International Students’ Voices
International Students’ Voices
We interviewed international students studying at Tokyo Design Academy about their life in Japan, school, etc.

■Graphic Design Department: Tao Jing (from China)
■Graphic Design Department: Chen Xuanru (from Taiwan)
■Illustration Department: Hyanga Kim (from Korea)

【Interviews with the Students】
1. Reason for studying abroad
2. Future goals
3. School classes and classmates
4. A message for those thinking about studying in Japan

Graphic Design Department, Tao Jing
Place of Birth: China
How long have you been in Japan for?: Two and a half years.

1) I was interested in Japanese design for its complexity in detail and so I came to Japan to learn design.

2) I'd like to work in design in Japan. In the future I want to go back to China and make use of my experiences here.

3) The school is serious about learning. You can really feel yourself growing through the curriculum as it teaches you from the very foundations of design.

4) I would recommend improving your ability to read katakana.

Graphic Design Department, Chen Xuanru
Place of Birth: Taiwan
How long have you been in Japan for?: One year.

1) After graduating from university I worked as a planner in a company involved with design, but I was fascinated by my designer colleagues and decided I wanted to become a designer myself, and so came to Japan.

2) I'd like to work as a web designer, whether in Japan or Taiwan.

3) The teachers are very considerate. They give hints and ideas for creating actual art works as well as the techniques.

4) The support system for foreign students gives us more security.

Illustration Department, Hyanga Kim
Place of Birth: Korea
How long have you been in Japan?: One year.

1) I got interested in TDA by listening to an explanation of the Academy at a Study Abroad in Japan event I attended n Seoul.

2) I'd like to work in a position involving design in Japan.

3) The curriculum gives you a solid grounding in design from the basics, so I didn't feel any problem at all even though I had no experience in studying it previously.

4) I applied directly from Korea to enroll in TDA. I did feel a little unsure of myself living in Japan at first, but I found many other Korean students which gave me a sense of security.