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School News

Things to consider before choosing a university course in Japan

To those of you who have begun studying at Tokyo Galaxy Japanese Language School, we are going to tell you about things we want you to think about before deciding on which Japanese university to attend.
Have you ever pondered about yourself? When you think deeply about yourself, you would come up with various ideas of things that you want to try. You might be thinking like “I want to do something like this” or “I want to study this theme because I am interested in this field”.
Then what should you do next? Will you submit your application to some Japanese universities? There are various aspects that should be considered when deciding on a university: EJU scores, types of entrance examinations such as English tests, essays and interview tests, location of the university and its atmosphere, employment status of its graduates and so on.
Perhaps you might be thinking of applying to a university that suits your academic grade. Perhaps your first choice has been the Faculty of Law of University A because you want to study law, but if your academic results are not that good, you might change your mind and apply to the Faculty of Literature of University B just because it seems to be easier to get in.
However, we do not recommend this. The reason is that it is nothing but a waste of time to spend four years in Japan studying in a field that doesn’t interest you. It’s possible to get in a university if it selects its students based on only their EJU scores, but if they have an interview test, the interviewer is likely to ask you something other than general questions. Then you might have to make up an answer to the unanticipated question, or worse, you might get confused and cannot answer at all.

Things to consider before choosing a university course in Japan

Rather than just judging from your academic grades or the famousness of the university, we recommend you to decide the university you want to attend by doing a search and finding out which university has an undergraduate school where you can study things that you are really interested in, and an environment that provides you an excellent education. Your study abroad will be meaningful by making a choice of school in this way.
For those with worries such as “what will I do if I find out that my school was not like I expected?” we would recommend to join an open campus event. You will have the opportunity to talk directly with professors and students while visiting Japanese universities. If you attend an open campus event, you will be informed a lot about the school, even about the atmosphere during the actual exam. At the interview test, you can include your impressions of the open campus when you are asked to tell why you decided to apply for the university. By doing this, you will be able to convey your thoughts with conviction and confidence.

Things to consider before choosing a university course in Japan

Last but not least, we want you to be careful about the time and place of the entrance examinations, which is something students often forget to note. Most people submit their applications to several universities, but it’s important to be sure that the application periods and the dates of the entrance exam does not coincide with each other. If you are going to take a test in Osaka the next day after taking another test in Tokyo, it would be difficult to concentrate on preparation and you might become exhausted mentally, having to prepare for so many things.
Tokyo Galaxy is offering classes that fully reflect the things we have mentioned above. At the classes starting from April, we will give detailed instructions on how to find a university that suits you, thinking about what you want to do in Japan, as well as preparing for the EJU. Then, in June, you will be working on the structure of your statement of purpose. At the time when you submit your application, you will be able to complete a high-quality statement of purpose, and submit it with confidence along with your EJU score report.
Your study year will surely be fulfilling when you work hard on your university entrance exam preparation at Tokyo Galaxy’s preparation classes, packed with the know-how we have accumulated, and do your best till the end, believing in yourself, just like your seniors at our school.
We encourage you to prepare for your university entrance exams with good time in advance, so that you can analyze your personality first, and then make a plan.

Student Interview

Studying in Japan with a dream of becoming a pastry chef

Ms. Kong from South Korea, who has worked as a pastry chef in her home country and decided to learn more about confectionery, started studying in Japan at Tokyo Galaxy Japanese Language School and achieved her goal of passing the entrance exam for the Confectionary Course of Ecole de Patisserie de Tokyo.
She has always been serious about her lessons and has developed her Japanese ability step by step. We asked her about her life studying abroad and how she has won admission to Ecole de Patisserie de Tokyo.

Please tell us about the key to your success.
I studied in Tokyo Galaxy’s Accelerated Learning Class A and B, with the aim of passing the N2 level test of JLPT. After finishing the Accelerated Learning Class, I took the Optional Subject classes to improve my writing and conversation skills, and I think that helped me with the entrance exam. I also participated in about five open campus events held by Ecole de Patisserie de Tokyo.

What made you decide to enroll in Ecole de Patisserie de Tokyo?
I have heard the school’s good reputation while I was in South Korea, and when I participated in the open campus event, I found out that the teaching methods of the teachers were really good. I also liked the fact that the school is focusing on French confectionery techniques.

Studying in Japan with a dream of becoming a pastry chef

Would you name someone at Tokyo Galaxy Japanese Language School to whom you want to thank?
Ms. Kaiho, who was in charge of one of the optional subject classes in the summer term, “From Short Composition to Essay”. She would evaluate my writing every time I submit an assignment, and give me detailed feedback, showing me some good Japanese expressions that I can use instead of mine. She would also give some comments on my thoughts. Most of the students taking this class were planning to go on to universities, so at the end of the term, she suggested us to try to write about our own strengths. It was pretty difficult for me to write about my strengths, but she told me that my strengths are apparent in my writing and I was so thankful to hear it. I was very happy to get an A+ grade with the final assignment.

Why did you choose to study at Tokyo Galaxy Japanese Language School?
I read a web article about a senior student who studied Japanese at Tokyo Galaxy with the aim of entering Ecole de Patisserie de Tokyo, and I decided to study here as well.

How is your life now compared to when you just arrived in Japan?
I knew some Japanese when I came to Japan, but it was not enough at all and I was kind of afraid to go out somewhere. However, I guess I’m getting used to Japanese conversation and my Japanese is improving recently, so when someone talks to me and I don’t understand, I would ask the person to say it again and then I can get the meaning of it. Compared to an year ago, I’m feeling a lot better now.

Studying in Japan with a dream of becoming a pastry chef

Do you have any advice to junior students aiming to enter a Japanese vocational school?
Even if you are planning to attend a language school before going to a vocational school, I think it’s better to learn hiragana, katakana and basic grammar before entering a language school. I think this will help you get used to life in Japan faster.

What kind of goals do you have in mind as you are going to study at Ecole de Patisserie de Tokyo?
I’m going to work hard on the subjects of my course and also on Japanese, and after graduation, I want to try to find a job in Japan.
We are going to study some French during the second year of school, so I would like to learn French confectionery terms as well.

We would like to congratulate Ms. Kong, who has always done her best in what she should do, on her success in the entrance exam of Ecole de Patisserie de Tokyo.
We are hoping that she will have a fulfilling student life, and will be able to work as a pastry chef in Japan after two years of study.
We can’t wait to see what she comes up with. Thank you for the interview.

School News

Frequently Asked Questions on Tokyo Galaxy Japanese Language School

These questions about our curriculum and life in Japan are frequently being asked by people who have decided to study in Japan with big ambitions for the future and are seriously considering their steps.

How many class levels are there at Tokyo Galaxy?
There are 11 levels. 1st and 2nd are Basic levels, 3rd to 6th are Intermediate levels (including Pre-intermediate and Intermediate Second Half) and 7th to 11th are Advanced levels (including Pre-Advanced).

Tell me about the class hours.
We have classes Monday through Friday, 5 days a week. Lessons for students at Intermediate 4th level and above are in the morning (from 9:20 to 12:40), and lessons for students from Basic 1st level to Intermediate 3rd level are in the afternoon (from 13:10 to 16:30).
Students preparing for college will take Japanese language subjects in the morning (1st to 4th period), and subjects of EJU other than Japanese such as Japan and the World, science, mathematics and English in the afternoon (5th and 6th period).

Frequently Asked Questions on Tokyo Galaxy Japanese Language School

Do I have to pay the annual tuition all at once?
Short term students with a temporary visitor visa will pay their tuition for 3 months, and long term students with a student visa will pay semi-annually.

Is there a student discount for traveling expenses?
Tokyo Galaxy Japanese Language School is a private school corporation, so our students can get the same discount as Japanese university students. You can purchase a student commuter pass for the specified route that you use for coming to school and going home. The discount rate is about 40 to 50 percent. However, only students with a student visa are eligible for the discount.

Where is the school located?
We are in the Nihonbashi area, the center of Tokyo. It’s only a 5 minutes ride on subway from the school to Ginza. You can reach Tokyo Station in 20 minutes on foot or 5 minutes by bus.

Can I transfer to a special course from the regular course?
You are allowed to transfer when your Japanese fluency level meet the requirements of the class and your attendance rate is 90% or higher. The requirements will be explained in detail at the new student orientation. The Special Preparatory Class for College Admission starts in April every year. The Business Japanese Class for finding a job in Japan starts in April and October. The Accelerated Learning Class for improving your Japanese fluency to JLPT N2 level and above starts in January and July.

Frequently Asked Questions on Tokyo Galaxy Japanese Language School

If you have any other questions, please feel free to contact us.
Tokyo Galaxy is a school fit for people who want to go to a Japanese university, graduate school, and vocational school, get a job, or try to achieve their goals and gain a lot of experience while staying in Japan. In addition to the regular class, we have various support for students advancing to universities or finding employment, and many students are gaining success every year.
If you are wishing to improve your Japanese skills, as well as to cultivate knowledge in your fields of interest and gain various experiences, Tokyo Galaxy will be the best place to start your studying abroad with peace in mind. We have an environment where you can prepare for your future after graduation.

Student Interview

Student interview: entering Bunka Fashion College

Ms. Cha, who entered Tokyo Galaxy Japanese Language School in April 2019 with the aim of studying fashion, and had been learning Japanese at our school has successfully passed the entrance exam of Bunka Fashion College’s Fashion Technology Department.
She started from the basic level class when she entered Tokyo Galaxy. Then she improved her Japanese ability steadily by taking advantage of our Accelerated Learning Class, and finally won admission to Bunka Fashion College, which is known as the best among the fashion-related educational institutions in Japan.
We asked her about her life in Japan so far and her study methods.

Please tell us about the key to your success.
Well, that would be the curriculum of Tokyo Galaxy Japanese Language School, which was very helpful for me. Bunka Fashion College sets a number of exams for its applicants; you must take essay, listening, writing and interview tests. However, I didn’t have to worry at all because I had been practicing essay writing every day in my classes at Tokyo Galaxy, and that was the same for listening and writing. The only thing I really had to prepare for was the interview test.
I studied every day in my regular classes at Tokyo Galaxy, and I think that even though I did not do any special preparation for the entrance exam, I was able to demonstrate my Japanese skills that I have acquired on a day-to-day basis. Things that I learned at the Accelerated Learning Class helped me the most.

What made you decide to enroll in Bunka Fashion College?
I have often heard that in order to be successful in the fashion industry, your ability would be more important than your educational background. I was hoping to receive practical training rather than classroom lectures, and I wanted to study both fashion design and marketing.
Bunka Fashion College has many departments and offers various study programs. I decided to enter the Fashion Technology Department where I can study fashion design and marketing in depth for 3 years.

Student interview: entering Bunka Fashion College

Please tell us about the teachers of Tokyo Galaxy who helped you.
Ms. Sawada, my entrance exam trainer, really cared about me when I was preparing for the interview test for Bunka Fashion College. She told me that the interview test will be crucial since so many international students will be applying for this school, and provided me guidance on anticipated questions. She supported me to prepare for the interview properly, and that helped me to stay calm at the interview.
I also would like to thank Ms. Komatsu. She works at the school office on the first floor. I became able to speak Japanese to some degree, but sometimes I felt the limits of my ability, and Ms. Komatsu would always talk to me in Korean. That made me feel at home.

What was the reason you decided to enter Tokyo Galaxy Japanese Language School?
I made my decision about studying abroad with cautiousness, so I checked many Japanese language schools in detail. I always had a feeling that the word “language training” sounds like you just go to Japan and have fun and come back, so I was thinking that those schools are not offering systematic lessons. However, Tokyo Galaxy is a lawful private school corporation, and there are many students aiming to go on to Japanese universities. So I had an impression that it must be a language school in a true sense.
After coming to Japan, I realized that my thoughts were correct. There were many excellent teachers here. I happened to hear about other Japanese language schools from the people I met in Japan, and they all said that Tokyo Galaxy is the best.

How is your life in Japan now, compared to when you just arrived?
I was having a hard time at first, in my Japanese lessons or when I was going out somewhere, but now I can understand what the sales clerks are saying and I can talk with them when I go shopping. I think that my Japanese skills have improved greatly after I came to Japan.

Do you have any advice to your juniors aiming to enter a Japanese vocational school?
You should maintain your attendance rate at 90% or higher while attending a language school; it’s a must. At the interview test of Bunka Fashion College, three international students, including myself, were interviewed together, and one had an attendance rate of about 81%. The interviewer asked why the attendance rate was so low. At that time, I became aware of the importance of your attendance in Japan.

What do you plan to study at Bunka Fashion College?
I want to study fashion design and marketing, which are something I’ve always wanted to study, and also master Japanese. After graduation, I’d like to find a job in the Japanese fashion industry, so I will be prepared to do so.

Student interview: entering Bunka Fashion College

We would like to thank Ms. Cha for giving us a detailed explanation of her life studying abroad at Tokyo Galaxy, and telling us how she won admission to Bunka Fashion College.

We think it’s great that she has made long-term plans to achieve her goals, and put them into practice one by one. We hope that she acquires fashion design skills at Bunka Fashion College, utilizing her Japanese skills which she has developed steadily. Congratulations on passing the entrance exam for Bunka Fashion College.

Japanese Culture

The National Museum of Nature and Science located in Ueno, Tokyo

Do you like visiting museums?
I love to go see the art galleries, but I was not a big fan of museums.
I was always thinking that things like animal models, cross-sections of the earth, or ancient earthenware are simply boring.
But my mind changed when I visited the National Museum of Nature and Science in Ueno, Tokyo.
This time, I would like to tell you about the attractions of the National Museum of Nature and Science, which can be enjoyed by those who were not interested in science like me.

As you all know, there is a huge public park called Ueno Koen in the area west of Ueno Station, and there are many museums and art galleries in this park.
The National Museum of Nature and Science is located adjacent to the National Museum of Western Art, which you can find right outside the Ueno Station.
Founded in 1877, it has more than 140 years of history.

The National Museum of Nature and Science located in Ueno, Tokyo

One of the features of the National Museum of Nature and Science is its enormous scale.
It has two large buildings, the Japan Gallery and the Global Gallery, and if you want to see all of its exhibits, a single day would not be enough at all.
First, I’ll tell you about the Japan Gallery.
The Japan Gallery displays results of Japan’s archeological, geological, and natural anthropological studies. One of its most fascinating exhibits is the fossils of the dinosaur called Futabasaurus (Futaba-suzuki-ryu), which was excavated in Japan.
Being a small island country, it was thought that there were no large dinosaurs living in prehistoric Japan, but in 1968 Tadashi Suzuki, a high school student at the time, discovered some fossils, and a full-scale investigation began in search of a Japanese dinosaur.
At this museum, you can see a full-length figure of the Futabasaurus and some of its real fossils.

The National Museum of Nature and Science located in Ueno, Tokyo

The Japan Gallery also has this museum’s most popular exhibition, which is called THEATER 360 (Theater San Roku Maru).
It is a movie theater in spherical 3D, and it is the first of its kind in the world.
The inner surface of the sphere, which is 12.8 meters in diameter (one millionth of the size of the real earth), is a seamless video screen, and the viewers stand on a bridge build inside the sphere to watch the images that appear on the huge screen. It is the world’s first theater with a 360-degree panoramic view and you will enjoy a feeling like you are floating in the air while watching the video.
They have a different movie program every month, and you can learn about the deep sea, dinosaurs, and the formation of the universe through the dynamic images.

The National Museum of Nature and Science located in Ueno, Tokyo

On the second floor of the Japan Gallery, there is an exhibition area named “Japanese People and Nature”.
I think you know about “Hachiko”, the dog statue that stands in the square in front of Shibuya Station. There is the stuffed body of Hachiko himself being displayed at this museum. If you have a chance to visit the place, don’t forget to see him.
In addition, you can also see unique and surprising things like stuffed Hokkaido bear and sacred deer of Nara Park.
Next, let’s look at the Global Gallery.
The Global Gallery is larger than the Japan Gallery. It has six floors, and from the third basement level to the third floor above ground, there are displays of research results about the earth and the universe, and the history of science and technology associated with it.
The first thing you should see at the Global Gallery is the moon rock. As the name suggests, it’s a rock brought back from the moon. The National Museum of Nature and Science has two moon rocks on permanent display.
One was brought back by the Apollo 11 when Neil Armstrong landed on the moon for the first time in the world, and the other was brought back by the Apollo 17 at the final mission of the Apollo program.
It’s a very small stone when you see it in front of your eyes, but when you imagine where this stone came from and how it was brought here, you will feel something magical.

The National Museum of Nature and Science located in Ueno, Tokyo

After thinking about the universe, let’s look at the deep sea.
Deep sea research is said to be as difficult as space research. In fact, it is said that all we have been able to know about the ocean environment is less than 5% of it, and the remaining 95% is still impossible for us to explore.
Therefore, many things are still unknown about the biology of the creatures living there.
There are many mysterious creatures in the deep sea. You may have heard about the Daiou-ika (giant squid). It is said to be the largest among invertebrates (creatures without spine).
At the National Museum of Nature and Science, you can see a specimen of this giant squid.

At the Global Gallery, there are also exhibitions such as simulators to observe the earth from space satellites, and thermographic measurement devices that you can try and enjoy.
Of course, you can also see fossils and skeletal structures of dinosaurs such as T-rex and Triceratops.

The National Museum of Nature and Science located in Ueno, Tokyo

Foreigners might be worried whether they can understand the guidance text written in Japanese, but there’s no need to worry. At the National Museum of Nature and Science, there are information terminals called “interactive kiosks” throughout the museum, which can be viewed in Japanese, Korean, English and Chinese.
You can also rent an audio guide player or tablet for a fee. These also support Korean, English and Chinese.

Most of the written information in the museum is shown with furigana (hiragana or katakana letters written above the kanji characters) so that elementary school students can understand it.
So, if you are studying Japanese, you should take a look at those information.

The Ueno Station, where the National Museum of Nature and Science is located, is 5 stops away from Kayabacho Station, where the Tokyo Galaxy Japanese Language School is located. It’s only 9 minutes’ ride on the Tokyo Metro Hibiya line.
You can enjoy learning about science through your five physical senses at this museum. International students are encouraged to take the time to visit there.