Category Archives: Choosing a location

Choosing a location for your business

スミス英会話川西校 梅田スカイビル Umeda Sky Building – a great outing

December 7, 2009 – 11:45 pm

Whenever I ask students at my English school, Smith’s School of English, Kawanishi スミス英会話川西校, which cities in Japan they would recommend for a visit by overseas visitors, they invariably say Kyoto 京都, occasionally adding Nara 奈良市, and even more rarely, Tokyo. Only one has ever suggested Osaka 大阪市, which is also my choice. Why? Well, to me, [...]

By John C | Also posted in English School Articles, Franchise Owners' Speak, Free Advice English Schools, Living in Japan, SSE Kawanishi Corner, a reward in itself, english in japan, enjoyed this a lot | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments (1)

スミス英会話川西校 Manganji Temple 満願寺 – Another Local Gem

December 4, 2009 – 6:53 am

During the 9 months that I have been the owner and teacher of Smith’s School of English, Kawanishi スミス英会話川西校, I have done quite a lot of exploring in the area around my English school. I never cease to be amazed by the very special places that I have found in this part of Japan.

By John C | Also posted in English School Articles, Franchise Owners' Speak, Living in Japan, SSE Kawanishi Corner, a reward in itself, english in japan, enjoyed this a lot, my high level students | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments (5)

(スミス英会話) A Foreigner in Japan – with a camera

October 1, 2009 – 11:49 pm

I have had a great love for photography ever since the first time I saw an image appear on a piece of photographic paper (as if by magic), in a friend’s darkroom. For several years I produced monochrome photographs in my home darkroom, and had some success, exhibiting and winning awards in several countries. That [...]

By John C | Also posted in English School Articles, Franchise Owners' Speak, Living in Japan, SSE Kawanishi Corner, a look back, a reward in itself, english in japan, enjoyed this a lot | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments (2)

Naramachi ならまち

September 24, 2009 – 5:25 am

 
During the “Silver Week” holidays my wife, めぐみ　and I visited Nara 奈良市, which is now very convenient for us as there are trains every 20 minutes from Nishinomiya Hanshin Station 西宮駅 direct to Nara.

By John C | Also posted in English School Articles, Franchise Owners' Speak, Free Advice English Schools, Living in Japan, SSE Kawanishi Corner, a reward in itself, english in japan, enjoyed this a lot | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments (1)

Kitano Ijinkan 北野異人館 Revisited

September 14, 2009 – 1:23 am

When we first explored the Kobe 神戸市 area as possibly somewhere to live when we moved to Japan, Kitano-cho 北野町 immediately struck us as a very special sort of place.

By John C | Also posted in English School Articles, Franchise Owners' Speak, Living in Japan, SSE Kawanishi Corner, a reward in itself, english in japan, enjoyed this a lot | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments (0)

Let’s Talk – Food & Drinks

September 2, 2009 – 10:09 pm

In the “Let’s Talk” Question and Answer Item in the Smith’s School of English スミス英会話 curriculum,  Question 8 asks: “Have you ever complained in a restaurant?”
I have not yet had a student at my English school,  Smith’s School of English, Kawanishi, answer this in the affirmative, and I can’t remember complaining in a restaurant myself (at least here [...]

By John C | Also posted in English School Articles, Franchise Owners' Speak, Living in Japan, SSE Kawanishi Corner, english in japan, enjoyed this a lot | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments (0)

Onsen 温泉 – A Great Japanese Tradition

August 20, 2009 – 3:51 am

 
Ever since my first visit to Japan, almost 20 years ago, I have always loved visiting the country’s great traditional hot springs 温泉. My first visit to an onsen was in Nita , in Shimane-ken 島根県. Although I had read much of the etiquette of the onsen, I was lucky enough, on that occasion to [...]

By John C | Also posted in English School Articles, Franchise Owners' Speak, Free Advice English Schools, Living in Japan, SSE Kawanishi Corner, a reward in itself, english in japan, enjoyed this a lot | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments (0)

Another Journey in Time – Nose Myoken-san Temple 能勢妙見山堂

August 5, 2009 – 1:06 am

 

Earlier this summer I wrote a post about a trip that I took to Myokenguchi 妙見口 see HERE. At the end of that article I promised a return visit, which I did last Sunday. This time we visited Myoken-san, the location of  Nose Myoken-san Temple 能勢妙見山堂, headquarters of the Nichiren Buddhist sect.

By John C | Also posted in English School Articles, Franchise Owners' Speak, Living in Japan, SSE Kawanishi Corner, a reward in itself, english in japan, enjoyed this a lot | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments (0)

How do I set up an English Language School in Japan?

July 28, 2009 – 11:14 pm

スミス英会話布施校の日本語のメインサイトはこちら 
I remember entering this exact search into Google and Yahoo many years ago when I decided that I wanted to come to Japan and set up my own English language school in Japan.  I remember searching and searching and I found a seemingly never-ending number of websites, blogs, ads, newsletters.  I would search and take [...]

By Alex | Also posted in Free Advice English Schools, New start up or franchise?, SSE Fuse Corner, a look back, english in japan, franchise v. small business, rewarding job change | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments (0)

My Kind of Town part 3

July 19, 2009 – 8:29 pm

 

BMX flying

One aspect of Nishinomiyahama 西宮浜, where I have lived for almost a year and a half, that I have not mentioned before in this series is the variety of sports and leisure activities that go on there almost throughout the year. There is always so much going on both on land and in the [...]

By John C | Also posted in English School Articles, Franchise Owners' Speak, Living in Japan, SSE Kawanishi Corner, a reward in itself, english in japan, enjoyed this a lot | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments (5)

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