Tokyo

Hello,

My name is Pablo Cisneros and welcome to part three of my series of blogs from studying abroad in Tokyo. I want to highlight my favorite experiences from Japan and inspire students to study abroad.

Yokohama

During the last weeks of the program, a couple of friends and I traveled south of Tokyo to Yokohama. It was my first time there and I noticed it had a more relaxing feel than Tokyo. Our first stop was Yokohama Chinatown. We browsed around the area seeing many of the Chinese-themed shops and restaurants. Then, we went to explore the other parts of the city. We ended up in the beautiful Yamashita Park. Before coming to Yokohama, people told me that the city is the perfect date spot. Now, I could see why. The scenery is beautiful and is accompanied by a relaxing ambiance. That night, we went to Cosmo World, a theme park in Yokohama. We rode on a couple of rollercoasters and boarded the Ferris wheel, which had an incredible view from atop. We ended the day by eating ramen at Yoshimuraya and taking a train back to Tokyo.

Edo-Tokyo Museum

A few friends and I decided to go to the Edo-Tokyo Museum. Although I don’t know much about Japanese history, I thought the museum was interesting and informative. The building was memorable because the design was so unique. The exhibits inside the museum, along with fascinating artifacts and models, gave us a look at life during the Edo period. My favorite part of the museum was seeing the evolution of Tokyo throughout the years. I recommend this museum to people interested in history and learning.

Ghibli Museum

Visiting the Ghibli Museum has been on my bucket list for a long time. Obtaining tickets to this museum was very difficult and stressful. Luckily, a few friends and I were able to get them. The museum building looked like it came straight from a Studio Ghibli film. The amount of detail that went into the design of the museum was remarkable. It was full of references to Studio Ghibli Films, such as My Neighbor Totoro, Kiki’s Delivery Service, Spirited Away, and more. It gave an in-depth look at the studio’s filmmaking and animation process. It showed things like storyboards, initial sketches, references, and more. At the end of our visit, we watched an animated short that was exclusively made for the museum. I recommend this museum for anyone interested in Studio Ghibli, animation, and art.

Departure

A few days before our departure date, IES Abroad held a going away party. The students gathered at the National Olympic Memorial Youth Center and enjoyed the festivities. The staff and teachers gave inspiring speeches reminiscing about the past weeks and motivating us to reach our goals. Students responded with a few words showing gratitude and appreciation to the staff and teachers. The last day was emotional. We said goodbye to the people we lived and spent time with for six weeks. We packed our things, cleaned out our rooms, and boarded a bus headed to Narita Airport. I was fortunate to make new friends and create unforgettable memories with them.

Conclusion

I genuinely enjoyed my time during the IES Abroad Summer Tokyo program. The staff were helpful, the field trip and homestay were great experiences, and the students were amazing. There are many things I didn’t cover from my time abroad, but what I really want to do is give students, who are thinking of studying abroad, an idea of what they could expect. When studying abroad, everyone has a different and unique experience. I think that is a beautiful thing. I’m thankful that I learned new things, spent time with amazing people, and had one-of-a-kind experiences.

Hello,

My name is Pablo Cisneros and welcome to part two of my series of blogs from studying abroad in Tokyo. I want to highlight my favorite experiences from Japan and inspire students to study abroad.

New Japan Pro-Wresting

During my stay in Tokyo, I went to my first Japanese pro-wrestling event. It was New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) presenting the Best of the Super Juniors (BOSJ). NJPW is Japan’s biggest pro-wrestling promotion and is known for its hard-hitting style known as Strong Style. The difference between pro-wrestling in the United States and Japan is that the US focuses on the entertainment aspect, while Japan focuses on in-ring performance. The Best of the Super Juniors is an annual tournament for their Junior Heavyweight division. I was lucky to get tickets to the climax of this tournament. I saw my favorite NJPW stars like Kazuchika Okada, Hiroshi Tanahashi, Jushin Thunder Liger, Tetsuya Naito, and more. The event was headlined by the BOSJ final: Will Ospreay vs. Shingo Takagi. They had an incredible bout that exemplified the high quality of NJPW matches. Although I was cheering for Takagi, I was happy to see Ospreay win and celebrate his victory. The event being held at the famous Ryōgoku Sumo Hall made it special for me. One of my favorite things about going to this event was that attendees were allowed to bring food and beverages from outside. This was different from going to events in the US, where you are forced to purchase overpriced concessions at the venue. I loved observing the differences between Japanese and American pro-wrestling fans. One of the differences that I noticed was that Japanese fans are quieter and clap often during a match. My first NJPW show was amazing, and a dream come true. Congratulations to Will Osprey, winner of the BOSJ 26!

Return to Ehime

In 2017, I was fortunate to take part in the College of Lake County’s Study Abroad Program in Japan. It was my first time in Japan, and I studied at Ehime University in Matsuyama. I loved my experience there because of the many friends and memories I made.

When I found out I was going to return to Japan, I made sure to make time to visit Matsuyama. Making this trip back to my “Japanese hometown” was a new experience because it was my first time going on a domestic flight in Japan. After taking a train from Shinjuku to Narita Airport and a delayed flight to Ehime, I arrived at Matsuyama Airport. My friend, Yuka, picked me up from the airport and let me stay with her for the weekend. Her family kindly welcomed me into their home, and we got to know each other over dinner. The next day, Yuka and I went on a day trip to Imabari, Ehime, and went to the Towel Museum of Art. It highlighted the towel making process and had interesting exhibits. Later that day, we met up with my friend and his sister from back home, Vins and Shane. Along with Yuka’s family, we went to a bathhouse. Since I have tattoos, Yuka’s family was thoughtful and found a tattoo-friendly bathhouse in the area. We ended that night eating ice cream and drinking milk after our bath. On my last day in Ehime, we had breakfast and went to Matsuyama Castle - one of my favorite places in Ehime. The view from the top of the castle is breathtaking as you can see the whole city from there. Afterward, Yuka gave me a ride to the airport, and I was on my way back to Tokyo. One day, I hope to return for a longer time to reconnect with old friends and discover new places. I’m thankful for the hospitality and kindness from Yuka and her family. They made my stay in Ehime much more enjoyable and unforgettable.