JSL Nippon Academy Tokyo

I had a great time I joined a more advanced class which was bit difficult for me but it helped me prepare for my N4 test and I learned a lot by being forced to mainly speak Japanese, It would be great if there was more tailored class for people who just finished N5 level as I joined an N4 class which was already far ahead in the N4 material so it was a bit overwhelming at times and I think it would helped me a bit more if for somethings the teachers could provide English examples or explanations.
Other than that I had a good time

I had great classes where all the questions I brought were answered, The contents of the lessons where adapted to my level. It was always friendly, interesting. Teachers were very patient and helpful.

The teachers were all very nice and competent in their teaching thus giving a great learning experience. The starting level of the other students in the short term class was all over the place which made teaching the course a bit difficult I imagine, but I think the school adapted well and the course progressed at a good speed. The location and facilities were all very good. The housing lacked a bit in my opinion but it was still alright for the price and time.

I am completely satisfied with the language school. The teachers were very competent and helpful. The lessons are diverse, interesting and challenging. I thought it was very good that they really challenged us beginners! At the beginning you were thrown into the deep end a bit, but that helped a lot to improve. The teachers Tanaka San and Kimiko San were also very loving as people. Shino from reception very funny and a pleasant person. I would go to JSL again at any time.

The accommodation was just a 15 minute walk. I was very grateful for that. Personally, I found taking the metro very tiring. The only thing I complain about was the cold. When I arrived in Tokyo it was snowing and my room was anything but well isolated... That was a bit shitty. But luckily it got warmer in the weeks that followed. Otherwise the room was comfortable and the common areas were in good condition. It would also have been good to know from the start that you would need your own bedding (sheets and such). But in total a very good experience!!!

Teachers are very nice and kind. They ask to do things, but they dont be angry if cannot do it. They help and what was very nice they are interested about students home country like asking how things are there. That way also students can hear about other countries, for me that was very intrresting. Also teachers not tell only about language, but also about japanese culture. Its important so i like it. School is very good, clean and many nice things (books etc.) to look. People are very kind and polite. Location is perfect. I didnt use housing (i stayed in hotel) and also activities we didnt have. For me it was good everything.

I had a great time learning the basics of Japanese with my teachers at JSL! The teachers were very nice and helpful, I also had a lot of laughs with them. They really pushed me to speak a lot of Japanese so that I would learn it better. It was not only the teaching what made my experience at JSL but also the cultural exchange with the teachers and students that really made my enjoy my stay. In the breaks we would bring our own cultural snacks or foods to try with each other. This was great! Every part of arriving and leaving the school was special, each morning I was greeted by the young lady that did not teach classes her self but was responsible for the emails and other stuff. And then when I left she would ask me small questions about my day and stuff in Japanese. This made me feel really welcome and appreciated for trying to learn te language. And the method used for teaching was very helpful with all the flash cards and pictures made me remember more easily. Thank you for having me at JSL!!

I did a short term stay. The teachers are very friendly and the pace of teaching is good. All the teachers speak acceptable english.

The school is rather small but it has everything it needs. It is well located. Easy to reach by foot from the train. I would go again.


i recommend that you already have a good basic knowledge of japanese, that way you will benefit the most.

It’s been a great experience! The teacher and all the school staff were really nice and well prepared.
They also gave advice on apps to help study, manga to read and anime to watch.
The only thing I could complain about is that in the classroom it was freezing for the air conditioning, despite wearing a hoodie I was asking everyday to either raise the temperature or switch it off. Air conditioning is good when it’s moderate.
Overall I really enjoyed it and would do it again! Maybe in winter when there’s no air conditioning

The staff and teachers are all cheerful, friendly, and welcoming. They are helpful in correcting errors, but never overbearing. Students are at very different levels, at least in the "introductory" class I attended. Though it's a two-week class, new students appear frequently, especially at the beginning of the second week. This challenges the teacher to make sure the new students aren't totally clueless, and the "older" students aren't totally bored. The situation is similar in some ways to the American frontier "one-room schoolhouse" with children of all ages. Overall, this challenge is met fairly well. Perhaps more use of written assignments for students at different levels, while the teacher addresses students at other levels face-to-face?

The complexity of written Japanese presents unique challenges as well. The instructors seem to feel it necessary to write kanji on the board when introducing new words. Yet kanji are not taught directly, except with a very brief textbook introduction. The result is that time is spend in class writing complex symbols which to beginners are a jumble of meaningless shapes. Without a solid grounding in the fundamentals of kanji construction, it is impossible to accurately copy kanji that are quickly hand-written on the board. What are the important, meaningful elements, and what is decorative or optional? What is universally required for intelligibility, and what is a feature of individual hand-writing? My conclusion is that either more time should be spent teaching kanji, or less time spent writing kanji on the board.

Another challenge is the unavoidable use of English in the class. This is certainly necessary, but at time's it's difficult to be sure if the instructor is using English with a Japanese accent, a "made-in-Japan" word from English, or an unknown Japanese word. For example, when discussing verb and adjective inflection, one instructor uses a word that sounds like "katto". Is this a Japanese word we haven't been introduced to? Or is it the instructor's pronunciation of the English word "cut", as in "cut off the ending"?

Overall the class was very helpful. I highly recommend it.

Really lovely people !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Classes was small so it help to study and it's easier for the teacher to help you.

The school is in a great area, the size of it creates a very friendly and personal atmosphere that instantly makes you feel at home, especially if you are new to Japan!

The teachers and receptionists are all lovely and continue this personal and welcoming feeling.

I had a great time there, as they began to help me learn Japanese. Classes were a great size and we worked through textbooks and learnt straight from teachers depending on the subjects etc. I studied at the school for a month and felt like i learnt a lot.

The teaching and admin staff were so so friendly and every lesson felt comfortable and was fun.

The classes were very personal during my time there. The teachers were all very kind and catered lessons to my skill level and interests. The classes were also great at building up confidence in my speaking skills, I was able to practice a lot.

The Tokyo location is great, the closest stations are a quick walk to the school and there are plenty of interesting stores along the way. Some really nice cafes are also very close by if you ever want to rest or study with a coffee.

The school itself is pretty small, however, it does have a pretty big collection of books and some desks for reading or studying.

My course was over a rather quiet period due to certain world events, I didn't get to experience activities outside the school, however, you check out some previous activities on the schools instagram @jslnippon. In the school we often had tea together, it was great to chat with everybody during this time.