Standing in front of Todai-Ji Temple

I was lucky enough to study abroad in Japan for two weeks during the May Intersession. The program was the faculty-led Honors Passport experience for 2024. While there we visited several major cities in Japan such as Nara, Kyoto, Hiroshima, Okayama, and Tokyo. I’ve always liked Japanese culture and wanted to experience it for myself, and doing a faculty-led program seemed like the most comprehensive way to experience the country. The professors were able to add historical context for the sites we visited which made the experience more rewarding than if I had visited solo. I enjoy visiting and exploring cities, so the opportunity to stay in Kyoto and Tokyo was very appealing and was what encouraged me to apply for the program.

Taking a break at Itsukushima Shrine

While in Japan I studied contemporary religion, mostly Shintoism, and its prevalence/depiction in media. I had to prepare a 15-minute presentation on the topic and was lucky enough to present about it in front of Itsukushima Shrine on Miyajima Island. At other sites, we learned about the history surrounding religion and the Shogunate in Japan, which were topics I was not initially well-versed in. My favorite moments of the trip were visiting Nara Park and Itsukushima Shrine. While these two sites both have plentitudes of docile deer to hang out with, the appeal of these sites came from their history and architecture. Nara Park and the Todai-ji temple were an amazing visit because of the incredible architecture and large statues which photos cannot do justice. Itsukushima was my favorite site because I had been studying it for a while before the visit as part of my presentation so I felt slightly more connected to the site, but also, the torii gate in the ocean was one of my favorite views across the whole trip. Unfortunately, we visited at low tide so the gate didn’t appear to be floating, but it was still aesthetic nonetheless. We learned about many topics during the intersession as we explored Japan’s history, as a fan of the contemporary Japanese experience some of my favorite topics were learning about the Meiji Restoration, the influence of Studio Ghibli, and the rise of Japanese convenience stores. Presentations given by other students on the trip made these topics stick out.

Most time outside of the class visits was spent exploring whatever city we were located in, going shopping, and trying out different types of food. While in Tokyo, I attempted to go to as many different wards as possible. I explored Akihabara, Shinjuku, Shibuya, Harajuku, and Ikebukuro over the four nights we were there. The crowded nature of these places made exploring difficult, but greatly enhanced the city atmosphere that you would expect of Tokyo.

Meeting my idol Mario in Kyoto

Seeing the nerdy side of Japan in almost every city we visited was a highlight. Visiting the Pokemon Center and Nintendo store in Kyoto and shopping in Akihabara were cool moments that felt like we were fully experiencing modern Japan. While in the smaller cities, we spent our free time looking for good food, visiting sushi, ramen, and crepe places that seemed appetizing.

The best experiences had outside of class were trying new things with new friends. Whether it was getting lost trying to navigate the Tokyo rail system, losing at crane games, or walking through Kyoto’s commercial district, getting to experience new things with equally culture-shocked honors students was undoubtedly the best part of the program.