To begin with, it must be said that Japanese culture is very popular in France and it is 304,900 French tourists who visited Japan in 2018, with an increase of 13.5% compared to the previous year (figures House of Culture of Japan). The “Japonisme 2018” event orchestrated in 2018 in Paris and Ile de France also welcomed more than 3.5 million people around 300 cultural events. A real growing craze for the Japanese culture touching a large public of enthusiasts of all ages. Fans of manga and Japanese animation, lovers of Japanese Zen art, eager to discover this mixture of modernism and ancestral traditions, many of you dream of a trip to Japan. What if we left together?!

Destination Japan

Visit Tokyoto admire Mount Fuji, to ride a bicycle between the Buddhist temples of KyotoWhether it’s a tea ceremony with geishas, seeing cherry blossoms, eating real sushi or experiencing a karaoke bar, Japan will give you a change of scenery at every moment.

Whether you want to go away for 2 weeks or more or less, to discover the whole of Japan or only the remarkable sites or to improve your Japanese, staying at a homestay is the accommodation solution to try out to better discover the Japanese culture and way of life.

With Linguifamily, this travel formula also offers you the flexibility you need to organize your trip more freely. And don’t panic if you don’t speak Japanese, it is easy to make yourself understood in English in the big cities and in the tourist places.

Please note : the ideal period for a stay is in spring and autumn. The summer is hot and humid. The time difference is +7 hours in summer and +8 hours in winter. The currency is the Yen (JPY).

Visas and formalities

French travelers can visit Tokyo and Japan with a 90-day Tourist Visa. If you wish to stay longer than three months, you will need to apply for a Student Visa or a Working Holiday Program (WHP) Visa.

Practical information : Due to the health crisis of Covid-19, the Japanese government has implemented restrictive measures for access to its territory and the issuance of visas. A stay abroad implies for every traveler to respect the required procedures. Keep yourself informed by consulting the website of the French Embassy in Japan.

I will sleep at your place…in the land of the rising sun

With your plane ticket in hand and formalities validated, it’s time to leave for the land of the rising sun. With Linguifamily, the immersion will be total. Marie and Tsuyoshi welcome you in their home, where 3 generations live under the same roof. Lodging 30 min from Tokyo, they have been hosting international university students, language students and travelers since 2013 and offer you to live the Japanese way for the duration of your stay. They will also be able to give you their best addresses as well as all their good advice to fully enjoy your trip to Japan.

Another solution of accommodation to try on the spot for a night : Ryokans (typical Japanese inn) and capsule hotels (a room in a box). Unusual experiences to live ! Talk to your hosts, they will be able to recommend good addresses.

Improve your Japanese language skills

Whether you are a high school student, a language student or an avid traveler, you can opt for this immersion program and quickly strengthen your Japanese language skills. Traveling to learn Japanese or learning Japanese while traveling, whatever your motivations, this trip to Japan is the promise of :

• Learn Japanese close to the locals
• Take advantage of intensive language training
• Experience an authentic language immersion
• Discover a Japanese culture rich in ancestral traditions
• Add a real plus to your resume

…and why not take the JLPT (Japanese Language Proficiency Test)!

Living in Japan

As any foreigner in a country and even more so in Japan, adopting the local courtesy habits will make you live your trip fully. Here are a few to remember before you leave and to experience with your hosts :

• Presence, politeness and punctuality are appreciated
• The greeting is done without physical contact
• A visit is always accompanied by a carefully wrapped present
• Shoes are left on the doorstep
• Tipping is not practiced
•  …

It is up to you to discover others by visiting the website of the Japan National Tourist Office. Linguifamily has also written an article on this subject: Successfully taking your first steps in your host family.

Crazy experiments

In conclusion, you understood it, a stay in Japan is the guarantee to live crazy experiences. Far from our western way of life, everything is so different and so crazy. Eccentric fashion, reptile cafes, robot restaurant, capsule hotels ! Such a fascinating ultra modernity that will make you want to try everything !

Would you like to try this adventure ? Go to our platform and contact our host family in Japan.