I may not have done a winter session study abroad, but I went abroad over the winter and took a course during that time, so I’d say that’s close enough. Whatever you want to call it, what I did was pretty awesome. I visited one of my best friends in Japan and got to spend 17 days in what I’d consider to be one of the coolest places on the planet.
While I was probably the least preferred type of foreigner, being American, vegan and barely able to communicate in Japanese, I had nothing but positive interactions with locals. Everyone is super mature and respectful, which was a refreshing contrast from what I typically experience in the states.
I visited Tokyo, Kyoto, Chiba and Nara. I spent six days in Tokyo, four days in Kyoto and seven days in Chiba. Each city was very unique and had lots to offer. There wasn’t a single boring moment anywhere, nor was there a single less-than-exceptional meal.
I started my trip in Tokyo.
It was very vibrant, with so much to do, so many places to go and so much food to eat. On the first night there, we went to a massive arcade that had hundreds of gachapon, which are adorable toy vending machines. I was overwhelmed by cuteness and wanted to get everything. For just 30 yen (about 20 cents), you could have a lovely trinket. Of course, I got two. I got a fake eyeshadow palette keychain and my friends and I got matching ice skating cats.
The claw machines also had the most precious stuffed animals. I won a yellow fuzzy My Melody stuffed animal on only the second try and I was over the moon. Unsurprisingly, I ended up going to another Tokyo arcade with a different friend when I later returned to Tokyo for a weekend. I must say that Sanrio character stuffed animals are much cuter than the stuffed animals in American claw machines (minus Squishmallows).
On our second day in Tokyo, we went to teamLab Borderless, a digital art museum with moving projections all over the walls and hallways. The music and imagery were entrancing — I felt like I was inside of a painting! I especially appreciated the many flowers and butterflies dancing along the walls. It was a magical experience.
My favorite shopping experience was in the district of Harajuku. I bought the cutest animal keychains and Studio Ghibli chopsticks, along with other trinkets. I also got the most adorable fuzzy pink earmuffs, but I left them in my AirBnb – a true travesty.
On New Year’s Eve, we went to Tokyo Skytree, a massive observation tower that overlooks the entirety of Tokyo. We got to admire the city from 350 meters high – so high that my ears popped on the elevator ride to the top. The view was spectacular, and I enjoyed just sitting and admiring the beautifully lit up buildings and rivers.
I returned to Tokyo at the end of my trip because of how much I loved it. I tried some spectacular vegan restaurants and explored the night life (which goes until 5 a.m. or later if you’re curious). I stayed at a capsule hotel and a hostel, both of which I’d never done before. I stayed at both places alone, but each floor had a locked door with a unique passcode, so I never had to worry about intruders.
Capsule hotels are what they sound like. The room is just a little capsule with a bed. My capsule had a tiny shelf, an outlet, a built-in alarm clock and a television. The bathrooms were incredibly spacious and stocked with many beauty products, including cotton rounds, q-tips, hair cream and lotion. A fancy vanity wrapped around the entire wash area.
The hostel was also very nice, with the beds being bunked and each bed on the bunk having a pull down curtain for complete privacy. Inside of them, there was a rod on the wall with hangers, along with outlets, a night light and a spacious locker. They came with clean sheets on the bed. I was pleasantly surprised with how clean, spacious and comfortable the beds were and how safe I felt in a co-ed room.
After my first time in Tokyo, we took an impressively fast bullet train to Kyoto.
On our first day in Kyoto, we went to the temple Kiyomizu-dera, which is an incredible World Heritage site with a mountain view that overlooks the city. We got to see the sun set over the city and it was glorious. The temple was enormous and there was so much to see. The next day, we went to the temple Kinkaku-ji, whose centerpiece is a gold-plated reliquary. The pond and garden at the temple were full of stunning greenery and happily swimming ducks.
The highlight of Kyoto was the gorgeous Arashiyama, where we saw monkeys, a bamboo forest, Kimono Forest and lots of local shops. We had to hike all the way up a mountain to get to Iwatayama Monkey Park, but it was so worth the hike. The monkeys were free-range, and they made sure you knew it. I was mesmerized by their cuteness and ended up taking hundreds of photos of them.
While in Kyoto, we took a day trip to Nara and went to Nara Park. Words can’t express how much I loved Nara Park. An entire park full of friendly deer that bow to you to ask for food? Nothing gets better than that. I got to feed deer for hours and become best friends with them (and was mauled by a few). I would recommend going to Japan just for Nara Park – it’s that incredible.
After bouncing around cities, we planted roots in Chiba for over a week.
We stayed in a town called Kujukuri, which is where my friend is living for her English teaching program. It’s pretty rural and empty (and I was starting my class at this point anyway), so I mostly stayed inside. However, we did go to a massive cat cafe that had dozens of cats all the way up to the ceiling, which was fantastic.
I took a day trip farther into Chiba near Tokyo, where my friend and I went to Tokyo DisneySea. The area by the entrance was designed to look like Italy and even offered gondola rides, which I of course took. All of the park rides were adorable and I especially enjoyed Journey to the Center of the Earth. And by enjoyed, I mean I closed my eyes the whole time and screamed.
Overall, Japan was remarkable. It has great shopping, fascinating culture, delicious food, unbeatable nightlife, beautiful architecture and public transportation that’ll make you wonder why you ever use a car in America. If you can afford a plane ticket to Japan, I seriously recommend going – it’ll absolutely change your life. After all, it changed mine, and for that I’m so grateful.
AloJapan.com