Hello everyone, I’m Danny from Malaysia. I am currently an Intermediate 2 student that advanced from Beginner 1. When talking about studying abroad in Japan, while most people would immediately think about the big cities such as Tokyo and Osaka, I believe that Kyoto presents a distinctive alternative that deserves attention. This city, steeped in history and tradition, offers a unique blend of cultural immersion, scenic beauty, and a more tranquil atmosphere that can be refreshing compared to the relentless pace of larger cities. With that in mind, I decided to pursue my Japanese Language studies at the Kyoto Institute of Culture and Language, or KICL for short.
Studies at KICL
Whether you are here to fulfill your dream of living in Japan, to pursue a career or just a short holiday, I believe that KICL offers the perfect opportunity to do so! The classes at KICL are challenging but worthwhile. All classes are conducted in Japanese, even at the lowest level. While it might be daunting at first for someone with zero knowledge in Japanese, you will slowly find yourself being able to write, understand and converse in the Japanese language. The teachers are dedicated to making the learning process engaging and interactive, often incorporating real-life scenarios and running gags from class to contextualize new grammar and vocabulary.
Other than Japanese studies, KICL offers elective curriculums such as ‘Kyoto Culture’, ‘Japanese Calligraphy’, ‘Working Japanese’ and so on. KICL also frequently hosts events such as Sports Day, Culture Day and exchange events. So, whether you’re here to enter a university, find employment, or just to experience Japanese culture, KICL provides the best opportunity to do so. Besides that, with the language school being connected to the Kyoto University of the Arts (KUA), you can actively participate in the clubs or view the exhibitions by the students of KUA. The pictures shown below is from the flower arrangement (華道) experience as part of KICL’s Culture Day.
Life in Kyoto and more
Studying in Kyoto, in my opinion, offers the ideal mix between academic life and cultural exploration. In Kyoto, each season has a distinct beauty of its own. With the arrival of cherry blossoms in the spring, the city took on an amazing pink scene. There were also festivals and events along the Kamo River during the hot and vibrant summer. Every year in July, Kyoto hosts one of the biggest and most well-known festivals in Japan: Gion Matsuri. Beautiful floats and traditional performances lined the streets. The atmosphere was exhilarating as residents and guests alike, clad in yukata, enjoyed food vendors and celebrated together.
Meaningful Connections
Studying abroad at a language school truly opened the door to friendships with people from diverse cultures and backgrounds. I have made friends with people from Taiwan, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand and so on, people who I would consider as life long friends. We had comparable problems all the time, including struggling with Japanese grammar, pronunciation and the amount of vocabulary we had to learn. We often formed study groups, and helped each other navigate any difficulties someone might have in their studies. Sometimes, these sessions would often end up with us fooling around and making bizarre examples using the grammar points.
Besides just studying, we also often take trips around Japan when there is a short break between classes. From a week-long holiday in Okinawa to a day trip to Amanohashidate, it provides everyone a chance to unwind while also being able to explore places that you would never go out of your way to visit. To describe some of the places that we have been to, Okinawa is renowned for its stunning beaches, distinctive food, and tons of activities, both indoor and outdoors. In contrast, Ise City is well-known for its historical significance and the Ise Grand Shrine, which is considered to be one of the holiest places in Shinto. With its beautiful sands and crystal-clear waves, Shirahama Beach is the perfect place for a short getaway where we can relax and take part in outdoor pursuits like swimming.
Attending Concerts
If you’re anything like me and enjoy Japanese music, you will have plenty of opportunities to experience the music culture firsthand through live performances thanks to the thriving music industry. From major music festivals like Rock in Japan FES, to concerts by artists such as Ado, LiSA and Yorushika, these amazing events are sure to leave a lasting impression on you. The crowd's excitement was contagious, everyone was joining in on the chanting and singing along, I can only sum it up by saying that it was an amazing experience. The best part, or worst about getting concert tickets in Japan is that most of the time, everything was done through a lottery system. So while you do not have to worry about scalpers, you basically have to leave everything up to luck.
0 件のコメント:
コメントを投稿