ITO Japanese School London

I've been studying at this school for over 3 years now. I took a year out to study my degree two years back but soon found out how much I missed my classes here at ITO. I came back a year ago and still happily enjoy the lessons. The teachers here are great; they are helpful, fun and have a great sense of humour. My lessons are geared towards me and I learn something new every lesson I go to.　

Danny 09/01/10

The principle of total immersion is interesting in itself - listening, reading, writing and talking in Japanese only from the point you enter the school! This method gave me a strong grammar framework, which is then used by the teachers to engage us with conversations tailored around our personal interests, bringing us new vocabulary linked to those particular fields. I have been learning and practicing my language skills since almost 2 years, and can only recommend this institution and their method.

Matt 09/01/10

I joined ITO Japanese School just over 2 months ago now, and after each lesson I look forward to the next one. Having taught myself how to read and write Japanese through books, my speaking abilities were very basic as I had not much practice. With ITO Japanese lessons my abilities are improving, but more importantly I feel more confident. The teachers create a comfortable environment and are really helpful and friendly, which makes learning Japanese and having a conversation so much easier! The classes are really a lot of fun, and I recommend ITO to anyone wishing to learn Japanese.

Ramata 09/01/10

I have been studying at ITO for over a year now and I can definitely say I recommend this place to anybody. Right from the start its Japanese and just Japanese, that may seem quite daunting at first, but it's really not, the teachers know what they're doing, they have unlimited patience and are generally very nice people.

I self-studied for a bit before I came to ITO and even though I thought I had somewhat of a good grasp of the basics coming to ITO showed me otherwise, it showed me how important it was to study in this way. You'll never speak naturally unless you speak with and interact with actual Japanese people in Japanese and since most of us can't afford to go study in Japan this is the next best thing.

Hussain 10/01/10

I can highly recommend the ITO school for learning Japanese. The teaching method works and all teachers are very friendly and effective. Prior to taking lessons here, I had studied Japanese on and off for about two years at several other schools, both in 1:1 and class settings. While this helped me in acquiring a basic understanding of Japanese grammar and a lower intermediate level of vocabulary and Kana / Kanji, I never felt comfortable actually speaking Japanese. On the few occasions I tried to do so with Japanese friends here in London or while on vacation in Japan, I could never properly silence that inner voice of self-criticism we all know telling us how ridiculous our mockery of this beautiful language must sound to the native speaker. In addition, the invariable lack of vocabulary for whatever I wanted to express or understand in a given context and situation, plus not wanting to overstrain the patience of my counterpart, quickly made me resort back to English. At ITO, however, due to their strict adherence to always and without exception speaking Japanese – no matter how broken and wrong - as soon as you walk in the door, I am finally managing to overcome these inhibitions and feel more comfortable expressing myself in Japanese.

Johannes 10/01/10

ITO Japanese School is a fantastic place to learn Japanese, very conveniently located in the very heart of London (Tottenham Court Road). I have been learning Japanese at beginner level in bi-weekly one-to-one sessions since November 2009. Studying at ITO has so far exceeded my expectations, mostly because of the quality of the teaching staff, which applies rigorously its method of communicating entirely in Japanese from day 1. The classes focus mostly on developing speaking skills, while homework exercises are given to build up your written Japanese (expect regular “testo” to assess your progress!). This proves to be both a correct and very entertaining method, especially at the early stages of learning the language. The supporting material is also of very high quality -- students are provided with a textbook, a workbook, and illustrated hiragana card sets. The two well-designed books are clear, interactive and funny to study. All in all a great experience which I would recommend to everyone wishing to learn the language of this fascinating country!　

Nikolay 11/01/10

I truly enjoy my times with ITO Japanese School. The teaching combines grammar and speaking with an emphasis on encouraging students to speak only Japanese in class, this helps a lot in language studies because by pushing yourself to speak you are really facing the language itself. And it is fun too, as the topics aren't only about the text book but can extend to your everyday life, your interest, etc.

The teachers are all very friendly, they pay attention to each individual student, their levels and their needs. I did learn Japanese before however have dropped it for over 6 years. When I started to be convinced that I had lost this language I came across ITO and after a year, my confidence in Japanese is slowly coming back. I believe ITO is a good school for anyone who are interested in taking up this language.　

Christie 12/01/10

I have had weekly individual lessons for the past five years and hand on heart can honestly say that I have thoroughly enjoyed every one. When I retired from full-time work, I went on the first of several extended trips around the islands of Japan and was knocked out by the kindness, politeness and humour of the people as well as aspects of the culture – zen, wabi sabi, ceramics, kabuki, onsen, kaiseki, haiku, ukiyoe etc. During this initial trip I resolved to learn Japanese to try better to understand the values of the Japanese which seemed so attractive and different from those the West. Five years later I’m still on the same journey with a very long way to go but my personal priorities have also been profoundly influenced along the way. I try to study a little every day and my lessons have now evolved into a conversation in Japanese for about an hour about something that’s happened to me or some piece of current news, followed by half an hour of reading the dreaded kanji and trying to understand the source of all the nuances in meaning of different Japanese words that in English seem to translate to the same thing. The fact that I’m still as enthusiastic as ever speaks for itself and is testimony to the high quality and good humour of the teaching at ITO.

Paul 13/01/10

I did not know what to expect when I first signed up to ITO Japanese School, I had only seen it through the net and I didn't know what to make of it. Once I went for the interview though, I was very happy to sign up. The teachers are very kind and understanding. They are very well suited to teach Japanese including their teaching style, techniques and ability to explain in clear, easy to understand format. Since I have started, my ability has improved a lot and I would recommend people who are interested in studying Japanese to attend ITO School, it will be a fun and challenging experience!

Craig 17/01/10

At Ito, you're taught entirely in Japanese, so it teaches you to 'think' in Japanese, rather than 'translating' in your head. Although this is difficult to begin with, I progressed very rapidly and am now at the stage where I feel comfortable conversing entirely in Japanese. Before starting University I took a Gap Year, which gave me the opportunity to go and live in Tokyo for half a year.

Because I had been studying in a completely non-English environment, it meant that when I arrived in Japan I was able to completely immerse myself: I made a rule to speak only Japanese while I was there, which was difficult at first, but meant that I surrounded myself with friends and a job where no-one spoke English, which I couldn't have done had I not already been studying Japanese in the same way.

The best thing about having studied Japanese in such an immersive way at Ito beforehand was that it allowed me to live life in Japan in a way that would have been impossible if I didn't understand the language. It was still very difficult, but because I understood what was going on around me I was able to make friends and find a job without needing extra help.

When finding a job, I didn't want to speak English so I didn't want to do what a lot of foreigners do and teach English. I worked first as a model, but once I was confident enough to write out a CV and search, I was able to get work in a vintage shop in the Harajuku area, as well as in my free time drawing flyers for bands. Having achieved all of this, it gives me the confidence to know that if I want to, I can go back and live in Tokyo/Japan again, something I could never have done had I not already studied Japanese at Ito.

Daniel D 19/01/20

The ITO school classes have been immensely enjoyable. And I have noticed a marked improvement in my Japanese since attending ITO school. The teaching blends grammatical rigour and conversational topics. The teachers also prepared me very thoroughly for the JPLT test.　

Tyrone 20/01/10

Always been interested in Japanese anime and when last June a job opportunity gave me more time and money, I thought it would be a good idea to invest in learning more about Japanese culture and language.

It's not an easy road but senseis have got the patience of angels and their method although quite frustrating at the beginning, helping me to progress smoothly. I even became quite fond of kanji, fortunately because I've got 1950 left to memorize!!

As sensei is always telling me: Gambatte Carine san !!　

Carine 25/01/10

This school has been fantastic for me. The teachers visibly try hard and enjoy teaching Japanese. They always want to make sure you fully understand the lesson and seem to remember from week to week my weak points to check I haven't forgotten anything.

Attending the school has helped me keep my motivation level high and I always enjoy the light-hearted banter with the teachers during the lesson. I recommend this school to anyone learning Japanese. Just try the trail lesson and you will see what I mean!

Elliott 27/01/10

One may assumed that when I first arrived in Japan I naturally had jetlag, however as my flight arrived very early, I tried my best to stay awake all day and when I shut my eyes at night I finally became sleepy and fell asleep. As if I had had a normal day I slept properly. After two weeks I began to feel I had become accustomed to the Japanese lifestyle.

I naturally climatised to the city life as I was born in London. On the other hand I thought that it would certainly take time to get used to Tokyo’s unfamiliar environment. The thing is that unlike other countries it is rather unique. At a Japanese noodle bar, when the Japanese eat ‘SOBA’noodles, by and large they make slurping noises, and to this day I react unfavorably towards this. As a solution I may have to start slurping too.

I also saw a number of strange things. When Japanese people hand over presents they normally say something on the lines of “this is just a boring thing”. When English people hand over something, the item at hands image is normally spoken highly and even if I was to say the phraseology used is similar to when one sells something, this would not be such an exaggeration.

It would not be strange to say “this chocolate was made in Belgium and as it is only sold there, it’s hard to get hold of, it’s delicious”. Yet the opposite is thought of as strange. I am not saying “you must show off”, but I just can’t think how the Japanese frequently do things like lower themselves to be humble. It seems I have a different view of life from the Japanese.

Joel 29/01/10