With the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19), Joshibi University of Art and Design has decided to cancel this year's Joshibi International Summer School 2022.

Experience studio workshop unique to Japan!
Learn Japanese traditional art technique!
Tour to the Tokyo’s fascinating cultural spots!
Courses are held in English!
Program Overview

Joshibi International Summer School 2020: Tokyo is a unique art and design program designed by Joshibi University of Art and Design that offers students the perfect opportunity to experience both modern and traditional Japanese art and design in one of the most exciting cities in the world.
As Japan has unique art and design not only in terms of traditional arts but also in terms of modern popular arts and design such as anime and manga, we designed the program that provides you with the opportunity to fully explore these popular culture through courses and field trips while developing your creativity by learning about various studio disciplines of Japanese traditional arts.
Areas of study include Digital Picture Book Creation, Manga (Japanese comics), Character Design, Japanese Painting, Japanese Embroidery, and Dyeing. All the course instructors are professionals in their respective fields. Tours to an animation company and other cultural spots in Tokyo are included in this program.
- Download the application form
- Download the full information (The information is the same as this page)
Program Dates
Wednesday 1 July 2020
Wednesday 1 July 2020
Friday 10 July 2020
The program is only for university/college students aged 18 and over. High school students who are expected to graduate by the program dates are eligible to participate as well. Only female students can join this time as the 2020 program will be held during the semester earlier than usual. All the courses are provided with an English interpreter. Students are not required to have any skills in Japanese.
Campus and Classrooms
Classes are held at Joshibi's Suginami Campus.

Suginami Campus
1-49-8 Wada, Suginami-ku, Tokyo 166-8538
8 minutes on foot from Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line Higashi-Koenji Station.
Program Schdule
Wed, 7/1 | Thu, 7/2 | Fri, 7/3 | Sat, 7/4 | Sun, 7/5 | |
AM 9:00~ 12:00 | Orientation Welcome Lunch | Digital Picture Book | Digital Picture Book | Field Trip | Free Time |
PM 13:00~ 16:00 | Character Design | Character Design | Japanese Embroidery | Same as above |
Mon, 7/6 | Tue, 7/7 | Wed, 7/8 | Thu, 7/9 | Fri, 7/10 | |
AM 9:00~ 12:00 | Manga | Japanese Painting | Animation Lecture | Japanese Painting | Dyeing |
PM 13:00~ 16:00 | Japanese Embroidery | Manga | Field Trip to Animation Studio | Dyeing | Presentation and Farewell Party |
Tuition fee
89,000 yen
-Course fee
-Supplies
-Museum fee
-Program of social events
-Accommodation
-Meal
-Airfare
-Domestic transportation fee
-Health Insurance
* All students must have their own health insurance.
Accommodation
Please arrange the accomodation on your own as there is no student hall of residence available in our campus.
Airport Transportation
There is no program transportation pick-up from or to the airports. Students may use a public transportation to get to their accommodation.
Supplies
Students must provide their own basic supplies such as a sketchbook and drawing tools (pens, pencils, markers, etc.) Special supplies are distributed by the instructor for each course.
Registration
Registration begins on Monday, January 6, 2020.
Fill in the attached Registration Form and send the scanned completed form to the Center for International Relations along with a copy of your Certificate of Student Status issued by your home institution by email.Deadline: Registration is on a first come, first served basis. Applications are accepted in the order in which they are received. We encourage applicants to apply as early as possible.
The deadline for Joshibi International Summer School: Tokyo is April 30, 2020.
Visas
In some cases students may need to obtain a visa prior to the start of the program. We will issue necessary documents such as an invitation letter to obtain a visa. Obtaining visas takes time. Please make your application early.
Visa Waiver for UAE Nationals based on Passport-Registration System
UAE nationals possessing “3 years validity ordinary passports which have been registered to the diplomatic missions of Japan (embassies, consulates-general or consular offices)” are exempted from obtaining a visa in advance if the purpose of visit of Japan is short-term stay. For details, please refer to the following webpage.
- Visa Waiver for UAE Nationals based on Passport-Registration System(PDF)
- Visa Waiver for UAE Nationals based on Passport
Payment Method
Tuition and fees: 89,000 yen
Payment by bank transfer in Japanese yen is required. Credit card is not accepted. Once we receive students’ application, we will send them our bank information. Transfers must be made within two weeks after they receive it. Application will be cancelled automatically after the payment deadline.
Cancellations and Refunds
Students must submit a withdrawal request in writing by email to itn@venus.joshibi.jp In order for you to qualify for a refund of tuition, your cancellation must be submitted before the deadlines indicated below.
Before May 15: We will refund the total amount of tuition after deducting bank transmission fees and all related fees.
Before May 31: We will refund 80 % of tuition after deducting bank transmission fees and all related fees.
Jun 1 or later: No tuition refund
Joshibi reserves the right to cancel programs. If a program is canceled, you will be notified and receive a full refund of tuition.
Course Description
Digital Picture Book

Picture books are not necessarily for children. In Japan where picture books are getting more and more popular, various kinds of picture books has been published in recent years. In this workshop, students will produce a digital picture book by combining hand drawing illustrations and some digital images with iPad. Students can also experience a method of stop motion animation to take in a digital picture book.
Instructor: Kiri
Character designer, art director, professor of Joshibi University of Art and Design
She is the character designer and the art director of the music game, Vib Ribbon, which is one of the collection of MOMA (The Museum of Modern Art).
Character Design

There are various kinds of characters in Japan. Our culture has been producing characters from ancient times. In this workshop, students will experience designing their original character through being introduced to the method and techniques of creating various characters. Students will have the opportunity to know the essence of Japanese character design.
Instructor: TBA
Animation

This course is designed to introduce the students to animation production in Japan through the lectures on actual situations of the production site. Students will learn the process of the animation production as well as the work contents of each of all the jobs related to making animations. The course includes the field trip to the animation studio which is not ordinarily open to the public.
Instructor: TBA
Manga (Japanese Comic)

In Japan, we have categories of shoujo manga (girls’ comic) and shonen manga (boys’ comic). This workshop offers you the experience to draw a cartoon with the tools that are unique to Japan. You can gain a valuable chance to learn about Japanese comics.
Instructor: Sami Fujimoto and Kuni-ichi Ashiya
Comic artist
Japanese Painting

Materials for Japanese painting have unique characteristics that have their roots in the primitive age and cannot be seen in modern arts. Among them are pigments that are produced through the process of grinding stones and rocks, and Japanese papers. This workshop introduces you to basic techniques of Japanese painting, and provides you the unique opportunity to draw pictures with natural pigments.
Instructor: Koan Hashimoto
Japanese painter, emeritus professor of Joshibi University of Art and Design
Dyeing

In Japan, since the Nara period (645-794), we have the resist-paste dye technique called “Tsutsugaki” (from tsutsu, “tube” and gaki, “drawing”) which uses rice paste and is closely related to Japan’s food culture. In this course students will experience this technique by dyeing fabrics with their original design. In the Edo period (1603-1867), fablics of Furoshiki (square shaped wrapping cloth), Noren (curtain), small bag and others were produced with this technique. Tsutsugaki craftsmen strove for making fishing boat flags and war banners as well, competing with each other, and we can see their bold and chic works now. Students will be offered an enjoyable experience of Japanese unique dyeing culture.
Instructor: Nobue Kobayashi
Textile artist, professor of Joshibi College of Art and Design
Japanese Embroidery

Embroidery is a universal technique that was produced by human who live a cultured life. In this course, you will be introduced to the basic skills and methods of Japanese traditional embroidery.
Instructor: Ayako Osaki
Embroidery artist, assistant professor of Joshibi University of Art and Design