Japanese students are being taught how to speak the Queen's English by watching Downton Abbey DVDs and reading scripts from the hit show.

The course in Iidabashi, Tokyo, has proved so popular that some pupils make a 600-mile round journey every week to lessons.

The 90-minute classes came about after a Japanese national television station suggested the idea to the British Council – the body responsible for promoting British culture abroad.

Hit: A Japanese television advert for Downton Abbey. The period drama has proved popular in Japan prompting the British Council to start a language course where students watch episodes and read scripts

It was planned to coincide with the screening on the first series of Downton, which has only just aired in Japan.

However, the course was oversubscribed within days, forcing the Council to hastily arrange a second set of classes to deal with the extra numbers.

'Japanese people are completely fascinated by the programme and the way the characters speak,' said English teacher, Sarah Greet, who works for the British Council.

The course followed a Downton Abbey Night organised by the British Council and held in a Tokyo pub. Among the guests was the British ambassador to Japan, Tim Hitchins.

Role models: The Downton language course has proved so popular that some students are reportedly making 600-mile round trips to attend the classes

'The Japanese are fascinated by our old traditions. Afternoon tea is very popular here and there's a real trend for Harris tweet handbags, hats and accessories at the moment,' said Ms Greet.

'It's a very traditional society in Japan and they can relate to Downton Abbey's values and etiquette, as well as the opulence and lifestyle.'

The Japanese students range in age from university students to pensioners in their seventies. They watch DVD's of the Edwardian drama and then act our scenes in English, using scripts provided by the TV company.

The first series of Downton, which stars Maggie Smith as Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham, was shown in Japan this year

'It's noticeable that when they choose to play the posh characters, like Countless Violet, played by Dame Maggie Smith, their voices go up an octave.

'If it's Carson the butler, or Anna Smith the housemaid, their voices drop lower,' said Greet, who teaches one of the classes.

'They are aware that Britain is no longer like Downton but they still love that part of our culture, especially the politeness, our terms of address depending on rank, and the way food was served.

'I think they relate more to the people below stairs but they adore Countess Violet because she is hilarious and has all the killer lines.'

Greet says her students are so motivated it's hard to get them to leave her classroom after a lesson. 'Quite a few of them have visited England and now they all want to go to Highclere Castle where the series is filmed.'

Student Akiko Kinoshita, 26, an engineer from Toranomon, says she is a huge Downton fan: 'I don't have much opportunity to speak English and Downton is a really interesting show to watch.

'Sometimes the way the characters speak sounds too English and their accents are difficult to understand. Japanese people like the programme because it focuses on the life of different classes.'

The council plans to start a new series of classes when the second season of Downton is screened in Japan in January.