Student Interview

Graduates Interview: Passing the entrance exam of Rikkyo University College of Intercultural Communication

We interviewed Ms. C from Germany, who graduated from Tokyo Galaxy Japanese Language School in March 2023. She began her overseas study in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, and took classes online from October 2021 until March 2022, while entry to Japan from overseas had been restricted. She came to Japan in April 2022, and graduated in March 2023.
We know that there were a lot of difficulties for her due to the COVID-19 crisis, but she didn’t give up and did her best to pass the entrance exam for the College of Intercultural Communication in Rikkyo University.
At our entrance ceremony in January 2023, she delivered a welcome speech for the newcomers on behalf of current students. We asked Ms. C about her Japanese study methods, entrance exams, and future goals.

Congratulations on passing the entrance exam of Rikkyo University. What do you think was the key to your success?
Thank you. I think the first thing you need to do is to prepare early. In other words, you need to know the application deadlines and the examination subjects of each university you are going to apply. It is also important to keep up your own motivation. Once you have decided on the university to aim for and what to study, you will be motivated to work hard to reach your goal, and your enthusiasm will come across on your statement of purpose and at your interview. I know it’s very difficult, but you will be able to find what you want to do by always thinking about what you are interested in and taking on various challenges.

Tell us about your Tokyo Galaxy teachers; is there anyone you want to thank for?
I was able to learn so much at Tokyo Galaxy, and I couldn’t have done it without the teachers of the school. Among them, I am especially grateful to the teachers who carefully corrected my essay many times and offered comments. I think their suggestions will be useful, not only for the entrance exam but also when I start studying at the university. I am also particularly grateful to my entrance exam trainer and teachers of interview preparation classes who guided me through the entrance exams. I really appreciate it.

Graduates Interview: Passing the entrance exam of Rikkyo University College of Intercultural Communication

Which class at Tokyo Galaxy helped you the most to pass the entrance exam?
It’s the essay writing class. It was useful for EJU (Examination for Japanese University Admission for International Students) preparation, and also for entrance exams since essays are frequently included in entrance exams. Interview preparation is a must, too. You should take the importance of gaining information on entrance exams very seriously. The daily kanji tests in the Special Preparatory Class were very useful for me, since vocabulary and kanji were my weak areas.

Your Japanese has improved significantly compared to when you just entered Tokyo Galaxy. How have you been studying it so far?
In addition to actively participating in class, I also studied after school using vocabulary and kanji flashcards. I also used a contemporary writings textbook for Japanese high school students.

Please tell us why you decided to apply to Rikkyo University College of International Communication.
There are several reasons, but the main one is that I liked the curriculum. What’s special about it are, that they have a study abroad program, and they let you start exploring you career options from the first year. They offer a wide range of courses about cross-cultural study and languages that I am interested in, and there was a major I wanted to study. I also visited the campus and loved it.

Graduates Interview: Passing the entrance exam of Rikkyo University College of Intercultural Communication

Would you give some advice for people aiming to go on to university in Japan?
I think it’s really important to start early on your preparation for the exam. Searching takes time, and as application deadlines approach, there will be more and more to do. Therefore, I advise you to search information on various universities as soon as possible, know your interests, and please don’t give up. The competition for entrance exams among international students is fierce, and the exams can be tough, but if you can find a study method that suits you, develop effective study habits and choose the school to apply considering the difficulty of the entrance exam, you should be able to pass. Do your best in cooperation with your classmates and teachers. I’m rooting for you!

How would you introduce Tokyo Galaxy to future students?
Tokyo Galaxy is a Japanese language school suitable for those who want to go on to higher education or work in Japan. The school offers some classes that allow you to experience Japanese culture in a fun way, but most of the classes I think are useful for further education and employment. However, there are only four classes per day and little homework, so if you are going to take exams, you can study by yourself at the study room on the second floor.

Please tell us about your goals after entering Rikkyo University.
At the moment, I am thinking of going to graduate school and doing research. After that, I would like to find a job in Japan; I’ll continue to think about what to do while attending college. Speaking of goals, financial independence from my parents is another thing I should add. I have been able to live in Japan and go to school with their support, but after graduating from university, I don’t want to continue to live off my parents.

We would like to thank Ms. C for the interview. She has worked hard for a year and a half to achieve her goal of entering a Japanese university, not giving up even in the face of COVID-19. All her hard work paid off and she passed the university entrance examination. We will continue to support her and we wish that she makes her university life in Japan meaningful.

School News

Prior learning for the spring semester event “Orienteering”

A month passed since the new semester started in April, and our new students seem to be getting used to life in Japan.

On May 2nd, we held the springs semester orienteering event as part of our social studies field trip program. Tokyo Galaxy Japanese Language School is located in an area with many popular places of interest. At this event, students took a walk around the school with their classmates and experienced Japanese culture while engaging in communication activities in Japanese.

Prior learning for the spring semester event Orienteering

Before the orienteering event, there was a class activity in which Advanced Class students delivered presentations about the places to explore to the Basic and the Intermediate-first half Class students in Japanese. They explained the history, characteristics, and famous foods of locations such as Nihonbashi, Tsukishima, Ningyocho, Monzen-Nakacho, and Tsukiji.

It is not easy to explain history and culture in Japanese, but the Advanced Class students achieved the task in fluent Japanese and with easy-to-understand gestures. Those who participated in the orienteering event were able to deepen their understanding based on this prior learning activity by actually visiting the places they have heard about.

Prior learning for the spring semester event Orienteering

The orienteering event was not just walking around; various tasks were included in the program, such as taking pictures holding the assigned pose at the historical site and writing a senryu (short poem) associated with the places they have visited. The event was an opportunity to have a conversation with classmates that they didn’t have a chance to talk with in the classroom, and to deepen exchanges with their friends while practicing their Japanese.

School News

Exchange meeting with Keio University’s international exchange circle members

In late April 2023, we held an exchange meeting for the students of Tokyo Galaxy Japanese Language School and Keio University students at the school lounge.
The exchange meeting between our students and Keio University’s international exchange circle “KISE” has been going on for over 20 years. We used to have an event once or twice a semester, and in addition to the exchange meetings at school, we have enjoyed a variety of
activities, such as going on a day trip to Kamakura and going to see the seasonal illumination events.
We had no choice but to hold meetings only by video conference due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but this time we were finally able to hold face-to-face exchange meetings again.

Exchange meeting with Keio University's international exchange circle members

At this exchange meeting, we started by introducing ourselves, and we talked a lot in Japanese with Japanese university students, playing UNO and other card games.
In normal school classes, our students take classes taught by Japanese teachers and talk in Japanese with their classmates; however, by communicating with Japanese university students using real-life Japanese, students were able to get in touch with Japanese they do not learn in their classes, and that has helped to motivate them to study the language. Also, it was very nice to have opportunities to interact with Japanese people outside of school. This exchange meeting will be held regularly from now on. We hope that you join us on such meetings while studying at Tokyo Galaxy Japanese Language School!

Exchange meeting with Keio University's international exchange circle members

Uncategorized

School event after a long absence: Orienteering (part two)

The long-awaited field trip was held as a school event for the first time in a long time. Up until the day of the event, there had been a long spell of rain in Tokyo, but it cleared up and became a perfect day for orienteering. As we mentioned in the previous article, our students learned about the area they were going to explore in advance, so they were all ready to go. Not only students with a cheerful personality, but also students who are usually a little quiet arrived at school this day with a happy face, obviously excited.

We have said that orienteering was something like a doing a treasure hunt as a sport like marathon, competing for time, but Tokyo Galaxy’s orienteering was not that kind of competition. The objectives of this event was to work as a team, to explore the town while completing the assigned tasks, and to get to know your classmates better. However, we had some awards to be given to the teams that did especially well.

Photo Award to the team that took the most beautiful photo
Exercise Award to the team with the largest number of steps (the number of steps displayed on the team leader’s smartphone)
Discovery Award to the team that found something unique
Senryu Award to the team that made the best senryu (Japanese short poem)

The students are all excited to start off the orienteering, aiming to win an award.
Off we go!

Orienteering

Students were handed a “mission sheet” which was a list of the assigned tasks of the orienteering, and they walked to the place in which they were supposed to complete the task. For example, in the case of the team going to Nihonbashi, the first task was to take a group photo at Reiganbashi, the bridge closest to Tokyo Galaxy, and send it to their teacher. When the task was completed, they could move on to the next location.

The tasks on the list were not only taking pictures on the move, but also answering some quizzes related to the location. The Tokyo Stock Exchange, Japan’s largest financial trading facility (buying and selling stocks and bonds) is located in Nihonbashi, and the quiz given here was “how many entrances are there in this building?” Students had to count the number of entrances, take photos to prove it and send them to their teacher.

Orienteering

At the end of the list, there was a task to summarize their impressions of the town they explored into a “senryu”. Senryu is a short poem like haiku, made up of seventeen syllables in a 5-7-5 pattern. A kigo (seasonal word) is essential in haiku, but not in senryu, so you can write a senryu more freely. Some students wrote senryu about the beautiful scenery and fun memories with friends, while others expressed their candid feelings, being tired from walking so much.

It was certainly a very hot day because of the good weather. Students were sweating through the day, walking around the towns that still retain the atmosphere of the Edo period, to complete their tasks and they were able to deepen their friendship by working with their teammates. When they came back to school after the orienteering, they were fussing over the hot weather and the difficult tasks, but they had a content look on their faces. They seemed to have enjoyed the experience of visiting the places they have learned about.

Orienteering

Studying Japanese is not so easy, but Tokyo Galaxy Japanese Language School offers many opportunities to improve your Japanese while having fun at school events. Our students were able to deepen their friendship through the orienteering event, and we are hoping that they will encourage and help each other when they have difficulties in studying or job hunting.

Galaxy Educational Foundation