World Acting Schools

Asia

Acting Schools in Japan

12 verified schools and studios with a teaching location here, offering 21 programs and classes. This is the research done to date, not a complete list of every provider.

Acting Classes in Japan (4)Voice Acting Classes in Japan (13)Acting Classes for Kids and Teens in Japan (6)

By prefecture

Cities with several verified schools

19 programs & classes

Results are listed alphabetically. There is no price ranking: prices in different currencies and bases (per class, per term, per year) are not comparable. Children’s and teen classes appear only when you choose a youth audience or open Children & Teens. Online programs are never counted as physically located in a state or city. Items marked Sponsored are paid placements; they never change recognition status, verification or order.

About actor training in Japan

How actor training is organised

In Japan actor training is split between a few university and junior-college drama departments (for example the Drama major of Toho Gakuen College of Drama and Music, which awards the 短期大学士 Associate of Drama), the national theatre's three-year Drama Studio for stage actors, and a large private sector of voice-acting institutes (養成所) and entertainment schools that run annual classes or two-year full-time courses without a degree.

Source: college.toho.ac.jp/major/degree

Qualification structures

Names and levels are local to Japan. Similar names in other countries are not interchangeable.

短期大学士 (Associate of Drama)
Awarded by Toho Gakuen College of Drama and Music to graduates of its Drama major. Source
新国立劇場 演劇研修所 (New National Theatre Drama Studio)
Three-year trainee programme for aspiring stage actors; the 23rd intake runs April 2027 to March 2030. Source
Voice-acting institutes and schools
Nichinare sells levelled annual classes; AMG offers a two-year full-time voice-acting course. These pages do not state an academic award. Source

Languages and auditions

Teaching languages. All sampled programmes are taught and applied for in Japanese; the Drama Studio requires foreign applicants to understand Japanese.

Admissions and auditions. University-level drama majors use acting, singing or dance, and interview tests (Toho Gakuen general selection); the Drama Studio runs three selection rounds in December plus an essay and health certificate; voice-acting institutes typically use a written test and interview before enrolment (Nichinare). Source

Nothing here establishes visa, work-permit or credit-transfer eligibility. Check current rules with the official sources below.

Official study information

Country information last reviewed 16 October 2026. 3 sources consulted.