If you’re planning to study at the KCP International Japanese Language School in Tokyo, Japan, you might be curious about our Ikebukuro dorm and its surrounding area. Jessica Dales, one of our Fall term students from affiliate school Elizabethtown College, gives us an insider’s view through her photos and descriptions.
A room in the Ikebukuro Dorm with a nice open window, bed, and desk. In a single, the upper bed makes great storage space for your luggage, books, and other items. | KCP Flickr
Ikebukuro Dorm kitchen.
Here you can cook, store food, and do dishes with ease.
| KCP Flickr
Ikebukuro dorm bathroom. | KCP Flickr
While walking around Ikebukuro, you might see these random giraffe and zebra structures coming out of a building. | KCP Flickr
Sign at Ikebukuro Train Station. It asks guests to please be courteous to the other passengers. This one is basically saying “don’t put make-up on the train.” | KCP Flickr
Christmastime in Ikebukuro. You can gaze at this giant Christmas tree
in front of Rikkyou University. | KCP Flickr
Tags: Ikebukuro, Ikebukuro area, Ikebukuro dorm, Ikebukuro photos, Jessica Dales, KCP dorm, KCP dormitory, KCP Ikebukuro dorm, KCP student, KCP student view
Posted in: Student Views | Comments Off
The Ikebukuro dormitory for KCP students is just 30 minutes from the school–a real find, in the world of the famous Tokyo commute. Ikebukuro, a thriving entertainment and commercial district, is also one of the busiest commuter hubs, where over more than a million people pass through every single day. It’s the place to go shopping at the many department stores, be entertained by the uniquely Japanese Otaku culture, or simply relax over a fine meal at a restaurant.
Ikebukuro street scene | Harry Vale
Ikebukuro has a fascinating history. During the Taishō and Shōwa periods, it was known as “Sugamo,” where foreign laborers and artists chose to live because it was not as expensive as other places in Tokyo.
The word “Ikebukuro,” “pond bag” in kanji, is derived from three sources. The first is a tale that there was once a lake shaped like a person holding a bag in the northeastern part of the area. The second is folklore that there were several lakes of varying sizes, which resulted in the idea of a bag full of lakes. The third tale is about a turtle carrying a bag on its back that emerged from the lake. At the center of the city is a statue of an owl called “Ikefukurō-zō,” a well-known meeting place.
Check out some of the large department stores in Ikebukuro such as Tobu, Seibu, and Marui. If you want to fiddle with the latest models in gadgetry, visit the giant electronic stores Yamada Denki and Bic Camera.
Bic Camera in Ikebukuro | James Nash
If you fancy taking in the sights of the city, stop in at Sunshine 60 Observation Deck. Its enclosed lower level and open upper level deck give you a breathtaking view of Tokyo. You can also marvel at Sunshine City, a city within a city.
Sunset over Ikebukuro. | irrational_cat
Sunshine City is a 240-meter-tall skyscraper housing a multitude of restaurants and shops you can pass through on your way up to the observation deck. There are a planetarium, aquarium, museum, and indoor theme park on your way up. Can you imagine?—All of this is just a hop, skip, and jump away from the Ikebukuro dorm.
The Sega store | luisvilla
Tags: Asia, Ikebukuro, Ikebukuro dorm, KCP dorm, KCP dormitory, Sunshine City
Posted in: For KCP Students | Comments Off
