There are many reasons to study in Japan. The first and foremost is the cultural experience. Japan has one foot firmly rooted in East Asian culture but they also have a strong influence of Western and American culture. However, on top of that you have a truly unique Japanese culture that doesn’t resemble anything else. Japanese universities offer 4-year undergraduate programs, 2-years graduate programs, and 3-4 years of doctoral programs. The academic year starts in April and ends in March, with summer vacation from mid-July to the beginning of September, and winter vacation from the end of December to the beginning of January. The highest-ranking universities are Tohoku University, Kyoto University, and the University of Tokyo.