44th Japanese Language and Culture Course
Kanazawa, September/October 2025
These courses are organised by the Australia – Japan Society (ACT) and run by the Ishikawa Foundation for International Exchange (IFIE) in April and October each year. We are now calling for applications for the next course, to be held at the end of September and beginning of October 2025.
The courses run for 2 weeks from a Sunday afternoon to the Friday evening two weeks later and include intensive language lessons, cultural activities and home stay accommodation with a Japanese family. This latter is one of the outstanding features of the program and certainly gives a boost to the participants’ language skills.
During the course, mornings are spent in formal language classes and, most afternoons, opportunities are provided to explore the local culture, either in organised classes and excursions or course participants are encouraged to explore Kanazawa by themselves or with other members of the group.
The classes are tailored to the individual participant’s language skills – participants are assessed on the first day and placed in classes according to their language abilities. Beginner classes are available.
The course costs and homestay fee are subsidised substantially by the Ishikawa Prefectural Government. The total cost for participants (including all course fees, texts, cultural activities and accommodation for the duration of the course, depending on fluctuations in the $/Yen ratio and the number of participants) is around $1,000 - $1,400. You have to find your own way and pay for travel to and from Kanazawa.
Participants are advised to allow about $35 - $50 per day for day-to-day expenses (bus fares, lunches, souvenirs, etc) so the total cost for the two week experience, by the time you have travelled to and from Kanazawa, is probably going to be around $3,500.
Applicants must be at least 20 years old, must be a member of an Australia – Japan Society or an affiliated organisation or join one (JETAA, JLTAA and MLTAA are considered to be affiliated organisations) and must be prepared to stay in Japan for the duration of the course.
This is a great chance for participants to commence, refresh, improve or develop Japanese language skills and, if their profession is appropriate, the cost may be tax deductible as a self-education expense.
There is a Youtube video about the various Ishikawa Foundation’s courses at http://www.ifie.or.jp/ijsc/english/ijsp/index.html. The AJS two week course doesn’t, of course, cover the full range of activities shown for the longer courses in the video, but there are many common features.
For further information or advice please contact Michael Hodgkin, AJS ACT Course Coordinator, preferably before the end of June 2025 (as Michael will be travelling and may have limited internet access).
E-mail: ajsifiecourses@gmail.com
Phone: 0438584943
