REASON01
Individual guidance for each goal
From favourite characters to art-exam preparation, we look at your current work and name the next step.
Illustration & Manga School in Horie, Osaka
Turn “I want to draw” into “I can draw it.”
Individual lessons tailored to the illustrations and manga you want to create.
FIND YOUR COURSE
Find your way to learn
Choose a course and learning style that fits your goals and the art you want to make.
Children & parents
Grow drawing skills and confidence through enjoymentLearn moreTeens & art applicants
Build fundamentals, create work, and prepare for next stepsLearn moreAdults & hobby learners
Make time for the work you want to createLearn moreInternational visitors
Experience Japanese manga-making in OsakaLearn moreCOURSES
Learn moreCourses for different goals
Enrollment ¥22,000 · monthly tuition from ¥11,880
01Children’s manga & illustrationIndividual manga and illustration lessons for children from age five through junior high.2 lessons / month · ¥11,880
02Children’s artIndividual art lessons that develop creativity and drawing fundamentals from age five through junior high.2 lessons / month · ¥11,880
03Adult manga & illustrationIndividual lessons for high-school students through learners in their seventies, from hobbies to professional goals.2 lessons / month · ¥12,76004Art entrance examination preparationIndividual preparation for art-focused junior-high, high-school, and university entrance examinations.4 lessons / month · ¥27,220
05Basic drawingIndividual drawing fundamentals for junior-high students and adults, learned at a personal pace.2 lessons / month · ¥12,760
06High school diploma pathwayComplete the academic requirements of a correspondence high school while receiving day-to-day study support and individual manga and illustration guidance at Horie Art Academy.
07Japanese manga experienceA guided Japanese manga and character-drawing experience in Osaka for international visitors, families, schools, and tour groups.Tailored duration and quoteA concrete sense of time to your goal.
Wondering how long it may take to draw what you have in mind? These are the learning-time estimates published by the school.
Actual timing varies with each learner’s starting point, goals, and lesson frequency. These figures do not guarantee a level or completion date. At a trial lesson, we can look at your current work and discuss a suitable way to learn.
Draw a dynamic character pose
- Starting as a beginner
- 10months
- With prior drawing training
- 6months
Draw a one-page manga
- Starting as a beginner
- 12months
- With prior drawing training
- 8months
Work toward a professional level
- Starting as a beginner
- 40months
- With prior drawing training
- 24months
Work before and after lessons
Drag the handle to compare the same student’s work before and after lessons.
BeforeDragAfterH.M., age 9
From a rough line drawing to a full colour illustration with a background.
BeforeDragAfterN.K., age 11
Cleaner linework and shading let the character’s expression come through.
BeforeDragAfterY.H., age 12
A pencil rough carried through to a finished, coloured piece.
BeforeDragAfterU.T., age 14
Tidier construction lines, with detail worked all the way through.
BeforeDragAfterR.K., age 17
Form and shading now read separately, with the background carried to a finish.
BeforeDragAfterN.F., age 30
Layered colour and added detail give the room real depth.
WHY HORIE
Learn morePersonal guidance that helps what you want to draw take shape.
Rather than giving everyone the same assignment sequence, we work from favorite characters, original work, fundamentals, or art-exam goals.
Five reasons students choose Horie
REASON02
500+ students from age 5 through their 70s, traveling from across the region
500+students
Students of every age and level travel in from Osaka and seven neighbouring prefectures.
- Ages 5 to 70s
- 8 prefectures
REASON03
Flexible reservation-based attendance
Choose times that fit around school or work from the open lesson slots.
REASON04
Skilled, active instructors
Working manga artists and illustrators who put the reason behind every fix into words.
REASON05
Monthly tuition with a choice of frequency
Pick your lesson frequency to suit your life and goals, from twice a month.
- From 2 lessons a month
STUDENT WORK & RESULTS
Learn moreStudent work & voices
Only verified material with confirmed publication permission will be shown.
- Elementary
I wanted to get better at coloring with pencils and pens, and learn to use an iPad so I could freely draw what I like. I can draw cute pictures now, and I was happy to win a prize with a picture I made myself.
Mone Kawaba (Grade 1, Higashiosaka) - High school
I dreamed of becoming a manga artist and showing everyone the ideas in my head, but I did not know how manga was actually made or how to reach that dream. Since joining, I have met more people and sharpened both my skills and my knowledge.
T.Y. (High-school year 2, Osaka City) - Adults
There are instructors with expertise across many genres, and I felt I could keep attending comfortably. I value receiving advice from many different perspectives and seeing other students’ work at the exhibitions.
Rino Matsuzaki (University year 2, Sakai)
RESULTS
Awards & debuts
Student work has led to publisher manga and illustration awards, public poster recognition, exhibitions, and international exchange.
Learn more78th Shueisha Orange Bunko Illustration Award
Honorable mention
“My Dream Town” Painting Competition
Gold award
MOA Museum of Art Takatsuki Children’s Exhibition
Jury encouragement award
MEET THE SCHOOL
Learn moreMeet the school
The teaching team, and the principal who leads it. Full profiles are on the instructors page.
PRINCIPAL
Shirin Ito
Born in Shanghai, Shirin moved to Japan at age 10 and first submitted manga to Shueisha at 14. After recognition in publisher newcomer awards, she worked across manga, illustration, and design. She also teaches at Digital Hollywood Osaka and can consult in Chinese.
- Horie Art School activities have appeared in Osaka Nichinichi Shimbun since 2017
- Guest lecturer at Osaka University Hospital in 2020
SPECIAL PROGRAMS
Special programs for different paths
Explore pathways for a high-school diploma, manga-making experiences, and junior-high learning support.
HIGH SCHOOL PATHWAYWork toward high-school graduation while studying the art you love.Complete the academic requirements of a correspondence high school while receiving day-to-day study support and individual manga and illustration guidance at Horie Art Academy.
Learn more →MANGA EXPERIENCEManga drawing experienceA guided Japanese manga and character-drawing experience in Osaka for international visitors, families, schools, and tour groups.
Learn more →
JUNIOR HIGH SUPPORTJunior-high learning supportFor students looking for learning support, guidance, or a place where they can feel secure during junior high, staff can also explain the Daiichi Gakuin Junior High Division and discuss how it may sit alongside manga or illustration learning.
Learn more →
QUESTIONS & CONCERNS
Learn moreQuestions before you try? Let’s take them one by one.
These are common concerns before a trial, and how Horie Art School responds through its teaching and reservation-based format.
- I want to draw characters I admire, but I do not know where to start.
- Start by looking closely at a reference. An instructor explains shape and proportion kindly, one step at a time.
- I cannot teach my child how to draw.
- Parents do not need to teach at home. Individual guidance begins with what the student wants to make.
- I want to become an illustrator.
- Guidance connects fundamentals and portfolio-making with both digital and traditional media, based on the learner’s current level.
- My schedule is already full.
- The reservation-based format lets students choose attendance dates around school, work, and other activities.
- Self-study has stopped helping me improve.
- Bring the work you are stuck on. An instructor identifies the next practical step and explains it one to one.
- I need a place outside school where my child can regain confidence.
- The bright, welcoming classroom and individual pace give students room to focus, enjoy creating, and build confidence without group pressure.
TRIAL LESSON
Learn moreYour path to a trial lesson
Draw while experiencing the instructor’s teaching and the classroom atmosphere.
- Duration
- 120 min (90 min for kindergarten)
- Fee
- ¥2,000
- Format
- Hands-on, individual guidance
- 01Send an inquiry
- 02Staff reviews it
- 03Receive candidate dates
- 04Attend at the agreed time
The trial is not used to pressure you to enroll.
ACCESS
Visit us in Minamihorie, Osaka
Follow Naniwa-suji toward the Nishidotonboribashi-kita intersection. The corner signal makes the building easier to identify on a first visit.
Eight Building Minamihorie 7F & 10F, 2-5-1 Minamihorie, Nishi-ku, Osaka 550-0015
- About 5 min from Sakuragawa Exit 5
- About 8 min from Yotsubashi Exit 6
- About 8 min from Nishiohashi Exit 3
- About 10 min from Namba stations
First-time visitors should follow the 7F or 10F floor information provided with their booking.