KICL has been a great experience for me! I looked at a lot of schools before choosing this one, and after having attended for six months now, I would make the same choice again. KICL offers a great range of classes for people with varying degrees of Japanese. I also feel their testing system is quite good in determining which level you should be placed in. The classes are taught exclusively in Japanese, so you don't get the luxury of using your native language as a crutch, but you are forced from the beginning into a purely Japanese environment.

The school is made up of mostly students from Asian countries, so that presents you with some unique opportunities, as well as disadvantages. This is one of the things that I like most about the school, in that the environment forces you to communicate in Japanese with all of your classmates as well as the teachers. Your biggest disadvantage is that most of the students are familiar with the Chinese characters while you will probably have to work twice as hard to learn them. On the other hand, you are motivated to study more, so that you will be able to keep up with the class.

Kyoto has been a wonderful place to study, in that it is a quiet city, yet there is plenty of nightlife and other activities to give you a feel of modern day Japan. Since Kyoto is now rooted in the tourist industry, you will find it very easy to live and get around, making your life here very enjoyable.

I have only been here for six months now, but in that time, I have come to love Kyoto and all that it has to offer. If you are sincere about studying Japanese, or you are just looking test the water, I would definitely recommend that you spend some time here in Kyoto. You will leave with new friendships and unforgettable experiences.

Michelle Wise

Konnichiwa Minasan (Hello everyone)! If you are looking for a place to　study Japanese in a true traditional environment within Japan, then KICL in Kyoto is the place to be.

As the ancient capital of Japan, Kyoto is a unique, culturally rich city preserving the best traditions of olden day Japan yet with all the technological advantages of today. However, to really obtain a full insight into the Japanese way of life I would recommend doing a home-stay. There you can eat traditional home-cooked Japanese meals, take a long hot Ofuro (bath), play and chat with your host family, exchanging customs and ideas while of course practicing the Japanese you learnt earlier in the day!

By doing a home-stay you can really become part of a Japanese family and make friends for life.

School life at KICL is also a lot of fun. The teachers are kind, thoughtful and well experienced. As a trained language teacher myself, I can honestly say their methods of teaching are excellent. Their lessons are well presented, comprehensive and the explanations are detailed yet easy to understand. The classes are taught in complete immersion so your ears are quickly tuned to the Japanese sounds.

If you are just starting out or looking to improve your Japanese, KICL has a class to suit your needs. I believe my time at KICL has been highly beneficial and I will return home with a greater understanding of Japan, its language and people.