Japanese Language and Culture:Yotei to Fuji Language Tour 

Program Details

Sapporo, Gunma, and Nikko offer students a balanced mix of urban and regional Japanese experiences. In Sapporo, students can explore a vibrant city while practicing everyday language in shops, streets, and cultural sites. Gunma and Nikko, less frequented by foreign tourists, provide ideal settings for authentic language use and deeper cultural immersion through hands-on activities, historical town visits, and interaction with local communities. Together, these destinations allow students to strengthen both their Japanese language skills and cultural understanding in diverse, real-world contexts.

Selection Criteria:

  • Be 18 years of age or older.

  • Participants seeking academic credit for the program must be able to read the required text and participate in discussions. Students must have taken and passed JPNS 1020 with a C or better to take JPNS 1700 and/or passed JPNS 2020 with a C or better to take JPNS 3570 or show equivalent proficiency determined by the program director.

Destinations:

  • Hokkaido, Gunma, and Shizuoka 

Dates: May 12 - May 27, 2026

Cost

COST: $3,300 (Airfare not included)

Deposit: $500 Deposit is due 72 hours after registration. If not paid in that timeframe, you may be dropped from your trip.

Payments can now be made online! Visit this website for instructions on how to pay your deposit online and future payments. Charges should show on your account within 24 hours after registration. As always, you can pay with a credit card as well. To keep our trip costs low, we encourage the use of ACH Bank Transfers, or payments by cash or check whenever possible.

Includes: insurance, tuition, room and board, domestic transportation, excursions, and some meals.

Not included: airfare, passport, incidentals, excess baggage costs, any unscheduled travel, and most meals.

 

Itinerary

Be sure to attend all pre-departure meetings!

5 Pre-trip lectures in Spring Semester

5/12 Arrival in Sapporo

5/13-17 Lecture before noon. Tour in the local area (shopping, dining, public bath, clinic, etc) afternoon.

5/18 Leave Sapporo, go to Lake Toya and explore the area

5/19 Leave Lake Toya, go to Otaru and explore the area until boarding. (overnight ferry)

5/20 Arrive at Niigata, check in hotel

5/21 Hands on experience at Takumi Historical Village in Minakami, Gunma

5/22 Leave Minakami to Nikko, Tochigi, visit World Heritage Nikko

5/23 Group trip in World Heritage Nikko Toshogu

5/24 Leave Nikko for Mishima, Shizuoka. Group trip with Juntendo students.

5/25 Juntendo school visit. Group trip with Juntendo students in Mishima city.

5/26 Juntendo school visit. Join their English class to do discussion and presentation.

5/27 Before noon, Juntendo school visit, join their nursing practice class. Noon dismiss. Mishima has airport shuttle to Tokyo.

Academic Courses

Students may enroll in six (6) of the following credit hours:

  • JPNS 3570 (3)
  • JPNS 1700 (3)

Program Directors

Tomono Adachi has been teaching Japanese at Weber State for 8 years. She is from Sapporo, Japan and received her Master's Degree in Kyoto. She is very well versed in the areas the program will be in.

tomonoadachi@weber.edu

Trip Cancellations

If Weber State cancels a trip for any reason, all participants will be refunded 100% of funds paid to the school. If a participant withdraws from the program for any reason, they are subject to the refund policy found on the first page of the application.  Deposits are always non-refundable, unless the program is canceled by Weber State.  No refunds will be issued 30 days prior to program start date. 

Refunds will NOT be given to students due to COVID-19 concerns. Before programs were canceled in 2020, every student was given the option to withdraw from programs without penalty due to COVID-19. This year students are applying, cognizant of the pandemic. Weber State will not intentionally place students into high risk situations. We will work together with Program Leaders and Departments on canceling should the destination demonstrate increased risks, be they from COVID or any other concern. As such, students must abide by the standard refund policy.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact the Study Abroad Office at (801) 626-8711.