KCP地球市民日本語学校 - 新宿区 Shinjuku City

An incredibly comprehensive program. I came to this school having never studied Japanese before and it helped me reach a solid level of comprehension and speaking abilities.

SCAM ALERT!!!! IT COSTS $8,000+ IF YOU SIGN UP THROUGH THE AMERICAN OFFICE BUT ONLY A FEW HUNDRED DOLLARS IF YOU SIGN UP BY CALLING THEIR JAPAN LINE! THIS IS ONLY 1/10 OF THE REVIEW BECAUSE OF THE CHARACTER LIMIT! I LEFT THE FULL REVIEW ON THEIR FACEBOOK PAGE BUT BECAUSE IT EXPOSED THEM, THEY DISABLED REVIEWS! I waited almost 3 years to write this review because of the shame and humiliation, but I can't in good conscience let KCP happen to other innocent people. Apparently it is a practice from the schools in Japan where they pick out 1 student to attack and bully to create cohesion between the student body and the teachers. I was that student. KCP is a scam. It is the worst language school ever. I will tell you why in a numbered list and then I will elaborate in more detail below as I share my story: 1. BULLYING - By students AND STAFF! Despite the "strict" anti-bullying policy 2. CURRICULUM - The lesson order is extremely flawed. Moves too quick and in the wrong order. I could teach better than these guys, and EVERYTHING IS IN JAPANESE so if you get stuck, TOO BAD! 3. TEACHING - The teachers refused to teach me! If you got lost or needed help understanding something, since you have to assume everything since everything is in Japanese, their favorite responses are "TOO BAD!" and "FIND IT OUT YOURSELF!" 4. HOUSING SCAM!: They charge $1,500 - $2,000 per month for a "dorm" (a closet) the size of an American bathroom. I was told most of them didn't even come with their own bathroom. The bathroom in my room was so small I could hardly brush my teeth or shampoo my hair because my elbows would hit the walls! After my 4 month contract was over, I found a 3 story 3 bedroom HOUSE for rent in Todoroki, one of the wealthiest and nicest districts, all for only less than $1,700! The price of the scam dorm. 5. ILLNESS: If you got sick, and I mean stuck in bed in 3 days nearly starved and dehydrated to death because if you moved your head would explode kind of sick - you would be bullied, harassed, and ridiculed by the teachers and students and be labelled as a criminally bad person. I was bullied out of class by the teachers and students after getting sick. They did it to the point that there was no point in coming to class because I was so far behind I didn't understand a thing and the teachers refused to tell me ANYTHING. The teachers also told me they would like it if I did not show up to class. Whilst I was in Japan I wanted to be the top of my class, I wanted to make the top grades and impress the teachers and learn fluent Japanese and work my hardest. But after getting sick for 3 days, I was never given the chance. I showed up for the first 2 weeks on time every day. But it didn't matter. KCP says they are for all levels of Japanese, even beginners with no experience, but they move so fast and only speak in Japanese, it is a joke. Every time I asked for help or said I didn't understand something, the response depended on which of the 4 teachers you had that day. Sometimes the teacher would tell me "TOO BAD!" and keep going on to more advanced stuff without explaining what I did not understand. Sometimes the teacher would have said "WELL LEARN IT YOURSELF LATER" and also keep going. Once in a blue moon a teacher would help you. But for the most part, most of the teachers were mean and very quick to call you stupid and a bad student. Then, I caught the Japanese flu. It was horrible. I was bound to bed for 3 days (nearly died) and missed a ton of lessons. Not only would the teachers not TEACH nor even TELL me what I missed, they told me to look up what I missed myself. How? They didn't tell me what I missed! They have a "strict no bullying policy" so I went to the office staff Mr Tanaka and told him that students were threatening me and harassing me, he said "Well it is YOUR FAULT FOR GETTING SICK. YOU DESERVE IT. It is your responsibility to look after your health".

Studied their summer 2009 and summer 2010. It was the most unforgettable and beautiful experiences in my life. I cannot tell you how much the experience there made me appreciate Japan's culture and language. I met some awesome friends and learned from the best teachers there. If I had the chance I would study there for a full year, nonstop, just to master the Japanese language and to continue interacting with people from all over the world. If you have the chance to study here, TAKE IT. You will not be disappointed.

One of the best decisions of my life was choosing to attend KCP. I'm coming towards the end of my 9 month program, and my Japanese level has skyrocketed. It is a tough, fast-paced curriculum, which is clearly stated on their official website, and demands your own strong worth-ethic with at home study and the need to attend class every day. That being said, every single teacher out of the 11 I've had the opportunity to learn from is kind, capable, and more than willing to answer any questions and provide extra help outside of class, despite their busy schedules. I myself have Major Depressive Disorder, and this affects my life in many ways. After explaining this to KCP, they have more than met my hopes of being understanding and supportive to me. I find this incredible also because I know the state of mental healthcare in Japan is lacking. I often miss class due to this illness, but my teachers are mostly concerned about my health and wellbeing, and grades come after. It's really made me feel cared for in this school. If you're willing to work hard for Japanese proficiency, KCP is a great choice.

I went to KCP for three terms (about 8-9 months) a few years ago. As an American with little experience with Japanese, KCP was recommended to me as a good language school. KCP will also graciously sponsor a student visa (but will also hold it over your head to keep you in check!). My previous experience with Japanese was basically full reading/writing knowledge of hiragana and katakana with no kanji experience. I listened to all of the Basic Japanese Pimsleur CDs for a few months before coming as well. Upon arriving at KCP the best way to describe the school would be shocking for any Westerner. This school is designed for Asian students (Mostly Chinese/Korean) preparing to go to college. I like to call their style of teaching the "BRUTE FORCE METHOD". (Basically rapid memory of lots of information in short amounts of time.) Each term is about 2 1/2 months. Each class has about 20-30 students in it. Japanese will be spoken at a normal pace with no English helps (unless you wish to pay for more special classes). Classes will be done rapidly with little to no regard for the student. Tests occur frequently with two large tests (one at the half way point and one at the end) which will determine if you will go up a level or stay at your current level. Reading, Writing (with correct Kanji stroke order), Listening, and Talking will all be scrutinized closely in order to pass each level. Don't think about getting sick or missing a class or your huge homework pile will be increased without mercy. Some of the teachers are just plain sadistic and rude in their treatment of students, while others are actual humans. As an adult going here, it feels like being back in elementary school once more. Pressure and guilt will be experienced here, so I hope that you are not an anxious or suicidal/depressive person or this place would be a death wish! The goods are: Lots of cool Chinese and Koreans to meet (most of them speak English). They will sponsor your Student Visa. Once a term you will get to go on an outing to some place in Japan like a park, or amusement park, etc. Before you decide going here, seriously go visit this place, talk to people, prepare yourself to enjoy pain, and request a sit in on a class.

Absolutely one of the best experiences of my life. I went to KCP many years ago, but it was life changing. Yea the schooling is hard but they will teach you Japanese if you are willing to learn. When I started here I couldn't even read or write hiragana or katakana. There were lots of options for support if you were willing to work hard. This is a great school and I met so many lifetime friends here. It might be scary at first but it will pay off in the long run.

The course is definitely as challenging as everyone is making it out to be. All classes are completely in Japanese and your classmates are mainly from other Asian countries so you're in a place where you've got to use everything you've got at your disposal. This makes it challenging, but you'll quickly find yourself understanding more and more through the immersion offered. There is English support available should you need it and the supplementary classes and clubs available have a lot tailored to what you may be keen on. The school events including school-wide bbq and the American program weekend trip were especially great to spend time with fellow classmates and learn more about the local culture here in Japan. The workload is high, but try not to get too discouraged, what you'll learn is very useful for your Japanese goals.

Returning to my home country after leaving one of the most valuable life experiences will be nothing short of bittersweet. Any review here short of 5 stars is from someone who didn’t make the most out of the program and their life in Tokyo. I will not lie and say that this is an easy program, it is not. However, if you are passionate enough about the Japanese language and truly immersing yourself in a rich culture you will flourish here. The teachers are strict, but many have a sense of humor and expressive personalities that make learning fun. If the teachers weren’t strict, you would not learn nearly as much or get a taste of what learning in a Japanese school environment is like. If you are determined to succeed, your time spent here will be incredible. I have made life long friends and met unforgettable people. If you are searching for an experience like mine, I am here to tell you that this is the school you should choose.