With students from over 75 nations and approximately half of all faculty
from overseas, students attending Ritsumeikan Asia
Pacific University (APU) can enjoy a unique
environment which serves as a host for perspectives from around the
world.
APU is one of the few universities in Japan offering lectures in both
English and Japanese and is the only university in Japan to which students can arrive without prior knowledge of the Japanese language. Students who have not previously studied
Japanese may pursue subjects in their major fields and areas of interest
in English, while those who have studied Japanese at the advanced level
may take courses in Japanese.
While APU offers intensive Japanese, it is important to understand that it is not located in the center of a Japanese city. Students studying at APU spend most of their time with other
APU students and choose APU for the international environment and international perspective it provides.
More detailed information and answers to F.A.Q.s are available on the
APU International Affairs Division site.
Testimonial
...My Japanese class is enjoyable. It was hard to get back into the swing of things because I haven't studied since the previous semester, but I'm picking up fast. I like the class because we are reviewing everything I've already learned and then some. It also seems to be presented more clearly. And then I will learn so much more. It'll be very good...I'm extremely gung-ho about clubs. The most a person can learn here can be learned through joining clubs. Let's count how many I'm currently in: Shorinji-Kempo, Tae Kwon Do, Igo, Nihongo-net, English Thursday, Salsa, World Cooking Aroi, Art Club, Wadaiko, and Iroha. That makes ten. But to be more realistic, I haven't actually attended Art Club, Iroha, World Cooking Aroi, or Wadaiko yet. And I don't know if I'll stick with Nihongo-net or English Thursday. I also want to set some time aside to use the fitness room. It's hard to find time for more when your schedule is quite packed as it is; that and some clubs conflict with others' schedules. I at least want to see what certain clubs have to offer before I decide not to participate on a regular basis. And I, of course, want to maintain some time for study and sleep. So we'll see how it all turns out. In case you were wondering what the aformentioned clubs were, here is a nifty little explanation - Shorinji-Kempo is a martial art that focuses heavily on speed...Tae Kwon Do is a martial art that focuses on kicking (my cup o' tea). Igo is a board game that is only slightly comparable to chess, but is far more complicated. Nihongo-net is a club that gets people together to practice their Japanese with Japanese people... English Thursday is the same as Nihongo-net only in English (finally something I'm good at). I don't expect to practice my English, of course, but to help those that need practice. It also allows me to connect with more Japanese people. Salsa is what you eat with chips... No no, it's actually the dance. Good stuff; you should try it. World Cooking Aroi is all about learning how to cook, as the name implies (something I could use in more than one country). Art club is self explanatory. I did bring my camera and photo album, after all. Wadaiko is a traditional Japanese drum. Iroha is about sightseeing in Japan. I'm not too interested as that would require me to spend money. The scenery on top of this mountain is amazing. It's like new every day. I'll never get used to it. Depending on where you stand you can look down over Beppu, Oita, and the bay that separates them. If you look the other way, it's just rolling mountain tops and valleys. The only thing scarier than the very thought of a Godzilla attack are the bugs. Everything that crawls is HUGE. The spiders are almost big enough to steal babies from their cribs. And they make huge, three-dimensional webs. They're smart enough to know that anyone tall enough to get their head caught in the web, must be big enough for a hardy meal.
Jason Ocker, Fall Semester
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