Japanese Language Proficiency Test

The Japanese Language Proficiency Test (Nihongo Noryoku Shiken) measures a person's proficiency in the Japanese language. Test results are widlely used by professionals seeking employment at Japanese companies and students seeking acceptance at Japanese educational institutions to certify their language proficiency.

The JLPT is held once a year in December in various cities inside and outside of Japan. The test has four levels, the lowest being level 4 for beginners and the highest being level 1 for advanced students. Writing, vocabulary, listening, reading and grammar skills are tested.

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Living Cost

Living costs in Japan and especially in Tokyo are famous to be among the world's highest. However, if you live outside of central Tokyo, adjust to a Japanese lifestyle and do not depend too heavily on food and products from your home country, you may be surprised how inexpensive Japan can be.

Housing

Some of the world's most expensive land can be found in central Tokyo. Consequently, even tiny apartments in the city center are very expensive. However, housing costs are distinctly lower in Tokyo's suburbs, surrounding prefectures and in other regions and cities of Japan. Additional commuting costs are often more than compensated by the savings on the rent, especially as many Japanese companies pay part or all of their employees' commuting expenses. If you prefer to live close to city centers, gaijin houses are an inexpensive option to consider.

Utilities such as gas, water and especially electricity are expensive, and phone rates are high. For international calls, consider callback services and other offers for the expat community.

Food

Local supermarkets are relatively inexpensive if you stick to Japanese food such as seasonal vegetables, seafood, soya bean products and rice. If you visit supermarkets shortly before closing time in the evening, you can purchase remaining perishable products at big discounts.

There are plenty of restaurants where you can have a full meal for between 500 and 1000 Yen. Noodles (ramen, soba and udon), domburi (for example, beef domburi), curry rice, bibimba (Korean style domburi), hamburgers and many more types of dishes are available at such inexpensive restaurants. Look for them around and inside large train stations and in business areas.

A meal at a more average restaurant costs roughly between 1,000 and 3,000 Yen, while there is no upper price limit when it comes to high-class restaurants such as ryotei.

During lunch hours, many restaurants offer inexpensive teishoku (set menus) at around 1000 Yen. Lunch boxes (bento), which are sold in convenience stores and department stores, train stations and at temporary stands in business areas are also a good deal.

Yoshinoya, famous for very inexpensive beef domburi (280 Yen)

Teishoku (set menu)

Everyday goods and services

Clothing departments of supermarket chains such as Ito Yokado or discount clothing stores such as Uniqlo offer inexpensive clothing. The availability of large sized clothes may becomes a problem if you are over 180 cm tall or a big person, otherwise. Department stores and boutiques are more expensive.

Japanese hair dressers are famous for their great service and high prices. However, there are also places where you can get a quick haircut for around 1000 Yen.

While naturally not famous for high quality, 100 Yen Shops sell a large range of products including stationary and kitchen goods at 105 Yen each (consumption tax included) and can be very cost-efficient.

Uniqlo, a chain store for discount clothing has branches everywhere

QB House offers 10 minute haircuts for 1000 Yen

Transportation

Commuters can purchase commuter passes for unlimited travel between their home and office/school for a given time period. A large variety of other discount offers is available for train travel in Japan. Check out our Guide to Japanese train tickets for more details.

Owning a car in Japan is expensive due to the mandatory bi-annual inspections (shaken), mandatory insurance, an automobile tax and the fee for a parking space (in large cities). The cars themselves, however, are relatively inexpensive, with smaller new cars starting at under one million yen. A liter of gasoline costs around 100 Yen. The use of highways is subject to tolls.

Electronics

Electronic goods, such as TVs, stereo sets, cameras and computers are relatively inexpensive at stores like Yamada Denki, Yodobashi Camera, Sakuraya and Bic Camera, and in discount shopping areas like Akihabara in Tokyo.

Studying in Japan

More than 100,000 international students are currently studying at universities, junior colleges, professional schools and other educational institutions in Japan. Their number has been increasing rapidly since the 1980s, with two thirds of the students coming from China.

Visa Matters

Short time studies at Japanese language schools are permitted on a tourist visa. All other foreign student in Japan need a student visa in order to study in Japan. Visa applicants require an educational institution as their sponsor in order to obtain a student visa.

Student visa holders are not allowed to engage in any paid activities, unless they get the permission of the school and the immigration office. Even then, students may work only a set maximum number of hours per week. Working on a tourist visa is prohibited.

Language Schools

Japanese language schools exist in many cities across Japan, ranging from informal conversation schools to government recognized institutions that offer preparatory courses for students to enroll at universities.

There are language schools for all proficiency levels, and courses of different durations from just a few weeks to more than one year.

Universities

The Examination for Japanese University Admission for International Students (EJU) is a standard examination in existence since 2002, simplifying the process of admission to Japanese universities for international students.

The examination covers the Japanese language, science, mathematics, Japan and the World and is held biannually in Japan and selected cities outside of Japan. The examination can be written in Japanese or English (except the section on Japanese language; some testing sites don't offer tests in English).

Almost all national universities, about two thirds of the public universities and roughly half of the private universities use the EJU as admission criteria for international students, while the others apply their own entrance exams.

Naturally, most university courses in Japan are only available in Japanese, although quite a few universities offer one or more English courses at a master's and/or doctoral level. Only a handful of universities offer English courses on the undergraduate (bachelor) level.

Scholarships and Exchange Programs

Scholarship programs for international students are provided by the Japanese government, local governments, the Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO) and private organizations, foundations and companies in Japan and abroad.

Likewise, there are various governmental bodies, organizations and educational institutions inside and outside of Japan that offer short term exchange programs for secondary and post secondary students to study in Japan and experience life in Japan.

Kendo

Kendo is Japanese fencing. It means "the way of the sword". Swords used to be a main weapon in Japanese warfare for many centuries. They continued to be the symbol of the samurai into the 19th century.

The participants in modern kendo are well protected and use bamboo swords. As in all the Japanese martial arts, the training of one's mind is essential also in kendo.

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Samurai

Samurai Armour

The samurai (or bushi) were the members of the military class, the Japanese warriors. Samurai employed a range of weapons such as bows and arrows, spears and guns; but their most famous weapon and their symbol was the sword. Samurai were supposed to lead their lives according to the ethic code of bushido ("the way of the warrior"). Strongly Confucian in nature, Bushido stressed concepts such as loyalty to one's master, self discipline and respectful, ethical behavior. After a defeat, some samurai chose to commit ritual suicide (seppuku) by cutting their abdomen rather than being captured or dying a dishonorable death.

Below follows a short history of the Japanese warrior:

Heian Period (794-1185)

The samurai's importance and influence grew during the Heian Period, when powerful landowners hired private warriors for the protection of their properties. Towards the end of the Heian Period, two military clans, the Minamoto and Taira, had grown so powerful that they seized control over the country and fought wars for supremacy against each other.

Kamakura Period (1192-1333)

In 1185, the Minamoto defeated the Taira, and Minamoto Yoritomo established a new military government in Kamakura in 1192. As shogun, the highest military officer, he became the ruler of Japan.

Muromachi Period (1333 - 1573)

During the chaotic Era of Warring States (sengoku jidai, 1467-1573), Japan consisted of dozens of independent states which were constantly fighting each other. Consequently, the demand for samurai was very high. Between the wars, many samurai were working on farms. Many of the famous samurai movies by Kurosawa take place during this era.

Azuchi-Momoyama Period (1573 - 1603)

When Toyotomi Hideyoshi reunited Japan, he started to introduce a rigid social caste system which was later completed by Tokugawa Ieyasu and his successors. Hideyoshi forced all samurai to decide between a life on the farm and a warrior life in castle towns. Furthermore, he forbade anyone but the samurai to arm themselves with a sword.

Edo Period (1603 - 1868)

According to the Edo Period's official hierarchy of social castes, the samurai stood at the top, followed by the farmers, artisans and merchants. Furthermore, there were hierarchies within each caste. All samurai were forced to live in castle towns and received income from their lords in form of rice. Masterless samurai were called ronin and caused minor troubles during the early Edo Period.

With the fall of Osaka Castle in 1615, the Tokugawa's last potential rival was eliminated, and relative peace prevailed in Japan for about 250 years. As a result, the importance of martial skills declined, and most samurai became bureaucrats, teachers or artists.

In 1868, Japan's feudal era came to an end, and the samurai class was abolished.

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Japanese sword (nihonto)

The Japanese sword (nihonto) has been internationally known for its sharpness and beauty since feudal times. The sword used to be the distinguishing mark of the samurai.

Since swords are dangerous weapons, a permit is required to own one in Japan today.

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Origami

Origami is the art of folding paper. Glue or scissors are usually not used.

One of the most popular folding objects is the crane. It is said that 1000 cranes make a wish come true. 1000 cranes are given to sick people in order to wish them a fast recovery. The folded crane is also a symbol for peace. In the peace parks of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, large numbers of folded cranes are laid down besides the monuments that remember the atomic bombs.

Other popular folding objects are flowers, balloons, gold fish, frogs, swans, and many more.

Thousands of cranes in Hiroshima

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NO

No is a very old form of traditional Japanese theater with its origins in the 14th century. The actors of No plays wear masks. They speak and sing in a very monotonous way, accompanied by a chorus and traditional music instruments. The No stage is usually located outdoors and has a roof supported by four columns.

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Kabuki

Kabuki is a traditional Japanese form of theater with its origins in the Edo period. Kabuki, in contrast to the older surviving Japanese art forms such as No, was the popular culture of the townspeople and not of the higher social classes.

Kabuki plays are about historical events, moral conflicts in love relationships and the like. The actors use an old fashioned language which is difficult to understand even for some Japanese people. They speak in a monotonous voice and are accompanied by traditional Japanese instruments.

The kabuki stage (kabuki no butai) is a rotating stage and is further equipped with several gadgets like trapdoors through which the actors can appear and disappear. Another specialty of the kabuki stage is a footbridge (hanamichi) that leads through the audience.

In the early years, both, men and women acted in Kabuki plays. Later during the Edo period, the Tokugawa shogunate forbade the acting to women, a restriction that survives to the present day. Several male kabuki actors are, therefore, specialized in playing female roles (onnagata).

The best place for tourists to see a kabuki play is in the Kabukiza Theater in the Ginza district in Tokyo, where it is possible to rent English headphones and see just one act of a play instead of sitting through a whole performance which not seldomly lasts more than three hours.

Note that during kabuki plays, it is common for fans in the audience to shout the name of their favorite actor just in the right moment during short pauses.

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Ikebana

Ikebana is the art of arranging flowers aesthetically. One tries to represent the three elements sky, earth, and mankind in a well balanced relation.

Ikebana developed in the 16th century. Traditional Ikebana is called Kado. There are many different schools of traditional Ikebana. In addition, modern styles of Ikebana (avant-garde Ikebana) have evolved. Some of these styles use glass, iron, and other materials instead of flowers.

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Garden

Garden design has been an important Japanese art for many centuries. Traditional Japanese landscape gardens can be broadly categorized into three types, Tsukiyama Gardens (hill gardens), Karesansui Gardens (dry gardens) and Chaniwa Gardens (tea gardens).

Tsukiyama (Suizenji Koen, Kumamoto)

Karesansui (Nanzenji, Kyoto)

Tsukiyama Gardens

Ponds, streams, hills, stones, trees, flowers, bridges and paths are used to create a miniature reproduction of a natural scenery which is often a famous landscape in China or Japan. The name Tsukiyama refers to the creation of artificial hills.

Tsukiyama gardens vary in size and in the way they are viewed. Smaller gardens are usually enjoyed from a single viewpoint, such as the veranda of a temple, while many larger gardens are best experienced by following a circular scrolling path.

Karesansui Gardens

Karesansui gardens reproduce natural landscapes in a more abstract way by using stones, gravel, sand and sometimes a few patches of moss for representing mountains, islands, boats, seas and rivers. Karesansui gardens are strongly influenced by Zen Buddhism and used for meditation.

Chaniwa Gardens

Chaniwa gardens are built for the tea ceremony. They contain a tea house where the actual ceremony is held and are designed in aesthetic simplicity according to the concepts of sado (tea ceremony). Chaniwa gardens typically feature stepping stones that lead towards the tea house, stone lanterns and a stone basin (tsukubai), where guests purify themselves before participating in the ceremony.

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Japanese dolls

Dolls have been manufactured since the early days of Japanese culture. Today, there exist various types of Japanese dolls. The following is a description of only a few of the most famous ones:

Daruma Doll	Kokeshi Doll	Hakata Doll

Daruma dolls are spherical dolls with a red painted body and a white face, but without pupils. They represent the Zen monk Bodhidharma. It is the custom to paint one of the doll's pupils in the beginning of a new year, make a wish and paint in the second pupil, if the wish comes true. Takasaki's Shorinzan Daruma Temple is the birthplace of daruma dolls as good luck charms.

Kokeshi dolls are simply shaped, wooden dolls from Northern Honshu, which originated as souvenirs distributed at hot spring resorts during the Edo Period. Kokeshi dolls have neither arms nor legs, but a large head and a cylindrical body.

Hakata dolls are clay dolls manufactured in Fukuoka Prefecture on Kyushu. They are worked out in great detail and painted beautifully.

Hina Dolls

Various dolls are used during festivals. Among them are hina dolls, which are displayed during the girl's festival and samurai dolls, which are displayed during the boy's festival.

Bunraku is a traditional Japanese puppet theater. Please visit our bunraku page for more details.

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Calligraphy (shodo)

Calligraphy (shodo: "the way of writing") is the art of writing beautifully. Most children learn calligraphy in elementary school. It is a popular hobby for adults, too.

A calligraphy set consists of:

• Shitajiki: Black, soft mat. It provides a comfortable, soft surface.
• Bunchin: Metal stick to weight down the paper during writing.
• Hanshi: Special, thin calligraphy paper.
• Fude: Brush. There is a larger brush for writing the main characters and a smaller one for writing the artist's name. The small brush, however, can be used for the characters, too.
• Suzuri: Heavy black container for the ink.
• Sumi: Solid black material that must be rubbed in water in the suzuri to produce the black ink which is then used for writing. Of course, "instant ink" in bottles is also available.

Unlike the strokes of Roman letters, the strokes of Japanese characters have to be drawn in the correct order, not arbitrarily. When you learn Chinese characters, you draw one stroke after the other. This is called the square (Kaisho) style of writing kanji.

The Japanese, however, rarely use this style of writing kanji. There are two faster styles of writing in which the kanji become a little bit less legible. It is like writing Roman letters in a fast way: everything is written in only a few strokes. These two styles are called semi cursive (Gyosho) and cursive (Sosho).

Kaisho: Square style

Gyosho: Semi cursive style

Sosho: Cursive style

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Bunraku

Bunraku is traditional Japanese puppet theater that has its origin in the Edo period. Bunraku and Kabuki are closely related with respect to the content of plays. Bunraku plays are also accompanied by the music of traditional Japanese music instruments.

The puppets are about one meter tall and are manipulated by up to three persons. Every person is responsible for a different part of the puppet. Thanks to many years of experience they are able to make the puppets appear alive despite the fact that they are visible on the stage.

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Bonsai

Bonsai is the art of cultivating miniature trees. The pine, a tree that grows many meters tall in wild nature, is the most typical plant used for bonsai, but many other tree species can be used.

To achieve miniaturization, the tree is frequently transferred into new pots, and on that occasion its roots are cut a little bit. Bonsai skills include the knowledge of when and how much to cut the roots, how much fertilizer and water is ideal, and which branches should be pruned to give the plant an aesthetic look.

Architecture

Japanese houses have thin walls because of the mild climate and overlapping, slanted, and slightly curved roofs because of the fact that there is plenty of rain especially during early summer. Timber is the traditional building material for Japanese houses. It makes them airy which is important during the humid summer months. The disadvantages are that the houses can be damaged easily by earthquakes and fires. Nowadays, concrete and steel are, of course, widely used as well.

When Japan opened herself to the rest of the world around the year 1868, Western architecture began to displace traditional Japanese architecture. Nevertheless, some modern Japanese detached houses still have a typically Japanese appearance.

A modern Japanese house

A condominium apartment house

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