Author: Olivia Dausch

Location: Osaka, Japan

Pronouns: They/them

Osaka is definitely the city I’ve visited the most since I’ve been here. I haven’t necessarily done all of the tourist things I’ve wanted to yet, but I’ve been around the Osaka Loop a few times.

Osaka is known as “Japan’s Kitchen”, as it’s home to several famous restaurants and birthplace of popular foods. You would be hard-pressed to find somewhere in Osaka that doesn’t sell okonomiyaki or takoyaki.

Osaka-style okonomiyaki

Takoyaki topped with bonito flakes

One of the places in Osaka my friends and I go to a lot is Tsuruhashi, Korea Town. There are a lot of K-pop stores selling both official and fan merchandise.  We’ve gone a few times and we’ve never come out empty handed.

Picture showing the web of stores outside Tsuruhashi Station

All the albums and loose photo cards I received over my time in Japan

Another place we like to go is Tower Records. Japan has a booming music industry, mostly due to the fact that most music is sold as physical CDs. There are two Tower Records around Osaka Station, one in front, and on behind. Both are equally impressive and have a wide variety of local and foreign music.

The one place I regrettably haven’t been to is Dotonbori, the food street. I heard it has a wide variety of food choices and delicacies that I would love to try while I’m here.

Dotonbori Canal

Going around Osaka immediately reminded me of Chicago. There are small suburban areas like Tsuruhashi much like Chicago’s Andersonville and Boy’s Town. There are small restaurants and stores lining the street leading to the station, as well as restaurants within the station.

View of Osaka from Osaka Castle

Osaka is definitely within the realm of what would be comfortable to American tourists, especially if you’re only staying for a few days. It has a lot of great food to offer if you’re willing to try it.

Author: Olivia Dausch

Location: Nara, Japan

Pronouns: They/them

Nara is one of the cities I’ve had the least experience with. I went with a group of international students and high school students. We went to a couple different places and got to experience the Heian era first hand.

Nara was also a capital of Japan, long before Kyoto. Now, it’s well known for its deer park in front of Toudaiji, which houses one of Japan’s largest Buddha statues. The deer are in integral part of Nara’s culture and history, and now they boost tourism as well. The deer are famous enough to become Nara’s mascot.

A keychain of Nara’s mascot

Deer eating the deer crackers

During my trip, my group went to a historical museum dedicated to the Heian era. We got to dress in traditional robes and explore the grounds freely. There was also a museum on the grounds that we were able to explore. We saw the grounds as it was during the Heian period, foods and music, and even how buildings were structured at the time. It was all very impressive.

A picture of me in Heian era clothes

The Toori gate on the grounds

A model of the grounds

Statues of two nobles eating

After that, we went to Toudaiji, one of Japan’s most famous Buddhist temples. In front of the temple gates was the deer park. The deer are fairly docile, until they see you have shika senbei, the deer crackers. They are relentless, even after you give them all of the senbei. They calm down after a little bit to find the next person with food.

The temple itself is very impressive. The sheer size of the temple is awe-inspiring. Once inside, you’re greeted by one of the largest Buddha statues in Japan. The crowd pushes you clockwise around the statues, showing off other statues and relics, and miniature models of the temple through the years. At the very end, near the exit, there is a line of gift shops, selling fortunes, deer statues, and keychains.

Todaiji

An octagonal lantern outside the main temple

The Daibutsu

Statue of Tamonten

A model of the Great Buddha Hall

The view from the exit of the Great Buddha Hall

Again, I don’t think Nara has an equivalent in America either. There really isn’t a place where wild animals freely interact with humans like in the deer park. It’s a city with a rich history based on the deer surrounding the temple. I would love to see other parts of the city as well.

Author: Olivia Dausch

Location: Kyoto, Japan

Pronouns: They/Them

It took me a while to decide what I wanted to write about for these blog posts. I’ve decided to start simply by describing the cities I have easy access to. The first, and one of the most well-known, is Kyoto.

Kyoto was Japan’s capital city before Tokyo. It is a city steeped in history, and it’s easy to see in everyday life. It’s not uncommon to see people walking around in yukata even in the most modern parts of the city.

I’ve been to Kyoto twice, both as school trips. The first time was during orientation week. It was used as a chance to show us Hirakatashi Station and how trains worked. My group went to a mall for lunch first. After that, we went to a large temple not too far from the mall. We spent a lot of time wandering around the city and finding different shops, including a dessert shop that only sold matcha flavored treats and a little souvenir shop with handcrafted figures and coin purses.

A coin purse modeled after a boar

The urban side of Kyoto

Kamo River running through Gion

Yasaka Shrine entrance

Hokanji Temple Pagoda

The second time was for my Zen Buddhism class. We went to meditate at Tenryuuji. It was an interesting trip there, as we had to get on a small two way train from beginning to end. The last stop was Arashiyama, where the temple sat at the base of the mountain. We meditated there for about an hour, and then we were able to roam around the garden and the area around the station as we pleased. There was another handcraft store there, as well as several food stands in front of the trains.

Lego model of Arashiyama Station and the shops outside

View leading up to Arashiyama

Lake in Tenryuji Garden

View from the path above the temple

Bamboo forest behind temple

Statue of Bodhi Sattva Kannon

    Kyoto doesn’t really have an American parallel, in my opinion. It’s easy to compare Tokyo to New York, or Osaka to Chicago, but Kyoto doesn’t have that kind of parallel. It is a place that perfectly combines past and present, creating a feeling that can’t be experienced anywhere else. I would like to go again, especially with the leaves changing soon.

Author: Olivia Dausch

Location: Japan

Pronouns: They/Them

I’ve lived in Japan for about a month now. I’ve had a blast every second, but I’ve also noticed some glaring differences compared to America. One of the most important cultural identities of Japan comes from the seasons. Japan is beautiful during every season, and they know it. There are seasonal
foods, snacks, and drinks, more than in America.

Since the seasons are changing now, there are many new seasonal drinks and snacks releasing in convenience stores across the nation. In America, there are themed packaging, but the product mostly remains the same. The only seasonal food I can think of is the spooky cereal brands that show up every year. However, in Japan, there are new flavors released all season long for every season. In my local drug store, I saw Halloween candies and snacks on the shelves half-way through September. In 7-Eleven, there was a new flavor of Fanta available (Blood Orange flavor), as well as a new flavor of water (Japanese Pear flavor). Since the season officially changed today, I can’t wait to see what else becomes available.

Another important part of Japanese culture is festivals. A few days after I arrived, there was a small, local festival held near city hall. There were children’s games, food stalls, and a concert. One of the first things I bought there was a staple of Japanese summer: Kakigori (shaved ice with sweetened condensed milk). It is sold everywhere during summer and is usually made apparent by the blue flag with the red kanji for ice. Another popular street food is kushi (skewers). They either have cooked meat or deep-fried meat and vegetables, depending on where you go. At the festival, I bought a grilled beef skewer (gyu-kushi), which was amazingly tender and flavorful, even though they only put salt and pepper on it. I saw both again when I went to a temple in Kyoto.

Since Kansai Gaidai University is next to a station, students have access to three major cities, all about an hour away: Kyoto, Osaka, and Nara. There are several festivals hosted in these cities throughout the year, especially in Kyoto and Nara. Since both were Japan’s capitals before, there are a
lot of cultural and historical events available.

Among these events includes both flower and leaf viewing festivals in April and October, respectively. One of the events the local students planned this semester includes going to Kyoto to see the red leaves. Another event local students plan is the University Festival, held in late October or early November. It kicks of fall break, one of the only breaks we have this semester. Since the schedule for exchange students is intentionally easy, with a minimum of 4 classes being highly recommended by staff, this break fits in as a well-needed break.

Speaking of classes, since I couldn’t find anything about it before I came here, I’d like to mention how classes are structured here. Classes are divided into five blocks. Each class is an hour and a half long, fitting into these blocks. The first two blocks start at 9 am and 10:45 am, respectively, on Monday, Tuesday, and Friday are set aside for Japanese classes since there are four sections per level. After block two, there is an hour for lunch that is very reminiscent of Valpo’s chapel break. The next block starts at 1:15 pm, and then there are two more blocks after that, ending at 6:10 pm. Since Japanese has to be before lunch, and there are probably no more than four other classes to fill the other spots, it is fairly easy to find free time.

That free time can be used to go around the city. Hirakata is a unique city since it is the meeting point among three major cities. Even on the walk to Nakamiya campus, there are a lot of interesting shops. There is a traditional Japanese sweets shop, a grocery store, several hair salons, and even more doctors offices. Closer to the station, there is an entire mall. I have only been there once, but I plan to go again soon. It has books, CDs, movies, and clothes, all things great for gifts. There are a lot of places nearby that I haven’t been to yet. Once I get settled into my schedule here, I’ll definitely become more adventurous.

Author: Emily Nelson

Location: Hirakata, Osaka, Japan

Coming back home, I knew the “reverse culture shock” was quickly going to set it. It wasn’t so much that everything seemed strange or alien, but rather a crippling realization that studying abroad is truly over. While I know I have plenty to look forward to, I still can’t help but miss my friends and my life overseas immensely.

To commemorate the end of my trip, I’m going to write about my goodbyes. First was a big dinner party I arranged at one of my favorite restaurants while abroad, ICC. This event was months in the making, as I had saved a bunch of points to earn a free cake via their rewards program. I invited my RAs, my primary friend group, and my Japanese professor to dinner. The night was full of great stories, laughter, and happiness, and I couldn’t be more pleased with myself and how it went. While bittersweet, I can’t help but smile.

The next round of goodbyes came with my final Saturday, the day of our “Completion Ceremony”. To kick off the end of the Asian Studies program, we attended an event like graduation(except the names were read rapid-fire to avoid taking three hours) with a lunch held afterwards. It was there that I had my final moments with my fellow classmates and my Japanese professor. I can’t help but think how sad it must be to remain at a university where the student body is continually changing. (Kansai Gaidai is internationally focused and sends the vast majority of students to study abroad locations). Yet with the sadness comes the most valuable memories, and I suppose that one can’t truly comprehend lasting happiness without its very absence.

Next came my family-my aunt and grandfather in particular. I must say that seeing her three times over the course of four months is a record. I traveled to her apartment on Saturday via Shinkansen and then spent most of Monday and Tuesday with her. On Sunday, I traveled to nearby Fujisawa to visit my grandfather. It was a nice visit, and I used my Japanese a lot. We discussed my study abroad experience, life at Valparaiso, etc. After showing him my portfolio full of what I’d learned, we headed to a local sushi restaurant. We then parted ways, hellos and goodbyes mixed up into bittersweet gladness tinged with melancholy.

On Tuesday the 29th, I said bade farewell to my aunt at the airport, accompanied by one of my university friends headed home on the same flight. After a ten-hour flight filled with three movies and fruitless attempts at sleeping, I said goodbye to her too. Jet-lagged and delirious, I flew back to Madison and promptly crashed.

So what now? I think it’s safe to say that I definitely hate goodbyes, but the more I think about them, the more I realize that they’re motivating. We don’t say goodbye because they’re good. It might be a customary phrase, but if we truly care about those we’re saying it to, the more it becomes our last attempt to hold onto great memories. A truly satisfying goodbye emulates the understanding that “if fate permits, let us meet again”. I don’t know when this will happen, but I have faith that it will. It’s only a matter of time.

The great dinner party!

My Japanese professor and I

On Saturday, the day of completion

Myself and my RA

My workout buddy and I

My aunt and I on the train

Author: Emily Nelson

Location: Hirakata, Osaka, Japan

I write this sitting in my dorm enveloped in tinges of sadness. One of my childhood friends just lost their grandmother, who happens to be one of my grandmother’s closest friends. I grew up with this mutual friend sending me cards, taking us girls out together to fun places, and overall creating great memories. She always carried herself with a smile, even as ALS took over.

I live now knowing that while time is not infinite, you can, to some extent, control what happens to you. Some of us more than others, but there are choices in every day that eventually weave together to compose the threads of who we truly are. Occasionally there are people who add some beautiful colors into this fabric. I like to think that once they’ve left their mark, you can notice the changes they’ve made in those who remember them.

Time goes on when you’re abroad-while you’re busy cultivating yourself and building new relationships, others may break down. Whether through busyness, death, or simply not having much left in common, it can be demoralizing when the relationships you thought were secure just don’t seem so anymore. Isolation is a prevalent feeling while abroad, usually manifesting in some form of culture shock. By all means, take time for yourself, but also take time to show the important people in your life that you still care about them during this trip.

I think studying abroad helps you find your center. We talk a lot about how we “like learning about other cultures”. In reality, this is a very complex thing, but I think it can be simplified to a few ideas. Going away forces you to expand beyond yourself, whether it’s accepting that new ideas exist, different beliefs are present, etc. It also forces you to hang on to what you find most important-your values, the things that anchor you. Studying abroad can add to your values and reinforce your previous ones, and I think that’s why people come back so fundamentally changed. While you’re gone, people changed back home too. While reconciling with the differences can be jarring, I can assure you that the experience will help you appreciate your colors, and that this is always worthwhile.

I wrote the above a few weeks ago, and now that I’ve returned home, I have more to add. There truly isn’t enough time in the world to spend with those you value. I wish I could say that I left Japan with no regrets, but as many will tell you, this simply isn’t possible. My final week was filled with so many activities, from goodbyes to last hurrahs to simply reveling in post-finals happiness. There were so many invites that I could have been triple booked the last week. Now I know I should definitely be more proactive when it comes to leaving, but I also take this with the understanding that we’re never the people we need to be until we come out of it.

Traveling to my aunt’s place one final time via the Shinkansen

Author: Emily Nielson

Location: Hirakata, Osaka, Japan

Golden Week is something that I first heard about from my mom. Essentially a pre-summer break, Thursday and Friday combine with the weekend to create a marvelous mini vacation for Japanese people. Everyone seems to have big plans for this holiday, and the crowds everywhere testify to that.

I spent a good part of Golden Week doing homework, but I did manage to go outside and experience some new things thanks to the invitation of friends. Mason, my former roommate, invited me to Kyoto for a barbeque hosted by her friend’s restaraunt. We enjoyed a wonderful variety of food, including grilled beef and pork, corn on the cob, shaved ice, and takoyaki. Beef is especially expensive in Japan, as there is little space for farmland, so this was especially tasty. Takoyaki are spherical golden shells made of batter that’s filled with octopus, grilled to one’s liking. I also tried whale-and thought of Finding Nemo the whole time. Whale has the consistency of beef and the taste of fish, which was a little unsettling, but perhaps that’s just me.

Adding another event to my cultural bucket list was watching Japanese men carry mikoshi, which is a kind of portable Japanese shrine. Wearing traditional white robes and headbands, they carry the shrine for a short distance to honor deities. According to Mason, they believe that the gods become bored sitting in their shrine, so they jostle around the mikoshi as much as possible. Spectators gather to watch them hauling the shrine. When the men took breaks, some of them offered mini cans of Asahi beer and tea, although the beer was strictly reserved for the men doing the heavy lifting. Ironically, many people took smoke breaks in between hauls, and I eventually got a bad headache from the air.

After making several loops around the neighborhood, the men finally returned back to the temple. Several men took turns beating the taiko drum, applause following each round. Finally finished, all of the participants were rewarded a bottle of sake and a whole pack of beer! They all seemed really happy.

It always interests me as to how much Japan enjoys honoring tradition yet also welcoming, or at least showing curiosity in, innovation and the latest trends. Holidays like this often give us a glance into what was once a norm in the lives of a people. It makes me wonder what the U.S. will look like in a few centuries, and what holidays the whole world could partake in.

Author: Emily Nelson

Location: Hirakata, Osaka, Japan

Last week, I was on Spring Break and had many opportunities to travel. In particular, I visited my aunt in Yokohama, a port town and Japan’s second largest city. Every time I’ve returned to Japan, I’ve always ridden the ferris wheel by the water and toured near the seaside. That day, we took a cruise called the Sea Bass, the sun glittering on the water. While traversing the sliver of ocean, I talked with my aunt. We’re able to converse well, as she takes weekly English classes. Curious, I decided to ask her if she uses English a lot at her job, to which she responded in the negative. I then inquired as to why she learns it at all, and she responded, “Oh, your existence.” This answer was completely unexpected to me; I was and still am so touched.

I suppose that I always assumed there was a better reason that my aunt has been learning English for the last 20 years. It’s common knowledge that learning another language is very difficult, especially when learned later in life. But the fact that my mom’s sister decided to take it up just for me is mind-blowing. I can’t imagine all the countless hours of dedication she put forward for my sake.

There is often speculation as to what love is, and I believe that real love requires action. Granted, it should be attributed to the giver’s ability and the situation, but anyhow, the word “love” is so ambiguous, but in this case, it carries so much personal value to me. I cannot think of anything else but that word to describe this situation. Perhaps that is what makes love more tangible-sacrifice. It begins with a feeling, but it is much more. Perhaps love’s presence is rendered visible by service, by sacrifice.

Of course, this is only one speculation of how love works. One could write endlessly about the topic, but I have comfort in knowing that I truly learned a small piece of it this day. One of my favorite phrases regarding love is, “We accept the love we think we deserve” (Stephen Chbosky). I think of this statement frequently, as it says so much in so little space. It suggests that the love we choose to reciprocate is a direct reflection of how we think of ourselves. Our perceived self-value is directly transposed into what we accept from the outside. I think this is why love can teach us so much about ourselves. When love is personified in action, it seems to multiply, creating something so much more valuable. I don’t think I can really describe what this valuable thing is, but I’m okay with not completely understanding.

I take comfort in knowing that my aunt has done so much for me, even being thousands of miles away for most of my life. She was the best aunt she could be, given the circumstances and my needs. And what do I do now? I welcome it with open arms and an open heart. And I’ll keep learning for her, too.

Author: Emily Nelson

Location: Hirakata, Osaka, Japan

*Trigger warning: Eating disorder references*

Today, I visited my Japanese grandmother for the first time in about two years. My aunt and I met her at her retirement community, and we commenced to intermittently chatter about life, my study abroad experience, etc. She offered to reimburse me for the (bullet) train ride to the area, which I attempted to refuse. Then, the conversation took an all-too-familiar turn, one focusing on my appearance. My grandmother asked if I had money for new clothes, which I answered in the affirmative. This was exciting, because I’ve been looking forward to revamping my style.

However, she then proceeded to speak to my aunt in Japanese, as if I was not present, saying that I was so big that I must be a large in every store. This is not the first time she has said such things-last time she called me fat, and I thought it was because she thought I didn’t understand. Yet the more Japanese I comprehend, the more I think that she simply doesn’t care or understand the magnitude of such language.

This time, however, the shame didn’t end there. My grandmother then proceeded to use the blood pressure reader on me-three times on the same arm. All of the readings came up high-the peak systolic being 152. This immediately caused her to suspect that I have hypertension, which I refuted. (I’m normally around 120/80 or 110/70). I had to have my aunt tell her that consuming caffeine and food can raise the reading significantly.

I like being a proactive individual. I prefer to tackle most issues directly rather than letting them fester. However, I’ve become so acutely aware of my physical deficiencies that body positivity continues to be a challenge. I have a larger frame than most women here, being around 150 pounds and 5 feet 8 inches. I definitely could have a healthier diet(carbs are delicious nom nom) and I still sometimes struggle to have a healthy relationship with food. (The shadows of eating disorders are slow to dissipate.) However, one of my favorite activities is exercise. As of recently, I’ve been going to the gym 5-6 days a week. Thanks to a fellow workout buddy, my new bench record is 120 pounds. I used to hate working out because I made it a chore-and now it’s a release I can’t live without. Unfortunately, now it’s contributing to a perceptual problem.

My American grandmother, on the other hand, will constantly feed me the “You don’t need to change; You’re perfect as is” message. While I am very appreciative of the love and support I receive from her, I can’t help but notice that this is also accompanied by subtle underlying messages that I should dress better, look better, wear more makeup, etc. Although times are changing, it seems like regardless of culture, women are still expected to be physically attractive over physically strong.

So what have I learned from this? I would argue that the message “You don’t need to change; You’re perfect as is” isn’t ideal. Why is that? For one thing, it suggests that change is negative, hindering the possibilities of positive growth. I argue that if one’s life is being hindered by negative body image, especially one that warrants the concern of a physician, change is needed. However, that does not mean that they are any less of a person. They are a capable individual who is taking a step in the right direction to improve their quality of life, whether through losing or gaining weight. Improve, not perfect. Furthermore, happiness is key. I would argue that I’ve never been more at peace at the weight I am now-my heaviest. I do things for myself and for my own well-being. This is so so important, regardless of the “fitness goal”. In the end, one should be doing it for themselves. If friends and family are bringing legitimate health and safety concerns to the table, they should be considered and addressed. But shaming is not the way to go. It often feeds the cycle of self-resentment and unhealthy habits further. So when shaming events like this happen, I suggest that one take it with a grain of salt, once they are ready to. First, are these tangible issues, or simply the result biased perceptions? Is an exercise and (balanced) diet prevalent? Is the person a sumo wrestler? (Shortly after this conversation my grandmother watched sumo matches, very ironic). We don’t shame muscular athletes for being fat because there’s context, so why do it for active women?

Although I feel annoyed and hurt by today’s events, I still plan on being as positive as I can. After analyzing the situation, I am able to look at it more objectively. I look forward to working out, finding a fashionable wardrobe suited to my tastes, and tackling new problems on the horizon. I hope that this may also help someone look at such issues objectively and thoughtfully. Stay strong, be mindful, keep moving forward.