Language schools in Osaka
 

Hi,

I would like to get any recommendation you could give on language schools in Osaka. Maybe somebody will have a hint that I want something in the area of the Hilton Osaka... It is very difficult to find anything online, I don't know how work the postal codes and the area names. I guess since the Hilton Osaka address is the following :

8-8 Umeda 1 Chome
Osaka-shi, Osaka 530-0001

Osaka-shi means Osaka city, Umeda being the road? At least if somebody you give me the answer I would be better suited to find a language school by myself.

Thank you!

Frank

Osaka-shi does mean Osaka City, but Umeda is an area, not a road.
(All the numbers together do point to a specific address, however.)

Roads/streets frequently lack names in Japan. That's just one of the things that makes it so fun. ;)

Email me, and I can give you more school info, we work with Japanese schools (sending students from Taiwan to Osaka)

Hi Franky -

Are you planning on teaching English in Japan and living at the Hilton at $3 per day including breakfast? That would be too funny.... You will certainly find plenty of places to do that kind of work in the area near the Hilton - since the Hilton is right next to Osaka's main railway station and there are always branches of NOVA and other Eikaiwa chains (a.k.a. English-conversation-gulags) within a couple of blocks of all major railway stations.

If you want to deal with one of those major companies, you might find that they have recruiting offices in your home country. (Certainly they will have an office in the UK). I'm not saying that they are the best places to work, but it might be the easiest way to set something up before you arrive in Japan. I'm pretty sure that those companies will also enable you to navigate the Japanese visa application process.

Good luck to you....

BTW - Has Expedia confirmed that they're honouring that crazy price? Did you reserve all the way to September 2006?

BTW2 - I notice you're in Italy... Since the Umeda area probably has some large "conversation schools," you might discover that they want to offer Italian classes there. I'm not sure if that would enable you to make more money or not, but worth looking into.

BTW3 - I just remembered that that there is a branch of "GABA" language school in the "Hilton Plaza West" building, which is right next to the Hilton hotel.

Gaba in the news
 

OT:

English schools? What they really NEED in Osaka are forced attendance cycling schools.

I loved Osaka, but I got really annoyed at having to be on edge and on guard all the time as the cyclists are such a menace. A significantly worse problem here than anywhere else I've been to in Japan. No wonder they have the longest underground shopping arcade in the country.

Or maybe frankytalia is looking to attend a language school? (I notice he made no mention of it being an English school.) Perhaps as a way of obtaining a visa for a long-term stay in Japan...to make use of long-term Hilton reservation? :D

That's right, I want to attend a language school... I won't need a visa, but I would like to attend a language school part-time for the multi-weeks I will be there. I will be working (that's on his way of being confirmed :D) in the afternoon, so a few hours in the morning would be interesting.

I think you'll be better off asking this at more Japan centred web-sites. Try www.letsjapan.org I'm valve bouncer there as well. The crew there should be able to help you out.

Thank you all for your advices!

I guess this means we're not "Japan-centered" enough here... :D

But seriously, frankytalia, there are a variety of options open to you. It all depends on whether you are looking for more "serious" study (which might be a little difficult if you only plan to be here a few weeks)--the kind which require intensive study and have mottoes like "We have to be cruel to be kind", private lessons (which, while more expensive, are also more open to fitting "your" schedule), the standard kind of "once-a-day" type of classes (usually found in the evenings as they are usually geared for students and businesspeople), or are looking more for informal "drop-in anytime" type of classes.

Many "English" schools here also offer classes in Japanese, so it's probably worthwhile contacting these as well, as they can probably be found in most all locations, unlike purely "Japanese-language" schools.

How about joining a martial arts club...........no faster way to learn the language and customs !

:D Do you know any good kung-fu dojo in osaka-shi?

Isn't Kung-fu Chinese? You could try Kyokushin Karate. Full contact. An associate joined, and was put in the hospital twice in his first year. Didn't understand what the Dojo master was saying at first, but learned to understand very quickly. ;)

I was thinking some shorinji kempo or judo would do the trick ;) ! Frankytalia just ask the concierge at the Hilton and
I am sure they can fix you up .........

Yeah for the rate and the period lenght I will be staying I am sure they will try to fix me up very soon so I squat in the hospital insted.

On the upside, I'm sure you'll be able to find several attractive nurses who will be more than happy to teach you some Japanese during your stay in the hospital. :D

I am currently organizing to be in the hospital anyway for a research project in the afternoon, so I guess I will be only seeing different shifts :D

In Kyokushin, while training you are not allowed to punch your opponent above the shoulders without gloves or facial protection. However, kicks to the head are OK in training. The founder, Mas Oyama, was an ethnic Korean who faced a lot of hardship in his life but came over it by dedication and willpower. Really fascinating person.

Together with Kendo my favorite Japanese martial arts by far. ^

I've tried several of the "do"s, including judo and karatedo. Seeing the bruises on the arms of some acquaintances kind of steered me away from kendo. Have also found chado (tea ceremony) and kado (flower arrangement) interesting as well.

About Kyokushin, my colleague related the following story of his first day in the dojo: The master wanted to get the measure of his ability so he (the master) matched his up with a brown belt for a test match. My colleague considered this more or less a "friendly" match meant mainly to show his speed and moves, until this brown belt sent a heel with what seemed to be full force directly into his kneecap. After the initial shock and pain, anger set in, and my colleague grabbed the brown belt by the front of robe with his left hand and planted his right fist in the guy's face sending him flying to the mat unconscious. The dojo master clapped his approval. :eek:

Very sympatic story :eek:

While I've only trained Kyokushin in Europe ( did Kendo in Japan ), this sounds very familiar. :D Kyokushin teachers all over the World are also very keen to follow in "Godfist" Oyamas footsteps and conduct barefoot training outside in winter...brr. :o

Generally, I would say that the intensity sets the Japanese training apart from the rest of the World. Only Korea has a similar dedication in their local arts. Kendo club drinking can also be quite excessive and God forbid if you are a Japanese freshman at your college Kendo-bu...A few KIA every year after more or less forced binge drinking.

I know one Swiss guy who is counted among the great Chado masters in Kyoto and one Scandinavian fellow who has been "adopted" into a Kobe-based Jujutsu clan. Any Americans of similar fame in Japan? No, not Steven Seagal... ;)

Will the Eikaiwa world change because of this ?
 

NOVA will be out of business (they are by all intents bankrupt) no doubt by the 15th of this month. 5000 foreigners out looking for jobs this should cause concern with the immigration authorities..........


http://www.transpacificradio.com/200...s/#postcomment

You'd have to think that most of those soon to be unemployed Nova drones will head home.

OT, but why would they head home when they can relax in Japan for a while and collect unemployment insurance?

To answer the original question (not that it matters now, but in case someone wants to know this in the future) I had a few friends who did classes at the YWCA in Osaka and gave it great reviews. It's in Umeda so not far at all from Osaka Station etc.: http://osaka.ywca.or.jp/english/japanese.html

dbl take...
 

plez check to make sure...cause if you quit before they fire you then they dont pay a cent in unemployement...also.. if the company didnt pay its
"taxes" then theres no funds in the account... also you're a "gaijin" so ..think twice before you think that you'll get a SENTO outta the system... wishfull thinking??? or idiots???? 4 thinking that they'll get anything at all...
this Japan...where logic is out the window. 20 yrs. of hell and loving it!

Foreigners do receive unemployment benefits. In fact, one of my best friends received it when he was fired Japanese-style—i.e., the company didn't renew his contract. From what I understand, the NOVA union has been explaining the unemployment scheme in detail to the extent that employees are interested.

But it would make sense for the employees to hang around for a little bit, if only because the other language schools will be flooded with students transferring out of NOVA and therefore need more teachers. Right? I mean, people didn't stop flying when Pan Am went out of business.

I believe you have missed the point........the customers will not go anywhere because they will be out many many mahn and won't be getting it back. I haven't noticed any come and join us for free giveaways.....The other large English schools are not known for their charity and most do not hire "in" Japan. The Eikaiwa industry is quite sick, and this might start a domino effect on the other large players(the next to go should be insert blank......).

The gaijin teachers at NOVA have to be fired first before they can collect. If NOVA just shuts down they will be like creditors and have to wait in line for their back pay(receivership). If not fired Unemployment insurance will be 3 months down the line. Nova will screw them all over before they get a Yen.....remember NCB;)!

If anything this might cause MITI to actually police/regulate the industry. If you work in this industry it won't be pretty..........:D

Welcome to FT rainbowotoko :D !

If NOVA just shuts down, the employees have to get their release papers (or whatever they're called), then they can go to hello work. As far as Hello Work is concerned, shutting down is the same as being fired.

It won't happen..........they told the securities and exchange commission to more or less FO ! They will close and many will be hurt. The Japanese Government and the foreign Embassies will not lift a finger. MITI will squirm out of it's responsibility like KY on a condom. Consumer protection will have it's hands busy trying to keep a lid on 400,000 very ripped off customers. They have already abandoned many schools/workers/teachers. It is not pretty.

10/15 is the next payday, if it's not over then it will be shortly after...........

Hellowork will do nothing for the foreigners, they will not see a Yen!

Those kid's that are still working are only prolonging their misery.

Well the employees were protesting/picketing the fact again that they were not paid......again! (See Japan Times).

If the NOVA employees are enrolled in unemployment insurance, the government is legally obligated to pay them benefits. If the government refuses, I'm sure someone (Debito, if he stops trying to get in hostess bars, could put his name on the effort, or the NOVA union might try) will take the government to court fairly quickly.

No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get them into the same box.

If there's a case to be settled in court, then the NOVA teachers had better get a second source of income to tide them over while the court digests it for a few years. Maybe they could sell drugs.

Acregal I think you are a wonderful person, but they would be fools to hang around in hope of getting a yenny......




Perhaps they could be become professional rabble rousers:D!

Nova declared bancruptcy (or some version of it) late last night. Only 5 billion yen in debt ! Still in Japanese for now, but is available on the major Japanese news sources for those that can access.

I read about it (link here). Apparently the board had some meeting yesterday and fired the President, Sahashi (who apparently wasn't there), and they're trying to restructure (会社更生法 - Corporate Restructuring Law), not really bankruptcy (or rather more like Chapter 11 in the US, rather than Chapter 7). This entire thing seems more like a drama. Oh well, best of luck to any NOVA employees.

The journalists I sit beside said "tousan" not withstanding what the interpretation was. I was off by a week by a week in the office "pool":mad:........Sad for the Japanese staff that haven't been paid since July and the foreign staff that will not be paid for September and October as wages trail by a month. Do you still think the government will step forward via the social insurance system and offer assistance? Not to mention the 400K customers who now hold worthless tickets :o:o:o!

Nikkei says they are putting interpreters in the welfare offices in Osaka and Tokyo to cater to unemployed Nova teachers.

As for the customers this is why METI is pushing for Chapter 11-style treatment which would keep NOVA intact and preferably operating during most of the transition period (the immediate future aside of course).

joejones, would you and acregal wait around while they look for a sponsor?

As an aside the real story is with Ginganet(sp), and who controls it!:D