Japan 2010

In Autumn of 2010, I set off for Japan for a full month. In Tokyo, I stayed with a friend and his family, which allowed me to better experience Japanese culture and living and greatly improve my ability to speak and understand Japanese language. Everyday, I explored the city, and a couple times a week went to martial arts lessons in Chiba. As is often the case when I travel to a new place, I was surprised at how insignificant the many of the stereotypes about Tokyo were. I also got a chance to make several short trips to other places, such as Kyoto. There, I was equally surprised to find that, as per the stereotype, geisha/maiko do still work today. Kyoto has a much more relaxed vibe compared to Tokyo. Kyoto features some truly amazing temples and shrines. Finally, in Japan, there are small crabs that live on the mountains. Yes, I'm serious. I saw many.