All classes are conducted at Yamasa's Okazaki campus - just 7 minutes walk from JR Okazaki Station. For more information please read the Campus Guide in the center homepage.

You will enjoy living in the historic castle town of Okazaki, located in Aichi Prefecture in Central Japan. Aichi has Japan's most powerful regional economy, and is the center of Japanese manufacturing industry, particularly for electronics and automobiles. It has a mixture of old and new. Prices in Okazaki are much less than Tokyo, Osaka or that of tourist traps like Kyoto, (rent for example is actually less than half that of Tokyo), so the cost of living is therefore lower. Public transport is good, bicycles are probably the best and easiest mode of transportation. It is easy to buy or rent a bicycle and Yamasa staff will provide assistance.

On the surface, Okazaki is a thoroughly modern city. Over the past 25 years the population has boomed, leading to massive new developments. The rapid growth is a result of the low unemployment and higher incomes generated by local industry, especially the various headquarters and research & development centers of Toyota, Honda, Mitsubishi and Sony. The city has high speed train connections, extensive bus networks, and very modern infrastructure. All areas of the city have high speed internet. There are several massive shopping malls such as Aeon's Okazaki Shopping Center, and a large number of smaller centers such as the WingTown shopping and cinema complex located less than 5 minutes walk from the Student Village.

The city is under constant renewal - a new and very large public library opened in late 2008 near Okazaki castle, replacing the smaller library, and incorporating the Uchida Collection ("Dr Jazz" - Okazaki is famous amongst Japanese jazz musicians and holds a large jazz festival each November). The city has a very large (and low cost) public gymnasium. Okazaki is part of the metropolitan area of Nagoya, Japan's third largest conurbation. By local train from Okazaki station, there are about 12 million people within 1 hour. Although Okazaki has large department stores, many Yamasa students shop in Nagoya, which is 28 minutes away by train. Nagoya has many specialist stores (its a major fashion center due to the high disposable income of Nagoya's women), and a wider range of entertainment including bars, nightclubs and live music, especially in the lively Sakae nightlife district.

During the past 10 years, the population has grown by more than 15%. In 2009 it was one of the few cities in the Japan where the largest demographic group was comprised of 26-35 year old residents, and where there were more males than females. There are a large number of students and singles - 6 universities including the National Research Institutes, and an average of only 2.64 people per household. Unemployment is consistently lower than the national average and crime is rare.

However despite the modernity of the city, Okazaki has also managed to preserve its traditions and festivals and has many heritage sites. As the birthplace of Japan's most powerful shogunate, many temples and shrines such as Daijuji, Rokusho Jinja and Iga Hachimangu, benefited from extensive endowments and benefactors. Okazaki did not suffer the extensive war damage that destroyed most of Japan's cities in 1944-45, with the result that most of the rich heritage has been preserved to this day. Historic shrines and temples including Hozoji are now more than 1200 years old, are uncrowded, and easy to access. Yamasa students also have the opportunity to explore and experience the extensive craft industries. Traditional workshops in Okazaki remain to this day, producing everything from Buddhist altars & portable mikoshi shrines, to stoneworks, arrows, hand-made candles and wadaiko drums. One of the most well known products is Hatcho Miso, famous throughout Japan. The two companies producing this unique miso have been in business since the 14th century. Even better known is hanabi. Okazaki produces more than 80% of all the fireworks made in Japan. This is another legacy of the Tokugawa shogunate, which forbid the production of gunpowder without a licence - and then granted most of the licences to clans in Okazaki. The Okazaki Fireworks Festival is held on the first Saturday night in August, lasts for many hours, and attracts more than half a million visitors to the riverbanks.

Despite the rapid growth of the city, it has largely maintained its open and spacious feel. Okazaki has the highest rate of car ownership in Japan so streets and pavements are fairly wide, making it easy to get around on bicycles. The main roads in the vicinity of the campus have off-street bicycle lanes, which allow supermarkets, stores, bars and restaurants to be accessible within 10 minutes from any student accommodation. Larger parklands include hiking trails, ponds and public buildings such as the Mindscape Museum and sporting facilities. The heavily forested area to the east of the main part of the city has many rivers (try Ayu fishing this summer), historic temples and some interesting old sake breweries.

More information about Okazaki is available from the Location file in the center homepage and the online Okazaki City Guidebook. In short though, it is safer, cheaper and quieter than crowded cities like Tokyo or Osaka, and more suited for study and a taste of the traditional Japan.

For students, Okazaki also has the advantage of being halfway between Tokyo and Osaka and convenient to both. It is also not too far from Kyoto and Nara to the west, Mt Fuji and Shizuoka to the east. It is easy and affordable to travel to each of these locations, and to anywhere in central Japan.