After being in Japan for about two whole months, I can safely say I will forever remember this extraordinary trip abroad. Not only did I meet so many great people and make new life-long friends, but all of these memories will last forever.
Japan welcomed me with open arms. The people in Japan are very polite and respectful and I always felt incredibly safe. My main piece of advice for people looking into coming during the summer is to be prepared for brutal heat and a lot of walking. While daily life in Japan can be exhausting because of walking everywhere and many stairs in each train station, the tiring days are worth the reward of exploring each new city.
During my time abroad I visited Osaka, Kyoto, Yokohama, Uji, Hieizan, Shizuoka, Tokyo, Kobe, and Nara. While that seems like a huge list of cities there are still even more places that I would love to come back and see in Japan. The country has just about everything, ranging from mountains, the countryside, cities, and peaceful beaches. The food is incredible, the streets are clean, and the public transportation is efficient.
While traveling in Japan during the hot summer is not for the faint of heart, I would not change anything about my trip. Overall, my favorite city this summer was Kyoto. You can’t beat how charming, peaceful, and historic the city truly is, and the summer festivals there make it an exciting place. I will start saving and planning for the next time I visit.
This trip abroad was eye-opening and allowed me to grow so much. It was such an excellent opportunity to learn new things about my own culture and heritage and I am going to be so sad when I have to return to America. I thought I could feel so at home in a foreign country but I felt so comfortable and at peace here. After this, I am already hoping to study abroad in a new country next summer!
