Study Abroad and Domestic Study Away

I arrived in Japan expecting its famous cities to define my semester abroad. Instead, some of my most meaningful memories came from the places I had never planned to visit. I traveled along the Golden Route, visiting Kyoto, Osaka, Nara, and other destinations I had long hoped to see. Although each lived up to its reputation, it was beyond the traditional tourist route that I discovered the side of Japan that stayed with me most.

My everyday life as a student was just as important as the trips I took. Each day, I commuted about an hour into the city for class, joining the crowds moving quickly through Tokyo’s train stations. Trains arrived every few minutes, bright advertisements competed for attention, and convenience stores seemed to offer anything someone might need. The energy was exciting, but it could also be overwhelming.

The intensity of my commute may have led me to search for a quieter side of the country. That search brought me to Nagano Prefecture. Visiting Matsumoto felt like stepping into a Studio Ghibli film, with its traditional streets, peaceful atmosphere, and the Japanese Alps rising in the background.

From there, I hiked through Kamikōchi, where the relentless sounds of the city were replaced by an orchestra of singing birds, flowing rivers, and rustling leaves. I encountered monkeys along the trails and later relaxed in a mountain onsen. Surrounded by forests, clear water, and fresh mountain air, I realized that travel did not always have to mean rushing from one attraction to the next.

After Nagano, I discovered Okutama, about two hours from Shinjuku. During the train ride, skyscrapers and crowded streets gradually disappeared, replaced by rivers, forests, and mountains. After hiking, I swam in the crystal-clear water. It was difficult to believe that such a peaceful place existed so close to one of the largest cities in the world.

My semester abroad changed the way I think about both travel and learning. I arrived believing that Japan’s famous destinations would define my experience. Instead, I left remembering crowded trains, classroom conversations, mountain trails, cold river water, and the unexpected quiet I found beyond the noise of the city.

-Juan José González

A view of Mount Fuji rising above Lake Ashi in Hakone: