Schools/Tokyo/
Kudan Institute of Japanese Language
Tokyo
·Kanda-Misakicho
Kudan Institute of Japanese Language
九段日本文化研究所日本語学院
Students from 50+ countries
4 min to Suidobashi
Courses from 2 weeks
About the school
Kudan Institute is a small school of Japanese language and culture in central Tokyo, 4 minutes from Suidobashi Station. Students come from 50+ countries, many of them from Europe and the US, and besides Japanese you can try tea ceremony, manga, sushi and kintsugi.
Founded1988
Students from50+ countries
Course length1–2 years
IntakesApr · Jul · Oct · Jan
What makes it different
An international mix and Japanese culture
Kudan is one of the few schools in Tokyo with many students from Europe and North America: over the past 10 years it has taught students from 87 countries. Japanese classes come with a culture program — tea ceremony, calligraphy, making sushi and wagashi sweets, trips to Nikko and Nagatoro — and separate courses in manga, sushi and kintsugi.
International
Students from 50+ countries
An unusual mix for Tokyo: students on a student visa include French, American, British, German and Spanish students, as well as students from Asia. The common language in class is Japanese.
Culture
Tea ceremony, manga, sushi
Culture classes, trips twice a year and meetings with Japanese students and volunteers. There are also separate courses in manga, sushi, kintsugi and tea ceremony.
Location
Central Tokyo, 4 minutes from Suidobashi
Kanda-Misakicho in Chiyoda ward: about 15 minutes to Akihabara and about 20 to Shinjuku, with the Jimbocho book district nearby.
Choice
Conversation or intensive course
On a student visa you choose the conversation course in the morning (9:10–12:40) or the general intensive course in the afternoon (13:30–17:00) with kanji classes twice a week. If you are already in Japan, courses start from 2 weeks.
Kudan Institute of Japanese Language & Culture (九段日本文化研究所日本語学院) has taught Japanese since 1988. The campus is in Kanda-Misakicho (Chiyoda ward), right in the center of Tokyo, 4 minutes on foot from the east exit of JR Suidobashi Station and close to the Jimbocho book district and Akihabara.
It is a small school with an unusual mix for Tokyo: a large share of students come from Europe and North America, and more than 50 countries are represented today. On a student visa you choose one of two courses: conversation (mornings, 9:10–12:40) or general intensive (afternoons, 13:30–17:00, with kanji classes twice a week).
Beyond the language, Kudan puts Japanese culture first: homestay with Japanese families, tea ceremony, calligraphy, making sushi and sweets, and seasonal courses. The school helps you choose a university or vocational college and prepare documents and interviews, and for those who want to work in Japan there are online courses in business Japanese and job-hunting.
Programs
General Intensive Japanese
Reading, writing, speaking and listening in equal measure, from beginner to advanced; kanji twice a week; JLPT and university entrance preparation.
12 months on a student visa, all fees¥915,000
Conversational Japanese
Practical spoken Japanese with a focus on listening and speaking — from everyday conversation to study, job hunting and talking at work. 5 levels from A1 to B2.
12 months on a student visa, all fees¥1,059,000
Short-term courses
Registration ¥20,000 + ¥18,000 a week + ¥10,000 a term. For example, 4 weeks — ¥102,000, 10 weeks of the intensive course — ¥210,000, 12 weeks of the conversation course — ¥246,000.
Practical course for beginners
Japanese from zero — hiragana, katakana, basic vocabulary and phrases for life in Japan.
Whole course¥102,000
Japanese and culture
Winter course 2027: Japanese in the mornings and excursions; ¥235,000 with homestay or ¥158,800 without accommodation, apply by 1 December 2026. Manga: 1 month — ¥162,000, 2 months — ¥284,000, 3 months — ¥416,000. Sushi (1 month): ¥200,000. Kintsugi (1 month): ¥152,000. Tea ceremony (8 lessons): ¥44,000.
Online and private lessons
JLPT preparation (N1–N3), online business Japanese (from N3), a job-hunting preparation course and private lessons.
First-year costs
Application fee¥30,000
Enrollment fee¥60,000
Tuition, first year¥720,000
Other fees, first year¥105,000
Total, first year¥915,000
Whole course, 2 years — ¥1,735,000
Payment terms and extra costs
Intakes
April Main intake
April 2027: student-visa courses of 1 to 2 years. Applications are accepted from August to October 2026.
July Summer intake
July 2027: apply in January–February 2027.
October Autumn intake
October 2027: apply in March–April 2027.
January Winter intake
January 2028: apply in July–August 2027. Short-term courses start every Monday all year round.
The school applies for your Certificate of Eligibility; with the visa this takes about 4–6 months. Places are limited — apply early.
Student visa. For a long-term course you study on the Student status of residence: the school applies for your Certificate of Eligibility, then you get the visa at a Japanese embassy or consulate. Student visa for Japan · Which documents do I need?
Working while you study. With permission, up to 28 hours a week: Part-time work for students
Housing
Homestay
Living with a Japanese family
¥3,300 / night+ ¥10,000 placement fee
Breakfast and dinner on weekdays, three meals at weekends. For example, 4 weeks — ¥92,400, 12 weeks — ¥277,200, plus the placement fee. The commute to school is 40–60 minutes.
Guest house
Guest house
¥70,000–¥90,000 / month+ bedding ¥10,000 and placement ¥5,000, one-off
Furnished rooms with shared areas, up to 40 minutes from school.
Share houses, apartments and airport pickup
The school helps you find a share house or an apartment. Airport pickup costs ¥20,000–¥40,000 depending on the airport and the day you arrive.
Photos and videos
Location
Teito-Misaki Bldg 1F, 2-7-10 Kanda-Misakicho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-0061 — 4 minutes on foot from the east exit of JR Suidobashi Station (5 minutes from Suidobashi Station on the Toei Mita Line)
Questions about Kudan Institute of Japanese Language
Can I start with no Japanese at all?
Not on a student visa: the school does not currently accept applicants below JLPT N5. You can show your level through an online test and an interview with a school representative when you apply. To start from zero, take the 4-week practical course for beginners.
What do I need to apply for a student visa course?
You must be 18 or older, have finished secondary school and have N5-level Japanese. You also need a sponsor with at least ¥1,600,000 in the bank and proof of employment and income. Japan’s register of schools lists 12 years of education as a requirement, so if you have 11 years of school, check your case with us first.
How much does the first year cost?
The General Intensive course on a student visa is ¥915,000 for the first 12 months: application fee ¥30,000, enrollment fee ¥60,000, tuition ¥720,000 and other costs ¥105,000. The conversation course is ¥1,059,000 for 12 months. The whole 2-year intensive course is ¥1,735,000.
How is Kudan different from other Tokyo schools?
Its students and its approach: many come from Europe and North America (more than 50 countries are represented today), which is rare in Tokyo, where most students usually come from Asia. There is also a strong focus on culture: homestay, tea ceremony, manga, sushi and kintsugi, trips and meetings with Japanese students.
Where can I live?
Kudan’s speciality is homestay with a Japanese family (¥3,300 a night with meals, plus a ¥10,000 placement fee). There are also guest houses (¥70,000–¥90,000 a month), share houses and apartments, and airport pickup on request.
Can I work, and does the school help with university and jobs?
On a student visa, with permission from immigration, you can work up to 28 hours a week (8 hours a day in school holidays); on a tourist visa you cannot work. The school takes students to university open days, advises on admissions and helps with documents and interviews; for job hunting there are online courses in business Japanese and career preparation.
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