Program Directed by
Ed Thanhouser
If you have questions or would like to talk further about this program, please get in touch!
- High School
Tokyo Pre-College
Join us in Tokyo for an insider’s experience of the world’s largest metropolis on this pre-college summer program for high school students. Broaden your horizons and deepen your knowledge of Japanese culture with in-depth, field-based seminars as you become part of an inspiring and supportive community of instructors and students from around the world. Choose a seminar and dive deep into your subject matter through engaging discussions, site visits, and projects that immerse you in Japanese life. With Tokyo as your classroom, learn from local artisans, professionals, and guides. Return home better prepared for future study abroad experiences, and with real-world experience exploring your passions.
- Program Highlights
• Hone your Japanese language skills in a class designed for your proficiency
• Take a class with a professional manga artist and sharpen your illustration skills
• Meet analysts at top consulting firms and visit the Nikkei exchange
• Learn traditional indigo and shibori dying at a textile shop
• Take a class with a professional manga artist and sharpen your illustration skills
• Meet analysts at top consulting firms and visit the Nikkei exchange
• Learn traditional indigo and shibori dying at a textile shop
“Every day I would wake up in the morning knowing I was going to have a grand new adventure. Our leaders were fantastic—we had very adventurous classes and workshops that brought us all around Tokyo.”
—Alexei B., Brooklyn Friends School, New York, NY
Choose your lens
Tokyo Pre-College Seminars
Choose one seminar and explore Tokyo through the lens of your chosen subject. Putney seminars combine experiential learning and global perspective, and are intentionally designed not to be like school, where learning is classroom-centered and text heavy. Instead, Putney students learn by doing. Begin with classroom discussions that frame your seminar concepts and identify key issues. Take the learning beyond the classroom with site visits, meetings with local experts, guest lectures, and field trips. Tokyo’s rich history, cultural background, and cutting-edge reputation make it the perfect setting for our field-based seminars. Cap off your studies with a final project or installation to share your work.
This interactive seminar will introduce you to the world of Japanese anime and manga, two storytelling art forms that have seen an explosion in popularity among Western audiences. Develop your illustration and design skills as you learn from skilled instructors...
What makes a business succeed in today’s market and what are the steps taken between identifying a need and opening your (real or virtual) doors? What are the key similarities and differences between business management in the West and the way it is approached...
Iconic. Original. Beautiful. Japanese food is known around the world for its spectacular visuals, delicate flavors, and love of rich tastes, known as umami. In this seminar, experience the culinary world of Japan’s greatest city and all it has to offer....
In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Tokyo redefined its presence on the fashion scene with the emergence of street fashion. In this course, explore street fashion’s historical roots, and the political, social, and cultural factors that helped it take shape....
This seminar is open to students interested in developing and expanding their Japanese studies through focused and immersive study and daily interaction with native speakers. In a variety of informal discussions, language drills, and hands-on activities,...
Designed for photographers of all skill levels, this course teaches the basics of photography and composition before diving into more advanced shooting techniques and editing instruction. Whether your passion is portrait, landscape, adventure, or abstract...
Featured
Instructors
Our distinguished instructors and staff are selected not only for their impressive academic credentials, but also for their enthusiasm, passion, and proven capability to connect with and inspire students. They are dedicated, warm, dynamic, experienced, and caring individuals who also live in dormitories with students, sharing in their lives and fully participating in extracurricular activities.
Frequently Asked Questions
Review specific program questions here. For more general information, visit our full FAQ:
What are the main focuses of this program?
Putney’s Tokyo Pre-College program is designed to give academically curious high school students a chance to experience life as a student abroad in Japan. Students kickstart their studies by exploring an area of interest with a group of enthusiastic peers and engaging with local experts and scholars. The entire experience promotes student independence and self-reliance while living, studying, and traveling abroad.
What types of academic projects do students complete on this program?
The Tokyo Pre-College program immerses students intellectually in their chosen seminar topic as they prepare academically and socially for the college experience. Over the course of their Pre-College seminar, each student develops a final project based on their particular interests, which they present to peers and instructors at the end of the program. These are sometimes collaborative in nature, but can also take the form of an independent research project or presentation. In Tokyo, a fashion design seminar student might participate in a collaborative runway presentation featuring upcycled clothing they’ve created, a photography student might participate in a themed gallery exhibition, and a Japanese Language student might give an oral presentation in Japanese.
How much experience is required for the Japanese Language seminar?
Some basic familiarity with Japanese is recommended, but not required for the Japanese Language seminar on this program. Language lessons are designed to be multi-leveled and adaptable to each participant. The program is not an immersion curriculum, and so English is spoken outside of the Language seminar lessons. Additionally, all students attending the program, regardless of seminar, have ample opportunity to learn and practice some basic Japanese words and phrases.
What is the technology and cell phone policy?
While all of Putney’s high school and middle school travel programs are tech-free for the duration of the program, our campus-based programs (Tokyo Pre-College and Career MIT) and collaborations with the Columbia Climate School allow moderated technology and cell phone use for academic purposes. For more details, please see our Approach to Technology.
How physically active is this program?
This is an active summer program abroad. Getting around Tokyo involves lots of daily city walking in relatively hot and humid conditions. You do not need to be at peak fitness to participate, but it is important that you have a desire to be physically active, and that you are excited about trying all activities. Our residential facilities are air conditioned.
What are the accommodations for this program?
In Tokyo, the group stays in single occupancy dorm rooms at the Temple University Japan Campus, the oldest and largest American university in Japan.. The group has access to common space for gatherings on the first floor as well as common areas on each hall. Instructors reside with students for the duration of the program.
What are meals like in Japan?
Due to the active and mobile nature of each seminar, we take most meals out in the city in small seminar groups, exploring different neighborhoods and local restaurants. Please note that some dietary restrictions can be particularly difficult to accommodate in Japan and require advance coordination prior to arrival on the program: Gluten Free, Vegan, Kosher, and Halal students should contact the program director to discuss prior to completing their application. Please note that lunches are not included in the program tuition.
What type of student is most successful on this program?
This pre-college study abroad program is a good fit for curious and academically motivated high school students (grades 9–12) interested in Japanese culture, international studies, East Asian studies, international business, Japanese language, and the arts. Seminar offerings are designed to take advantage of all that Tokyo and Japanese culture have to offer. Students who love Japanese food or cultural exports, like Manga and Anime, also enjoy this program and have the opportunity to explore their significance in Japan.
What makes Tokyo a good location for a Putney Student Travel program?
Tokyo offers an extraordinary setting for learning beyond the classroom. With a population of 14 million (and 37 million in the greater metro area), the capital city of Tokyo is a fast-paced study in contrasts, where centuries-old traditions meet cutting-edge modern technology. Students can explore these intersections firsthand, from historic neighborhoods, temples, and markets to contemporary art, architecture, and innovation. Safe and engaging, Tokyo's diverse neighborhoods and rich traditions make it the ideal setting for students interested in broadly studying Asia, Japanese language, history, and culture, and other related topics in real-world contexts.
How does the Tokyo Pre-College program compare to Putney’s other programs?
Tokyo Pre-College offers a more academically focused experience than many of our small-group educational travel programs. Rather than following a traveling itinerary, students are based in Tokyo for the duration of the program, giving them the opportunity to settle into the city and experience it in greater depth. Like all Putney programs, though, the Tokyo Pre-College experience is designed to encourage meaningful engagement with place, people, culture, and theme. Field-based seminars, hands-on activities, and cultural experiences bring learning beyond the classroom. Students also benefit from the independence, community, and personal growth that define all Putney programs, while experiencing a taste of university-style learning and life in a global city.
Do students need prior experience or specific skills to join this program?
No, there is no prerequisite to join any of our Tokyo seminars. Students need to bring only curiosity, an appetite for learning, an open mind, and a willingness to participate positively in a group setting. We do suggest some familiarity with the Japanese language before joining the Language seminar, but it is not required. A proficiency quiz is required for all applicants to the Japanese language seminar to gauge student learning level and prepare appropriate material.
What outcomes, skills, or growth can students expect to gain from this experience?
Students return home from Tokyo with greater confidence, independence, and a broader global perspective. Through seminar-based study and hands-on exploration of Tokyo, they strengthen critical thinking, communication, and collaboration skills while gaining deeper knowledge in their chosen academic area. Navigating daily life in one of the world’s largest cities also encourages adaptability, curiosity, and cross-cultural awareness. Just as importantly, students gain experience balancing academic engagement with greater independence, an important step toward college and life beyond high school. Often, students find themselves recommitting to, or re-examining, their plans to study abroad and cite the inspiration of the instructors and peers around them as crucial in planning their academic future.
A Day in the Life: Tokyo
Seminar groups meet each morning to introduce and frame key concepts for the day, then head out into the city or surrounding areas for field-based learning, putting the day’s ideas into practice. Seminar activities are supplemented by fun excursions and immersive cultural experiences.
- Morning
8:00am
Enjoy breakfast with your group at the residence
10:00am
Dive into your morning seminars and discuss the day’s topics
- Afternoon
12:00pm
Break for lunch out in the city with friends and instructors
2:00pm
Navigate Tokyo for an experience-based session with your seminar group
4:00pm
Join an optional excursion or activity, or enjoy some free time at the residence
- Evening
6:00pm
Eat dinner in small groups at nearby restaurants
8:00pm
Convene for a community meeting to discuss the day and upcoming events
“It was amazing for her, she gained friends, connections, and memories. She felt challenged and is feeling confident going into college—that’s a big accomplishment.”
—Angela E., Brooklyn NY
