Reader JA is seeking a Japanese language school in the countryside here for his 18-year-old son.
"He would like to live in rural Japan and study Japanese for three or four months, and then ski Japan's famous powder," he writes. "Is there any resource or direction you can point us to?"
Most of the language schools I've been able to find are located in the more populated areas of Japan. However, it's possible to find schools outside of large cities. Also, many smaller cities and towns throughout the country offer weekly classes, private lessons or ways to connect with a language partner.