Illinois Year-in-Japan, since 1976

As the title says, the year in Japan was the most fulfilling and exciting year of my life. The program provides you with plenty of freedom to do what you want outside of class, but at the same time, the faculty are very helpful and will not hesitate you to accommodate you. Joining clubs and circles is very easy and rewarding, and there are plenty places where you can make Japanese friends, they will often even approach you. The social dynamic is really fun and unique because of the small amount of students together frequently, so it is easy to make good friends. I didn't expect much of the field trips before going, but those actually turned out to be some of the best memories I made there. Being able to live with a host family is arguably the most appealing part of this program, my host family was very nice and helped me whenever I needed and made me really good food.

I was on the Year-in-Japan program in the Spring of 2017 and it was a huge part of my college experience as well as why I came to Japan after college on the JET Program. The program is a great way to experience Japan, make Japanese friends, and learn Japanese while also connecting with many other students from all over the world.

For me, the homestay was my favorite part of the program. Living with a Japanese family was one of the most beneficial parts of the program. I was able to experience being part of a Japanese family firsthand and also was able to practice my Japanese 24/7.

In addition, the LOFT (an area in the university) is a great place where Japanese students come to hang out with the exchange students, providing a great spot to meet Japanese people and practice speaking Japanese.

Furthermore, the program's location is great. Being in Kobe, one can access all of the Kansai region easily and can also head to Tokyo or Hiroshima easily. The program itself plans several field trips which take people to some of these places such as Mount Koya and Hiroshima, but there is also plenty fo free time to explore the rest of Japan!

I strongly recommend that you check out this program.

My favorite part of the Year-in-Japan program is the people who make the program possible. Just to mention a few, the staff are always caring and professional. The instructors are knowledgeable and enthusiastic in teaching. Living with a Japanese host family, you will definitely be immersed into the culture, which you can experience only in Japan!

No wonder Year-in-Japan has been a successful program for over 40 years. I strongly recommend this program!

Kobe is a great place to live. It’s easily accessible to other historically and culturally significant cities such as Kyoto, Osaka, Nara, and Hiroshima. Field trips are scheduled to visit some of these cities and there is an optional Tokyo tour as well. Don’t worry, the program schedule allows you to freely explore other places on your own!