Students are not required to have Japanese before they leave or while they are there, but there are classes available if any students would like to take Japanese.

This is a personal preference question. The program requires that participants purchase their own food. As a result, students must budget for food. If students are more likely to go out a few times a week, they should budget for more expensive meals. If a student can cook, he or she should budget around $100 a week. Also, students should take into consideration how much shopping and outside traveling they will do. School-sponsored trips will save students money because they will not have to pay for hotels or entrance into museums, but if students travel on their own on the weekends, they should make sure to include these expenses in their budget. Students can do some research on how much train tickets, hostels, and the average restaurant would cost in the areas that they are traveling in and try to work from there.

Students will purchase books once in Tokyo at Sophia University.

Summer programs are an excellent way to fulfill core University or college requirements. Students should check with their advisors to see what classes would best help them fulfill some of their needed requirements. Summer programs are also useful for filling upper-division elective credits.

Students purchase their own meals and can stay in one of three locations.

• Asia Center (hotel): Single or double rooms with tvs and bathrooms, access to coin-operated laundry machines.
• Sunshine City Prince Hotel: Single or double room with bathroom, hair dryer, and internet options. Easy access to an assortment of restaurants.
• World Student Village (dorm): kitchen services, bathrooms, and internet options.

The rainy season usually ends around July 20^th in Japan and the weather tends to get hotter while remaining humid. Evening showers are common. Temperatures average around 75-95º Fahrenheit.

The program runs from July 29, 2011 to August 18, 2011.

The program cost is $6,000.

The Faculty of Comparative Culture at Sophia University offers three majors: humanities, social studies, and international business/economics. Students will choose two courses (worth three credits each) from a variety of classes available in these different disciplines.