Fay, Brittany   Harvard　University
This program exceeded all of my expectations. Every week there were various culture classes offered, and if you wanted to do something which was not formally offered, someone on staff would help you find it. The homestay was also a great experience, as it allowed one to directly experience life with a Japanese family for two months and gave a chance to practice speaking Japanese in less formal setting.

Floyd, Asami   University of Notre Dame
I am so glad I decided to come to HIF this summer. Not only was I challenged daily to learn a great deal of Japanese, but I had a great time making new friends and participating in culture classes. My host family was excellent as well, and I always looked forward to see what delicious food Oka-san made for dinner.

Koethe, Ben   Tufts University
I had a great summer. I made great friends, had a great relationship with my host family, and learned a lot in class. Not, only was I able to study the language, I was also able to immerse myself in the culture.

Ormseth, Cora   Yale University
HIF is such a well-designed and smoothing run program. I have learned so much not only about the Japanese language but also about the Japanese culture. HIF offered various culture classes as well as visits to temples, restaurants, radio stations. The staff is so warm and welcoming and always amazingly organized. Class is definitely made to be challenging but I think everyone’s Japanese improves drastically as a result. Home stay is an especially valuable component of the program. My host family was overwhelmingly kind and we have become so close, it was so hard to leave Hakodate.

Ottinger, Stephen   Columbia University (MA)
The program was very informative. Difficult at times of course, but generally very fun. A little more freedom would be nice(Friday afternoon free for example), but overall I have no complaints. In particular, the staff was amazing, helping with any problems I had!!

Russo, Gina   Stanford University (PhD)
The home stay component was a particularly fantastic addition to my language study. Simply by having the opportunity to speak Japanese every day in an authentic setting, my Japanese improved drastically. Moreover, I was given a unique opportunity to learn more about Japanese society. My host family truly treated me like a part of the family, giving me the chance to participate in and observe community activity.

Sanders, Kimberley   Williams College
HIF was an absolutely fantastic way to spend the summer. All aspect of my Japanese language skill have drastically improved over the course of eight weeks while I made great friends and explored beautiful Hakodate. My host family was also amazing and took great care of me while pushing me further in my conversational ability.

Wu, Annie   Brown University
Japanese class has never been so much fun! I was very impressed by the amount of attention all the HIF staff and professors put into making our experience truly amazing. The best part was that not only did I improve my Japanese language skills, through the cultural classes,homestay, and class projects and discussions I was able to immerse myself in Japanese culture as well. The memories I made in Hakodate this summer will definitely last a life time.