The Ishikawa Japanese Studies Programme for learners of Japanese overseas

The Ishikawa Japanese Studies Programme is for adults and students who are learning Japanese overseas. It gives participants the opportunity to study Japanese and experience Japanese culture while participating on a homestay programme within the prefecture.

The length of the programme is flexible from 1-2 weeks to 3 months, tailored to the participant’s schedule. Participants have the opportunity to experience life in an every-day Japanese home while enjoying their studies. It is a popular programme with participants coming from all over the world; since 1987 to 2012, the programme has hosted 3,852 participants.

Costs covered by the prefecture include:

• 2/3 of class tuition fees covered

• Cultural lessons covered in full, fees for industrial visits

• Transport costs on cultural excursions

• Costs of program-affiliated exchange parties

• Scholarships to students (not available for those in full employment) for 4+weeks: 25,000JPY (about £150GBP), and 8+weeks: 50,000JPY (about £300 GBP)

Costs which need to be covered by the participant:

• Travel from home country to Japan and domestic travel expenses within Japan to Ishikawa

• 1/3 class tuition fees

• Expense incurred through participating in cultural workshops

• Travel and other subsistence costs associated with field trips

• Host family fee (1 person/1 night: 3,000 JPY (about £18 GBP))

Supporting potential applications

If you are interested in this programme but would like to visit to make sure in advance, Ishikawa Prefecture offers support to people travelling to the region to see if they want to make an official application to the Studies Programme

• Domestic travel expenses within Japan covered

• Accommodation charge (1 night)

For more information about the programme, including a promotional video, please see http://www.ifie.or.jp/ijsc/ijsp.

For further information about Ishikawa Prefecture can be found here http://www.hot-ishikawa.jp/english/index.html.

For anyone interested in the programme, please contact:

SHINCHIRO MINATO, Assistant Director, Representative of Ishikawa Prefectural Government at Japan Local Government Centre, London (JLGC), e-mail: minato@jlgc.org.uk.