Study Abroad in Japan

Name: Study Abroad in Japan
Brand: TEAN by WorldStrides
SKU: 278015
Rating: 5 (4 reviews)

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Location

Japan
- Tokyo

Term

Fall, Spring, Summer

Subject Areas

East Asian Studies Global Studies International Business International Relations Language Studies Social Sciences

Need-based funding, Merit-based funding, General grants/scholarships, LGBTQIA+ funding, BIPOC funding

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Program Details

Program Type

Provider

Last Updated: Feb 24, 2025

Last Reviewed: Feb 26, 2025

Wish List

3 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

Home to 37 million people, Tokyo is the country’s thriving core of culture, art, history, cuisine, economics. Immerse yourself in Japan’s sprawling capital city, Tokyo, while studying in the field of your choice for a semester. Japan offers a little something for everyone. Spend one night in a futuristic sleeping pod in the center of buzzing Tokyo then drift to sleep to the sound of natural hot springs from your ryokan (a traditional country inn) the next, learn the intricacies of a tea ceremony or find the latest fashion trends. You also won’t have to go far to find a delicious, perfectly prepared meal. While the sushi is to die for, the country has so much more to offer with highly regional and seasonal cuisine wherever you study abroad in Japan.

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Diversity & Inclusion 💙

BIPOC Support

We strive to be a leader in supporting students from all backgrounds to be able to travel and learn abroad. Our aim is to empower our students and help prepare them for a life-changing experience. Everyone's identity is unique to them and can be an integral aspect on where a person chooses to study or intern abroad. Our entire team is here to help you feel informed, comfortable, empowered and supported throughout every step of your journey. In addition, we have a dedicated Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) team that is ready to act as your resource! The DEI team is passionate about advocating against social injustices, racism, homophobia, xenophobia and all discriminatory social constructs. It is our priority to ensure students of all backgrounds have access to and are encouraged to travel, specifically through study abroad.

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LGBTQIA+ Support

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Neurodivergent Support

We are committed to facilitating quality programming to students with varying levels of neurodivergence and accessibility. Our entire team is here to help you feel informed, comfortable, empowered and supported throughout every step of your journey. In addition, we have a dedicated Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) team that is ready to act as your resource! It our priority to ensure students of all backgrounds have access to and are encouraged to travel, specifically through study abroad.

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Accessibility Support

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Impact 🌎

Sustainability

Our Choose Earth initiative is our way of building environmental and social responsibility into the ethos and outcomes of education abroad. We believe that studying abroad should include learning about – and finding solutions to – our most challenging societal problems, such as sustainable development, climate change, biodiversity, resource use, habitat preservation, gender inequality and social injustice in a globalized world.

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Ethical Impact

We are devoted to providing experiential learning opportunities abroad that help build the knowledge, skills and attitudes students need to become locally engaged, civically minded and globally responsible. We believe that studying abroad should include learning about – and finding solutions to – our most challenging societal problems, such as sustainable development, climate change, biodiversity, resource use, habitat preservation, gender inequality and social injustice in a globalized world.

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Program Highlights

Japan is renowned for its stunning natural landscapes, including majestic mountains like Mount Fuji, serene cherry blossom gardens, and picturesque coastal areas.
Japan is a global leader in technology and innovation, known for its advancements in electronics, robotics, and automotive industries.
Japan is known for its rich cultural heritage, including traditional arts, crafts, and customs such as tea ceremonies, kimono, and martial arts like karate and judo.
J. F. Oberlin is a private four-year university, located in Tokyo’s Machida suburb.
Program offers immersive language-learning opportunities with additional courses taught in English

Popular Programs

Semester in Japan

Surround yourself in Japan’s unique culture and develop your Japanese language skills in an immersive language-learning environment. Experience private housing and expert instruction from the J.F. Oberlin University in Tokyo’s Machida suburb, along with a range of engaging cultural activities. Learn about Global Studies, International Relations, Japanese Language, and East Asian Studies (all taught in English), while studying Japanese.

Summer in Japan

Live and study in Japan for the summer while surrounding yourself in the country’s unique culture. This four-week summer program features private housing and expert instruction from the J.F. Oberlin University, located in Tokyo’s Shinjuku ward. This program is great for Global Studies, International Relations, Japanese Language, and East Asian Studies majors. Take advantage of being close to the center of Tokyo and practice speaking and interacting with the local community on a daily basis.

Program Reviews

5.00 Rating

based on 4 reviews

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Academics 4.75
Support 3.25
Fun 5
Housing 4.75
Safety 5

Good for Solo Travelers, Students, Adventure travelers

Showing 1 - 4 of 4 reviews

Going to J.F. Oberlin University was incredible. I had an amazing time. Classes were interesting and engaging, and the social scene was great. Something to note is that it is easier to join clubs and activities in the spring semester, as that’s the beginning of the school year in Japan. One thing I really liked about J.F. Oberlin was that it was located in Machida, which was a little calmer than central Tokyo, but still close enough to make frequent day trips into Tokyo. Machida is definitely a less touristy place than most big Tokyo sights, but the calmness of it really helped me feel like I wasn’t just living in Japan as a tourist, but that I was living in a place where other people lived their day-to-day lives.

I really enjoyed all the cultural outings that TEAN put together. However, there was a slight issue with communication with TEAN while in Japan. If you’re someone who suspects that you might need quite a bit of extra support, this may not be an ideal program. But for those who are very independent, this may work great for you. Or, if you’re a really independent person, direct exchange might actually be a good way to go.

What was your funniest moment?

My funniest moment was when me and some friends decided we had to go get one of our Japanese class guests cake for her birthday. We had a fifteen minute class break, so we hustled over to the nearest cake shop as quick as we could. We decided to not only get a slice of cake for her, but also little cheesecakes for everyone else, including the teacher. We waited in line to order, but the process took way longer than fifteen minutes. I texted a friend still in class that we were gonna come back and she replied that our teacher was not happy that we’d disappeared. Finally the cakes were ready and we hurried back to class. We sat down in our seats out of breath and the teacher glowered at us from his desk. After a bit my friend raised her hand and asked if we could give the class guest some birthday cake we bought. Surprised, he agreed. After that we got out the candles and lit them and put the cake in front of our bewildered and happy class guest. After she blew out her candles, the cheesecake was passed out and the teacher took his with a big smile. After that point, and that cheesecake, I think he liked us a lot more.

Pros

Great location
Opportunity to explore Japan
Engaging classes

Cons

Program ends before JFO’s semester does
At times poor communication with TEAN staff
Lots of paperwork

A view of Mt. Fuji from the Iwaya Caves in Enoshima.

Living in Japan truly changed my entire outlook on life. Before studying abroad in Tokyo, I had never left the United States, so to travel 7000 miles away from home was a huge leap of faith. However, I built a second home in Japan with my dorm, friends, teammates, and classmates. Being immersed in my culture and meeting my family there was incredibly rewarding, and I grew so much as a person and a student. Studying abroad takes you out of your comfort zone and pushes you to take chances you never would have at home. Japan is so safe, forgiving, and welcoming, I'm so glad I chose to study there!

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?

My biggest advice to students in this program is to not be afraid to travel alone or to do things by yourself. The best experiences that I had were while traveling alone, and I met so many fun and interesting people while doing so. On my way back from my first solo concert in Tokyo, I met some missionaries on the train home. We stayed in touch and ended up spending Thanksgiving together. Don't be afraid to put yourself out there and make new connections, it is the most rewarding thing you can do.

Pros

The ease of travel
The social life/entertainment scene
The diversity of food options

Cons

Language barriers
Adjusting to a new culture
Homesickness

Studying abroad in Japan has to be the highlight of my life so far. Having always been drawn towards Asian culture and being an avid anime watcher, being able to immerse myself into Japanese culture and society was truly life changing. Tokyo is such a clean, organized, and beautiful city. It holds so much historical significance mixed with modern pop culture. Definitely utilize Google Maps for navigating the train system, it saved my life! Another tip I would suggest is to keep an open mind. Japanese culture is very modest and more traditional, so be mindful of what kind of clothes you bring and do research on the social norms there. Japan was an amazing experience, but you'll definitely enjoy it more if you do research beforehand and have an open mindset!

If you did this all over again, what's one thing you would change?

If I did this all over again, one thing I would change would be that I'd spend more time in Tokyo after the program. Being a student in Japan is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, so I definitely enjoyed the academia aspect of it! However, classes ending at 4-5pm every day and then the commute back to the hotel sometimes left me drained and not wanting to go back out and explore afterwards. I wish I stayed for an extra 2-3 days after the program ended so I can explore the further neighborhoods of Tokyo more. I only stayed for two weeks, though, so if you do the whole 6-week program this might not be an issue for you.

Pros

Hotel location in Shinjuku was so convenient!
Great group of people, program came with an almost instant group of friends.
TEAN provided excursions around the city such as tickets to Shibuya sky and a baseball game.

Cons

J.F. Oberlin University classes ran pretty long, which is understandable, but it still was tiring.
Train stations are kinda confusing to navigate, but download Google Maps!

Being able to return to Japan had been a lifelong goal of mine. It had been around 7+ years since I had last gone and I wanted to truly have an amazing college experience in Japan. I was lucky enough to find TEAN with my International Dean and was able to make it work out. The people with TEAN were always there to help me if I ever needed anything, especially medically. However, it allowed me to finally become more independent and be able to practice the Japanese I was learning in my Japanese I class at JF Oberlin. The results were that I was able to make some lifelong friends, both RJ and Japanese students, and experience some amazing sporting and cultural events. I hope in the future I can study in Japan for graduate school. I would highly recommend anyone who is interested in studying abroad in Japan to consider going through TEAN.

Pros

Location of University is not very far from Shibuya and other main attractions of Tokyo
Pricing of Certain Goods and Foods are Lower compared to your respective nation
Japanese and RJ students are always outgoing and kind to one another

Cons

If you have never taken Japanese before, it will be difficult.
Japanese Education is more "Do It Yourself" with little support at times
Stations may be confusing at first, but overtime you will get used to them

Questions & Answers

About TEAN by WorldStrides

The Education Abroad Network (TEAN) by WorldStrides is a full-service international education provider specializing in immersive study and internship programs throughout Asia Pacific. Creating close partnerships the best universities in Australia, New Zealand and across Asia over the past two decades has allowed us to become experts at delivering...