Tips for studying in Tokyo

Hi all,

I am considering doing a semester of study in Tokyo at the start of 2027. I currently live in Australia and have been to Japan once for a month, but would absolutely appreciate ANY tips for living in Japan. Please note I am 21 and this will be my first time living alone.

I am proposing studying at Chuo university – and would love to hear from anyone who has studied here. I would also like to stay on campus for the semester.

However for 2-3 months before the semester starts (Jan-March), I would like to arrive early to complete some lessons at a Japanese language school. With this I have some further questions:

1. Does anyone recommend any language schools in Tokyo for a beginner
2. Could anyone recommened any reliable sites for short term accomodation (2-3 months), as AirBNB is very expensive. I have come accross Sumyca and Realestate Japan (https://realestate.co.jp/en) but really don't want to get scammed
3. What would the best places to stay for a foreigner (not worried about language barriers, but ideally somewhere safe, not too loud, but also trendy)

I know this is a lot – but I would really appreciate any tips from residents or people who have studied in Japan regarding anything really. Thanks!