My Japan Trip
My Japan trip was one of the best experiences. I had never been out of the country before and Japan was so unique. I was right in the heart of Tokyo for two weeks. It was incredible. I really wish this trip had been longer! Tokyo is a massive city and two weeks just wasn't enough to do everything I wanted.
This trip was put together by my university's study abroad office. I was so lucky to be one of 25 students selected to participate in the program. I was even more blessed to have seven of my closest friends on the trip with me; including my wonderful fiancé. We didn't know at the beginning of this trip that it would hold some of the best memories we'd ever share together.
I remember stepping off the bus on the main street near our hotel. I was completely surrounded by tall buildings, bright signs and Japanese people. It was such an exciting moment in my life. You'll never forget your first day spent in a foreign country. I was glad that on the first night we simply checked in to our rooms and were allowed to roam the city. My friends and I were so tired after a nearly 14 hour flight (That's right, 14 hours. Terrible right?) that we immediately tackled the Japanese bathhouse; also called the onsen.
A little piece of information about Japanese bathhouses is that you shower in front of other naked people. You then go on to sit in a warm bath with said naked people. It sounds weird and I definitely wasn't sure if I'd even go through with it, but I am so glad I did. These onsens are incredibly relaxing. I don't think I have ever felt so relaxed in my entire life and I'm convinced I won't feel that way again, until I'm back in Japan. So if you go to Japan, please given the onsen a try. It's worth it. I promise.
On that same night I discovered the joy of eating true, Japanese ramen. Those cheap packets you buy at Walmart don't even come close to a fresh bowl of ramen. Each shop usually has their own style and flavors. Everything down to the noodle they use is customized by the owners. We lucked out with a ramen shop nearby that had the most delicious, melt-in-your-mouth pork. I literally had dreams of myself eating this stuff when I came home. I am so sad that there's nothing in the U.S. that even comes close to this wonderful ramen.
Everything about Japan was amazing. The people, the streets, the food and all the adventures I went on. It was everything I had hoped for and so much more than I expected. Tokyo is unlike any city you've ever been to. It's very safe and full of interesting cultural differences. I would recommend it to anyone wanting to travel to Japan.
Hopefully I'll be able to go back and explore more of Japan and get to know Tokyo even better. Be sure to stay tuned for more posts about specific places I visited on my trip!
