Inter-cultural Institute of Japan

Hello,
In July 2009 I've planned to participate in a Japanese language course in Tokyo for 4 weeks. I've been searching around for some schools, and I've found one called 'Inter-cultural Institute of Japan'.
Now I just want to know - does anybody know this school? If so, is it any good?
Also, do you have any tips concerning a language course in Japan? Like, what is wise to bring with you etc.?

4 weeks is not a long time to learn a language. Make so attainable goals so you come out with something at the end of the semester.

I don't know the school.

I'm afraid you don't know Japanese characters at all. If you don't know how to write neither Hiragana or Katakana, 4 weeks make no sense, maybe.

It would be good to start learning Japanese now if you haven't already started. Then when you go, you can apply what you've already learned and enjoy your time more.

To Juliane,

If you really jump into it, a four weeks' intensive course is useful "to get you started" for more study, even if you are a complete beginner. And since you will be physically in Japan, the rest of the day outside classes can be opportunities for practicing and more exposure to the language :) Are you studying the language already, or are you going to come as a complete beginner?

- You should check with the school if the particular course you are thinking of gets you started on romaji (romanized writing) or hiragana textbooks. Some schools give you textbooks using romaji writing, as learning hiragana and katakana in a four-week course might be a bit too big a burden for some students.
- If the school does use/teach hiragana, AND if you are a complete beginner, certainly it would help if you familiarize yourself with the hiragana and katakana (and the phonetic - syllable - system) before you come.
- If you have a community college/language school near you that you can attend before you come to Japan, you could try that too - so that you will be at least familiar with greetings, phonetic system, and the tremendous grammar differences from English - and maybe enrol in a level different from beginner when you come to Japan.

To all - thank you for your replies!

I do know some Japanese already, like katakana/hiragana/some basic kanji and the pronounciation. I can construct simple sentences, so I'm not a complete beginner.
The reason why I'm going is not just ''to be good at Japanese'', but also to get involved with the Japanese culture itself. Also, I'm doing this to spend my summer holiday on something useful.
In 2 years I'll be studying Japanese at a university here in Denmark, so getting really good at Japanese during that short language course is not my goal. Don't worry - I am realistic!

I agree. Your doing everything I would do, and more!