We conduct our own Japanese conversation course with a monthly start in Tokyo, targeting beginners. Additionally, we collaborate with a language school in Tokyo that offers group language courses ranging from 2 weeks to 2 years, catering from beginners to higher advanced (JLPT N1) levels.
World Unite! Conversation Course for beginners in Tokyo
We offer Japanese conversation lessons in our lounge at the Shiohama Sharehouse in Tokyo. The lessons are designed for beginners, with a focus on imparting foundational communication skills that you can use in your daily life, working holiday job, or internship.
You can book any duration from 1 to 8 weeks. Group lessons take place from Monday to Friday, with each session lasting 4 x 45 minutes (a total of 20 lessons per week).
The start dates are:
May 6, 2024
June 3, 2024
July 1, 2024
August 5, 2024
September 2, 2024
October 7, 2024
November 5, 2024
December 2, 2024
January 6, 2025
February 3, 2025
March 3, 2025
March 31, 2025
May 7, 2025
June 2, 2025
June 30, 2025
August 4, 2025
September 1, 2025
October 6, 2025
November 4, 2025
December 1, 2025
February 3, 2025
March 3, 2025
March 31, 2025
May 7, 2025
June 2, 2025
June 30, 2025
August 4, 2025
September 1, 2025
October 6, 2025
November 4, 2025
December 1, 2025
The course concludes after 8 weeks. If you wish to continue learning for more than 8 weeks, you can transition to our partner language school, which teaches all levels up to Higher Advanced.
Language School in Tokyo (Beginner to Higher Advanced)
Our partnering language school in Tokyo is offering Japanese group language lessons with a duration of 2 weeks to 2 years. You are free to decide for how long you wish to join the language lessons.
4 levels, from Beginner to Higher Advanced (JLPT N1), are taught simultanously. There are courses of various focuses and 12-20 student at each course and level on average.
There are always 20 lessons per week from Monday to Friday and each lesson is 50 minutes.
Beginners can start at the major intake days:
January 9, 2024 (Conversation Course and Intensive Course)
March 11, 2024 (Practical Course for Beginners)
April 9, 2024 (Conversation Course and Intensive Course)
June 10, 2024 (Practical Course for Beginners)
July 8, 2024 (Conversation Course and Intensive Course)
September 2, 2024 (Practical Course for Beginners)
October 9, 2024 (Conversation Course and Intensive Course)
November 25, 2024 (Practical Course for Beginners)
March 11, 2024 (Practical Course for Beginners)
April 9, 2024 (Conversation Course and Intensive Course)
June 10, 2024 (Practical Course for Beginners)
July 8, 2024 (Conversation Course and Intensive Course)
September 2, 2024 (Practical Course for Beginners)
October 9, 2024 (Conversation Course and Intensive Course)
November 25, 2024 (Practical Course for Beginners)
If you already know some Japanese, you can join a course every Monday. To check the level of your language skills, there is a proficiency test that we can email to you prior to your booking. On the first day of your language lessons, there will be a further test checking your listening comprehension and speaking skills.
The courses offered are:
Practical Course for Beginners
This course can be booked as such for 2-4 weeks, or it is possible to continue afterwards with the conversation course or intensive course. The focus of the course is on conversation in everyday situations in Japan and includes reading (not writing) Hiragana and Katakana. Times are Monday-Friday 9:10-12:40 (4 sessions x 50 minutes with a 10-minute break). If you continue with the Conversation or Intensive course and teach yourself to write hiragana and katakana, then you can progress to these courses at Beginner 1 level (which requires the ability to read and write hiragana & katakana). If you haven't mastered hiragana and katakana yet, you can continue with the Conversation or Intensive Course at Beginner 0 level.
Conversation Course
This course is available from beginners to higher advanced levels. Focus of this course is on speaking, listening comprehension and correct use of grammar. To a smaller degree, reading and writing Hiragana/Katakana is taught (1 lesson per day). At a higher level, Kanji is also part of the course. Times are Monday-Friday 9:10-12:40 (4 sessions x 50 minutes with a 10-minute break). Beginners can start at level "Beginner 0" (if you cannot yet read and write Hiragana&Katakana) and "Beginner 1" (if you are already comfortable with Hiragana&Katakana).
Intensive Course
This course is available from beginners to higher advanced levels. You should be familiar with Hiragana/Katakana (writing) and you need to prove this by filling the proficiency test that we email to you prior to your booking. Besides talking, listening comprehension and grammar, Kanji is taught twice per week for 1.5 hours. Beginners can start at level "Beginner 0" (if you cannot yet read and write Hiragana&Katakana) and "Beginner 1" (if you are already comfortable with Hiragana&Katakana).
The highest level of the Intensive Course is preparing students for the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) and for the Examination for Japanese University Admission for International Students (EJU).
Times are Monday-Friday 13:30-17:00 (4 units x 50 minutes with a 10-minute break).
Visa
Many nationalities can stay for 90 days (e.g. Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Korea, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, Turkey, United States and some others) or even for 180 days (Austria, Liechtenstein, Ireland, Switzerland, UK, Germany) on a Temporary Visitor Status (which is the stamp you get for free at the airport on arrival in Japan) to join the language classes. With the Temporary Visitor Status it is NOT allowed to have an income in Japan though.
If you have a Working Holiday Visa you can stay for 12 months (available for citizens of UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, France, Denmark, Norway, Iceland, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Spain, Portugal, Argentina, Chile, Poland, Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Germany and Austria who are 18-30 years old by the time of application), while being allowed to legally work in Japan and have an income. Please see details about this here. Many Working Holiday participants start their stay in Japan joining a language course while doing part-time work.
An alternative option (if there is no Working Holiday Visa for your nationality or age) is the Student Visa. The language school is accredited to apply for Student Visas. The application for the student visa includes a lot of paperwork and takes around 4 months; there are fixed deadlines for submitting the application. We will do this application for you, charging a service fee. With the student visa, you can stay in Japan for as long as you book the language lessons, plus 2 weeks. When applying for the Student Visa, we can also apply for a Work Permit for you, which allows you to work for up to 28 hours per week in Japan, doing any job and receiving regular remuneration. In this case you can book and enjoy the services of our Working Holiday Package.
It is possible to enter Japan on a Temporary Visitor Status and join the language lessons (without working) and then to change the visa status from Temporary Visitor to Student Visa (we will assist you with this). It is however not possible to change from Temporary Visitor to Working Holiday Visa while being in Japan.
Additional activities and offers
The language school is regularly (at extra charge) organizing excursions, visits and cultural activities such as tea ceremony, cooking lessons and calligraphy. They also arrange social events such as BBQs, game nights and bowling, inviting Japanes college and university students and professionals. This is a chance for you to get to know Japanese people and to apply your Japanese language skills. There is free Wifi at the language school.
Info Box
Location: Tokyo Maximum duration: 12 Months |
World Unite! Conversation Course for Beginners in Tokyo
* Tuition fee: 16,000 Yen per week (20 lessons)
* Teaching materials 10,000 Yen one-time cost (for any duration from 2-8 weeks of course participation)
Language School: For participants who are joing the language lessons on a Temporary Visitor Status or Working Holiday Visa
* Tuition fee: 18,000 Yen per week (20 lessons)
* Inscription fee (one-time) 20,000 Yen
* Teaching materials 10,000 Yen per semester (there are 4 semesters in a year)
Language School: For participants for whom a Student Visa needs to be applied
* Course fee:
- Intensive Course 1 quarter = 10 weeks (3 months): 180,000 JPY
- Minimum duration for participants with very basic Japanese skills: 4 quarters (1 year)
- Minimum duration for participants with intermediate to advanced Japanese skills: 2 quarters (6 months)
- There is a break of 4 weeks between the terms
- If you are a total beginner, prior to starting the intensive course, you should join the "Practical Course for Beginners" for 4 weeks, which is 72,000 JPY
- Conversation Course 1 quarter = 12 weeks (3 months): 216,000 JPY
- Minimum duration for participants with very basic Japanese skills: 4 quarters (1 year)
Minimum duration for participants with intermediate to advanced Japanese skills: 2 quarters (6 months) - There is a break of 2 weeks between the terms
- If you are a total beginner, prior to starting the conversation course, you should join the "Practical Course for Beginners" for 4 weeks, which is 72,000 JPY
* Registration fee: 60,000 JPY (one-time)
* Teaching materials and excursions: per quarter 22,500 JPY
* Visa application fee: 30,000 yen (one-time; these costs are non-refundable if the visa application is rejected) + costs for the translation of foreign-language documents into Japanese for the visa application 5000 yen.
* Teaching materials and excursions: per quarter 22,500 JPY
* Visa application fee: 30,000 yen (one-time; these costs are non-refundable if the visa application is rejected) + costs for the translation of foreign-language documents into Japanese for the visa application 5000 yen.
Accommodation:
World Unite! Share House Sharing twin room 1800 JPY/Night; Dorm Room (3 to 8-share) 1500 JPY/Night (minimum 5 weeks). Single room rates on request.
Host family (including meals, see description): 3500 Yen/Night + one-time host family arrangement fee of 10,000 JPY.
Other Projects That Might Interest You:
These projects are suggestions for alternatives that may interest you or those that could be chosen as COMBINATIONS. The combination of projects in different organizations is often possible and usually cheaper than two individual bookings. Please contact us to know more. Also please check out our Working Holiday support services!
Japanese Language lessons in Tokyo!
Japanese language skills are of massive advantage in Japan. You can book Japanese language lessons for your stay in Japan. You find all details here.
Travel Health Insurance
We recommend the following travel insurance that is meant specifically for participants of internships, volunteering, language study, working holiday, and courses abroad. It is available for travelers of all nationalities and usable for all countries, except your home country. You can also add a journey liability insurance.
Just click on the link, fill in the form and you will get a confirmation email.
Travelling to Tokyo
Tokyo has two large international airports: NARITA and HANEDA, which are served by many airlines. Haneda Airport is located closer to the city centre and is therefore our preferred option. If you find cheaper flights to Narita you can however also choose Narita.
You will book a flight on your own. Please try to arrive on a Friday any time between 8am and 9pm. We will pick you up from the airport and will bring you to your accommodation in Tokyo by public transport.