I’m toying with the idea of visiting Japan late this summer, perhaps spending between two and three months there (mostly in Hokkaido, to escape the worst of the heat and humidity of Tokyo), and if that happens, I’m considering spending a month or maybe six weeks of that time in Sapporo. I would be going on a tourist visa, with the main goal of seeing and doing lots of touristy things, and eating a lot of fresh and delicious seafood.
While I’m not sure that it’s going to be practical, between the cost and the timing (as far as actually making the trip, let alone studying Japanese in between doing tourist stuff), I’m considering the possibility of taking Japanese language classes while I’m there - not so much for the purpose of passing a JLPT exam (for example), but rather as a way of improving my ability to speak the language, while having a better connection to ‘life in Japan’ than I might have if I were simply acting as a “digital nomad” on my own.
I see that Meiji Academy has classes in Sapporo, and so I’d be interested in hearing of any experiences anyone may have had with that school, especially in Sapporo.
There are a few mentions of Meiji Academy in Fukuoka in older discussions here, and one point that was made was that it was perhaps less rigorous than other language programs (such as at Genki JACS). Also mentioned was that the school strongly encouraged students to post positive reviews online - which might be a red flag, at least meriting some caution when it comes to actually believing the glowing reviews.
So I’d be interested in hearing “a second opinion” or two.
I’d give it only a 50-50 chance that I will even be able to make the trip, let alone be able to enroll in Japanese language classes during part of my stay - but I’m currently in the early stages of doing “what if” planning, so I might as well see what I can find.