The Yamasa Institute

What The Yamasa Institute does

The Yamasa Institute is a private Japanese language school headquartered in Okazaki City, Aichi Prefecture, Japan, operating under Educational Corporation Hattori Gakuen since 1991. The school serves international students seeking Japanese language proficiency for academic advancement, professional employment, or cultural immersion, drawing students from approximately 100 countries with a capacity of 120 students in the accredited program. Its core product portfolio includes the AIJP 2-Year Accredited Course (transitioning to MEXT accreditation in October 2026), the SILAC short-term intensive conversation course (2–12 weeks), JLPT preparation courses at N5, N4, and N3 levels, and YAMASA Online, a one-on-one virtual lesson platform at ¥5,000 per 50-minute session.

The institute's instructional model uses team teaching with 4.5 instructors per class and average class sizes of 15 students across 17 classrooms in its YAMASA II main building. Its proprietary HDS (HD-Standard) assessment, co-developed with Denso Corporation, applies a CEFR-aligned evaluation framework where the evaluator does not teach the student, providing objective speaking-ability measurement. The school generates revenue from tuition across long-term and short-term programs, directly-managed accommodation (Student Village dormitories at ¥1,500–¥2,000/night and Villa/Residence apartments at ¥2,500–¥6,000/night), airport transfer services (¥18,000 from Chubu Centrair), and ancillary cultural experience programs. Distribution is direct-to-consumer through a multilingual website (English, Japanese, Nepali, Portuguese, Chinese), education fairs, social media, and an alumni network exceeding 8,000 graduates.

Name

The Yamasa Institute

Legal name

学校法人 服部学園 YAMASA言語文化学院

Website

https://yamasa.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Yamasa Institute is a private Japanese language school in Okazaki, Japan, operating since 1991 under Hattori Gakuen, serving international students from 100+ countries through long-term accredited programs, short-term courses, online lessons, and directly-managed accommodation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Language Education Services

NAICS

Language Schools (611630), Language Schools (61163)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

General Language Schools (Multi-Language) (EDAIAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

International Year One (IYO) / First-Year Pathway Programs (EDAIAJAC), General Language Schools & Institutes (EDAMAFAA)

Keywords

• Japanese language education
• Language school programs
• Student accommodation services
• Online Japanese lessons
• JLPT preparation courses

Headquarters

HQ city

Okazaki

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition - AIJP 2-Year Accredited Course: Long-term Japanese language and culture program that will be MEXT-accredited from October 2026. Designed for international students seeking to improve Japanese language proficiency over two years, with the goal of reaching B2 level. Students requiring student visas must apply for this program.
2. Tuition - SILAC Short-Term Intensive Course: Short-term intensive conversation course lasting 2-12 weeks, designed to improve Japanese conversation skills quickly. Classes concentrate in mornings (9:00-13:30), with afternoons free for optional activities. From October 2026, the program will be revamped with greater flexibility.
3. Tuition - JLPT Preparation Course: New 10-week semester courses for JLPT N5, N4, and N3 levels. Enhances both communication skills and reading/writing abilities with thorough instruction on JLPT test-taking techniques.
4. YAMASA Online Lessons: One-on-one customized online Japanese lessons. Basic fee is 5,000 JPY per 50-minute session. Offers packages for A2 (Beginner Grammar), B1 (Speaking), B2 (Business Japanese), and JLPT N3 Grammar levels. Custom lessons available for other goals.
5. Student Accommodation: School-managed dormitories and apartments for international students. Dormitory rates range from ¥1,500-2,000/night, apartment rates from ¥2,500-6,000/night. All rates include water, electricity, gas, and internet. Additional revenue from futon rental (¥370/day) or purchase (¥29,200).
6. Airport Transfer Services: Pickup service from Chubu Centrair International Airport at ¥18,000 per student. Provides immigration support and initial settling assistance.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Yamasa Institute delivers Japanese language education to international students through on-campus programs at its Okazaki City, Aichi Prefecture campus and a global online platform. Its portfolio includes a 2-year MEXT-accredited course (AIJP), short-term intensive conversation courses (SILAC), JLPT preparation courses, and one-on-one online lessons. The school directly manages student accommodation across dormitories and apartments and provides integrated support such as airport transfers, visa sponsorship, and bilingual life counseling.

Product overview

The Yamasa Institute offers Japanese language education programs through a multi-product portfolio consisting of: (1) AIJP - the core 2-year MEXT-accredited Japanese language and culture program for long-term students seeking student visas, (2) AIJP Short-Term program - flexible 3-month to 2-year courses, (3) SILAC - Short-Term Intensive Conversation Course (2-12 weeks) for casual learners, (4) YAMASA Online - one-on-one online lessons for global learners covering beginner to business Japanese levels, (5) JLPT Preparation - N5/N4/N3 exam prep courses available as optional add-ons or standalone programs, and (6) various directly-managed accommodation options (Student Village dormitories and Villa/Residence apartments). The school also provides supplementary tools including an online Kanji dictionary. Programs follow four annual intake terms (April, July, October, January) with admissions handled through an online application system.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• YAMASA Online: Online Japanese language courses offered by YAMASA for students worldwide, providing one-on-one customized lessons.

Products and services

• AIJP - Academic Intensive Japanese and Culture Program (2-Year) A 2-year accredited Japanese language program that develops reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills with the goal of reaching B2 level proficiency. Designed for international students requiring student visas and seeking admission to Japanese universities or vocational schools.
• AIJP Short-Term Japanese Language and Culture Program A flexible short-term program lasting 3 months to 2 years (in 3-month increments) that helps students develop Japanese language skills and cultural understanding. Suited for learners who do not require student visa sponsorship.
• SILAC Short-Term Intensive Conversation Course A 2-12 week intensive conversation course with morning classes (9:00-13:30) designed to quickly improve Japanese conversation skills in a friendly learning environment. Optional afternoon sessions cover JLPT preparation, cultural experiences, or business Japanese.
• YAMASA Online

Quantifiable outcome

• B2 level proficiency in 2 years (AIJP program)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Denso CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015YAMASA co-developed the HDS (HD-Standard) Japanese communication ability assessment system with Denso Corporation. This proprietary evaluation framework, based on CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference), objectively measures speaking ability for Japanese language learners.
• Hattori Gakuen Educational FoundationcoreOthers · 1 January 2010YAMASA Institute operates under the Hattori Gakuen Educational Foundation, which also operates Megumi Kindergarten, YAMASA Language and Culture Research Institute, and other educational entities. The foundation was established in 1919 by Tarokichi Hattori.
• Hattori Kogyo Co., Ltd.minorOthersA commercial kitchen equipment manufacturer founded in 1886, with over 130 years of history. It is the core company of the Hattori Group. The company was founded by Tarokichi Hattori, the same founder of the Hattori Public Welfare Foundation.
• Artec Co., Ltd.minorOthersA company selling equipment and supplies for large-scale kitchens in hospitals, schools, and factories. Operates the Okazaki Cook-Chill Center producing school lunches. Bento meals are sold at YAMASA during long-term courses.
• FM EGAOminorOthersA local radio station broadcasting 24 hours in the Nishi-Mikawa area. Provides community information including local news, weather forecasts, and music programs. Haiku contest winners appear on the radio annually.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Go! Go! Nihon: Go! Go! Nihon is a Japan-focused study abroad agency that aggregates international student applications for multiple Japanese language schools. It functions as a distribution partner/competitor for student acquisition funnel to schools including YAMASA.
• Berlitz Japan: Berlitz Japan's corporate language-training arm overlaps with YAMASA Language and Culture Research Institute (the B2B corporate Japanese training entity). It does not directly compete with the consumer school but competes in the adjacent corporate-training segment.

Direct peers

• ISI Japanese Language School: ISI Group operates multiple Japanese language school campuses in Tokyo, Kyoto, and Nagoya, serving international students with long-term and short-term programs. It is the closest multi-campus scaled direct competitor to YAMASA's AIJP and SILAC offerings.
• Genki Japanese Language School (JACS): Genki/JACS runs Japanese language schools in Tokyo and Kyoto with long-term, short-term, and JLPT prep tracks. It directly competes with YAMASA for international students seeking university-prep and JLPT programs in Japan.
• Tokyo School of Japanese Language: A Tokyo-based Japanese language school with long-term courses for international students preparing for higher education or employment in Japan. Overlaps with YAMASA's AIJP in target audience and pedagogical model.
• Coto Japanese Academy: Coto operates Japanese language schools in Tokyo with a focus on conversation-based and immersive instruction. Comparable to YAMASA in offering intensive short-term courses and a smaller-class-size, interactive teaching model.
• KAI Japanese Language School: KAI provides accredited Japanese language education in Tokyo with college-prep and JLPT preparation tracks. Comparable to YAMASA in targeting visa-sponsored international students pursuing Japanese university admission.

Emerging players

• italki: italki is a global online marketplace connecting language learners with tutors, including Japanese tutors. It competes directly with YAMASA Online for one-on-one beginner, conversation, and JLPT-prep students outside Japan.

Broad incumbents

• EF Education First (Japan): EF is a global language education network operating Japanese language programs in Japan alongside many other languages. It is a broad incumbent with overlapping offerings but does not specialize in Japan-bound Japanese language study the way YAMASA does.
• Kaplan International Languages: Kaplan International operates language schools globally including Japan-focused programs. As a broad incumbent, it overlaps with YAMASA's long-term language-school model but at much greater scale and broader language portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/yamasainstitute
• Instagraminstagram.com/yamasainstitute
• Xx.com/yamasa_en
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-yamasa-institute

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Yamasa Institute