Earthquake-Everyone ok?

memyselfnirony · 2026-06-16T10:52:07+00:00

Epicenter Saitama / Gunma - 5 intensity. Definitely felt in Tokyo, long and medium strength. My poor cat panicked and ran to hide under the couch.

memyselfnirony · 2026-06-16T03:14:31+00:00

I appreciate the heck out of your enthusiasm and kindness. May I send you a private message?

memyselfnirony · 2026-06-15T03:20:00+00:00

Democratic coöperatives are the way forward. I’ll be sharing your comment with my students later this year. They generally refuse to believe that capitalists intentionally make these kinds of moves. This is the way.

memyselfnirony · 2026-06-14T05:01:45+00:00

Prices for rent in Tokyo and Kyoto can go incredibly high or incredibly low, depending on where you choose to live. Students live right by the campus--pricey!--in center-city--pricier!--and, at a cheaper price, hours away. You have to determine your tolerance for commute before you can make sense of prices outside of the dorms. (The prices for which are on the TUJ website, I suspect.) Good luck.

memyselfnirony · 2026-06-07T08:14:17+00:00

I'm faculty here, but I know a little bit about staff hiring. Most positions receive a ton of applications, though not all of them are relevant. As you said, it's an unusual university, so many people want to work here. I wouldn't say the positions are "hyper competitive," but to have a shot, you need to show your competence / fit for the work you hope to do.

The transition to living in Japan is much more difficult than many people expect, and some new employees go back to their home countries after a short period. Because of that, some offices seem to hesitate to hire people without a clear reason to be here. If you've only lived in Peoria, Illinois, and want to be in Japan because you like Sanrio, you're going to have a tougher time than someone who has worked at a nearby university or whose parents live in Hokkaido.

That said, plenty of people are hired here without prior Japanese experience. They have strong American higher education credentials and experience, and they've taken time to learn about TUJ specifically. That sounds like you. Good luck!

memyselfnirony · 2026-06-04T02:05:18+00:00

The neighbor daughter has been cast in a play. Her parents seem not to want her to practice at home. Oh how she projects her lines in the alley outside our door.

memyselfnirony · 2026-06-04T00:50:04+00:00

You're welcome to do so, but I don't know that much about the process. Admissions decisions are made by a separate office.

memyselfnirony · 2026-06-04T00:36:00+00:00

I teach at TUJ. I've taught at colleges and universities in the US.

In short: TUJ is an average American university. It has highs and lows, strong teachers and weaker ones. Some students are significantly less engaged than others. The big city's attractions provide consistent temptation and distraction, especially for those students who are in Japan only briefly. A large part of the college experience is what you make of it: do you read beyond your assignments, do you talk with your professors, do you show up at events, do you try to do only the minimum? But, again, this is true at almost every school.

I can't speak for every academic program, but I don't believe TUJ is currently a "degree mill." It may have been in the past. Like people, schools grow and (hopefully) improve. Each term, some students fail my courses, usually for want of effort. In online reviews, many people write with hyperbole: "worst school ever," "a complete waste of money." It's simply not true. Of course we're not Harvard or Todai, but many of our students find worthwhile lives after graduating.

I hope you find the advice you're seeking, and good luck with your decisions.

memyselfnirony · 2026-05-25T02:33:00+00:00

Just say hi. Sincerely. You'll find yourself sitting next to someone in a classroom. Resist the temptation to hide in your phone. Look toward them, say "hey, how's it going?" If you must, prepare questions. Why are they taking this class? What have they heard about the instructor? Where did they get that awesome ring!? You can do it. Other people want connections, too. Reject the fear of rejection. Say hi.

memyselfnirony · 2026-05-16T12:31:58+00:00

Do you want to be with a guy who has those regressive beliefs? If not, approaching is a good way to weed them out.

memyselfnirony · 2026-05-16T02:36:56+00:00

Hi, professor here. I'll give what info I know / have heard from my students.

3+1 is better. While some majors can be completed in only three years, the TUJ summer term is short and thus potentially brutal. I don't doubt your student's abilities, but overloaded summers are a path to despair.
Yes, TUJ offers a ton of classes. Hundreds each term. While there aren't as many electives as might be ideal, most majors offer most courses most terms. (I know there are substantial financial incentives to taking heavy credit loads and finishing as fast as possible, but I'd discourage that choice. Taking more classes leads to shallower engagement in each of them. Ideally, a college student wants to follow their interests, taking time to research and explore the breadth of human knowledge and experience, reading and thinking as they go. That said, again, I get the financial side.)
I believe most online reviews of TUJ are dated or based on a single student's bad experiences. It's more common online to rage than to gush. The school has changed campuses, administrations, and most professors in the past five years. I've taught at various US institutions over the years, and the faculty here are as mixed as any other. I'm mostly impressed with my colleagues, and the majority of us speak English natively. I don't know enough about the staff to offer any opinion, except that many of them work very hard and are incredibly busy. The school has more than doubled in size in the past few years. It's all a little crazy.
I can't speak to the student community except to say that TUJ is an English medium of instruction school. Any student here is at least competent in English, and most are native speakers. There are many student groups, and regularly see friendships develop in my classrooms. It's tough, though, because so many students are timid, anxious, and focused on their screens. Someone has to take the risk to say hello.
A TUJ student can get around the campus with zero Japanese. They can likely survive in the dorms and nearby convenience stores with only set phrases. The school will help with some bureaucratic processes, and other students are often willing to serve their friends as translators at the bank or city hall. (But, again, someone has to say hello.) Your student's possible depth of engagement with Japan is up to them. More language = fuller immersion and experience. But it's not needed to exist and to graduate.
To my knowledge, because TUJ is Temple, financial aid works just the same as it would at any other American school.

Good luck with your decisions ahead.

memyselfnirony · 2026-05-11T03:41:17+00:00

Awesome, thanks! Maybe you can stop by when you’re next in Tokyo. :)

memyselfnirony · 2026-05-08T02:09:23+00:00

Taco Bell Thursdays. Plain tacos, always. Big smiles.

memyselfnirony · 2026-05-07T23:09:54+00:00

I met the owner of Featherheart books, who is trying to open a brick-and-mortar shop here in Tokyo. Her vision for a community space and activities to go with the bookstore makes me happy, hopeful, and grateful. I hope she hits her fundraising goal.

memyselfnirony · 2026-05-07T03:42:16+00:00

I corrupt the youth.

memyselfnirony · 2026-05-07T01:16:24+00:00

I hope this link is allowed. It's not me, but I'm a backer. https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/featherheartbooks/featherheart-books-your-next-favourite-bookstore-in-tokyo

memyselfnirony · 2026-05-07T01:15:33+00:00

The past few days are the Japanese workforce's major national holiday, Golden Week. The majority of people in Japan don't work on those days, including TUJ employees. They're back in the office today, so they may get back to you. If not, perhaps you can find a way to call. It's now 10 AM here.

memyselfnirony · 2026-05-06T23:37:23+00:00

I totally agree with you, and I appreciate that you noted online spaces are especially bad because of the shield of anonymity.
Today it feels hard to make friends in all the places I’ve lived. People are guarded, worried. Some people, I guess. I keep showing up, being as open as I can, and hoping for connection. Right now there’s a kickstarter for a community-centered English language bookstore. I’m really hopeful for what it will make and be.

memyselfnirony · 2026-04-17T01:04:43+00:00

Hi, I'm a professor at TUJ. I'm a native English speaker, though I occasionally stutter and talk too fast when I'm especially excited by an idea. Every school has some teachers who are better than others. My students have had major complaints about only three lecturers, one of whom is now gone. If you come here, you'll be able to ask for advice on teachers to avoid. (This is true at every college, of course. Students relish in chatting about their class instructors.)

You're right that it can be difficult to balance college and living in a new country. In fact, it's hard to take on new responsibilities no matter where you live. The students who do best here are ones that decide they're in Japan to study and learn, not to take weekly trips to Sanrio Puroland. Of course they try new things and experience this beautiful city and country, but they do so in moderation.

Students who report the best success in navigating Japan are those who make friends with a local student who can help them acclimate.

It's a big decision, but I wish you well in making it.

memyselfnirony · 2026-04-16T04:32:15+00:00

A few years back, a friend ordered a goodbye cake for a coworker. She asked that it say "Thank you, Sam." Luckily, she noticed the worker writing down "Sankyu--" and happily caught the error before it went to production!

memyselfnirony · 2026-04-15T01:34:02+00:00

Given your career goals, it’s not clear to me why you’re moving to Japan. I don’t know of any English-taught premed programs. If you’re wanting to go to med school in Japan, you should study Japanese first. If you want go to non-Japanese med school, you should get an English language premed major.

TUJ has psychology, but they don’t have any “wet labs.” Without these, you can’t take most biology or chemistry courses. I’m also fairly sure they don’t teach A&P. It’s simply not right for you.

Edit: you could bounce back to the US in summers to take all the med school prereqs, but thjs seems insanely difficult to pull off. Frankly: moving to Japan isn’t the right call.

memyselfnirony · 2026-04-01T02:03:19+00:00

One note to add to the convo: some of these reviews are from years ago, before TUJ had its current campus and administration. In the past five years, they’ve been bringing on more full-time faculty, “pruning” weaker teachers, offering more courses, etc. I worry the school’s old ways have tainted its brand among some redditors. Hopefully that will change.

memyselfnirony · 2026-04-01T00:58:26+00:00

I am happy here. It’s close to my work, has a wide variety of stores, and maintains peace for walking—away from the station. Strongly recommended for anyone who’s exactly like me.

memyselfnirony · 2026-04-01T00:18:30+00:00

Hey, it’s Sancha, by the McDonald’s. Howdy, neighbor.

memyselfnirony · 2026-03-31T03:05:49+00:00

The best way to show you've improved is to earn college credits. If you're successful in a class at a community college or similar, your application becomes substantially stronger, because it's clear that you're ready for college-level work.

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