Mobility specification

Country:Japan

Institution:SOKA University

City:Tokyo

Program:Partner universities

Activity type:Study

Academic year:2024/2025

MU faculty/department:Faculty of Economics and Administration

Study level abroad:Bachelor

🎓Hit the books! How do you rate the university experience?

Can you enroll in a course where you can learn the local language?yes

Does the university offer enough courses in English?it's alright

Are your credits converted?yes

Can you give an example?It is individual. It depends on the difficulty of the subject and how much time it takes according to the syllabus (teaching+preparation+assignments). The multiplication was x1,5 for easier subjects and 2x for more difficult ones.

Was there anything in the teaching methods that surprised you?Of course English subjects are a bit behind because of the language barrier but it depends on the individual teacher. In one subject I had a teacher who knew the material in Japanese but explaining it in English was a bit of a problem. On the other I had a lady who knew perfect English and there was no problem. Overall, I would say that the teaching at MUNI is more modern and at a higher level.

Does the university offer international students' programs and activities outside of lectures and seminars to help them integrate more quickly?Orientation week, student clubs, buddies program before entering the university, familiarization events and in the fall semester there is a school festival in which international students can actively participate.

In which areas does the university offer support for students with special needs and strive to be inclusive?Barrier-free access to classrooms and dormitories
Special examination conditions (e.g., extended time, quiet rooms)

💸Did you have to rob the bank?

Try to take a guess at what your monthly expenditures were:30000 CZK/month

Did you stay in dorms?yes

What about unexpected expenses? Did anything surprise you?Not really, it's just that trains and buses are relatively expensive in Japan, and with intensive travelling, it shows up in monthly costs. One can survive on 10 000 CZK per month (if one saves money, doesn't travel much and doesn't buy a lot of souvenirs).

Do you have any tips on how to save money?Cook your own food or discounts on cooked meals in shops after 18/19 hours.

🗺 Learn the ropes in a new city

How well did you manage to communicate in English?with gestures

How does public transport work in the city?runs like clockwork

And what about transport outside the city?runs like clockwork

Where to find connections? How to buy a ticket?Google Maps / Yahoo!乗換案内 (for Japan region only, need to change region in Google Play Store upon arrival). Both apps are good only Google maps sometimes have wrong bus times and overall more information is on Yahoo!乗換案内 (only in Japanese).
You can buy a physical ticket in the machines but the best way is to buy an IC card (Suica, Pasmo, Icoca, Kitaca,...) in which you put money and just "beep" at the entrance and exit of buses or train stations (WARNING - for "better" trains like shinkansen and limited express you need to buy a special ticket which must be physical).

Did you deal with any health issues during your stay?no

🤠Help create the perfect bucket list

What is a must-see in the city?Tokyo Tower, Tokyo Skytree, Imperial Palace , Senso-ji, Meiji Jingu, and many more, there is enough time to explore the whole city and every corner.

What are the must-visit trip destinations?Takao, Mitake Gorge, Kawagoe, Yokohama, Kamakura, Osaka, Kyoto, Hokkaido and of course Mount Fuji.

Share your best experience:Maybe biking around Tokyo overnight on Christmas or when we went to Yakiniku next to a small Onsen town in Hokkaido and we were the only customers there all night, a very nice couple who were probably surprised to find ourselves there. My friend had forgotten her gloves and on the way to our accommodation a car pulled up and the owner of Yakiniku was still quick to bring us those gloves. But hard to pick the best among so many experiences.

💅A nugget of wisdom to make the life easier

Did you need to handle a visa?yes

Where can it be arranged?Bratislava

What is needed?A passport, a paper from the doctor, an admission document from the school,... (all will be listed).

How long does it take approximately?Week

How did you get to the place?Plane

Is there anything to watch out for before the trip?Definitely better to have your flight arrive at Haneda Airport, you will save a couple of hours of travel to school.

Can you pay by card?sometimes

What not to forget when packing?You just need the basics, everything is easy to buy at the worst (but you can't say that about deodorant, for example, which is hard to find, or shoes if you have 44+ shoe size).

🥳Summary

Whew, what a ride! 😮‍💨 Thanks so much for taking the time to complete our survey and for sharing your unique experience. Just one last thing. 🙏 How would you summarize your trip in one or two sentences?An extraordinary trip full of experiences and getting to know Japan, and with amazing people.