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Introduction
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The Aichi Center for Japanese Studies is a specialist center for Japanese language education and research. The campus is considerably larger than most of the other accredited institutes in Japan (especially those in Tokyo) and the facilities in each building are more modern than most Japanese universities.
Compared to virtually all Japanese academic institutions, the unusual feature about Yamasa's campus is the large amount of space available per student - not only in the classrooms but for all ancillary services.
Yamasa is also already one of the best campuses in Japan for internet connectivity and modern IT infrastructure. Our Local Area Network can connect you to the internet from anywhere on campus and computers are provided.
A building program is in progress and as a non-profit Institute with full support from the endowment of the Hattori Foundation (est.1919), Yamasa is well placed for continued expansion as grants and funds are constantly re-invested into continuous improvement.
To view full details of the campus facilities please click on the link buttons on the left hand side of this page or click on the buildings on the map below showing the general layout of the Yamasa Institute's Okazaki campus.
At the bottom of each page there are also links to indexes - these should also help you navigate around the campus guide.
| Contents: (1) Yamasa II, (2) Aoi Hall, (3) Services, (4) Sakura House, (5) Surrounds, (6) Top of Page, (7) Center Homepage |
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Yamasa II Building
(This is the Yamasa II Building Main Index file.)
The Yamasa II building is the original building at the Institute. It is located at the eastern end of the campus and hosts Yamasa's 3 Academic Programs (Acceleration, AIJP and AJSP). It is 5 storeys high, and was purposed designed for language education. All classrooms exceed the size required by government regulations.
Click here for photograph slide show of Yamasa II building.
When you enter the building you will find a large lobby. On the left hand side is a public telephone and the entrance to the ground floor classrooms. On the right hand side there are some artifacts of the founder of the Hattori Foundation, which include some items from the 1900 Paris Exposition.
The right side also leads to the Student Services office and the library. The lobby has a number of contemporary artworks on display. These include works by Ohira Minoru, Nakagawa Yoshinobu and Ida Shouichi.
The building has 12 classrooms and one consultation room, most of these are located on the 3rd and 4th floors which is also where the Computer Lab and Audio-Visual facilities are located. The small infirmary is also located on the 4th floor, where there is also a room with a microwave oven and hot water. Students are allocated a pidgeon hole on the 3rd floor for notices and mail.
The teaching faculty have their main offices on the 2nd floor. Student services and the Library are both located on the ground floor. Students can access the 2nd, 3rd and 4th floors by using the elevator or the staircases. Most students visiting the faculty office prefer to use the stairs as it is quicker.
The Yamasa II building also hosts the Student Services office, the Frontia Office and the headquarters of the Hattori Foundation.
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Library/Reading Room
The new library opened in April 2000. The library is located on the ground floor of the Yamasa II building next to student services. Official opening hours are from 8:30 am to 17:30 pm on weekdays (though it is usually open until at least 8:30pm), and until 3:30 pm on Saturdays (these hours are also usually extended). The library is closed on Sundays and public holidays.
The library has large common reading areas as well as individual study stations. The individual study stations have AC power access for electronic study aids as well as individual lighting. The new library also has datajacks connecting to Yamasa's LAN - so online dictionaries and other aids can be used. There is a wide range of reading material including research volumes, novels, magazines and other books including dictionaries and learning materials. Past test-papers and level specific reading materials are available on request via your class academic advisor.
There is a large amount of information regarding Japanese universities and colleges - although the later information is increasingly provided through Yamasa's online ACCESS databases.
The photocopying facilities and the tape and videocassette collection are no longer kept in the library but are instead maintained by faculty. The audio-visual and computer based materials are used in the 4th floor AV/Computer laboratory.
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Yamasa II Building Classrooms
The classrooms in the Yamasa II building are used for delivering Yamasa's 3 Academic Programs (Acceleration, AIJP and AJSP).
All of the classrooms have excellent natural light, air-conditioning and large amounts of space per student. All of the classrooms are large enough to accommodate the 20 students stipulated as the maximum class size by the accreditation body. However at Yamasa the maximum class size is just 15 students for standard format classes, and 6 for seminar format classes. At Yamasa we simply believe that 20 is too many for quality language study.
Each classroom has wide desks that are arranged in a U shape configuration so as to maximize student/faculty interaction. The reason we do this instead of the usual Japanese practice of having students sit in rows is because it works - rote learning has no place at Yamasa.
Put simply, You can't learn the Japanese language unless you speak it. With teaching teams of 4-5 faculty per class, the classroom configuration becomes an important part of the learning process.
All of the classrooms have power access and teaching technologies are shared amongst the rooms. The 3 classrooms on the ground floor also have jacks connecting to Yamasa's Local Area Network for internet access.
There are 12 classrooms and one consultation room in total. All floors are accessible by either stairs or elevator. There are toilets on all floors. The 3rd floor has 6 classrooms and the consultation room. The 3rd floor is also where the pidgeon holes and the main notice boards are located. The remaining 3 classrooms are on the 4th floor. (The 4th floor also has the AV/Computer Lab, the infirmary and coffee room).
The teaching faculty have their main offices on the 2nd floor. Student services and the Library are both located on the ground floor so they are both easily accessed.
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Yamasa II Building Faculty Offices
The second floor of the Yamasa II building contains the faculty offices for the Academic Programs (AIJP, AJSP, Acceleration) and the offices of the Hattori Foundation. Please note that only the faculty involved in Academic Program delivery are based here - all teachers involved in extension programs, online programs and off-campus programs are based in Aoi Hall or elsewhere.
For students in the AIJP, AJSP or Acceleration Programs, this office is the main point of contact outside class hours. If you have questions regarding your studies, are having difficulty with some content and require clarifications or explanations, then you can approach faculty at any time. There is a consultation area where you can sit with teachers and receive one-to-one advice. There is no charge for this assistance.
The office is open plan and provides the faculty with a relaxed environment for planning lessons and developing teaching materials - for this reason the consultation area is partitioned off to provide more privacy. It is also possible to arrange to meet faculty in the consultation room on the 3rd floor or in a classroom after hours - the key advantage of doing so being the availability of the whiteboards.
Students also visit the faculty office to obtain additional study materials. Sometimes the textbook that you are using in class may not be sufficient in detail for your needs. Everybody who learns a language such as Japanese will discover that some things are easy, some more difficult, and that this will differ from person to person. If there is a particular point of grammar or other problem that you are encountering difficulties with, then you can usually obtain additional help and study materials from the faculty office.
The audio tapes and video tapes, headphones and some learning software (CD-ROM based) are available from the office. Students who wish to borrow headphones for the TV/Video or computers in the AV/Computer Lab on the 4th floor can also obtain them here. There is no charge for borrowing headphones or study materials.
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Audio/Visual LL and Computer Laboratory
The campus currently has 2 computer laboratories. (The other one is in Aoi Hall) The computer laboratory in the Yamasa II building is located on the 4th floor. All of the computers are permanently connected to the Internet via Yamasa's LAN (local area network). It is also open on Saturdays and late into the evening on weekdays. Access to these computers and the internet is free, untimed and unrestricted. The laboratory is very large and well lit. Two of the walls have windows providing natural light.
The operating systems are Japanese and a range of educational software is available to support self-learning. All students can receive their own browser based Yamasa email addresses - "name"@yamasa.org (a free service) and all students are able to communicate with friends or faculty in real time.
In addition to self-learning, the laboratory is also used as a classroom when teaching students how to use Japanese language software and when assisting students to make their own Japanese language homepages. Furthermore, as well as using Yamasa supplied PC's, students are able to connect their own computers to the network via LAN cards.
The Language Learning Corner has TV/Video and cassette players for improving comprehension. A video/audio cassette library is maintained by faculty members and students can borrow study materials to match their proficiency level.
Many students also have part-time work online or have special software requirements - Yamasa does everything possible to make things easier for them. For more information please read the internet connectivity file.
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Yamasa II Building Coffee Room
Many Yamasa students prefer to study in the classrooms after hours rather than in the library or back at their accommodation. The main reasons for this seem to include a preference for being close to faculty members - so that they can ask questions immediately instead of the following day - and because studying alone in one of Yamasa's many classrooms also offers the chance to record their voice and playback without disturbing other students.
The end result is that many students spend a significant amount of time on campus, and we want to ensure that our students are comfortable. The coffee room on the 4th floor of the Yamasa II building is very simple. Hot water is provided along with a microwave oven. We do ask that students bring their own coffee mug (the fewer disposable cups used the better) and provide their own coffee, tea etc, as well as keep the room clean.
One thing to note! This room should only be used during lunch or after classes have finished for the day. Yamasa is a fairly relaxed environment for studies, but one of our rules is that you should not eat or drink during classes - it distracts both your teachers and fellow students.
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Yamasa II Building Infirmary
On the 4th floor of the Yamasa II building, we have constructed a purpose built infirmary for our students. Also, please note that Yamasa's campus is located next to Minami (South) Hospital - in fact the doors of the hospital and those of the main Yamasa II building are less than 200 meters apart.
The infirmary provides a quiet and comfortable room where you can rest if you are feeling tired or ill, but don't need to go to a hospital. The main advantage of having such a room is that it saves you time. You do not need to return to your accommodation in order to rest. This room is particularly beneficial for student sliving in homestays or commuting. Many students find that they are able to return to classes after an hour or two, whereas without the infirmary they would miss the rest of the day.
The infirmary is similar in many ways to a business hotel room. Inside the room there is a tatami mat area with a sofa bed. There are futons available to keep warm if you have a fever. There is a shower and washbasin area that you can use to freshen up if necessary. There is also a toilet so that you do not need to leave the infirmary.
Student Services staff will check regularly to see whether you need any medical attention. Staff are easily contacted for assistance and will help you obtain medical treatment at Minami Hospital or assist you back to your accommodation if required.
| Contents: (1) Yamasa II, (2) Aoi Hall, (3) Services, (4) Sakura House, (5) Surrounds, (6) Top of Page, (7) Center Homepage |
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Aoi Hall
(This is the Aoi Hall Main Index file.)
Aoi Hall is located at the western end of the campus and hosts Yamasa's Extension Programs including SILAC, Internships, Japan Discovery, CALL seminars and on-demand private/semi-private lessons.
The building has been recently renovated and has 8 standard classrooms, 4 seminar classrooms, computer lab, faculty offices, and a TV lounge on the second floor. On the ground floor there is the Main Hall where most entrance ceremonies, graduations and official events/parties take place, the distance learning theater, an outdoor terrace and office space.
To view full details of the facilities please click on the link buttons on the left hand side of this page.
Click here for photograph slide show of Aoi Hall.
Aoi Hall is also is where most of the staff of the International Office work, and is where the programming and teaching staff of Yamasa's online campus - the Online Center for Japanese Studies - are based.
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Aoi Hall TV Lounge
On the second floor of Aoi Hall there is a large room (more than 110 square meters/ 1190 square feet) located at the eastern end of the building. Since it is directly adjoining the corridor leading to the classrooms, this room serves as the main lounge for students in the SILAC and other Extension programs.
The room has a cable television and a table-tennis (ping-pong) table. The main function of the room is to provide a rest area for students to use during the breaks between lessons and after hours. There is plenty of seating, but also room to move around.
There is a photocopier than students can use anytime. It is coin operated and at 10 yen/page is the same price as local copying facilities, but more conveniently located.
The main wall serves as a giant noticeboard - in addition to class notices, there is information about parties and local events, tourist information, recommended restaurants etc. Much of the information is provided by the students directly.
The TV room is airconditioned. There is a staircase leading directly to the Sakura House courtyard below. This room also offers the best vantage point for viewing Sakura (Cherry Blossom) flowers in Spring. The flowers of the Sakura trees between Aoi Hall and the Multimedia Studio bloom each Spring (usually from late March, but sometimes not until early April), and from the second story the flowers are at eye-level. It can sometimes be very difficult to leave the flowers and move away from the windows and go back to your classes after your breaks.
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Aoi Hall Faculty Office
The faculty for the extension programs are based in a large office on the second floor. The office is directly adjoining the lounge and within 30 meters of all classrooms - you have very easy access to after hours support.
For students in the SILAC, Internships, Japan Discovery, CALL seminars and on-demand private/semi-private lessons, this office is the main point of contact outside class hours. If you have questions regarding your studies, are having difficulty with some content and require clarifications or explanations, then you can approach faculty at any time. There is no charge for this assistance.
The office is open plan and provides the faculty with a relaxed environment for planning lessons and developing teaching materials. Most consultations take place in the classrooms, so that the white boards and internet access can be used to advantage.
Students also visit the faculty office to obtain additional study materials. Sometimes the textbook that you are using in class may not be sufficient in detail for your needs. Everybody who learns a language such as Japanese will discover that some things are easy, some more difficult, and that this will differ from person to person. If there is a particular point of grammar or other problem that you are encountering difficulties with, then you can usually obtain additional help and study materials from the faculty office.
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Aoi Hall Standard Classrooms
Unlike the Yamasa II building, Aoi Hall has 2 different types of classroom. The Standard Class rooms are used for teaching group classes of up to 15 students, whereas the Seminar Class rooms are used for teaching classes of 1 to 6 students.
All of the standard classrooms have excellent lighting, air-conditioning and large amounts of space per student. Each classroom is about 7% larger than the required space for 20 students stipulated as the maximum class size by the accreditation body. However at Yamasa the maximum class size is just 15 students for standard format classes, so there is a greater amount of space per student than for almost any extension program on offer in Japan.
At Yamasa we simply believe that 20 students is far too many for quality language study. This is particularly the case for our extension programs which are predominatly based on language acquisition and conversational skills.
Each classroom has wide desks that are arranged in a U shape configuration so as to maximize student/faculty interaction. The reason we do this instead of the usual Japanese practice of having students sit in rows is because it works - rote learning has no place at Yamasa.
Put simply, You can't learn the Japanese language unless you speak it. With teaching teams of 4-5 faculty per class, the classroom configuration becomes an important part of the learning process. Most of the desks also have access holes for LAN and power cables for laptop computers.
All of the classrooms have 100 volt power access (standard voltage for Japan) and the teaching technologies are shared amongst the rooms. All of the classrooms have jacks (10baseT outlets) connecting to Yamasa's Local Area Network for internet access. This does provide a significant advantage for students who wish to use customized online resources and internet based training aids during or after classes. The online infrastructure is better than most Japanese universities and is well ahead of any other language program provider in Japan.
There are 8 standard classrooms in total. All are on the second floor and are accessed by either the stairs from the courtyard or the internal staircase from the Main Hall and Central Entrance. At this stage there is no elevator access to the classrooms, so students with wheelchairs will usually take their classes in the Yamasa II building or in the Distance Learning Theater on the ground floor. There are toilets on the ground floor and next to the courtyard outside. A toilet for wheelchair users has been installed so that all students can use both the main hall and the distance learning theater.
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Aoi Hall Seminar Classroom
Unlike the Yamasa II building, Aoi Hall has 2 different types of classroom. The Seminar Class rooms are used for private or small classes of 1 to 6 students, whereas the Standard Class rooms are used for teaching classes with 7 to 15 students.
Each of the 4 seminar classrooms have excellent lighting, air-conditioning and large amounts of space per student. Each room is smaller than the Standard Class rooms (the smallest is 17.46 square meters and the largest of the 4 rooms is 24.18 square meters). Even so there is a large amount of space per student. For example the 24.18 square meter room is only 2 square meters smaller than the APJLE regulations require for 20 students - and most seminar classes have fewer than 6 students.
The reason we have seminar classrooms is primarily to help us customize programs to meet the needs of mature age and independent learners. These smaller rooms are perfect for small groups or semi-private classes (and privae lessons of course) and at the same time allow the building to continue providing lessons in the standard group format. It also offers greater flexibility - if there were 8 students in a class with a wider range of proficiency levels than was optimal, then at Yamasa we can split the class in two and run 2 separate levels. Many program providers wouldn't be able to do so.
Each classroom has wide desks that are arranged in a U shape configuration so as to maximize student/faculty interaction. The reason we do this instead of the usual Japanese practice of having students sit in rows is because it works - rote learning has no place at Yamasa.
Put simply, You can't learn the Japanese language unless you speak it. With teaching teams of 4-5 faculty per class, the classroom configuration becomes an important part of the learning process. Most of the desks also have access holes for LAN and power cables for laptop computers.
All of the classrooms have 100 volt power access (standard voltage for Japan) and the teaching technologies are shared amongst the rooms. All of the classrooms have jacks (10baseT outlets) connecting to Yamasa's Local Area Network for internet access. This does provide a significant advantage for students who wish to use customized online resources and internet based training aids during or after classes. The online infrastructure is better than most Japanese universities and is well ahead of any other language program provider in Japan. In the seminar classrooms this is particularly important because the rooms are often also used for private study - many of Yamasa's Extension program students are professionals who need to make the best possible use of the time they will have available for studies in Japan.
There are 4 seminar classrooms in total. All are on the second floor and are accessed by either the stairs from the courtyard or the internal staircase from the Main Hall and Central Entrance. At this stage there is no elevator access to the classrooms, so students with wheelchairs will usually take their classes in the Yamasa II building or in the Distance Learning Theater on the ground floor. There are toilets on the ground floor and next to the courtyard outside. A toilet for wheelchair users has been installed so that all students can use both the main hall and the distance learning theater.
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Aoi Hall Computer Lab
The campus currently has 2 computer laboratories. One is located on the 4th floor of the Yamasa II building and the other is on the second floor of Aoi Hall next to the standard and Seminar classrooms. Any Yamasa student can used either laboratory - there are no rules segregating students from different programs.
The Aoi Hall computer lab is at the western end of the building and is within 30 meters of all classrooms. All of the computers are permanently connected to the Internet via Yamasa's LAN (local area network). It is also open on Saturdays and late into the evening on weekdays. Access to these computers and the internet is free, untimed and unrestricted. The laboratory is reasonably large (37 square meters) and is well lit. Two of the walls also have windows providing natural light.
The operating systems are Japanese and a range of educational software is available to support self-learning. All students can receive their own browser based Yamasa email addresses - "name"@yamasa.org (a free service) and all students are able to communicate with friends or faculty in real time.
In addition to the Yamasa supplied PC's, students are able to connect their own computers to the network via LAN cards. Many students also have part-time work online or have special software requirements - Yamasa does everything possible to make things easier for them. For more information please read the internet connectivity file.
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Distance Learning Theater
The distance learning theater on the ground floor is Yamasa's largest classroom. As suggested by the name, this theater was primarily designed for internet based instruction or webcasting, but it is in fact a very versatile resource for both teaching and community activities. For most students, the first time they visit the DL theater will be for proficiency testing and for the orientation for new students given at the beginning of their course.
The maximum capacity of the theater is only 60 students, and the seating structure is tiered (4 rows only) so that all students have a clear and unobstructed view of both the instructor and the big screen. In many lessons, microphones are not even required as students are never more than 8 meters from the instructor. (The elevation of the 4th row at the rear is approximately 80 centimeters). Low gradient ramps have been built into the design to provide barrier free access to students with wheelchairs.
All of the desks also have access holes for LAN and power cables for laptop computers. Every students' desk is wide enough to hold both computers/electronic aids and have sufficient space for notepads, books and other resources. As with all of the Institute's classrooms, we do not use the folding writing palettes attached to an armchair that are so widely used around the world - simply because they do not provide an optimal learning environment for students.
Power access is 100 volts (standard voltage for Japan) and the jacks (10baseT outlets) connect directly to Yamasa's Local Area Network (a LAN card is required) for internet access. Yamasa's technicians can operate under the floor of the theater - in fact it is possible to re-wire and upgrade without disrupting the teaching schedules.
A wide range of teaching technologies can be used. Video projection is mostly from ceiling units. At the rear of the theater there is even a film projection booth - in addition to lectures and conferences, the theater can also be used as a movie cinema.
There are two observation windows inside the theater at the front. Behind the glass barrier on the right hand side there is an observation room that can be used as a simultaneous translation booth (useful for conferences/workshops) and as a training room. One of the key advantages of custom designing our DL theater was that it now provides an excellent teacher training facility. From the observation room, it is possible to see both the instructor and the students faces, note reactions and observe group activity. At the same time, the trainer is able to explain and answer questions from faculty members being retrained in the use of the facility - without being heard by the students or instructor inside the theater itself. This means that there is no disruption to the lessons, and all new faculty members can observe experienced instructors using the DL facilities as often as necessary without disruption.
The second observation window is on the left hand side at the front. Behind this glass barrier is an elevated workstation that forms part of the audio-visual editing and webcasting studio. This is where the technical support staff (mostly from Frontia and the Online Center for Japanese Studies) coordinate the projectors, video cameras, lighting, sound and recording systems. Their studio next door is where footage is edited before it is distributed around the world as streaming video or audio.
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Aoi Main Hall
On the ground floor at the western end of the building there is a large room known as the Main Hall. This hall is used for most of the ceremonies, parties and other major events at Yamasa.
The hall is located next to the distance learning theater. As the theater is used not just for distance learning and internet based instruction, but also for showing films, running workshops and conferences, the main hall is a key meeting area. The room can easily accommodate over 150 people and can host a larger number of people if used in conjunction with the terrace.
Infrastructure in the hall includes a kitchen that is used during parties and includes the facilities required for a small bar. The hall is well ventilated and has heating/airconditioning for year round use. The surface area is large enough for a dance floor and the parties held here are a good opportunity for meeting Japanese people in a relaxed atmosphere.
| Contents: (1) Yamasa II, (2) Aoi Hall, (3) Services, (4) Sakura House, (5) Surrounds, (6) Top of Page, (7) Center Homepage |
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On Campus Services
(This is the Campus Service Main Index file.)
To learn Japanese successfully, you need to be able to concentrate your entire efforts on learning the language and culture. This cannot be done without professional support and supporting infrastructure. Most Japanese language schools lack adequate infrastructure, and most university/institute based programs are usually do not provide late-night or weekend access as their programs are primarily designed for long term Japanese students and not for intensive JSL studies.
The Yamasa Institute has made extensive investments in infrastructure knowing that these are vital to our learning community. Internet access is free and is available on campus (in both our computer labs and in many classrooms) as well as in some of our student housing.
Students can send and receive faxes easily, can obtain cellphones regardless of their visa status or length of stay, can make homepages and receive 2MB of server space on yamasa.org (ftp upload by Intl. Office staff). For a small fee, students can also receive their own FTP access to 1 MB of space. If you want photocopies, you don't need to go to convenience stores or wait for the library to open the following morning - our facilities are open late and will soon be open 24 hours.
The Student Services and International Office will be able to provide your with all the assistance you need regarding your life in Okazaki. Technical needs are catered for via the Multimedia Studio and the Frontia Office.
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Internet Connectivity at Yamasa
The Student Village, the Yamasa II Building, and Aoi Hall are connected to the internet via ethernet technology. The multimedia studio has its own connection.
1) Accommodation:
accommodation, every room has a 10baseT outlet (the shared rooms always have 2) that can be used to connect portable or desktop computers, the lounge also has outlets. There is also a computer provided one of the lounges. The Yamasa Villa, Residence K and U studio apartments do not have internet access provided.
2) On Campus:
In the Yamasa II building's computer laboratory on the 4th floor there are several 10baseT connections available for portable computers in addition to the desktop computers provided by Yamasa. In Aoi Hall there is one 10baseT connection available for portable computers in each classroom. In the Aoi Hall computer laboratory there are several 10baseT connections available for portable computers in addition to the desktop computers provided by Yamasa. All desktop computers for student use are currently PC's. If you prefer to use a Mac, please bring your own computer.
If you are used to connecting to the internet via a modem you may want to consider using ethernet during your stay at Yamasa, for the following reasons:
1) The ethernet connection is already provided at no cost, therefore you
are not required to sign up with a Japanese service provider for dial-in
service.
2) The ethernet connection is at least as fast as the fastest modem on the
market today (56k v90), and usually a lot faster.
3) There are no telephone jacks that would allow you to use a modem on the
campus or in the accommodation, with the exception of one public telephone
located in the entrance lobby of the Yamasa II building and one public
phone located outside Yamasa Villa 3 and 4.
4) When using ethernet connection you do not require a new user ID and
password - you simply continue to use your e-mail account at home.
To connect a computer to the internet via ethernet requires an ethernet adapter (ethernet card) and cable. Some students using computers with the Windows 95 or Windows 98 operating system have experienced difficulties getting ethernet cards to work that were bought in Japan. The reasons were apparent incompatibilities between English or German Windows and the Japanese ethernet driver software that came with the cards. If you use a Windows OS computer which does not already have an ethernet card and the required driver software installed, we recommend that you purchase and install such a card in your home country.
Most importantly, whether your computer comes with a card pre-installed or whether you install it yourself before coming to Japan, we recommend that you test the functionality of the card by connecting your computer to an ethernet network. If you are using a cable modem at home then you already know that your ethernet card works because cable modems work like ethernet on the user side. Otherwise, a suitable place to perform such a test would be a computer store, computer service center, internet service provider's office, or university.
Note: when using Yamasa's ethernet connection, some of the settings in your internet software and ethernet driver (e.g., the "smtp server", "gateway", and "name server" addresses) will need to be changed. Yamasa can supply you with an internet setup information sheet on request. Your original settings can be easily restored before you leave Japan.
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Telephones, Fax facilities
Making Calls (International):
Dial 001, 0061 or 0041 to make an international call, and then dial the country code...
Public Telephones - There are public telephones at Yamasa II and Yamasa Villa. The telephone card
vending machine in Yamasa II sells the special 0061 card to enable international calls.
Village Phones - All telephones in the village can make and receive international calls - dial 0061.
Please note that because your room telephone is an internal line - you can't use callback services.
Cellphones/PHS - Cellphones and PHS (Personal Handy Phone) handsets can be used for international calls but usually require registration.
The PHS call rates are usually significantly cheaper than the public telephone rates and you can also receive calls.
Making Calls (Domestic):
Dial the city code, and then local number.
Public Telephones - There are public telephones at Yamasa II, Yamasa Villa, and close to all other
accommodation options. Telephone cards are easily obtained from vending machines and convenience stores.
Village Phones - Each room and the lounges have telephones connecting to the village internal network. Outside calls can be made from any telephone.
You will be provided with a rechargeable smart card if you live at the Student Village.
Cellphones - Cellular phones are cheap and through iMode, also offer limited internet access.
PHS rates are cheap, but the coverage of the PHS operational area isn't as great as for
cellular phones.
Receiving Calls:
Public Telephones - You cannot receive calls via public telephones.
Village Phones - Callers to the village will hear a recorded message asking them to dial your internal room number. They don't have to wait until the end of the message.
Cellular Phones - It can be difficult to receive calls if you are underground or where the signal is weak.
Most urban subways have relays so the phones will work underground on trains and station platforms.
As a general rule, PHS connections are weak if you are in a moving vehicle.
Sending Faxes:
Faxes can be sent from the Student Services office. Please ask the staff for rates.
Receiving Faxes:
Students can receive faxes via the Student Services office.
The fax number is 81-564-55-8113 from outside Japan, 0564-55-8113 for domestic faxes.
If you are expecting a fax, please ask the sender to mark your name and course on a cover sheet.
Internet Phones:
Students with laptop computers may wish to consider using PC to Telephone, or PC to PC telephony as the rates are extremely cheap (and in the case of PC to PC it is a free call) if you are using the Yamasa LAN. For more information please contact the International Office.
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Photocopies
Photocopying facilities at Yamasa are located in Aoi Hall. Photocopies are 10 yen per page - for large volume copies it may be worth checking with local commercial services.
Please note that copyright laws in Japan are the same as per all OECD countries. If you do require a large number of copies, it is your responsibility to ensure that you are in observance of Japanese laws concerning protection of intellectual property.
The student accommodation does not have photocopying machines, however each of the local convenience stores located closeby have 24 hour facilities.
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Student Services Office
This office will be your key support center after your arrival at Yamasa. Located on the ground floor of the Yamasa II building next to the library, the office opens early and closes late.
The staff members are bilingual and they handle most of the day-to-day administration. All telephone inquiries to Yamasa are initially answered in this office. This is where fees for tuition and housing may be paid, all documentation such as letters of acceptance, receipts etc are issued, and your main source of advice regarding living in Okazaki.
The staff are available for all of your inquiries regarding housing, finance, visas, part-time work permits, health insurance, computing support, translations, airport bus times, and alumni services.
As this information and assistance will have a large role in your studies at Yamasa, please read the detailed section called "Student Services" accessed fro the center homepage after you finish reading through the campus guide.
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Multimedia Studio
Located across the road from the Yamasa II building, the studio is located in a renovated Japanese house. This house is the oldest of the 4 buildings on the campus, however it is actually the leading edge of some of the Institute key supporting infrastructure.
Better known amongst students as 'The Shack' - the house also has some office space and usually contains some units of the International Office of the Hattori Foundation, so its often a place where students drop by. This is where a significant part of the yamasa.org website, publications, online learning resources and student email systems are constructed or maintained. The technical support for the Online Center for Japanese Studies - particularly regarding streaming video and video editing is based here.
The traditional tatami matting has been removed and the floor elevated to accommodate the large quantities of fiber-optic cable and pipes that the studio requires. Inside the studio itself there is a large number of PC's and Macintosh computers, scanners, color copiers and associated infrastructure.
The studio is of course well wired and laptops are easily connected via LAN cards. Yamasa is an full Internet Service Provider (ISP) and all networks operate at high speed. All of the support staff are full time. Yamasa is the only Japanese language school with these services.
Incorporated into the studio and run by the International Office is the Business Center. Business people coming to Yamasa for course often stay in touch with their companies by making use of the center, although the services are of course open to all. Students who need access to everything a business center in a 5 star hotel can provide will find it here including printing, secretarial, computing services, cellular telephone rental, technical support etc - all at prices way below the prevailing market rates.
Quite a few students do short internships or work part-time in the building. A large part of this homepage was written by students using the center and a significant part of the translation and web development of online learning systems is done by students in the advanced classes.
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International Office
The International Office is another key contact point for Yamasa students. It includes admissions - all emails and other inquiries regarding Yamasa programs, accommodation, development, policy and so forth are responded to by the multinational staff.
The office works closely with Student Services - providing close support for students welfare, academic progress, contact with universities and companies, and scholarship providers. Together with the multimedia studio, staff from this office supervise the production of www.yamasa.org content. A large amount of the content is actually produced by Yamasa students - including many of the files you are reading on this homepage.
The office also works closely with Frontia - the small IT company that looks after the physical infrastructure supporting your studies, such as the LAN, computing facilities and the buildings.
The office is currently based in Aoi Hall, although some staff members are based elsewhere on campus or are permanently based outside Japan. All of the Japanese staff members have lived outside Japan for several years, and all of the remaining staff members are Japanese speaking Okazaki residents - all of whom have also studied at Yamasa and can relate easily to your needs.
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Frontia Office
The Frontia Office is located on the ground floor of the Yamasa II building (entry is from outside). Students don't usually visit the office much, as this small company is mostly geared to providing physical and technical infrastructure and support.
The staff members work very closely with the International Office. If you need to rent or purchase a cellular phone or PHS, obtain FTP access to personal server space, obtain LAN cards or technical assistance with LAN card setup - then you should visit.
For many students, their only experience of Frontia will be indirect - for example using the internet on campus or in the Student Village. However some of the part-time instructors in the Japanese language computing classes run by Yamasa Extension are frontia staff members.
Frontia staff also construct and maintain many of the databases supporting your enrolment - from initial application forms right through to the bulletin boards provided to alumni. Students enrolled in the Online Center for Japanese Studies or utilizing Yamasa's Computer Aided Language Learning (C.A.L.L.) facilities to support their studies in Okazaki are also using Frontia backed infrastructure.
| Contents: (1) Yamasa II, (2) Aoi Hall, (3) Services, (4) Sakura House, (5) Surrounds, (6) Top of Page, (7) Center Homepage |
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Sakura House
(This is the Sakura House Main Index file.)
Located next to Aoi Hall at the western end of the campus, Sakura House (Sakura means Cherry blossom) is a traditional wooden-beam Japanese house that has been renovated to include a coffee shop and a common room for Yamasa students.
The coffee shop is called 
(in English it translates as "Woodpecker")
and is open from 8am to 8pm Mondays thru Saturdays.
This shop is Japanese language only - it also serves as a coffee shop for many local residents -
so its a good chance to put your Japanese into real-world practice.
At the rear of the house there is a Japanese style tatami mat room. This common room serves as a meeting place where students can organize parties, study Japanese or just hang out with friends. It is often used as a venue for cultural exchange activities, as well as being the meeting place for the Okazaki International Interchange Center - which organizes a number of activities as well as the homestay program.
Directly beside Sakura House there is a covered shelter for bicycles. Car parking is available for students who choose/need to drive to the Institute for their classes, however the bicycle is the preferred means of transport for most. As many students study until late the bicycle stand is well lighted at night for safety.
Between Sakura House and Aoi hall there is a sheltered courtyard, with a covered walkway joining the two facilities. The tatami rooms of Sakura House open onto the courtyard, there is also a basketball hoop (championship height - so far no impressive slam dunks despite numerous efforts).
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Kitsutuki Coffeeshop
Yamasa's coffee shop - in English it translates as "Woodpecker" - opened for business in April 2000 after
extensive renovations to Sakura House.
There is a 50 yen discount on all purchases if you have your Yamasa student ID card with you. Prices for drinks (coffee, tea, juices etc) range from 350 yen to 500 yen. 350 yen isn't very cheap so most students use the vending machine outside (100-120 yen) instead if they are between classes.
The coffee shop occupies the front part of the house and is open from 8am to 8pm daily from Monday to Saturday.
The main advantages of having the coffee shop on-campus are that if you want to have a coffee while you study you don't have to go far away, and its useful on rainy days - especially since the path leading from the main entrance to Aoi Hall to the coffee shop is a covered walkway.
There is a large set lunch - the menu changes every day - which costs 600 yen - so its 550 yen with the discount. Please note though that there are other places to eat that are much cheaper.
You can buy a beer, but the prices are a little high. Most meals are set at 550 yen each - so with your discount you can eat for around 500 yen each time.
What is really good about this coffeeshop is the cheap healthy breakfast. Breakfast is served from 8am and with classes starting at 9 this is very convenient if you have a exam or test scheduled for your first class in the morning and don't want to spend anytime preparing breakfast.
Price for the breakfast, (
>) is 350 yen. 300 yen with your ID card.
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Common Rooms
There are four common room areas that students can use on campus. These include the TV Lounge and Main Hall in Aoi Hall, and the Coffee Room in the Yamasa II building.
The fourth room is the tatami mat room in Sakura House. The room is accessed from the courtyard side of the building at the end of the covered walkway joining Aoi Hall with Sakura House.
The room can be used at any time. It is usually left open but if you find it locked at a time you wish to use the room then please contact Student Services or the International Office.
This particular room has always been used by the Okazaki International Interchange Center for volunteer teaching, meetings between students and local Japanese etc. Students can use it for parties, hobbies (the room has in the past hosted everything from student backgammon and shogi clubs) or as a quiet place to study or rest.
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Bicycles/Parking
Bicycles/Scooters:
Bicycles are the most common form of transport amongst the students. All of the accommodation is within 5-7 minutes on a bicycle at most. The station, supermarkets and shops are all about the same distance or less. Some of the longer term students obtain motorized scooters, but bicycles are by far the more common.
The area surrounding the Institute and most of the southern part of the city is fairly flat so its easy to get around. The Institute has a bicycle/scooter shelter next to Sakura House (adjoining the courtyard/basketball area) and there is also an area behind the Yamasa II building where bicycles can be parked.
Bicycles are fairly cheap to purchase or rent. There are a number of shops closeby that offer our students pretty good service.
If you wish to ride a scooter you'll need a license (even for a 50cc bike). This involves going to the Motor Registry at Hirabari (there are a lot of forms to fill in, long queues to join, all in all its more like a zoo than an efficient process), take and pass a knowledge test (in Japanese), pay the license fees and then do a practise course for about 2 hours. This is why its usually only the longer term students who obtain scooters.
HINT!
Even if you don't think you will drive in Japan, it is still worth obtaining an International Drivers Permit in your own country. If you have a motorcycle license, ensure that the details are included on the permit. It means that for up to one year you can ride or drive anything in Japan. Its very useful if you want to rent a car - renting a car may sound expensive, but if the cost of the rental is shared between 3 or 4 students then its a pretty cheap and flexible way to see the mountains and other hidden parts of Japan. If you come from Australia, the UK or any other country where you drive on the left hand side of the road, then you can also easily obtain a Japanese drivers license - as you won't need to do the test.
Car Parking:
Second hand cars are pretty cheap as cars in Japan don't have much of a re-sale value due to the "shaken" 
system.
Some students obtain second hand cars for work or travel purposes - and parking is provided free at all of Yamasa's accommodation.
You can drive to the Institute and park (also free), but ask Student Services for a parking permit first as even with the
large carparks, space can be very limited.
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Courtyard
The courtyard is located between Sakura House and the main entrance to Aoi Hall.
Its a good place to catch a bit of sun. There are seats provided and ashtrays for smokers (Aoi Hall is a non-smoking area).
There is a basketball hoop (championship height - so far no successful and legitimate slam dunks, plenty of attempts though...) which is quite popular and a good chance to get some exercise. Its usually easy to get a 3 on 3 game started. It can get congested though if its 5 a side.
There are toilets and washbasins directly beside the courtyard and the walkway is covered to provide shelter from the rain and easy access between Aoi Hall and Sakura House.
| Contents: (1) Yamasa II, (2) Aoi Hall, (3) Services, (4) Sakura House, (5) Surrounds, (6) Top of Page, (7) Center Homepage |
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Surrounds
(This is the Campus Surrounds Main Index file.)
The campus is located in a quiet residential area only 6 minutes walk from the main JR Okazaki station.> There is a hospital next door on the north side and on the south side there is a large supermarket that is usually open until 8pm (extended during the summer).
The supermarket has a small cafeteria as well as a range of foods that can be consume immediately such as lunch boxes, ready-to-eat meals/sandwiches etc. Closeby there are a number of small restaurants and cafes, as well as the on-campus coffee shop.
Also close by is a gallery of contemporary arts, and a small park, where some students often eat their lunches when the weather is fine.
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Minami Hospital
Located next to the campus, the entrance to this general hospital is just 150 meters from the entrance to the Yamasa II building at the eastern end of the campus and offers comprehensive medical services.
Due to the long relationship with the Yamasa Institute, the Hospital is more familiar with the needs of foreign students (for example in being able to issue receipts and reports in English so that overseas health insurers will be able to reimburse you later etc) than most Japanese medical facilities.
Because it is located next door, staff from Yamasa will be able to accompany you and provide translation and interpreting assistance.
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JR Okazaki Station
J.R. Okazaki Station is on the main Tokaido Line (the main trunk line between Tokyo and Osaka) and is also the rail junction for the Aichi-Kanjo Line. All express trains stop here. The station is only a 5 to 7 minute walk from the Institute, and there's also plenty of room in the bicycle stands.
Our campus is located close to JR Okazaki station. It is only 6 minutes walk away. Although the station is busy, our campus is in a quiet residential area known as Hane-cho. The surrounding area is mainly single standing houses (bungalows) with some apartments. By Japanese standards it is a very low density housing environment.
Walking to the station will take you through narrow streets and lanes, (its much quicker to bicycle to the station than drive). There are many small shops, bars and much of the old style architecture has been preserved - not by planning but more or less by accident - so you can a feel for how Japanese towns and cities were before they became concrete and plastic.
Opposite the station there are bento shops, convenience stores, cafes etc. If you are catching a bus or train you can buy some Tako-yaki and much on Octopus until its time to go.
One of the advantages of being so close to the station is that you can quickly get to almost anywhere in central Japan (anywhere from Okazaki to Tokyo, Nagano, Kyoto or west to Osaka and the Kansai region) very quickly. There is extensive travel information available on this homepage in the location section accessed from the center homepage. Please browse through it after you have finished reading this campus guide.
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Art Gallery
About 3 minutes walk from the campus towards the station, Nob Gallery primarily shows the work of eleven contemporary artists in bi-monthly solo exhibitions.
Founded in 1989 by Nobuhiro Kamoshita, the Gallery has exhibited the work of emerging, mid-career, and established contemporary artists from throughout Japan and abroad.
These artists produce works that are sincere, innovative and well-conceived, regardless of the artist's chosen medium. The artwork is shown not only in the gallery but also in public, corporate, private and museum collections.
Nob Gallery provides a space through which the artists can reach the public and make a difference using the ideas and energy generated by their art. The gallery's desire is to show art that expresses all of the artist's work.
The gallery annually plans a special group show, 'Scale & Space Exhibition', which is given a specific theme by the gallery and strives to show that the quality of artwork is not influenced by the artists's chosen medium.
Students from Yamasa regularly visit the gallery, and are always welcomed. Click here to see a homepage by Regine Mowill, a student from Norway in Yamasa's AIJP who also taught fashion drawing at Nob Gallery.
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Local Parks
One of the advantages of living and studying in Okazaki is the large number of parks and amount of greenery. Compared to large cities such as Tokyo or Osaka, life in Okazaki is more relaxed. There are a large number of opportunities for outdoor recreation and private space.
Akatsuki Park is just 2 minutes walk from the Yamasa II building. Its a small suburban park with enough space for a football game etc. It's also an ideal spot for eating a bentou (packed lunch) during the break for lunch with shady trees and park benches.
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Yamanaka Supermarket
Adjoining the south side of the campus is a large supermarket called Yamanaka. The supermarket entrance is only about 200 meters from the doors of the Yamasa II building.
There is an ATM machine of the Tokai Bank, a cafeteria which serves lunches from between 350 - 480 yen (cheaper than the on-campus coffee shop), and of course a full range of food and other groceries, stationery etc.
It is usually open until 7pm or 8pm (depending on the time of year), so the supermarket basically serves as one big convenience store for Yamasa's students.
| Contents: (1) Yamasa II, (2) Aoi Hall, (3) Services, (4) Sakura House, (5) Surrounds, (6) Top of Page, (7) Center Homepage |
Created and maintained by Declan Murphy and the students and staff
of the Yamasa Institute Multimedia Studio
©1997-2000 Yamasa