Before I go - First Post for Tokyo

Sankin-kotai: During the Edo period under the Tokugawa shogunate, the daimyo, or the feudal lords of Japan, were required to make regular trips to modern day Tokyo. While intended to keep the daimyo loyal to the shogun, these trips greatly improved the road infrastructure of Japan as well as the industry along these roads such as the transportation, commerce along the highways, and impacted cultural activities such as Kabuki and Bunraku theater and became a popular subject amongst Ukiyo-e woodblock prints. While not a political prisoner, in a similar way, I am making a pilgrimage to Tokyo in order to indulge in the economics and culture of the city. Here's how I got my start.

The chance to study abroad in Tokyo is an incredible opportunity to take part in. It’s something I have been looking forward to doing for years, before I even knew where I wanted to go to college. But now that it’s right around the corner, how am I preparing for the experience of a lifetime? The word 'extensively' comes to mind.

In terms of practical advice, the most important part of being abroad is the actual process of getting abroad, i,e, passports, Visas, and all the fun (and important!) documents needed to accompany them. Going abroad, for an entire semester no less, is a new experience for me and I’ve been anxiously filling out my paperwork trying to get it all done on time. The best way to stay on top of this is to complete forms as soon as they come in and to always be asking for help! Checking my email, home college and IES Abroad pages frequently for updates lets me have the maximum amount of time to complete my papers, or at least allows me to think about getting them done in a timely fashion. And as both my college study abroad department and IES Abroad contacts can confirm, I’m more than happy to reach out and ask for help with anything I don’t fully understand. But that mostly boils down to getting my work done and time and asking for help if I need it. So what about the fun parts of preparing for my trip abroad?

Researching everything I can about where I’m living and what to do! Only a half hour or so from central Tokyo, everything from the clubs and bars of Shinjuku to the shops of Harajuku and restaurants near Shibuya Crossing are things I’m looking at even now so I have at least a decent idea of some of the places I want to go and see. Studying up on my Japanese language skills with some of my Japanese friends is also productive. Even if it's not perfect, some “natural” sounding Japanese skills will go a long way. 

This is also due in part to my Celiac Disease. As one of my articles will no doubt be dedicated to, the inability to consume gluten is not fun at all. Trying to avoid it leads me to doing quite a bit of research even here at home, so you can bet I’ve been looking into which restaurants, shops and convenience stores I’ll be able to eat at in Tokyo. The fear of inevitably eating something I shouldn’t have really has a way of motivating me to look into these things. But along the way, I’ve also been getting more and more excited for the foods I can eat. Soba noodles, mochi and real sushi (not to mention the sake) are all options I’m looking forward to even now. Looking into these restaurants also inevitably leads into the shops around it and other locations in the area I want to visit, so there’s never a shortage of things to look into. I’m doing my best to stay on top of things and research where I’m living so I don't overwhelm myself!