It's also where 36 lucky JMC students spent 2 weeks on a combined Anime/Manga and J-Pop study tour. Spending one week in Tokyo and one week in Osaka, the students immersed themselves in some of Japan’s most iconic experiences while also learning about Japanese creative industries from Jikei Com’s music and design institutions.

JMC first sent a group of students to Japan last year for an exclusive Anime/Manga tour, and in 2019 we broadened the program for Music and Songwriting students to explore the J-Pop industry.

Lauren Abend says, "Waking up underneath the Japanese sky was one of the most amazing experiences I've ever had. One of my highlights from the trip was gazing at sunsets and travelling all over the populated island. I learned about the culture in specific reference to the music industry. Whilst in Japan, I got to create a song with the students from Tokyo School of Music and Osaka School of Music. I also got to be creative with my photography. This has definitely influenced my career as I have made a lot of industry contacts whilst there. I also have written a song about my time in Japan."

Here's a little taste of Japan through the eyes of our JMC Students Experience 

Music student Zachary Ow says, "It was really interesting to visit Ochanomizu, also known as "the guitar street", and bounce from music store to music store! One thing that caught my attention was the overall vibe of the local musicians. Everybody seemed so motivated and determined about music, which I found really intriguing. It felt alive, like a breath of fresh air. I definitely picked up some useful ideas during the classes at both music schools we attended, and I can confidently say that I will put my newfound knowledge into practice for sure!"

Japan certainly inspired Animation student Maddy Lam, who quotes, "As someone who is not a huge fan of Anime or Manga, I got so much more out of the trip than I expected. Although I still don't watch a lot of Anime, read a lot of Manga, or draw in the style, I certainly have a newfound appreciation for Japanese media. Getting to learn about the techniques and the culture definitely influenced my perspective of what I study, the industry, and most of all, the quality of the art I produce - I now feel a lot more confident in character design and developing my own style after learning techniques during the classes we took in Japan!"

"One of our major highlights was the Poke Centres - which was absolute heaven for all us geeky JMC students. But, also, one of my favourite things was just getting to wander such beautiful, bright, and bustling cities (especially Tokyo). We would often stumble upon all these little quirky shops, and beautiful parks, shrines, and allies. Many times we would walk past a funky store that we could never find again!"