japan

In this post, I feature my first-ever trip without my family. On this ten-day travel, I explore the treasures of Osaka, Kyoto, and Tokyo along with my peers at NCSSM Morganton and Durham through J-Term. Immersing myself in this new culture has taught me a newfound sense of serenity through the appreciation of nature, as taught in the religion of Shinto. I thank my sponsors, EF tour guide, and NCSSM for this experience.

the way there

We embarked from NCSSM Durham then to the RDU airport at 2:15 AM! We departed from RDU to DFW, DFW to NRT, and then finally after 23 hours, to Osaka. We were greeted by Maki, our tour guide, and made it to the Osaka Tokyu REI Hotel. Within our tour groups, we explored the nearby restaurants before we ended the night.

osaka+ nara

My day began at 6:30am today (or should I say 5:50am due to jet lag). I enjoyed the complimentary breakfast before heading to the Subway with my tour group to visit the Osaka Castle. Not only were there beautiful views and heights showing the city, but there were also many artifacts sharing a glimpse of Japan's history.

We then visited the Kasuga Grand Shrine, Todaji Temple, and Fushimi Inari-taisha Shrine.

kyoto

My day was to begin later today, yet my eyes were only closed until 5:30am, once again. We began by visiting the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest, then the Golden Pavilion-a Zen Buddist Temple, and later took a tour of the Kiyomizu Temple where a LOT of souvenirs were bought. We also enjoyed a treat- green tea ice cream!

bullet train, mount fuji + caves+lakes!

Rise and shine! Today, we got up and immediately went to the train station. The bullet train was something I've always heard about when I told people I was going to Japan, and it was great to finally experience it. The time on the train was also when students found out about their decision on whether they got into UNC Chapel Hill, and I got the good news that I was accepted into the Honors Program!

We made it to Oshino Hakkai, a UNESCO-recognized village in Yamanashi Prefecture known for its eight crystal-clear, spring-fed ponds and rustic thatched-roof houses. This village is famous for its ponds filled with snowmelt from Mt. Fuji, offering a "post-card" view of the mountain alongside traditional Japanese scenery. Unfortunately the view of Mount Fuji was very cloudy.

We later went on to see the Narusawa Ice Cave. The ceilings were very low but having a helmet definitely came in handy.

shibuya crossing, shopping, kimonos, a blend of tradition and city!

The morning started off with breakfast featuring Miso Soup, a staple, of course. We went on to exploring more of the city and doing some shopping, and DING! We hit the jackpot: kimonos! 

 I took lots of pictures and as the day progressed, we found ourselves at the famous Shibuya intersection. This location seemed to be the most modern of places we had been so far. There were so many stores and huge malls.

We ended the day at a hot pot restaurant and met some sumo wrestlers!

churches, minato, port, akihabara, tanghulu

Today, we explored a very large church and got to learn more about what being religious means in Japan. We then hit the day off with more food! Tanghulu was something we saw in someone's hand almost every day. It had a variety of fruit, usually strawberries and grapes, that were frozen on a stick. It was for sure tasty, but with the cold weather outside, not the best snack to eat.

We then made it to Minato where we did, of course, more shopping, but also saw a mini Statue of Liberty. We were then off to Akihabara where tech was rampant. There were stores that were up to 10 levels full of technology! 

last day :( kagurazaka, matcha, shinjuku gyoen national garden

Today was mellow with the realization that it is the last day in Japan. We made it to Kagurazaka, a neighborhood in Tokyo often referred to as "Little Paris" (Petit Paris) due to its high concentration of French restaurants, cafes, and a significant French expat community. 

A garden nearby had beautifully maintained green spaces, often described as a top, highly-rated urban oasis. We tried hot matcha and although I prefer matcha ice cream over warm drinks, this was a serene experience.