Looking for a Meaningful Summer Break? Two Weeks Packed with Kyoto’s Vibes and Intellect ✈️

Jimong Seo

A sophomore in Asian Studies is inviting you to join the Kyoto Summer Program!

Midsummer in Kyoto is incredibly hot, but it is such a charming place that you will quickly forget all about the heat! Participating in the Kyoto Summer Program this summer vacation was the most meaningful time of my entire college life. For any Asian Studies students hesitating to apply, let me share my vivid two weak KSP review!

The academic side was far more fascinating than I ever expected. I actually had the incredible honor of attending a lecture by a Nobel Laureate in Chemistry right in front of my eyes. I was also able to learn about aspects of Japan I neve knew before, all through the fresh perspectives of Kyoto University professors. Plus, Kyoto University students actively participated in the classes to teach us Japanese. As I used the expressions, I learned to converse directly with native speakers and play Japanese board games together, my language skills improved so much. Outside of class, the student leaders organized amazing activities like visiting Matsuri festivals, karaoke nights, and origami workshops, making every single day feel like a festival. The schedule was quite flexible too, so on our free days, my friends from Yonsei University and I took spontaneous trips to cities near Kyoto!

Daily life outside of class was a whole other level of healing. The location of our accommodation was absolutely fantastic. Just a short walk away, Kyoto’s famous Nishiki Market and incredible artisan restaurants were spread out before us. I hung out with my local Japanese friends from Kyoto University constantly for two weeks, visiting tons of local restaurants and dessert cafes I never would have found on my own! (By the way, the Kyoto University cafeteria is delicious and the campus convenience stores are great, so be sure to check them out.)

Going to the cinema with international friends to watch a ‘Chiikawa’ movie in Japanese, making beautiful Kumihimo bracelets by hand, and sitting by the Kamo River eating delicious sashimi while laughing with friends all became such precious memories. During the day, we explored various shrines in Kyoto, a city famous for having thousands of them, and at night, my roommates and I stayed up talking until dawn. I even met up with a Kyoto University friend who recently visited Korea, proving just how strong the bonds we made really are!

If there are any Asian Studies students worrying, “Will I do well there?” or “Will this program actually help me?” I want to encourage you to stop hesitating for even a second and just go! There is also a generous scholarship of 90,000 JPY, which really helps ease the financial burden. Do not miss out on this perfect opportunity to gain profound knowledge both inside and outside the classroom and make lifelong friends from all over the world. See you in Kyoto! ⛩️🌸