This post was recovered from an old blog that I had while studying abroad in Japan. I’ve only updated misspellings or dead links, but left any cringe worthy things or immature thoughts. I’ve decided to leave them as a snapshot of who I was and to see how far I’ve come. Any photos have been freshly edited and so are not the same as what was originally posted. Over the years I had several blogs, most lost to time, and I wanted to recover some lost memories and reflect on my life.

ow that we’ve covered all the things I didn’t like very much about Japan let’s see what I have enjoyed. Remember that all this is from my own experience and most of my time I spent in Tokyo. So if you go somewhere else in Japan or even a different part of Tokyo you’re going to have different experiences. Take what I’ve said with a grain of salt and just think about it rather than absolutely rejecting or accepting what I say. On to the things I’ll miss!

Sento/Ofuro

Before I came to Japan I’d never used a group shower like some kids during sports. I’d never really been naked much around other people so I was uncomfortable with my body. The first time I entered the ofuro at my dorm I thought I’d be so embarrassed, but as I melted into the hot water of the bath all my worries went away. When I went to Kyoto I went to the public sento everyday, I even used the bath with a fully tattooed yakuza, but I never felt embarrassed or weird the whole time. It’s surprised even me how comfortable I am with the public baths now. I can’t wait to do some hot spring bathing in the nude back home. I hope my friends are ready!

Convenience/Ease of Trains

While I don’t like having to adhere to their schedule it’s simply amazing that you can get almost anywhere in Japan by train and using them is easy too.

Living in one of the “World Centers”

Tokyo is one of the largest and most “important” cities in the world. The biggest companies are there, the newest products come out, the most famous people go there, everything is on the cutting edge. Coming from little ol’ Portland its crazy to be in a city with so much glitz and glam. While it’s not really my style it’s still pretty cool to see products before the rest of the world, or be able to by virtually anything because there is a store for it in Tokyo.

Speaking Japanese

While I’m doubt I’ll ever come back to Japan to live now that I’ve experienced it, I do enjoy speaking the language. I’m still pretty bad at it, but I love being able to go out and practice it whenever I want. The best is when you say something completely right and the person on the other end of the conversation understands you. Back home I only have a few classes of Japanese left so I doubt I’ll be speaking it much. Hopefully I can speak some with the Japanese exchange students, watch some anime, and start reading some manga. Maybe if my language skills become better I can use Japanese in at my job, whatever it will be.

Free Tissue

I went through allergies and a cold while I was here in Japan and I never once bought tissue. That’s as awesome as it can get and we need people in America to hand out tissue on the street.

Small Back Streets

Nothing is better than going out in the middle of the night with some friends and walking around the random backstreets of Toyko. It always feels like such and adventure and even if you don’t see something weird or amazing it gives you plenty of time to talk with your friends.

Drinking/Partying Outside

In Japan it’s legal to drink in the park or on the streets. While I don’t really enjoy drinking all the much it is fun to go out and walk around some random streets just drinking and talking. Also going to parks and having parties is the best because it’s very cheap and there’s plenty of room. I enjoyed the koen nomikai’s much more than the one’s in the bars. In America no drinking in the parks/streets and nobody ever goes out for walks. I guess I’ll have to start trying to convince people to hang outside.