign country. I would definitely recommend using Zentern, especially during your internship. They are always available.

Interning through Zentern Internships was one of the most impactful experiences of my life. The support I received throughout the entire process was amazing, and I always felt guided and encouraged. My six-week internship with Seibo Japan taught me a great deal, not just about my field, but also about working in a global, professional environment. This experience helped me grow in confidence, independence, and skill, and it completely changed my perspective on my future career. I am so thankful to Zentern Internships for making this opportunity possible.

My experience was very unique and better than I expected. Japan is a beautiful country and I've always wanted to visit. I chose for Zentern as they seemed to be locally very well-connected and once signed up, my internship got confirmed within a few weeks. I travelled to Japan in Oct. 2025 and interned at a local IT consulting firm where I worked closely with my boss and team. I wish I could stay longer - 2 months really flew by. My team was amazing and I learnt a lot about working in a Japanese environment and also about Japan and what I'd like to do later. Currently I am finishing school but would love to work in a similar kind of field after I graduate.

The support from Zentern was great; I felt really good taken care of and their trips/events were fun too. I was surprised how good the match was with me and my internship company as I had doubts in the beginning.

If you're thinking of interning in Japan, just do it; nothing but you is stopping you. After a lot of research, I am glad I went with Zentern and recommend this program!

My Zentern Internship experience of 2025 was something I had never quite experienced before! I lived in Japan for three months and able to learn so much about the marketing strategies of Japan through travel research and communication all because of Zentern! I was also able to expand on my knowledge of Japanese business etiquette and professionalism. I can't wait to come back to Japan and put these great skills to use in my professional future career!

I met so many amazing people along the way and plan to stay in touch with them throughout my future plans in Japan! I am looking forward to working hard for my future and am continuing to stay motivated and determined to do whatever it takes to live my dream life!

Thanks to Zentern, I landed a business development internship at a startup exporting premium Japanese Wagyu beef and it was anything but a typical intern role! I got to work on real tasks, actually be part of the company, and learn so much about Japanese business culture.

Zentern supported me every step of the way from matching me with the right company to helping with visa, housing, and check-ins. They truly care about giving you a meaningful experience.

If you want an internship in Japan that actually pushes you to grow, Zentern is the way to go. I’m so grateful for everything this experience gave me

I took a chance to go to my dreamland and live here for 6 months. During these 6 months i had enough time to see all the places and eat the amazing food here. From going to the pokemon centers, seeing the snowmonkeys, the palace of the king and all the cafe's thema's. The people are really nice. Even with bad english and bad Japanese are the people willing to help you and understand. If you dont want to talk a day to people you can also do that. There are enough places with screens where you can order, which i really enjoy after a long day of talking and working.

I had a fantastic time interning in Tokyo with CIS and Zentern. This opportunity was not only one of the highlights of my academic journey, but it also offered incredible value in terms of personal and professional development. My internship was ideally suited to my major and closely aligned with my future career goals, making the experience both relevant and rewarding on multiple levels.

From the moment I arrived in Tokyo, I felt immersed in a fast-paced, innovative work culture that encouraged creativity, independence, and collaboration. Working with CIS, I was able to apply what I’ve learned in the classroom to real-world projects that had tangible outcomes. I gained practical skills and insights in areas that are crucial for my future career, including communication, time management, cross-cultural collaboration, and problem-solving. My supervisors and coworkers were welcoming and eager to help me learn, which created a supportive environment where I felt comfortable asking questions and contributing ideas. I left the internship with new technical abilities, a deeper understanding of my field, and the confidence to take on more complex challenges in the future.

What made the experience even more meaningful was how well it matched my academic background and aspirations. I’m passionate about building a career that combines creativity with purpose, and this internship gave me a direct look into what that path could look like. The projects I worked on were aligned with the kinds of roles I hope to take on after graduation. This gave me clarity, motivation, and a stronger sense of direction in terms of what I want to pursue professionally.

In addition to the day-to-day work, the networking opportunities were exceptional. Zentern’s team was highly engaged and made an effort to connect us with professionals across different industries. I attended events, met other interns from around the world, and built relationships that I know will be valuable for years to come. Tokyo is a global hub, and being there gave me the chance to understand business and culture from an international perspective. I believe that kind of exposure is not just beneficial, but essential in today’s interconnected world.

Outside of work, living in Tokyo was an unforgettable experience. I had the chance to explore a city full of history, technology, art, and design. I was constantly inspired by the creative energy that surrounded me—from architecture and fashion to public art and everyday interactions. These experiences made me more adaptable, open-minded, and curious—qualities that are as important as any technical skill.

Overall, I would strongly recommend interning through Zentern to anyone looking for a meaningful, career-focused international experience. Whether you’re hoping to develop professional skills, explore a new culture, or expand your global network, this program offers all of that and more. It’s an opportunity to grow, challenge yourself, and gain a competitive edge in a global job market—and I’m incredibly grateful to have been part of it

As a student of product design in Germany, I wanted to gain my first real work experience. Since I'm half Japanese and pretty fluent in Japanese, my university teachers suggested that I do an internship in Japan. As I am very interested in Japan and always wanted to experience, what it is like to work and live there, I accepted this challenge.

Internships in Japan are still somewhat uncommon and it is very difficult, especially for someone from abroad, to organize it by yourself and to gain the desired internship in your field. There are a lot of uncertainties; whether in application, job interview, or the working conditions. For this reason, I initially also considered to study abroad at a university in Japan. But firstly I rather wanted to finally gain real work experiences as a product designer and secondly, it is super expensive to study there. I was in a quandary and was trying to find solutions. Then I figured out that there are internship agencies like Zentern Internships, focussing on exactly what I was looking for. I compared, contacted and even spoke with three different agencies and clearly decided for Zentern Internships. The pricing was the best and they had a selection of interesting product design companies in Tokyo. Getting to know the Zentern team was very pleasant and I felt like, they understood very well, what I was looking for.

Zentern provided excellent support in preparing for my internship, helping me craft my CV and prepare for my interview. I was surprised and super happy that my first job interview in Japanese with my internship company went so smoothly. Zentern also helped me with the complicated visa registration and with organizing the fitting accommodation. Thanks to their expertise and support I was perfectly prepared for Japan. There was no way I could have handled all of this so well on my own.

The internship itself was very exciting, versatile, and fun, but at times also quite challenging. You get to experience the Japanese politenes and friendliness but also their strictness, high ambitions and their well known work culture and mentality. As an intern they don't expect from you to do any overwork, but their schedules can be tight and their expectations can be high. Yet, these were exactly the things I wanted to learn about Japan — what it is like to work there and how I would like the lifestyle in Tokyo. Throughout my internship, Zentern always offered me great support and advice, especially in challenging situations. They were incredibly friendly and I felt very well looked after and safe. In the end, I was able to experience everything I wanted, acquired new skills for product design and am very grateful for the valuable insights. I have gained more self-confidence and now have the certainty that I am able to live in Japan and work in a company with my Japanese language skills.

I was about to start the final year of my 4 year bachelor and for this I wanted to go abroad, to experience a different culture and boost my CV.

Zentern helped me with finding an internship. It was an amazing experience. Zentern helped me prepare my CV and interview for this internship and the whole process went faster than expected.

Zentern also provided the option to get some Japanese lessons. These lessons were fun and super helpful. During these lessons, I was also able to meet and hang out with some of their other interns. The lessons can be a bit difficult if you don't know how to read hiragana, so try to prepare a bit beforehand. You are welcome to make mistakes during the lessons.

During this internship was I able to work with Tempu-san and Tetsu-san. The project that I worked on where fun, and challenging and helped me gain new knowledge. I was also invited to come visit their clients, where I was able to demonstrate and get feedback on the features that they requested.

During this, I stayed in a Shared House using a Housing Company. I was lucky to find a place with super low rent, close to the station, and near all the right places (restaurants, conbini, etc.). The house was a bit far and the housing options were on the low side. I did not ruin my experience.

It was such an amazing experience, it made me want to go back as soon as possible.

One of the main reasons I chose Zentern was because of the kindness and professionalism of its team. At the very start, Noa (internship contact) made sure to program an interview with me to discuss the type of internship I would like, the field I would be interested in etc. For every question that I had, she made sure to reassure me and patiently answered each one of them. She was also kind enough to prep me for the interview. I can honestly say that Zentern found me my dream internship!
As for Satomi sensei (Japanese teacher), she taught the class with great passion and kindness, taking her time to explain any doubts or questions we had. She made sure that the class would always be fun to attend as well.
The class being fully in Japanese helped me get immersed right away into the language and therefore, forced me to put into practice the lessons I had learned.
Another perk of this program was that, because the Japanese class was conducted in a small group, it was easier to meet and befriend other interns. A perfect mixture for both introverts and extroverts.
I would highly recommend doing an internship abroad (especially if you have doubts) as it really helps with personal growth and to gain more confidence.