Author: Kate Mitchell

Location: Yawata, Kyoto, Japan

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

On February 3rd, some friends and I traveled to Iwashimizu Hachimangū shrine located in Yawata city in Kyoto prefecture. The shrine is located at the top of a small mountain and to get there, you can either walk up the mountain or take a cable car run by the regional train company. We opted for the cable car and rode into the mountains while listening to the magical music and history of the shrine played during the ride. Once we reached the top of the mountain, we followed a path through a bamboo forest to discover a restaurant and several food trucks waiting for us before the shrine’s entrance. The entire day I had been craving a Japanese crepe and right in front of me was a pink food truck selling exactly that. I decided on a caramel banana crepe which was topped with whipped crème and a small jelly pawprint, the logo of the crepe company. It was a delicious treat to start the day!

Although the food was a pleasant surprise, we had actually come to Iwashimizu Hachimangū to celebrate Setsubun. I didn’t know anything about this holiday before coming to Japan, so I did some research before going to the shrine to learn all about it. Setsubun is about getting rid of bad luck and gaining good luck. The shrine’s priest pretended to shoot an arrow from a giant bow in this year’s unlucky directions to send out the bad luck. Shrine visitors could buy their own arrows and have them blessed by the local priestess for good luck. Another way to get rid of bad luck is for people to throw roasted soybeans at people dressed as demons to send the demons away. At Iwashimizu Hachimangū, the shrine’s priests and priestesses threw beans at a group of demons, sending them tumbling down the shrine’s steps in a silly fashion. From the side of the shrine, I could see a group of young priestesses watching the ceremony eagerly like schoolgirls. It was super cute! Once the demons were gone, the shrine threw bags of roasted soybeans into the crowd. Those who caught a bag are supposed to eat the beans for good luck. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to catch a bag, but I still think I have some good luck.

Later after the ceremony, my friends and I were approached by an elderly man and woman who were training to be English tour guides at Iwashimizu Hachimangū. They recognized us as foreigners and offered to give us a free tour of the shrine as training practice. We decided to take a tour with them around the shrine and its surrounding area. The shrine was surrounded by other small shrines all dedicated to different Shintō gods or kami although the main kami of Iwashimizu Hachimangū is Hachiman. The shrine is over a thousand years old and Japan’s three most important historical figures, Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Tokugawa Ieyasu all contributed to building different parts of the shrine throughout history. We also saw a surprising American face! There was a memorial dedicated to Thomas Edison since he used bamboo filaments taken from the bamboo at Iwashimizu Hachimangū in his light bulb.

With most of the festivities finished, we decided to take a break and watch my friend, Katie, do one last Setsubun ritual. You’re supposed to eat a long maki roll in the year’s lucky direction all in one bite. While you eat it, everyone around you has to be silent. But the roll was so big Katie couldn’t finish it all in one bite and the rest of us couldn’t stop ourselves from laughing while she ate it. So she fed the rest of her roll to a cat who snuck up behind us. We got to play with the cat for a little bit before it disappeared into the bushes with its food to hide from the coming rain. We decided to do the same and take the train home before we got soaked!

Author: Olivia Dausch

Location: Japan

Pronouns: They/Them

I had a lot of ideas for my final blog post. I decided on listing things I think would be beneficial for incoming international students. Some of these are things I wish I knew, and others are things I learned.

– Get a Speaking Partner

I was reluctant to get one at first, but having a speaking partner is definitely one of the best decisions I’ve made here. I was able to practice speaking Japanese regularly and I eventually got more confident in what I knew.

– Sign up for an Experience Japan event

Another fortunate decision I made early on was signing up for one of these events. The events might be different in the spring semester, but they should also be very enjoyable. You get to meet local and international students and have a fun day with them.

– Budget appropriately

One thing that definitely would have helped in the long run was budgeting my money. Since Valpo has an agreement with Kansai Gaidai, you are given around $2,000. Set aside whatever money you think you need for your whole trip and commit to using it only for groceries. That will still leave a lot for doing any travelling you would need. A lot of my friends were able to take trips to Tokyo and are still fine money-wise.

Also, one thing to be aware of is ATMs. If you want to take money out of your American bank account, unless you go to Aeon Mall, you will have to take out your money in $100 increments. At Aeon, it’s only $10 increments. Also, if you have Chase, there is a $5 fee for using a non-Chase ATM, as well as a conversion rate fee, which is usually less than a dollar. I don’t know if this applies for other banks but be careful.

– Carry cash

Japan is primarily a cash-based society. There are a lot of places that flat-out don’t accept card. Make it a habit to carry cash and you’ll be fine. Coins are substantial here, too. It will be a bit difficult to adjust, since America’s largest common coin is a quarter. The largest coin here is equivalent to $5, and the first bill starts at $10. Try to avoid spending bills first.

– Dress appropriately

Not only is there a different social standard for dress, as would be expected, but the weather is considerably warmer than at Valpo. It is the middle of December now and it has only gone below 40 degrees once or twice. Don’t hesitate to go shopping for clothes while you’re here, too. Be mindful of sizes, but most places have fitting rooms so you can see what works best for you. Generally, avoid low- cut shirts and dresses and you’ll be fine.

A lot of people here wear layers, regardless of the weather. Seeing someone, regardless of gender, wearing a cardigan, long sleeve shirt, beanie, and jeans is incredibly common, especially now that it’s colder. Keep an eye out for clothes you like. It’s hard to find something similar in America.

– Try new things

You’re in another country, so try to take it in as much as you can. You wouldn’t go to Italy for burgers and fries, right? Japan has a lot of foods that America simply doesn’t, so indulge in it. I was hesitant to try the different kinds of onigiri, and I usually picked either salmon or beef, which are on the more expensive side. I tried tuna mayonnaise on a whim, and it was honestly a surprisingly good choice. Mayonnaise is different here in Japan, so give it a try.

Also, convenience store food is definitely the best choice when you’re in a rush. Nothing is more than $5, and it’s usually not hard to find a favorite. It’s easy to pick up onigiri or bread up before class but be careful not to walk and eat. It’s generally frowned upon here.

– Lunch Break

Lunch break here is like Chapel Break at Valpo. The only difference is that everyone is free for an hour, so trying to get food is going to take a lot longer than usual no matter where you go. Avoid the cafeterias on both campuses, since everything is extremely crowded, and you might have to eat outside. Try getting your food before or after break or cook in the kitchen in the dorm.

– Go to class

I think this should be obvious but go to class. Kansai Gaidai has a lot of different classes than Valpo and it’s definitely worth it to see what they have in store. Classes here are 90 minutes long, but it goes fast if you’re interested in the topic. There are a lot of fun classes here, so it’s a bit hard to completely be bored.

Also, all Japanese classes are held in first period(9:00am) or second period (10:45) three days out of the week. I’m in 4a now, so my class is at 9:00 on Mondays and Fridays and at 10:45 on Tuesdays. Usually, none of the other classes are held during those times, but there are exceptions.

Classes are generally a lot easier here. I’m taking four classes (around 14 credits) and I only regularly have homework in one. For two, I write a response to whatever we read or watch, and the other is just readings. If you’re going to stay for two semesters, grades are especially important. If you fail a class, you won’t be able to stay for the second semester.

– Learn what you want

When learning a foreign language, one of the best ways to learn is to find something you want to say and learn how to say it. You will learn vocabulary, grammar, and sentence structure while doing it, and you’re able to say what you want. There’s almost no downside and it works for any language.

– Download LINE

LINE is a messenger app that’s really popular here. If people ask for your contact info, they usually ask for Facebook, Instagram, or LINE. It’s not a necessity, but I recommend it.

– Be prepared to walk (or bike) everywhere

In Japan, it’s usually not necessary to own a car. The station is about 15 minutes away walking and Nakamiya is about the same. There are a lot of rules around riding bikes, so I prefer walking. Either one you choose, be prepared to walk a lot.

– Be a little more outgoing

Especially if you’re a more reserved person, step out of your shell a bit. Take the chance to meet international friends. It’s going to be disappointing coming back to America and not being able to talk to anyone you met abroad.

Orientation week is the best time to form a group of friends, so take advantage of it. Once local students start classes and you start attending events, it will definitely be difficult to leave without at least one friend.

– Get an IC card

IC cards are basically train passes. They can be used all over Japan. If you’ve been in Chicago, it’s basically the same as the train passes there. It’s a reloadable card that functions as a train ticket. In Japan, these cards are used for even more as well. Some restaurants take them as payment and even some vending machines take them. They’re incredibly useful.

– Go wherever you can, but be safe

You’re not going to have a lot of fun if you just stick around Hirakata your whole time here. It’s incredibly easy to travel in Japan, so take advantage of it. Through the school alone, I was able to go to Kyoto, Nara, and Osaka. There are so many cool places a train ride away. You can even take a trip to another country. One of my classmates went to Thailand early in the semester.

Whatever you decide to do, be safe about it. Try to travel with someone. Japan may be one of the safest countries in the world, but things can still happen. Even if you just get lost, it’s easier to be lost with someone else. When my friend and I got lost in Osaka trying to find a music store, it was a lot easier to find our way with a barely-functioning Google Maps together than it would have alone. And, if nothing happens, you were able to hang out with a friend.

Going to Japan is going to be an amazing experience for you. Make the most of it and have a great time. Don’t forget to check in sometimes, but don’t worry about doing it constantly. Also, don’t forget to take pictures. There’s no better way to remember all the fun you had.

Author: Olivia Dausch

Location: Hirakata, Japan

Pronouns: They/Them

In my first blog post, I said I wanted to explore more of Hirakata to see everything it has in store. I can definitely say that I learned a lot about this little city. It has a lot to offer, even though it doesn’t seem like much at first.

Hirakata has a lot of train stations, the largest one being Hirakata Station. It mostly gets express trains during the day, and local trains closer to midnight. Closer to campus, there is Gotenyama Station. It’s smaller and only has local trains, but it will get you where you need to go. Halfway between campus and Hirakata Station is Makino Station. It’s also a smaller station. All three are on the Keihan line, which can get you just about anywhere in the Kansai Region. If you transfer to a different line, getting anywhere in Japan is possible, but also very expensive.

My favorite route to travel is from Hirakata Station to Kyobashi, the connecting stop for the Osaka Loop Line. The loop can get you to a lot of amazing places in Osaka, like Osaka Castle, Tsuruhashi, and even Tennoji.

As for things to do in Hirakata, there are a lot of cool stores to go to. Just past Lawson, there is a road branching to the right, leading to an entrance to a grocery store. That street has a few cool stores, but my favorite is down an alley to the left. There is a tiny secondhand store selling really cool items for almost pennies. I was able to get a pack of Pokemon cards for my nephew for less than $1.50. There is a lot of cool things in that store, I recommend checking it out at least once.

The second store I’d recommend is Aeon Mall. It’s where my friend and I do most of out grocery shopping, especially since there is an ATM that allows us to take out money from our international accounts in less than $100 increments. There’s also an arcade on the 4th floor, as well as a dollar store that has a lot of cool stuff. There are clothing stores, grocery stores, and art stores in this mall. If you head down to the station, it’s definitely worth finding Aeon Mall.

Finally, for really cheap groceries in bulk, there’s a grocery store on the way to the station called Gyomu Super (業務スーパー). It sells a lot of groceries in bulk, including things that are generally difficult to find in Japan, like cheese.

If you want to eat out, there are quite a few options. On the way to Hirakata Station, there’s a fork in the road. Right before Gyomu Super, there’s a little curry shop. I haven’t been in it yet, but it always smells amazing when I pass it.

Similarly, there’s CoCo Ichibanya. If you turn left at the light on the way to the station, it’s on the left. I talked about it in my last post, so there’s not much else to say about it. The price varies greatly, but it will most often be less than $10.

Finally, there’s a little Ramen shop next to Lawson called Ramen Kurawanka that’s amazing. I’ve been there a couple times and I was always satisfied. If you show your student ID, you can get a size up for free. The average price there is about $8. I definitely recommend getting the Aji-tama (seasoned soft-boiled egg) with it. It makes any ramen dish so much better.