What better way to learn the Japanese language than to eat, sleep, and breathe it in the amazing city of Tokyo? This modern city is filled with wonderful contrasts—its dignified temples and shrines stand quietly in the shadows of massive skyscrapers. Tokyo’s modernity and fast pace are balanced by the serene charm of its many parks and the quiet courtesy of its people. Both energetic and graceful, Tokyo is a gateway to the fascinating culture of Japan.
IES Abroad Tokyo Language Intensive Program is taught at Kanda University of International Studies (KUIS). Founded in 1987, KUIS is a private university dedicated to the pursuit of excellence in International Studies, Foreign Languages, Intercultural Communication, Japanese Culture, and Linguistics.
You benefit from being on the campus of a Japanese university as you rapidly improve your Japanese through focused language study. Students in the Language Intensive Program will enroll in 10 credits of Japanese language. 6 credits are taken in the Japanese in Context course. Japanese in Context courses are structured to develop students’ linguistic, sociolinguistic, and socio-cultural competence. These courses are taught by faculty at KUIS, and include students from the IES Abroad Tokyo Society & Culture program as well as other international students at KUIS. In addition, students in the Language Intensive Program will complete another 4 credits of language at the appropriate level of Comprehensive Japanese, which complements the Japanese in Context course. This 4 credit course is organized by IES Abroad Tokyo, and taught by local instructors. Other English-language area studies course offerings look at Japan from the point of view of popular culture, history, politics, and the arts.
Tokyo will be your classroom. Explore Chiba Prefecture and the dynamic city of Tokyo. Wander through the downtown streets to explore the local shops, try delicious Japanese fare, and discover new ways to soak in this complex and intriguing culture—all while practicing your Japanese skills, of course.
We want you to feel at home in Japan, so we will do everything we can to help you integrate into life in Tokyo, from field placements to cultural events. We encourage you to get involved and gain understanding about the Japanese lifestyle through our arts and culture series, as well as our Speaker series. Our “ePal” program is designed to connect you with a Japanese friend before you even arrive in Tokyo, and continuing while onsite.
These dates are preliminary and are subject to change. Students should not book flights according to these dates.
Our mission is simple: to provide you with the best study abroad program possible—which includes the highest quality academic and cultural experiences.
We offer unique courses that explore Japanese Language, History, and Culture through an in-depth and hands-on approach. Our world-class professors and course options enhance your academic experience and provide you with new perspectives each day in class.
You take 16–19 credits per semester. Courses are worth 3 credits unless otherwise specified.
Craft your own academic experience by selecting from the following required and optional program components:
This is a list of potential course offerings. After you are accepted, you will see a list of final course offerings in your MyIESabroad account.
To learn more about IES Abroad’s innovative theoretical and pedagogical approaches to teaching language abroad, refer to the IES Abroad MAP for Language & Intercultural Communication.
The following courses are available at Kanda University:
JP 101 Japanese in Context: Novice Abroad I
JP 102 Japanese in Context: Novice Abroad II
JP 201 Japanese in Context: Novice Abroad III
JP 301 Japanese in Context: Emerging Independent Abroad I
JP 351 Japanese in Context: Independent Abroad I
JP311 Applied Japanese
JP411 Applied Japanese
Kanda University 神田外語大学www.kandagaigo.ac.jp Founded in 1987, KUIS is a private university dedicated to the pursuit of excellence in International Studies, Foreign Languages, Intercultural Communication, Japanese Culture, and Linguistics. It is a modern and vibrant university with an international faculty and state-of-the-art facilities. The University enrolls approximately 3,100 graduate and undergraduate students; all students study a second language. It features modern computer facilities, library, sports and recreation center, and cafeteria.
Enrollment at KUIS is available for students admitted to the IES Abroad Tokyo Language Intensive Program. Students enrolled in the Language Intensive Program take their language courses at KUIS, as well as IES Abroad organized area studies courses, and have the option to also enroll in select 1.5 credit KUIS courses provided that they do not conflict with any required IES Abroad coursework.
Location and Commute Time KUIS is located in Makuhari, a short train ride from Tokyo and near the IES Abroad Tokyo Center. Commute times will vary based on the location of your housing option. Expect commute times to range between 30-90 minutes. KUIS is a five minute-walk from the IES Abroad Tokyo Center.
University Clubs & Events IES Abroad students in the Japanese Language Intensive Program have access to all KUIS facilities and receive a KUIS student ID that entitles them to student discounts on museum entrance fees, the cinema, theatrical performances, and rail travel.
Field Placements A highlight of our program is the optional 3-credit course, Social Organization in Japan. As part of the coursework for this class, you spend one day each week in a field placement experience as a participant-observer at local businesses, non-profits, or governmental organizations. These placements allow you to directly observe Japanese social and work interactions and to experience the local culture. In the required seminar course, you discuss your experiences and learn more about society and culture in Japan.
Placement Examples:
Our job is to make sure that your greatest challenge is deciding what landmarks to see first or discovering the best café—not finding a place to live where you feel comfortable. We do our best to locate housing that is reflective of how the local students are living. Our goal is that when you leave Tokyo, it will feel like home.
Residence Halls - Live with Japanese university students and young professionals—each residence hall is configured differently. They are single- sex, privately managed, and offer single rooms with shared common spaces and bathrooms. Internet access is available at an additional cost. Most dorms offer a meal plan that provides breakfast and dinner daily, Monday through Saturday (no meals are provided on Sundays or public holidays). The cuisine features typical Japanese set menus. There is a common-use kitchen the residents can use at times when meals are not provided.
Homestays - Live with a host family and gain first-hand experience of Japanese customs, manners, and cuisine while you forge life-long friendships. Accommodations vary by placement. Hosts provide breakfast seven days a week, and dinner on Monday through Friday. Homestay opportunities may be limited.
Commuting Whether staying with a host family or in a residence hall, you will likely commute 40 to 60 minutes, as do most Japanese residents in the Tokyo area. If you have particularly high commuting costs, you will receive a monthly subsidy from IES Abroad.
Part of making you feel at home in Tokyo is doing our best to make you feel safe and cared for. Whether it’s the orientation program that prepares you for what’s ahead, housing that is well-located and comfortable, or the field trips that take you places off the beaten path—we’re all about our student services. This is just one of the things we’re known for.
Center Newsletters
May 2013 Newsletter
April 2013 Newsletter
November 2012 Newsletter
October 2012 Newsletter
The program begins with a specially- designed, three-day program that introduces you to the IES Abroad staff, your fellow students, Kanda University of International Studies, and the city of Tokyo. Topics such as academics, emergency plans, housing, transportation, and health and safety are covered during these three days.
Additionally, CORE™, IES Abroad’s Comprehensive Orientation & Re-entry Experience, begins during orientation and continues throughout the semester with activities focusing on cultural adjustment, goal achievement, and preparing for the return home.
Redefine the way you live and learn in Tokyo through our cultural events, such as:
Although your adventure begins in Tokyo ( ), our field trips take you to other great cities and locations in Japan to provide contrast and context for what you are learning in Tokyo. You share a portion of the cost with IES Abroad. Past destinations are listed below.
Kanazawa 4 days | Fall Explore temples, castles, early modern merchant districts and gardens, and try your hand at traditional arts and crafts.
Nikko 2 days | Fall Visit Japan’s most spectacular Shinto Shrine and some of the country’s most beautiful mountain scenery.
Okinawa 3-5 days | Spring Visit this city known for its unique cultural traditions, historic fortresses, and pretty beaches.
Kamakura 1 day | Spring Visit the site of the first shogunate (warrior government), the home of the Kamakura Daibutsu (Great Buddha statue), and some of the most famous gardens and temples in Japan.
Sensoji Temple 1 day Also known as the Asakusa Kannon, this is Tokyo’s oldest and most popular temple, and one of the few sites in the city that survived the bombing raids of World War II completely intact.
Sumo Matches 1 day Attend an authentic sumo wrestling match and see the strict traditions of the sport in action.
The Fall and Spring Tokyo programs are based at the IES Abroad Tokyo Center and supported by IES Abroad staff. Our Center is located within walking distance of public transportation, Kanda University of International Studies, a seaside park, a Japanese garden, and many public amenities.
Features of the IES Abroad Tokyo Center include:
The Summer program is based at the National Olympic Youth Center, near Yoyogi Park in downtown Tokyo. For more information on this facility, please see http://nyc.niye.go.jp/e/index.html.
Karl FridayIES Abroad Director Karl Friday has been a student, and on-and-off resident, of Japan for more than 35 years, since braving his first Japanese language courses as a sophomore at the University of Kansas. He holds an MA and PhD in History from Stanford University and a BGS and MA in East Asian Languages and Cultures from the University of Kansas, and has also studied at Tsukuba University in Japan, and at Ewha University and Yonsei University in Korea. A specialist in premodern history, particularly the late classical and early medieval eras, he has authored four books and several dozen articles on samurai history and culture; and has been a professor, visiting professor or visiting researcher at the University of San Diego, the University of Hawaii, the University of Tokyo Historiographical Institutute, Tsukuba University, and the University of Georgia. Outside the office, he is an avid jazz drummer, scuba diver (and some-time scuba instructor), skier, and student of classical Japanese martial art.
Daiji ShinAssociate Director
IES Abroad Staff Mariko IshikawaField Placement Program Coordinator and Customized Programs Coordinator
Hyung-Hye LeeStudent Affairs Coordinator
Natsuko TakahashiCenter Administrative Assistant
Academic Year Faculty John ClammerSocial Anthropology Doctor of Philosophy and Master of Studies, Oxford University
Meiko OkamotoArchitecture Master of Architecture, Yale University
Nana Okura GagneAnthropology Doctor of Philosophy, Yale University
Yuzo SugimotoEconomics Doctor of Philosophy in Economics, Yokohama National University Master of Business Administration in Finance, Pepperdine University
Noriko TadaAnthropology Master of Arts in International and Intercultural Management, School of International Training
Colin TynerHistory Doctor of Philosophy Candidate, University of California, Santa Cruz
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