Welcome to Osaka
Understanding identity abroad is important—regardless of whether or not you think it will play a role in your own experience. While we strive to create and maintain programs that support students of all races, religions, abilities, gender identities, and sexual orientations, you also play a crucial role in creating a welcoming and supportive environment for your peers navigating aspects of their identit(ies) in a new country. The information and resources on this page serve as a starting point to help you understand experiences you or your CET classmates may encounter while abroad.
Cultural Climate
Race & Ethnicity
Japan is often represented as not racially or ethnically diverse. Students who appear Japanese (or even Asian more broadly) might find that people assume they speak Japanese or can “naturally” speak Japanese and understand Japanese culture, are able to blend in with a crowd or pass for local. Those who do not look Japanese or more broadly Asian are often assumed to not be able to speak the local language. As a result, these students may be spoken to in English, may be stared at, approached to take pictures together with, or offered assistance without asking. Individuals who receive extra attention as such have included tall students, Black students, and those with blond or red hair.
One of our former CET Japan students wrote a blog post, The Hair Question, where she gives tips on navigating situations related to receiving attention on her hair. While these interactions are non-threatening and stem from curiosity, some students experienced mental exhaustion from the attention, though they generally feel safer in Japan than in the US. Students who are of mixed Japanese heritage can also expect to receive more attention, comments, and questions than their peers.
LGBTQ
While homosexuality is legal in Japan, the government only recognizes heterosexual marriages—though same-sex marriages occurring outside Japan (where at least one partner is a non-Japanese citizen) are recognized. However, with the country’s concerted efforts to fulfill the UN’s Sustainable Developmental Goals by 2030, LGBTQ individuals and matters are increasingly present in media and conversation. Recently, some cities and wards (not yet including Osaka) have begun recognizing same-sex partnerships.
Culturally, sexuality is not openly discussed and many Japanese people have never heard the term ‘LGBTQ.’ Anti-LGBTQ rhetoric is generally considered to be unacceptable by many people, but the laws promoting LGBTQ issues are weak to non-existent. Former students have described their Japanese peers’ reactions to LGBTQ identities as neither strongly positive or negative, but mostly curious. There are a few LGBTQ groups in Osaka to which students may have access.
Gender
The Japanese government legally recognizes only male and female genders, and trans individuals may change their legal gender only after reassignment surgery. Japanese fashion and media such as anime and manga will sometimes explore androgynous trends or aesthetics, though Japanese culture as a whole has very strict gender roles, and very few Japanese people live publicly outside of the gender binary. Many gender non-conforming students have reported receiving more attention for appearing not ethnically Japanese rather than how they choose to present their gender.
Religion
There is no official religion in Japan. Shinto and Buddhism are the local Japanese religions, while minor religions include Christianity, Baha’i, Judaism, Islam, among others. There are local Christian places of worship, as well as many temples and shrines. There are a few Muslim and Jewish places of worship, but those may require commuting outside of Osaka. Students wearing a hijab, turban, or other outward demonstrations of faith can expect to be noticed more merely because it is not commonly seen in Japan. Generally, there are no strong positive or negative attitudes toward certain religions and the Japanese Constitution guarantees freedom of religion for all.
Cost of Living
Osaka’s cost of living varies based on exchange rates and personal spending habits. Students typically spend $77–$145 USD per week on lunch and dinner, and $140–$280 USD per month on groceries. Past students have mentioned that establishing and adhering to a budget at the beginning of the term was a strategy that helped manage any financial stress. Check out a budget sheet to get an idea of what life in Osaka might look like financially.
Accommodations Abroad
CET makes every effort to offer accommodations comparable to those of your home institution. Disclosing early helps us to make proper preparations and work with you to determine if a program will be a good fit. We recommend that you use the following details to inform your decisions and conversations with your Student Services Coordinator.
ACCESS in ACADEMICS
Day-to-Day
Semester students typically attend classes for 3 to 6 hours a day, while summer students have 4 class hours per day. On average, semester classes have between 4 and 12 students, while summer classes average 12 students per class. Electives at OGU typically have 15+ students. For every hour of class, students are expected to complete a minimum of 1 hour of homework.
Services available for students with documented need: Low-distraction test environment; extra time on exams; modified deadlines and seating; note-taker; exam reader; audio recordings or captioned videos of lectures; reading and texts as audio files; syllabi/readings/assignments in advance; a computer to take exams; permission for service dogs in the classroom and on campus; sighted companion; mobility orientation to campus.
Classrooms
CET classrooms and shared student/staff space are on the second, third, and fourth floors of the International Center building. The elevator is narrow and some standard US wheelchairs may not fit. Measurements can be provided upon request. Students who use a wheelchair may want to consider renting a wheelchair locally as it would be more standard in size for Japan.
Out-of-Class Activities
CET occasionally plans mandatory academic activities and optional trips to nearby sites and other cities after class and on weekends. Excursions may involve urban walking, rural hiking, use of public transportation, and/or going up and down stairs.
Itinerary modifications and accommodations can be made for students with documented need. Transportation can be arranged as necessary, and excused absences are provided for mandatory excursions that are inaccessible due to a disability.
"The CET staff will keep close tabs on you and your progress each step of the way, which may be great for some but bad for others. When I got sick, I really appreciated them checking in and giving me updates on how it would affect my grades, what options were available for me regarding health services, and more. It was nice knowing how much they cared and how I wasn’t just another student in their program without a name."
University of Oklahoma | Summer student
Health & Diet
As a part of your program fee, you are enrolled in GeoBlue health insurance for the entire duration of your program. Learn more about GeoBlue and how we operate programs with health and safety in mind.
Health & Medicine
Medical services are typically conducted in Japanese, with limited English. There is a GeoBlue-affiliated clinic (15-20 minutes by train from OGU) run by a quadrilingual doctor where students have filled out forms in English and received prescription medications. More information is provided to students on site.
Many medications that are legal in the US are strictly controlled or completely illegal in Japan. Those medications include but are not limited to stimulants (pseudophedrine, amphetamines), codeine, many SSRIs, and MAOs, Adderall, and marijuana. Students may obtain a document from the Japanese consulate called a Yunyu kakunin-sho, which is a permit to bring specific medications into the country. It is strongly recommended that students do their research ahead of time.
Keeping Fit in Osaka
Our host university, Osaka Gakuin University, provides many campus amenities, including a gym to which CET students have free access (but make sure you bring shoes you’ve never used outside before!). Students can sign up to use the OGU tennis courts and basketball courts, but reservations fill up quickly. Osaka also boasts many great routes for running along the rivers nearby, as well as private gyms students can join for a fee.
Managing Mental Health
Mental health resources are limited and clinics near campus typically only offer services in Japanese. The International Mental Health Professionals Japan is an organization that connects foreign residents in Japan with mental health practitioners. These professionals are available for in-person sessions in Kyoto and Kobe, and many also offer online sessions. Generally speaking, psychotherapy is far less common than in the US. There are English therapy services available, however these resources are a 45-minute commute each way.
Dietary Restrictions
Many dietary restrictions are easy to maintain in Osaka. It’s tricky but not impossible to avoid gluten or many meats. However, it is difficult to avoid fish—even many broths are fish-based (though you can sometimes find options for kelp- or shiitake mushroom-based stock). Students eating strictly kosher or halal may have a more difficult time eating out as well, since many Japanese people and chefs are less familiar with those diets. There are specialty grocery stores that offer many food options, though they tend to be less convenient and more expensive than the typical Japanese grocery. A few restaurants cater to vegan customers, but most will have no vegan options available. Students following a strict vegan diet should plan to cook at home. Student housing provides basic cooking appliances, so strict diets are easier to maintain when cooking at home.
Resources from Alumni
Perspective pieces
These are alumni-written essays that reflect upon how their own identity affected their time abroad (both good and bad) and what it was like to navigate another culture in their position. We encourage you to read these to better understand what studying abroad in Japan could be like for you or your future peers.
- Studying Abroad as a Non-traditional Student by Carey Pope, CET Japan | Spring 2024
For “Older, low-income, or non-traditional background students who are hesitant of studying abroad” - Table for One: Grappling with the Feeling of Loneliness by Renee Gonzales, CET Japan | Fall 2023
For “General Audience going to Japan, Mental Illness in Japan” - Traveling to Discover by Anonymous Contributor, CET Japan | Fall 2022
For “Students seeking to get a new perspective on life through travel” - Being Queer & Seeking Therapy in Japan by Matty Norris, CET Japan | Academic Year 2018-2019
For “queer, genderqueer, and genderquestioning folks, as well as those with mental health struggles or those thinking about seeking counseling while in Japan” - Community in Osaka by Sarah Bradbury, CET Japan | Spring 2019
“For off-campus living students, lower-income students, and students who desire close friends in their program” - From the South Bronx to Osaka: Reflection on my identity and time in Japan by Omar Hernandez Rodriguez, CET Japan | Fall 2018
BLOG Posts
This is a curated list of blog posts chosen specifically to provide context for life abroad. Posts here may cover culture shock, diversity, daily life and workload, etc. To see all posts from students in Japan, head to the Student Voices blog.
- It’s Only Been 12 Days in Osaka, The Kitchen of Japan
By Samara Mroczkowski, Washington State University | Fall 2024 - CET Japan: Pretty People and Places
By Nicholas Yee, Yale University | Summer 2024 - Lessons from Japan: A Letter from Me to You
By Angel Bryant, Howard University | Fall 2023 - Learning to Eat in Japan
By Isabella Qian, Yale University | Summer 2022 - Breaking Down Academics at CET Japan
By Laurel Brinker-Cole, Franklin & Marshall College | Spring 2019 - On Belonging: Studying Abroad in Asia as an Asian American/Heritage Learner
By Kyla Aiko Smith, Scripps College | Fall 2018 - Life with a Language Pledge in Osaka
By Jacob Clements, University of Kansas | Summer 2018
Alumni Insight
In final evaluations, we ask students how their identities affected their experience abroad. The following are a few select quotes from recent program evaluations to help you understand what life in Japan may be like for you or your future peers.
TALK TO ALUMNI
Chat with alumni about their experiences abroad. Once you start an application, your CET Compass account will give you access to the following resources:
- Alumni Support List: A directory of students who have volunteered to chat about their experiences abroad in Japan.
- Identity Abroad Support Network: A group of students who have volunteered to discuss their identity-related experiences in Japan. This is a volunteer-based program that started in 2019. Volunteers can also opt to have their contact information kept privately by CET staff and only shared when certain lived experiences are asked about.
Don’t see anyone listed for the Identity Abroad Support Network? Call CET for more information and resources. Consider joining after your program to support other minority students abroad.