Bold text reading 'GENKI Japanese and Culture School' in black and white.

Genki Japanese and Culture school Kyoto was the third location of the Genki family, and opened in July 2019. We specialize in teaching communicative Japanese, and unlike most other Japanese language schools, our courses are aimed at speakers of non-kanji languages (mainly, European languages). Our school is only minutes away from the wonderful Gion district. Take a subway ride and it will take only twenty minutes to get to Kyoto Station. A 25-minute stroll and you will reach the world-famous Kiyomizu-dera. The school has 8 classrooms, a student reception with friendly and always wanting to help staff who speak perfect English, a student’s lounge, microwaves, PCs with broadband Internet access, free wireless Internet access, Switch game console with a good selection of games, big-screen, manga/book library and free instant coffee/tea. All of our Japanese teachers are graduates of a 420-hour Japanese teacher training course at a recognized study institution, and have extensive experience teaching to foreigners. In addition to being government-accredited, we are one of only two Japanese schools accredited by the International Association of Language Centres, and the first Japanese school to be voted Star World Language School, the industry's highest award and we achieved it thrice!

The front of a building with a sign that reads 'GENKI School' and a red circle logo. There is a tree in front of the building, and a metal gate with some cardboard boxes in front of it. The building name 'Hayashibldg' is visible on the facade.
 
Black background with the word 'KYOTO' in large, bold white letters.

  • Kyoto is probably one of the very few cities in the world that does not really need any introductions. We could have just left it here, but it if you want to know a little more, please keep reading. Though no longer the capital of Japan it still remains her heart. Buddhist temples, Shinto Shrines, castles and gardens to name all of them would take quite some time. Kyoto remains to be one of the best-preserved cities in the whole of Japan, which makes it a great destination if your goal is to touch the history of Japan.
    But with the population of almost 1.5 million and is incredibly well connected to Osaka and Kobe, if you are looking to see modern Japan, Kyoto can offer that as well.
    The school is located not 10 minutes away by foot from Kawaramachi station, one of the busiest places in Kyoto and a 20-minute walk from the world famous Gion District. The city has so many little streets and corners with hidden gems worth a visit dotted all over the city

  • We have more than 50 nationalities every year at our Kyoto school which guarantees you a high quality Japanese learning in a completely international environment.

  • All our head teachers and staff can speak English and can support you with any issues you may have.

Price

  • All our head teachers and staff can speak English and can support you with any issues you may have.

    ● コースと料金: In-person short term courses

    1) Standard Japanese: 20 lessons (4 a day, each: 50 minutes) per week (36,000 yen per week)
    - Plus Conversation: Standard Japanese plus 4 lessons of conversation classes per week (12,000 yen per week)
    - Plus Cultural Module: Standard Japanese plus 3 lessons (each: 2 hours) of regional culture classes run on Saturdays* (12,000 yen per week) might be held on weekdays depending on availability.
    - Plus Private lessons: One-to-one lessons, focusing on the topic of your choice. Lessons are 50 minutes and only available on weekdays. Private lessons are not available from June to August. (7,000 yen per lesson)

    2) 10-week course: 10 weeks of our Standard Japanese course packaged at a discounted rate: 355,000 yen


    - The registration fee is 16,000 yen, and all courses include textbooks and materials in the course price.
    The registration fee is already included in the price of the 10- and 20-week courses.

    *Please note that all courses, regardless of length, require at least a 16,000 yen deposit (along with an accommodation placement fee of 20,000 yen when booking accommodation through us) to be paid within two weeks of registering for the course. The deposit will be applied toward your overall course payment!

  • We believe that learning Japanese must be all about you, and because of that our classes are small (maximum 8 students per class). We have an online placement test that you will need to do before starting classes, and an extra test and interview on the first day in order to confirm your level and allow the teachers to place you in the most suitable class for you.

    Concerning class hours, most GenkiJACS schools work somewhat like a university in that, depending on the class you get placed in, you may have morning classes on some days and afternoon classes on some other days. It's impossible to tell what time you will be having classes now, as the schedule for each week only gets released the week before. I hope that's alright! Morning classes are from 9:30-13:10. Afternoon classes are from 11:25-15:50 or 14:05-17:45.

    You will also have different teachers every day in order to improve your listening and to not get used to one accent or speaking style!

    GenkiJACS was shortlisted by popular vote each year from 2009 to 2023 as one of the world's star language schools at the industry Star Awards, winning the award in 2016, 2018, 2019 and 2020! It is also one of only two Japanese schools to be accredited by the International Association of Language Centres.

A diverse group of students sitting around a table in a classroom, engaged in a discussion with a teacher standing at the whiteboard. The classroom has educational posters and a world map on the walls.

  • Complete beginners are welcome to start every first Monday of each month. The only requirement is to be able to read the Hiragana Alphabet before starting the course.
    Classes are 100% in Japanese even starting from 0.
    The main course has 4 lessons per weekday, in two 2-lesson blocks (two lessons of Japanese grammar, and two lessons of “language skills” – reading, writing, listening and speaking).

  • Learning Japanese just by reading textbooks and listening to tapes doesn't make you a Japanese language speaker. Students will learn common sentence patterns and vocabulary with the teacher, then use them in practical situations both inside and outside of the classroom.
    The main course has 4 lessons per weekday, in two 2-lesson blocks (two lessons of Japanese grammar, and two lessons of “language skills” – reading, writing, listening and speaking).

People sitting and working in a well-lit cafe with large windows and a mural of a traditional Japanese building and mountain range outside.

Housing

  • Private bedroom in a home shared with a Japanese family. You will become part of the family and get to practice the Japanese you learnt in school with them after hours. Breakfast and Dinner Included

    PRICE: 32,000 yen / week
    (Including breakfast and dinner)

  • In Kyoto we offer:
    1) Private residence (Sharehouse, only available for 18+ students) - 19,000 yen per week, or less for stays over 4 weeks
    2) Private room with a Japanese family (Breakfast and dinner included daily) - 32,000 yen per week
    3) Weekly apartment (contracted with a private company, and similar to a hotel in quality, only available for 18+ students) - 45,000 yen per week, or less for stays over 4 weeks
    - Accommodation registration fee: 20,000 yen

Access

A diverse group of fifteen young people standing in front of a restaurant, smiling and posing for a photo. The restaurant has a white banner with Japanese characters and the words 'Washoku Cooking Classes'. There are bicycles parked on the sidewalk to the left.
Graphic with the word 'CONTACT' in bold white letters on a black background. The letter 'O' is replaced with a solid red circle.

GENKI Japanese and Culture School