Japan Teenager Study Abroad

Program Snapshot Age Range: 16-18 Fun Ranking: Intensity: Some Homework Staff/Student: 1:13 (in class) Curfew: None

Kanazawa Independent Teen

Kanazawa is located on the coast of Honshu, Japan’s main island. Not only is Kanazawa’s natural scenery a colorful delight year-round, but every seasonal change is so carefully celebrated in traditional cuisine, decor and yearly events, that one comes to feel as if there are many more than four seasons. It is a modern city, even though it was built in the 15th century and is one of Japan’s foremost castle towns. The city boasts many places of interest, such as the splendid Kenrokuen, known as one of the three most beautiful gardens in Japan and lshikaw a-mon, the commanding gate to the old castle grounds.

School Facilities: Housed in the modern International Exchange Center. Located in the city center, a few minutes walk to the main train station, the Yokoyasue-Cho shopping area and the Omicho Market. 5 classrooms, lecture room, quiet study room and student leisure area. Public library available in the International Exchange Center. Students stay in a homestay with 2 meals/day included.

Activities/Excursions: During the classes, activities are held twice per week. They are conducted in both Japanese and English. Students get hands-on experience in Japanese cultural activities. These may involve cooking, tea ceremony, gold leaf chopstick making, seal making in Japanese characters, kimono dressing and other activities. Visits are conducted to local sites such as walking tours to a castle, the geisha quarter and Nagamachi Samurai Street. Students also visit local points of interest such as museums, police stations and public schools for lectures on the Japanese writing system. Weekday social activities are held at the school. One on one exchanges with locals learning English can be arranged upon request. Once a month, there is a weekend excursion to the Noto Peninsula. This includes a beach drive, visit to a Shinto shrine, views of the rocky coast, a visit to the hot springs, a lacquerware workshop, and a visit to a Buddhist zen temple. School staff goes along. The tour is conducted in English.

Lodging & Meals: Homestay w/ 2 meals/day

Supervision: Please note this is an UNSUPERVISED PROGRAM. Kanazawa is an adult program that will accept teens age 16-18. This program is for mature, independent teens who understand along with their parents/guardians that supervision will not be provided and the will be treated like mature, independent adults by school staff and host families.

We chose Kanazawa as the location for our Japanese Independent Teen program because we felt that it offers travelers of all ages a great opportunity to really experience traditional Japan and avoid the overwhelming nature of many of the larger Japanese cities. Kanazawa, is a popular vacation destination for Japanese people. The city is quieter than many other cities because many people are relaxing and because of its size (pop. 450,000). Additionally, the city is extremely safe like much of Japan.

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