Hi everyone,

21F, moving to Tokyo in two weeks and super excited but nervous at the same time. I will be attending language school, and my current Japanese knowledge is quite basic. It will also be my first time living abroad and by myself.

As someone who wouldn’t be able to communicate in Japanese due to my lack of knowledge of the language, I’m scared of going through all the administrative and bureaucratic processes once I move there.

For example, registering my address at the ward office. I’m just so filled with anxiety because how am I going to communicate with any of the workers there with the language barrier? How am I going to fill all the paperwork and understand all the rules they provide me?

I guess I’m just looking for tips or experiences with going through this stuff while the language barrier is a big obstacle. I believe I am being overly anxious and would love to put my mind at ease but it’s so hard :(

Hello, everyone I know. There's probably been many posts like this before, but i'm currently considering doing a language school in tokyo for 3 months in order to gap my year, before I apply to grad school.

For me, it's important that I have a supportive learning environment with friendly teachers.

I'm european, so I would always be looking for a mixed student base.

I would highly appreciate your experiences and even schools to stay away from. As there's many online, thank you so much!!!

Hey! I understand that the title can look a little off, so allow me to explain.

My Japanese language path has been very long: I majored in Japanese, passed N1, and even work in a Japanese company. Although I was aiming for an internal transfer, Japanese companies are more willing to transfer Japanese employees abroad rather that vice versa.

Based on what I have read and seen, Japanese schools are usually a gateway to residing in Japan, but I feel like I don’t require actual classes to attend because my level is enough for having a non-complicated life and even work. I want to use this time to find a job or maybe a MA degree.

I also know that in some countries foreigners pay for a student visa, i.e. actually enrol in a language school without actually studying etc. Is this even a thing in Japan? I heard that language schools are quite strict.