The opportunity to study Japanese at the University of Edinburgh was a truly valuable and rewarding experience that opened many doors for me, both academically and professionally. My Japanese degree programme developed not only my language competency in Japanese, but also raised my intercultural awareness. As well as the nurturing environment fostered by the teaching […]

Studying Japanese has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.  I gained language skills I needed to communicate confidently but also immersed me in the rich culture of Japan.  One of the highlights of my degree was the incredible opportunity to live and study in Tokyo, where I was able to put […]

Studying Japanese has afforded me all sorts of exciting opportunities. For instance, the chance to study abroad in Sapporo allowed me to improve all aspects of my Japanese language skills, learn about many different aspects of Japanese culture and become a more independent and confident student and person. My Japanese studies have since lead me […]

If you had told me when I started studying Japanese that I would later live in Japan for over four years, embark on a Japanese Studies PhD programme and work as a freelance translator on some of my personal favourite pieces of media, I wouldn’t have believed it – but it’s all true. Studying Japanese […]

Kathleen and Gavin Kathleen O’Neil is Assistant Language Teacher on the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Programme in Japan and a graduate of MA Japanese and Linguistics. Gavin Lawson is a postgraduate student on MSc in East Asian Studies at the University of Edinburgh and a graduate of MA Japanese at the University of Edinburgh.