18 Best language schools in Tokyo (ranked based on student reviews)
Map with location of Japanese schools in Tokyo




How our students rated their experience in Tokyo
What our students said about Tokyo
I found Tokyo very pleasant, even though the city is so huge and busy. I have never felt as safe in any city as I did in Tokyo, and I have travelled a lot.
Germany
Transportation is more expensive than Korea, so if you go to a language school, I would recommend that you consider which area is cheaper.
South Korea
What school directors said about Tokyo
Tokyo will give you the chance to feel the Japanese language while enjoying the unique Japanese subculture, such as foods, animation, and games!
Most recent student reviews of language schools in Tokyo

Classes are small and lessons are interactive, so everyone gets to actively participate.
27 September 2022
Course: Standard Japanese - 3 weeks
Student age: 42 years

Small group study and teaching methodology. It's very dynamic
8 February 2020
Course: Standard Japanese - 3 weeks
Student age: 23 years

To have class only on the morning or the afternoon was enjoyable.
11 July 2019
Course: Japanese Language Course Short-Term - 3 weeks
Student age: 20 years

Very well organized, very nice and helpful staff!!!
27 May 2019
Course: Short-Term Course - 6 weeks
Student age: 34 years

It was smaller than I had expected and very high school like. But I had no difficulites to stay and study.
26 May 2019
Course: Japanese Language Course Short-Term - 2 weeks
Student age: 23 years

If you already have an N5 Japanese level or you can read Hiragana and Katakana, I totally recommend JCLI, everything during the class is in Japanese and it makes it more interesting to learn. Also most of the classmates don't speak English, so It becomes an excellent opportunity to really practice and learn Japanese every single day.
Enjoy the reception and assistant office workers who are excellent at helping - even in English and Spanish (which really worked well for me.) All the teachers and classmates are really friendly and even if you cannot talk fluently with everybody, they will still help you a lot; same goes for every place in Japan.
17 December 2018
Course: Short-Term Course - 8 weeks
Student age: 30 years

The teachers were very motivated and friendly. I made a lot of progress in learning the language.
The location of the school right in shinjuku is great, it is pretty amazing that it is in one of the busiest districts of Tokyo but it is very calm in the school area because it is located right next to a shrine.
12 November 2018
Course: Standard Japanese - 5 weeks
Student age: 27 years

Kindness of the staff, very high level teaching, much time dedicated to conversation.
Large number of Europeans makes it possible to abuse the English language inside the school
4 November 2018
Course: Standard Japanese - 2 weeks
Student age: 28 years

The teachers made the lessons pleasant with humor and competence.
Satisfied all round.
30 October 2018
Course: Standard Japanese - 4 weeks
Student age: 24 years

I found the teacher's lessons very helpful
In my opinion, even if this school offers it, it is not necessarily suitable for one-month courses. They simply put the students in the three-month courses and assume all prior knowledge. In addition, the language level assessment is not necessarily carried out correctly. This is not a problem for longer stays, but I, for example, was in an N4 course and did repetitions for the whole month. The school did not respond to my personal request. Only when Tanja, my advisor here, approached the school, did I get a reaction. Even then I was asked why I "involved" Tanja and that "if need be" I could go to a higher level course. So of course I stayed in mine to avoid complications.
So all-in-all: great teachers, super nice classmates, but organization, especially in regard to the course time, not particularly good.
30 October 2018
Course: Short-Term Course - 4 weeks
Student age: 20 years

professionalism and preparation of teachers
it is not good as a study holiday, the afternoon lessons make you lose the whole day.
29 August 2018
Course: Japanese Language Course Short-Term - 2 weeks
Student age: 33 years

Good atmosphere
I would say very dissatisfied with the quality of the courses. It was a beginner courses with no real beginners. All had some notions and the courses were mainly based on writing. I paid 3 weeks of classes for nothing since those who were present had either started learning in their country or "redoubled ". Completely ineffective. Great disappointment. I did not expect so much contempt for the student.
27 August 2018
Course: Short-Term Course - 3 weeks
Student age: 15 years

The lessons, the fact that we speak a lot in Japanese during the lessons and the staff
30 July 2018
Course: Standard Japanese - 4 weeks
Student age: 19 years

the people I met and the classes
I like it
16 July 2018
Course: Japanese Language Course Short-Term - 2 weeks
Student age: 26 years

Teachers and organization. The manager at Tokyo school, Demi, answered all my questions the day after the questions were sent. Everything is available, clear and fast.
The teachers are all different, with their own approach to teaching.
Many thanks to the school! Maybe I will come again for a couple of weeks.
I did not assess the events, because I could not attend any. But it's my fault. The school organized an activity every Friday, for a small fee.
Classes are OK. There is air conditioning. The building overlooks an office building and a temple, quite quiet.
9 July 2018
Course: Standard Japanese - 2 weeks
Student age: 24 years

Very friendly teachers and modern didactics! I learned a lot with fun!
The learning pace is fast! You should be prepared for daily cramming, otherwise you might not be able to keep pace!
4 June 2018
Course: Standard Japanese - 6 weeks
Student age: 47 years

location, my classmates
Very poor, outdated methodology, teacher-centred teaching, classes to big (in my group 18 people) not best condition to efficiently learn a foreign language!!!
24 May 2018
Course: Japanese Language Course Short-Term - 4 weeks
Student age: 42 years

The teachers are competent and funny, they communicate the language very well.
You should know in advance what to expect:
- Classes always take place in the morning and the afternoon, personal activities can only take place on weekends.
- If you have little knowledge of the language, you can only start at certain times.
- Shinjuku is a badly signposted metro station, in 6 days I took 6 different routes out of the station. Without the GPS on my iPhone, I would never have found the school.
15 April 2018
Course: Standard Japanese - 2 weeks
Student age: 62 years
Japanese course types in Tokyo
Interesting information about Tokyo
- Extremely clean city.
- Very safe.
- Good mix of modern skyscrapers and ancient
- Really exciting array of food.
- High priced, small accommodation options.
- Highly dense population.
Key Facts about Tokyo
- Student price index excluding rent:83* (17% cheaper than New York)
- Student price index including rent:71* (29% cheaper than New York)
- Price index food only:92* (8% cheaper than New York)
- Big Mac price (Japan average):
367.53 ¥ (45% cheaper than in USA)
- Residential voltage: 100 V
- Frequency: 60 Hz / 50 Hz
Weather in Tokyo
Events in TokyoBest time to take a language course in Tokyo

January 2023A fair bringing together the world's most famous toy, video game and board game makers to present their newest games. The World Hobby Fair is very popular among children and young adults. There are shows, workshops and competitions to keep everyone entertained.

21 March 2023 - 29 March 2023Hanami is the cherry blossom season, a very important event in all of Japan. People gather in parks and gardens to gaze at the beautiful cherry trees and have massive picnics. The season is particularly pleasant in Tokyo with the city adorned in elegant little flowers: an event that really shouldn't be missed.

July 2023Also known as the Star Festival, this event is held every year in Tokyo at the beginning of July to celebrate the legend of Altair and Vega, two stars in love with each other who can only meet once a year in the Milky Way. Thousands of people parade in traditional, colourful costumes to dance, beat drums and plunge the city into a festive and joyful atmosphere.

August 2023The full name of this event which takes place every August is the Harajuku Omotesando Genki Matsuri Super Yosakoi Festival. It is a festival of the traditional Yosakoi dance, where troops of dancers perform their exuberant and colourful choreographies in a joyful atmosphere.

August 2023The main sumo wrestling event, the Sumo Grand Tournament is held in 4 mayor Japanese cities every year. It attracts thousands of fans, both Japanese and tourists with a passion for this singular sport uniting respect, honour and tradition. Tokyo hosts 3 tournaments every year, in January, May and September.

September 2023The Tokyo Game Show, or TGS, is one of the largest in the world, and attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. This trade show is open to the general public only on the last two days of the event when they organise many different activities for game lovers, including workshops and cosplay contests.
What to do in Tokyo










Arrival airports
Public transportation to city center:
Every 10 minutes, 25 minutes.
Main stops: Haneda Airport Terminal 1, Hamamatsucho
Every 60 minutes, 40 minutes.
Main stops: Haneda Airport Terminal 1, Tokyo Station Yaesu North Exit
Taxi: 15 minutes drive to city center of Tokyo
Public transportation to city center:
Every 60 minutes, 60 minutes.
Main stops: Narita Airport Terminal 2, Tokyo
Every 20 minutes, 65 minutes.
Main stops: Narita Airport Terminal 2, Tokyo Station Yaesu Exit
Taxi: 50 minutes drive to city center of Tokyo
Questions and answers about Tokyo
- I am looking for a Japanese language school close to Akabane, Kita-ku, Tokyo.If I look at the map this seems to be JCLI Japanese Language School.
FAQ about schools in Tokyo
- What is the best language school for adults in Tokyo?Genki Japanese and Culture School has received the best overall rating in Tokyo.Which Japanese school in Tokyo has the best location?Genki Japanese and Culture School, located in Hanazono Building 3rd floor Shinjuku 5-17-6, Shinjuku-ku Tokyo has been voted as the school with the best location in Tokyo.What is the best airport to arrive to in Tokyo?Best airport to arrive to in Tokyo is Tokyo International (17.2 km from city center). Alternative airport: Narita International (63.2 km). See information about all arrivals and airport information for Tokyo.What type of business Japanese courses are offered in Tokyo?In Tokyo the following courses are offered specifically for business Japanese: Business Japanese Group, Business Japanese Private.Do schools in Tokyo offer courses to prepare for Japanese exams? Which exams?Schools in Tokyo offer specific preparation courses for the following exams: Other exams, JLPT.Didn't find what you are looking for?Interested in a specific type of course? See our reviews of Japanese courses & camps for teenager and children in Tokyo or other 19 different Japanese course types in Tokyo.Interested in language travel to other cities? Have a look at Japanese language schools in other cities in Japan such as Fukuoka, Gyoda, Kobe, Kyoto, Nagano ..., Ogori, Sapporo, Utsunomiya, Yokohama or see our list of all schools in Japan. You may also want to consult options outside Japan for learning Japanese.Show more