Kanazawa is located on Honshu, Japan's Main Island, and lies on the coast between the mountains and the sea. It is a modern city yet has a history and is one of Japan's foremost castle towns. The city boasts many places of historic and aesthetic interest, such as the splendid Kenrokuen, known as one of the three most beautiful gardens in Japan, and lshikaw a-mon, the commanding gate to the old castle grounds.

In Kanazawa, one is acutely aware of the change in seasons. Not only is Kanazawa's natural scenery a colorful delight year-round, but every seasonal change is so carefully celebrated in Kanazawa's traditional cuisine, decor and yearly events that one comes to feel as if there are many more than four seasons.

The city was built in the 15th century and was the richest walled city in Japan during the Edo period. Many original homes, shops, teahouses, entertainment quarters, and some sections of the ancient castle remain and have been well preserved, creating a wonderful atmosphere of the old era.

Geographically, Kanazawa's central location makes it an ideal base for exploring the Hokuriku region as a whole. Lshikawa's charming Noto Peninsula and Kaga region, as well as neighboring Toyama, Fukui and Gifu prefectures, are all easily accessible from Kanazawa. Kanazawa's history began in 1546,when the Buddhist Ikko sect set up a religious government centered on a temple, which later became the site of Kanazawa castle.

The Buddhists' power grew, and so did Kanazawa. The city was invaded in 1580,and following a turbulent period, was finally taken over by Maeda Toshiie, a retainer of Oda Nobunaga, in 1583. When Japan came under the control of the Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu in 1603,Maeda's vast territorial holdings were recognized, making Kaga the wealthiest province in Japan.

Its wealth, measured by its rice yield, was one million koku, or five million bushels. Hence, the elegant and refined culture that developed in Kanazawa under Maeda's patronage is referred to as Kaga Hyakumangoku.

The city hosts a famous festival each year in June "Hyakumangoku Festival" commemorates the entry of Maeda Toshiie, ord of the Kaga province, into Kanazawa castle in 1583. Local the tea ceremony, which has flourished in Kanazawa since feudal times, has given rise to a rich variety of confections. The most representative is Choseiden, a pressed-sugar confection that even today is made from the same ingredients and in the same manner as in the feudal era.

Since Kanazawa is a port on the Japan Sea, the harvest of those cold waters can be enjoyed at its freshest and best. A visit to the Omi-cho market will reveal seasonal fish and shellfish of every sort, including many that may very well amaze. Crab is one of the local specialties, as are at least three kinds of shrimp enjoyed fresh and uncooked as sashimi.

It is the participant's responsibility to have a valid passport and any necessary visas and permits to study abroad. Visit G3Visas for comprehensive information on visa, passport, permit and general country entry requirements.

There are three typical ways to reach Kanazawa. Arrive at Haneda airport (Tokyo airport) and catch a domestic flight to Haneda or Komatsu airport. Arrive in Tokyo and catch a train, please see the Information on Japan page, for more arrival details.
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Natural beauty
Oyama Shrine
Ishikawamon Gate
Ninja Temple
Saihitsu-an (Yuzen Silk Center)
Takayama and Gokayama areas
4 hours by train from Tokyo
3 hours by train from Osaka
Beaches within 30 minutes
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Our school is located in the nicest part of Kanazawa, right in the heart of the city center and is within a few minutes walking distance to the main train station and the Yokoyasue-Cho shopping area. The main street and Omicho Market are only 3 blocks away and most places of interest, including parks, museums, historic buildings are within walking distance or a short bus ride away.

The school is housed in the modern International Exchange Center which is an architecturally attractive building located on the corner of two streets. The small modern school is very relaxed, students and teachers form a friendly atmosphere.

A public library is located in the same building and the school has five bright and spacious classrooms, a lecture room, a quiet study room and a student leisure area.

Students have access to satellite TV, the public library with free Internet access on a lower floor. The school has a small number of bicycles which students are allowed to rent.

Class groups are small (8 to 10 students) and in the language lessons, teachers concentrate on spoken Japanese. The school can also arrange Japanese speaking partners upon request to practice your Japanese.
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Standard: 4.5 Lessons daily (24 lessons per week) Max. 13 students per class.

Our programs cater for all language levels from absolute beginners to the more advanced, include the use of course materials and provide a variety of options to enhance your program. Max 13 students per class, average 8, with 9 levels of language. A good knowledge of English is a requirement For more information please see Prices and Start Dates.

Each student will be expected to take a short placement test (about an hour) on the first Monday morning of the course (unless a complete beginner), to determine the students language level and ensure placement in the correct class. Lessons are usually held in the mornings, starting at 9 am, which leave the afternoons free for social or cultural activities, trips, workshops, short excursions or free time to relax or explore on your own.

After classes are over for the day, our program allows you plenty of time to discover your new country, culture, traditions, customs and everyday life. Our optional cultural and social activities allow you to make new friends among your new international classmates, experience cultural and social activities together, and also practice your new language skills in real life situations. In some cases, a small additional fee will be charged to cover local transport and entrance costs.

Our afternoon program offers the students the opportunity to learn more and understand Japanese culture and society. Activities could include: tea ceremonies,Kimono clothing, calligraphy and origami (paper-folding), sporting activities, cookery courses. Lectures are in Japanese or English - so you need a good basic knowledge of English.

Other optional visits and day trips could include visits to local Schools (elementary to university levels), Zen Temple and Mediation, Sake Brewery, Police Station with a lecture on police/koban system and martial arts demonstration, Historical Trail Walk Tours (Kenrokuen Gardens, Geisha Quarter, etc.) and the Noh Theater.

At the weekend many students arrange to take our optional excursions to local cities or local places of interest. These excursions are slightly more expensive ($10-$40) as they are normally full day or weekend excursions with transport, sometimes meals and entrance fees included. Any excursions are optional and students can use public transport if they wish our school staff are more than willing to assist you in travel or excursion options.

Excursion examples include, Noto Peninsula (northern Ishikawa) - A scenic coastal drive, a visit to a Shinto shrine and Buddhist Zen Temple, a Ryokan (Japanese style hotel) tour, a lacquer ware workshop, and an onsen experience (hot spring bathing).

Kaga (southern Ishikawa) - A Taiko (Japanese drum) manufacturer 8taiko-style drumming demonstration and lesson, a visit to Kirin Beer Brewery, a visit to a Buddhist temple, Ryokan (Japanese style hotel) tour, and an onsen experience (hot spring bathing). Gokayama Mountain Villages - A scenic drive to Mt. Hakusan, a visit to a Shinto shrine, a visit to Gassho-style farmhouses designated as UNESCO World Heritage, and a Japanese washi paper making workshop.

NOTES: Private lessons and additional options can be added to any program, lessons normally last 50 minutes in length and you will be studying with international students from around the world. Lessons run from Monday - Friday, you will be expected to arrive early on the first Monday morning to take a placement test and orientation meeting. a language proficiency certificate is available at the end of the program. The school is closed on all public holidays. Please see the program info and resource links, for additional information or please contact us.
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Host Family: (private room) 2 meals daily.

Living with a host family is probably the best and most effective way to become fully immersed into the language and culture of your chosen country. All families are chosen after a careful selection procedure and are visited regularly by the school to ensure that high living standards are maintained. As many of our host families live in the surrounding neighborhoods, the trip to school, is usually not more than 10 to 30 minutes away.

Students have access to all living areas in the house and in most cases, will be expected to share the bathroom. All bed linens and pillows will be provided, however we suggest you bring your own towels. Some hosts may allow access to their laundry facilities; otherwise you will be directed to the nearest Laundromat.

There will be at least one person in the family or neighborhood who can communicate in basic English on your behalf. The lifestyle in a Japanese household is a mixture of traditional and more modern western styles. Futon beds, tatami mats and western beds and chairs often times coexist under the same roof. In most families the baths will be Japanese style: the body is washed first before entering the deep bathtub.

Staying in a family is a truly wonderful experience and many students make lifetime friends with their host family. However, you should also have realistic expectations and recognize that an element of flexibility is required to adjust to the local customs and way of life. Your host family may not have the same comforts as your own home but you will always be treated as a guest and free to come and go as you wish.

NOTES: Airport transfers may be included or available, also extra nights can be booked before/after course (at an additional cost), please check price page for details. The Sunday night accommodation before your course begins on Monday, is included in the program price. All meals will be local custom and meal times may be different to what you are used to, however you are not obligated to eat all your meals with the family, just notify them when you will not be returning to eat.. Our families are diverse with young couples without children, couples with children (of all age groups) and older couples with grown children who are no longer at home. Please see the Accommodation link for additional information.
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"This was the best time of my life. I only regret that I can't stay there forever. I met some of the greatest people I've ever met, and will always remember the good times I had. My host family was excellent! Friendly, helpful, it was the best experience I could imagine. I did various things, from trips to castles, beaches, parks, educational things, hot springs. Go for it! You can't ever know how much fun you'll have until you go and do it".
Matthew Meyer (age 21) Studied in Kanazawa, Japan
"Kanazawa is a wonderful place to study Japanese language and traditional culture. I especially enjoyed being able to rent a bike from the school and explore the town as I rode to and from class each day. The cultural excursions and school visits were very interesting and Yasuko-san was extremely helpful. Our teachers were very nice. Books used are not as good in my opinion as the Genki series.
Future Advice: Do it!"
Mary Ray (age 61) Studied in Kanazawa, Japan

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