It’s hard to believe that nearly two weeks have passed since I landed in Japan. The first few daze were a daze of sleep deprivation and intense culture shock. It took my a while to fully realize that I was actually on the other side of the world.
My first morning in Japan, I woke up at 4:00 and went for a run with two of my friends at 6:00. That was the first time I started to realize where I was. It was unbelievably quiet for the most populated city in the world. Our run was short-lived as we kept stopping to sightsee. One of our first stops was the beautiful Nezu shrine, a slice of Japan that existed before Western influence. It was the first structure of its kind that I had ever seen.
That weekend, sleep-deprived and running on adrenaline, I decided to go to Ueno, Shinjuku, and Shibuya. Ueno was the first part of Tokyo that I saw that had neon lights like I had seen in the media. I was amazed, but it never could have prepared me for what I saw in Shibuya the following day. Shibuya crossing had one of the largest groups of people I had seen in my life. The night was lit up almost as bright as noon with the neon lights illuminated the mass of people below.
The following evening I went to the top of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building. The elevator doors opened and I was in awe as I saw lights as far as the eye could see. I knew at that time that 4 months would not be enough time to explore this incredible city. It was one of the most incredible views I had ever seen.
Karuizawa was the first time I left Tokyo. It was incredible to see the concrete jungle of Tokyo quickly transition to incredible mountain ranges. It was relieving to get out of the oppressive heat of Tokyo, and it was also a lucky coincidence that we were not in Tokyo the day Typhoon Faxai slammed into the city.
The days were packed with activities, each of which created memories that will stick with me for the rest of my life. I know that there are many more memories to be made in the following months.
Japan 2019 