Summer Intensive Course 2023

Hello everyone! My name is Geneviève, I’m from Ottawa, Canada.

If you’re reading this blog post, it likely means that we share a common interest in language learning! Whether your desire to learn Japanese stems from exposure to Japan’s rich culture (nerdy or historical), or from academic/career interest, I think we can all agree that there is joy to find in its multifaceted beauty.

Studying and reading by the sea bordering Amanohashidate. The manga is 星旅少年, an incredible series that I highly recommend! A tip for book lovers: head over to any Bookoff store during your trip for plenty of good reads at cheap prices.

I was first drawn to Japan’s unique writing system and the aesthetic result of mixing katakana, hiragana and kanji in one sentence ... This may be quite simple as a reason to undertake such a long learning journey, but a genuine passion for the Japanese language soon took hold of me and has not let me go to this day. I set myself a goal from early on: to read Osamu Dazai’s 人間失格 without the help of a dictionary. It’s a daunting task, but one I pursue with fervour! After a few years of self-study, university/community Japanese classes and an unforgettable experience as a 2023 Canada-Japan Kakehashi program participant, I found myself with solid sets of Japanese knowledge linked by shaky bridges only practice could strengthen. KICL’s three-week summer program was a welcomed chance to polish everything I’d learned.

KICL offers five levels of Japanese classes which house a range of learners (from complete beginner to near-fluent). After completing an online placement test, I was enrolled in class 4 - where I met so many wonderful friends! KICL summer course students come from a variety of different countries; as Japanese is our one common language, we therefore had an easy excuse to practice with each other ;) We were all roughly at the same level and our class content turned out to be the perfect mix of new and reviewed words and grammar concepts. I’m amazed by the progress my classmates and I made in only three weeks! We went from simple conversations about where we came from, where we studied etc. to trading book recommendations and planning weekend trips together. It was difficult to part from them after studying and having fun together for three fantastic weeks, but I hope we can visit each other in our home countries (or maybe meet again as classmates next year as class 5 students at KICL!).

KICL itself is a wonderful program, but visiting students also have the unique experience of living in Kyoto for three weeks. As classes run until noon from Monday to Friday, I had the chance to explore Kyoto and the surrounding cities to my heart’s content. Despite it being a very large city, I was delightfully surprised to see so much greenery weaving through modern and traditional buildings and houses. There’s also a myriad of charming cities to see a short train ride away (such as Nara, home of wandering deer, and Uji, Japan’s matcha capital). In addition to classes themselves, students are also free to sign up for different cultural experiences and workshops hosted by KICL staff - from calligraphy and tea ceremonies to taiko drumming and tatami-making, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. In short, those three weeks spent at KICL allow students to learn Japanese in the morning, then apply their knowledge while visiting and travelling around Kyoto in the afternoons and weekends. If you’re looking for an immersive experience, you’ll certainly find it here!

A gentle deer from Nara, a side view of Byodoin Temple and Uji’s riverside in full cusp of evening. To those feeding the deer: they may be polite, but they won’t hesitate to nip at your clothes to get food and attention ;)

Learning a new language allows you to truly appreciate the rich beauty of its country’s culture. KICL’s summer program equipped me with the skills and confidence I need to keep studying Japanese on my own in a productive manner; thanks to my wonderful professors, I’m much closer to my goal of reading Osamu Dazai’s masterpiece in its native language.

Thank you for all the unforgettable memories, KICL. I hope to see you next year!

Geneviève Haché (はち）