Location of Yamasa in Japan
Our students enjoy living in the historic castle town of Okazaki, in the center of central Japan. This historic city is ideally placed to enable you to easily visit the most famous places in Japan. Located exactly halfway between Tokyo and Osaka, halfway between Shizuoka and Kyoto, the city has played a key role in the history of Japan and remains a key center for high tech commerce and knowledge based industries.
It is a safer and quieter city - an easier place in which to live and study. While Tokyo has a
daytime population of 30 million people, Okazaki has only 330,000 and has a small town feel. However
the city is part of Aichi Prefecture, the population of which is now just over 7 million in an
area the size of greater London, Sydney or Los Angeles. The town is prosperous with high tech industries,
research institutes and and yet it has retained its festivals and traditional crafts. Despite being
part of Aichi Prefecture and just 30 minutes from central Nagoya, the city has always has
a strong independent identity. An outline of why the city has remained so unique is located lower in this file in the
(5) Okazaki City Introduction, Dialect and environment
section. For students though it is worth noting that many Japanese cities such as Tokyo and Osaka were
almost completely destroyed during WWII, but here Yamasa students can visit dozens of temples
and shrines dating back hundreds of years, participate in the festivals and explore the
historic castle and town by bicycle or on foot.
In short 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.
It is also a low-cost city. It is very important for students that rents are less than half that
of Tokyo and this is reflected in everything from the cost of accommodation to groceries,
entertainment and of course our tuition fees. One look at our programs will quickly dispel any
notion that studying in Japan has to be expensive. There is absolutely no need to spend Tokyo or
Osaka prices in order to study Japanese in Japan.
Also most students do not realise before they arrive that Japan has tremendous regional diversity. As well as the advantage of avoiding high costs, Okazaki's location makes it easier and cheaper to travel throughout Japan. While we recommend that every visitor to Japan should visit Tokyo and Osaka at least once, many students will quickly understand that visiting is more fun than enduring long daily commutes and high prices at a time when study is your main priority. If living in Tokyo is one of your objectives, then it is easier to learn the language first in Okazaki before moving to Tokyo for work or university study later. If seeing Tokyo is one of your objectives, then it is easier to visit it. As Yamasa's programs finish at midday on Fridays, you can be in Tokyo long before sunset for a weekend trip. By contrast, if you study in Tokyo, there is no way you could do the same trip to Osaka, Kobe, Nara, Kyoto or the Japanese Alps in the same time. A central location is an essential base if you want to see and enjoy as much of Japan as possible.
How to get to Okazaki / Transport Connections
None of the 3 major international airports are too far away. Click here to see a map showing the location of the three airports relative to Okazaki. We provide a FREE AIRPORT PICKUP SERVICE if you arrive at NAGOYA AIRPORT. All we need to know is the day of your arrival, the flight number and arrival time. Please ensure that you receive an email confirming that we have received your flight details. We will meet you in the arrivals hall of the International terminal. (If you arrive via a domestic flight - please take the free shuttle bus to the international terminal. Ask any of the uniformed assistants if you are unsure of whether you are in the right place). There is no charge, it is part of our service as educators. (Please accept our apologies for not being able to meet you at the other, more distant airports)
When you arrive in the arrivals hall please turn right and head for the indicator board. It is on the right hand side as you exit Immigration and enter the arrival hall. Usually a member of Yamasa's faculty will be waiting for you with a sign. If you arrive at the airport and no one is waiting for you, don't panic! Yamasa unfortunately does not have any control over the traffic conditions on the expressway between Okazaki and the airport, and although we always leave early - sometimes we will be late. If this occurs, please take a seat in the green chairs between the indicator board and the "Waiting Point" (The seats in the top left corner of the photograph). We will be there as soon as possible.
If you decide to arrive by train, we can also meet you at JR (Japan Railways) Okazaki station. This station is a key stop on the Tokaido line (the main line between Tokyo and Osaka) and all the express trains running between Shizuoka and Gifu Prefectures stop here. It is also where the Aichi Kanjo line connects with the Tokaido line. It doesn't matter what day of the week it is or what time. Simply call us in advance (from either Nagoya or Toyohashi) to confirm your approximate arrival time and then call us again on arrival. The number is 0564-55-8111. As you leave the ticket gate at JR Okazaki station, turn right (east exit) and head to the end of the hall. You will find telephones on the right hand side at the end of the hall. After you call us please go down the steps to the taxi area. You will know that you are in the right place if you can see the Circle K convenience store and the Tako-yaki (a sort of grilled Octopus) shop. If you wait near the bottom of the steps we will meet you in approximately 10 minutes. Yes there is usually enough time to munch on some Octopus.
Useful Maps and guides:
1. How to get from Tokyo (Narita) Airport to Okazaki by Train. (Instructions)
2. How to get from Osaka (Kansai) Airport to Okazaki by Train.(Instructions)
3. Shinkansen (Bulletrain) route between Tokyo and Osaka (animated gif).
4. Local train connection between Nagoya and Toyohashi. Travel time and fare cost.
5. Walking route between Okazaki Station and Yamasa campus. (Map)
6. Chart showing travel time and fares between Okazaki and other cities. Comparison with Tokyo.
Local Area Information, Living Costs
etc
Yamasa's location in the Hane-cho area of Okazaki also offers excellent advantages. We are just a 5-7 minute walk from the main JR (Japan Railways) Okazaki railway station on the Tokaido Line (the main line between Tokyo and Osaka) - which is also the junction for the Aichi Kanjo line (Seto and Toyota City). Restaurants, banks, historic temples, peaceful parks such as Minami Park, major shopping centers, Minami Hospital and all Student Accommodation are within easy walking distance. Bicycles are the best form of transportation, but you never have far to go to reach a bus-stop. Success in learning Japanese will depend not only on classroom instruction and private study, but on the environment in which you live. In Okazaki your higher standard of living will make it easier to learn, and more enjoyable while you do.
How much money will I need? First you need to calculate the tuition fees and accommodation fees for the planned period of stay. The cheapest accommodation option is to share with another student. Compared to higher density cities such as Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka, Okazaki is insulated from the higher land prices. Apartments in Okazaki are generally larger and rents lower as a result. The land is also relatively flat which further reduces costs. The average cost of living per month as reported by our students ranges from 30000 to 65000 yen not including accommodation. It is cheaper if you cook your own meals and this is why all of our accommodations have kitchen facilities. It should also be noted that some students enjoy the nightlife more than others. The attractions of Japan are numerous and you will want to visit and taste a great deal of Japan while you are here. These experiences will not be free - you are advised to budget for more than the above figure if you wish to travel.
The total cost of living in Okazaki is roughly half that of the Tokyo metropolitan area. Store prices in Okazaki are significantly lower than in Tokyo, restaurants and entertainment more affordable. Each of the local supermarkets have special days where prices are cheaper - particularly for fruit, vegetables and fresh food. A local street market sells low cost produce just 300 meters from the campus.
Transport costs: The city is not congested and public transport (JR Tokaido Line and 2 private lines, plus buses) is quite good. Bicycles are the easiest way to get around. One of your biggest cost advantages is the fact that you will not need to pay for public transport to get to your classes. Figures from the Japanese Language Education Information Center indicate that international students in Tokyo and Osaka pay between JPY123,500 to JPY168,800 in public transport to and from their classes alone if they study for 1 year. By comparison Yamasa has its own (not leased) student housing within easy walking distance of the Yamasa campus.
Part-time work: If you obtain a student visa you will be allowed to work part-time. (see the Visa Requirements section for details of part-time work) If you work part-time then you should be able to recover your living expenses. If you have certain "in-demand" skills such as multimedia knowledge, teaching qualifications, translation skills etc then it may be possible to pay your own way. This would depend on your level of Japanese and how many hours you were prepared to work. Remember that the longer you work, the less time you have available for study.
Climate, Annual Temperature and Rainfall
If you haven't been to Japan before, one of the things you may notice is that the seasonal variations are very pronounced. In the winter, cold dry air masses from Siberia move down to Japan and meet the warmer moister Pacific air. The result is heavy snowfall on the western side of the Japan alps. Snowfall on the eastern coast is much less, and the main determinants of climate become elevation or distance from the sea. For example the city of Kyoto is freezing cold in winter and extremely humid in summer due to the city's location in a natural basin where breezes do not blow freely. If you are planning to travel to mountain locations and cities with particularly severe micro-climates please ensure that you bring with you a range of clothing. For example please note that Tokyo's average winter temperature is colder than Reykjavik in Iceland - you will feel cold if you visit there during the winter. In Okazaki, winter is usually milder with only occasional snow, though it can be cold. If you come from a warm climate please ensure that you either bring good warm clothing or budget for purchases in Japan. Summers in Okazaki are hot and humid though less so than Tokyo, Kyoto or Osaka. If you come from a temperate or cold climate you will feel the heat. Light loose cotton clothing, shorts and suitable footwear are required.
The average temperature in Okazaki rises and falls sharply during the course of the year. Light cotton clothing is essential during the summer. In the winter you are advised to bring warm clothing. The summer peak temperatures are a little lower than Tokyo and Kyoto (where the yearly seasonal change is very pronounced) - mainly due to the sea breezes. The Mikawa region and neighbouring Shizuoka are said to have the most temperate climate in Japan - however all things are relative. If you are from northern Europe or any other cold climate, then the winter will be very mild but the heat of summer may feel oppressive. The reverse applies if you are from a tropical or warm weather climate. All of our classrooms and accommodation are equipped with air-conditioning and heating to make it easier for you to concentrate on your studies.
The chart at left shows the average rainfall/snowfall in each month for the past 15 years. As you can see from the rainfall chart, due to the milder winter there is little snowfall in Okazaki. The wettest months tend to be in early summer (the rainy season known as "tsuyu") and again in September when typhoons are often accompanied by heavy rains. Spring and Autumn have less rain on average and this combined with the weather makes it a good time to visit. For short course students, the 'best' time to visit may be Spring or Autumn.
Okazaki City Introduction, Dialect and environment
A program at Yamasa offers opportunities not only to study the language, but also to personally experience a wide range of cultural activities most students never have the opportunity to see - let alone do. Located in the middle of Aichi Prefecture, Okazaki is a balanced city of 330,000. Both traditional and modern, urban and rural, lively and liveable, these apparently contrasting terms can all be accurately used in describing Okazaki. Even though it is only 40km from central Nagoya to the west, and only 20 minutes from Toyohashi to the east, Okazaki has had no trouble managing to retain its individuality - despite the fact that it is one part of an conurbation of just over 7 million people. This is due in large part to its unique and important position in Japanese history. Okazaki is a city renowned for its history, traditions and at the same time, advanced science and technology.
Okazaki Castle stands where the Sugo (Oto) and Yahagi rivers meet, just 15 minutes from our campus. The castle was of strategic importance in Japanese history, and was the birthplace of Ieyasu Tokugawa, the warlord unifier of Japan who was fictionalized in the novel "Shogun" and perhaps the most important single figure in the making of modern Japan. Tokugawa Ieyasu (1542-1616) founded the shogunate in Edo (now Tokyo) in 1603 that endured for more than 260 years after skillfully surviving a turbulent era of civil warfare.
The castle is a focus for the city, and besides offering a peaceful respite from busy downtown Okazaki, it instills a certain pride in the maintenance of the city's traditional culture - hosting many of the festivals. Okazaki is, by the same token, very much a modern city, with several universities and colleges, high-technology industries as well as scientists from all over the world working at the prestigious Okazaki National Research Institutes.
Useful Reading and Information:
1. Brief (very) history of Okazaki and the Mikawa.
2. Map of Okazaki City.
3. The linguistic relationship between Mikawa and Hyoujun-go Dialects.
4. Calendar of annual events and festivals.
5. Things to see and do in Okazaki.