Middlebury College School in Japan

ホーム
日本
Mitaka, Tokyo
Middlebury College School in Japan

C.V.Starr-Middlebury School in Japan was opened in the fall of 2010 in Tokyo on the campus of International Christian University.

17/05/2026

Last Sunday, I had the opportunity to host a workshop at Branch Chofu. This time, I chose to organize a mini-piñata making workshop! Since it was mainly the participants' first introduction to piñatas, I was happy to share a part of my culture with them. Many parents attended with their children, and I was lucky to have over 10 people participate in the workshop.

Piñatas are commonly seen during birthday parties and other celebrations in Mexico. Typically, they are decorated with papier-mache and filled with candy, and children take turns hitting the piñata until it breaks open. Once the piñata breaks, everyone rushes to collect as much candy as they can.

Preparing for this workshop took a while, as each donkey shape had to be cut out by hand. As for the workshop itself, after assembling the two donkey cut-outs, the children picked the colors they wanted to decorate their piñatas with. With the help of their parents, they then carefully cut and attached strips of paper. Since it was everyone’s first time making piñatas, there were many small details I hadn't thought about before that I had to explain.

At first, I was a little nervous about whether the children would be interested in participating in the workshop, so I was pleasantly surprised by how curious people were to learn about piñatas. While making them, I also took the opportunity to talk more about Mexican culture and activities surrounding piñatas that many Mexicans grow up with. Also, special thanks to Terada Sensei and Eda Sensei for helping me throughout the day. The workshop would not have been nearly as successful without their help!

07/05/2026

For many students, it can be difficult to envision the concrete opportunities that are available to them after studying abroad. Especially in the context of living and working in a new country, it can feel overwhelming to navigate alone. That is one reason why we held our first student and alumni mixer last month. It provided an opportunity for students to connect with their senpai living in Japan, and learn about the careers they pursued after college. However, beyond just receiving concrete advice about specific fields, students were also able to talk about their concerns and aspirations for the future and, perhaps, find comfort in the experiences of their predecessors.

The event was also a great chance for alumni to reconnect with old classmates and meet new friends from different years of the program. As an alumni attendee myself, I was reminded of the excitement and uncertainty I had while studying abroad, and couldn’t help but empathize with the anxious and hopeful expressions of all the students who I spoke with.

Thank you to all the alumni who attended and I look forward to when we can meet again soon!

P.S. We would love to keep expanding our alumni network, so if you are a graduate of the program living in Japan, feel free to reach out!

29/04/2026

Spring semester students recently took part in Middlebury’s orientation in Sonimura, marking the beginning of their study abroad experience in Japan. While they were there, the students took part in activities that helped immerse themselves in local Japanese culture.

One of the first activities included a visit to Myouanji Temple. There, students learned about the practices and traditions of Buddhism from temple monks. They had the opportunity to experience traditional temple practices and even ring the temple bell. As part of the orientation, they also went to Katte, a space dedicated to community engagement and local revitalization.

To express their appreciation to the local hosts who welcomed them to Sonimura, students also made and signed thank-you cards at the end of the orientation. We hope that these experiences have given students a strong start to their semester here in Japan.

26/03/2026

Welcome to Japan 🇯🇵! We are excited to welcome our new students for the spring semester of the Middlebury in Japan program. This semester, we are joined by students from Middlebury, Pomona, Wellesley, and Bowdoin. After arriving at Narita airport, the students have now started their orientation in 奈良県の曽爾村 (Sonimura, Nara Prefecture). We look forward to sharing more about their experiences soon.

To the students who have just arrived: enjoy your time at Middlebury’s orientation, and we look forward to your journey at ICU! Hoping your semester is filled with fun memories, new experiences, and opportunities to practice your Japanese :)

17/03/2026

Hi, this post was written by Gabriel Gonzalez, a student a part of the Middlebury College Study Abroad Program, and currently attending Middlebury’s School in Japan for one year. For our community volunteering, we attended a local event held at Kyōnan Elementary School, located near Musashisakai, one of the closest stations by campus. Upon entering, I was greeted by a lively elementary school, filled with students doing many activities involving music, art, crafts, etc. After a brief introduction to the school, I and three other students were assigned to help out at two distinct stations. I and one other classmate went to the gymnasium while our other two classmates helped inside the school. When I walked into the gym, I saw stands, each unique in design and reflecting Japanese culture in some way. I helped in a recycling program for old tableware, free for anyone interested to take some. At first, the gym was a little empty, but I immediately felt a warm, welcoming environment that I had never really experienced before. Not too long after, children and their parents began to flood the gym

Soon, the stage performance started, with the local “Hero” of Musashino City fighting the villain while also emphasizing the importance of proper recycling and protecting the environment to young children who filled the audience, as well as us and their parents. Besides the performance being exceptionally choreographed, what was a regular community event for local people, was something I had personally never experienced before. I could feel everyone in the audience genuinely enjoying the performance and this brought a sense of community unlike anything else I’ve ever experienced. It felt as if I was truly a part of this community, even though I had only been in Japan for around five months at this point. Additionally, their message about taking care of the environment is something that I’ve come to understand the importance of while studying abroad.

I believe experiences like this have had a massive impact on myself in a positive way, and have made my study abroad experience overall something I will take with me for the rest of my life.

10/03/2026

どうも！My name is Leslie, and I am a junior studying abroad in Tokyo for the academic year. I am a first-generation Mexican-American at Wellesley College, majoring in Media Arts and Sciences. I recently joined the social media team, so stay tuned for future posts!

I've been here since August, and it's actually my first time abroad, so I've been learning so much about Japan and myself. In my free time, I love going to cafes or getting afternoon tea. I also enjoy wearing J-fashion, especially lo**ta fashion! Most of the time though, you can usually find me playing video games, watching anime, or doodling.

My time in Japan has literally been a dream come true. I have been able to experience new things and practice my Japanese. Through Middlebury’s study abroad program, I’ve been able to hear the experiences of locals and also learn so much about Japanese culture. And of course, I especially love the food here! I love me some karaage, it’s SOOO good.

Feel free to ask me any questions about Japan or studying abroad in general!

13/02/2026

Our SMS team is now going to have three contributors.

01/02/2026

A Visit to Ueno

On a particularly sunny day a few weekends ago, I had the pleasure of visiting Ueno, a neighborhood around an hour away from ICU’s campus. Just outside of the station sits Ueno Park, a gorgeous spread of carefully preened vegetation and paths. Ueno Park contains a number of Tokyo’s major attractions, including Ueno Zoo, the oldest zoo in Japan, and the Tokyo National Museum. However, aside from these attractions, the park has plenty to offer.

Beginning at Ueno Station, I walked up past the Tokyo Culture Center, and caught sight of a magic performance that had gathered a small crowd. After seeing my fill, I followed the tranquil greens, reds and oranges until I arrived at Ueno Toshogu. Although the shrine was already closed by the time I had arrived, I took the chance to catch some photos of the courtyard as the sun set.

My journey ended at Shinobazu Pond. During the summer, the pond is nearly perfectly covered in a thick canopy of lotus plants. Even in late November, the withering stalks of lotus leaves spread across the water like a thick head of hair. Although, by this point, it was too dark to see the pond, an assortment of food vendors and vintage shops ensured that I didn’t leave disappointed, as I soon found myself browsing and munching for almost an hour before, tired from my journey, I began my trip home.

23/11/2025

Days in Tokyo, Part 1

One of the underrated joys of studying abroad at ICU is access to the quirky neighborhoods that surround campus. A thirty minute train ride from the city center, ICU’s local scenery reveals a different side to the busy and crowded metropolis that we know as Tokyo. Recently, I had the pleasure of strolling through the eastern end of Koganei-shi, just a five minute walk from campus. During my jaunt, a used book shop caught my eye. Its awning, reading Obanaya (尾花屋), was dwarfed by the 中華料理 (chūkaryōri, literally “Chinese Food”) signboard that towered over it. However, the rows of books, faded along their spines, frayed along the edges, stacked to the ceiling and packed into cramped shelves, were well loved. After perusing the collection for a while, l left the bookshop and, soon after, found myself at the entrance of Kuriyama Park (栗山公園, kuriyama kouen). Kuriyama, translated directly, means acorn mountain. While I, unfortunately, did not find any acorns (let alone a whole mountain of them), I did get to enjoy the delicate greens and yellows of early Autumn in Tokyo.

24/08/2025

✨ One of the best parts of studying abroad? Endless chances to explore! 🌆🇯🇵
One of the most important aspects of any study abroad program is the opportunity for independent exploration. 🌍🚶‍♂️
While a well built program can give access to unique and unusual knowledge📚, the freedom to learn at one’s own pace⏳, and experience the culture 🏯and community 🤝in a way that makes sense to oneself, is simply irreplaceable.
Whether it be joining a band🎸, climbing a mountain⛰️, learning about traditional onsen♨️ or visiting local museums🏛️, Japan has unique experiences for everyone. All you need is a little bit of creativity🎨, confidence🌟 and willpower💪.
Maybe these photos will give you some ideas for your next trip abroad!

住所

Mitaka, Tokyo
181-8585

電話番号

0422-33-3230

ウェブサイト

http://www.middlebury.edu/study-abroad/japan

アラート

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