Koba YMCA, 60 years of Japanese language education
Kobe is a beautiful port city surrounded by mountains and the sea, with a population of about 1.5 million including many foreign residents from a wide variety of countries. The city is located in the Kansai Region of Japan, which is home to many famous universities and vocational schools, making it a perfect environment for pursuing an education. Kobe YMCA was the first institution in Hyogo Prefecture to start a Japanese language program, beginning in 1950. In 1955, it became the first YMCA in Japan to open a Japanese language school, and in 1983 the Kobe YMCA College Japanese Department was accredited in Hyogo Prefecture. The goal at YMCA is to aid in mutual understanding between people of different countries through the study of Japanese language and culture, and to assist in the education of people who want to live in a multi-cultural society.