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Study Abroad in Japan

The Japan Kobe Shōin Program

The Japanese Language and Culture at Kobe Shoin Program is a four-week language and culture program offered at the Shoin Daigaku Kaikan (Japan Study Center) in Kobe, Japan during May. This program is offered as a collaborative effort between the Ohio State Department of East Asian Languages and Literatures and Kobe Shoin Women's University in Kobe, Japan. Kobe lies nestled between the coast and the Rokko Mountains. Kobe is relatively close to both Osaka and Kyoto and is a large and important port city in its own right. Classes will be held at the Shoin Daigaku Kaikan and Kobe Shoin Women's University, which are located about one-half hour west of Osaka. Shoin Daigaku Kaikan is about fifteen minutes from the main campus of Kobe Shoin Women's University by public transportation.

This is an international exchange program based on an agreement between The Ohio State University and Hokkaido University. The number of exchange students selected each year will vary based on a mutual agreement between the two universities. Depending on eligibility, students may consider either the Exchange Programs in English (HUSTEP) track or the Exchange Programs in Japanese (JLCSP)track. 

Hokkaido University is located in Sapporo, the capital city of Hokkaido, site of the 1972 Winter Olympics. It has a population of 1.77 million and is Japan's fifth largest city. Its Western architecture and modern conveniences reflect its modern character. Sapporo is a tourist destination, known as an alternative to Switzerland for its winter skiing facilities. 

International Christian University (ICU) (Exchange)

The Ohio State University - International Christian University (ICU) exchange program allows for the reciprocal exchange of undergraduate students from each institution for one academic year, September to June. This exchange program gives the participants from Ohio State the opportunity to experience Japanese culture and to study the Japanese language in a supportive environment. Mitaka, where International Christian University is located, lies northwest of Tokyo. The city is approximately 30 minutes by fast train from the heart of downtown Tokyo.

Nanzan University (Exchange)

This is an international exchange program based on an agreement between the Ohio State University and Nanzan University in Japan. One exchange student is selected each year to participate in this program. Students may register for any course offered by the Center for Japanese Studies. Students take Japanese language classes according to their level. They can also attend courses in Japanese and Asian culture, politics, economy, society, religions, literature and history, which are conducted in English. Nanzan University is located in the rolling hills overlooking metropolitan Nagoya. As one of Japan's largest cities, Nagoya is the center of industry, information, culture and transportation in central Japan. The Greater Nagoya area is the home to over 7 million people.

Rikkyō University (Exchange)

Rikkyo University started its history in 1874 as a small boarding school teaching English language and Bible studies. 140 years later, Rikkyo University has retained its tradition of education based upon humanistic values and Christian concern for others. The University has graduated over 170,000 students and currently operates two campuses in Ikebukuro and Niiza, both conveniently located within the vicinity of the metropolitan Tokyo area, with more than 20,000 students. The University offers academic programs in undergraduate and graduate levels with a wide variety of subjects, such as biomedical science, cinematic arts and social design, throughout its 10 colleges and 14 graduate schools.

Tenri University (Exchange)

The Ohio State University - Tenri University exchange program allows for the reciprocal exchange of undergraduate students from each institution for one academic year, September to July. This exchange program gives the participants from Ohio State the opportunity to experience Japanese culture and study the Japanese language in a supportive environment. Tenri, in Nara prefecture, is one hour by train from Osaka and Kyoto and two hours by train from Kobe.

Tōhoku University (Exchange) (Undergraduate)

This is a reciprocal exchange program based on an agreement between the Ohio State University and Tōhoku University (Faculty of Arts and Letters) in Japan. One or two exchange students are selected each year to participate in this program. Students may attend courses in Japanese and also in Asian culture, politics, economy, society, religions, literature, and history, which are conducted in English.

Sendai, where Tōhoku University is located, is the capital of Miyagi Prefecture and the largest city in the Tōhoku region. The city is nestled between the Pacific Ocean to the east and the Ou Mountains to the west. The city's current population hovers around 1 million.

Tōhoku University (Exchange) (Graduate students)

This is a reciprocal exchange program based on an agreement between the Ohio State University and Tōhoku University (Faculty of Arts and Letters) in Japan. One exchange student is selected each year to participate in this program. The student attends courses taught in Japanese offered in the Faculty of Arts and Letters and some courses taught in English.

Sendai, where Tōhoku University is located, is the capital of the Miyagi Prefecture and the largest city in the Tōhoku region. The city is nestled between the Pacific Ocean to the east and the Ou Mountains to the west. The city's current population hovers around 1 million.

University of Tsukuba (Exchange)

This international exchange program is based on an agreement between The Ohio State University and the University of Tsukuba in Japan. One or two exchange students are selected each year to participate in this program. Students may register for any course offered.

Tsukuba Science City is located approximately 38 miles northeast of Tokyo and about 25 miles northwest of the New Tokyo International Airport at Narita. It is a city primarily centered around government research and educational institutions. Natural beauty abounds here, such as the towering figure of Mount Tsukuba, which is part of the Suigo-Tsukuba Quasi-National Park and the second largest lake in Japan, Lake Kasumigaura. The city has some 93 parks which provide swimming and tennis facilities. The population of Tsukuba is approximately 180,000.

Waseda University (Exchange)

This international exchange program is based on an agreement between The Ohio State University and Waseda University in Japan. The number of exchange students selected each year to participate in this program varies based on a mutual agreement between the two universities. Students may register for any course offered in the School of International Liberal Studies. Students are placed in small language classes according to their level, while courses in Japanese and Asian culture, society, politics and economics are conducted in English.

Waseda University is a private, coeducational and nonsectarian institution of higher learning, which was founded in 1882 by Shigenobu Okuma, one of the greatest statesmen of the Meiji Era. The university mission is to uphold the independence of learning, promote the practical utilization of knowledge and create good citizenship. Waseda University is located in Tokyo.