Temple University Japan Campus

I spent my sophomore year studying abroad in Temple University, Japan Campus — located in Tokyo — and it was one of the most amazing experiences I can remember!

I stayed with a host family in Yokohama (a city about an hour away from Tokyo by train) for my first semester and moved to Tokyo with friends for my second semester. Living with the host family started out a bit awkward both due to language barriers and to the fact that we were all a bit shy but the situation improved as time passed by and we opened up more to each other. My Japanese abilities have also improved thanks to all the practice I had at home.

Based on my experience there, I felt Tokyo to be a city of contradictions and charmingly so. Some parts of the city are hotspots for youngsters to gather and express themselves through music or fashion while other areas preserve the aura of a history-rich city with all the old shrines and temples; one such location is Harajuku, where one street divides the Meiji Shrine area (shrine dedicated to Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken) from Takeshita Street (the heart of not-so-mainstream teen fashion).

I also enjoyed the culture there very much because it is so different from the U.S.; in order to preserve the social harmony, a value of great significance to Japanese people, certain social behavior and external presentation are necessary and one sees traces of it in the language as well (e.g. using honorifics/polite forms when speaking to people you are not so close with or customary phrases in specific situations that show modesty, etc.). Or even the way one should drink tea or eat noodles to demonstrate gratitude to the person who prepared it. It was a very eye-opening experience (not to mention all the delicious food they have there) and I’m very glad to have had the opportunity!