From my first night in Kyoto, I was able to draw one conclusion: most of the world really does look like New Jersey.
Week one in the sunny, mildly cloudy Higashiyama Ward saw me navigating the city of Kyoto for the very first time – as well as Japan as a whole. The so-called “Golden Route” posits the best way to see as much of Japan as humanly possible: in this case, Tokyo – Kyoto – Osaka. This way, you can see everything from Tokyo Skytree to the beautiful historic Gion district and even ride the Ferris wheel at Dotonbori’s Don Quijote. So far, I haven’t seen much other than what’s in my local neighborhood of Higashiyama – which is 20 minutes’ walking distance from the center of the city at Kyoto Station. I’m over six thousand miles away from where I call home, which for me is New York City, trading in the hustle and bustle of the Big Apple for quiet, calm scenery with views of the Kamo River. Arriving at Kansai International Airport, located in Osaka, I couldn’t help but notice all of the looping highways and blue road signs provided me with a startling reminder of New Jersey. Three years of college in the Garden State hasn’t left me over or under, just whelmed. Osaka’s strip malls and bleak streets didn’t inspire much confidence in me after my rough travel day.
In case I haven’t properly introduced myself yet, which I know now for sure I haven’t, my name is Anyja and I’m a final semester senior from Montclair State University studying at TUJ Kyoto this Spring semester! At home, I write for Her Campus Montclair, a college student run magazine for women. My articles largely surround pop culture and media I watch, read, or listen to on a daily basis. I love concerts, anime, and learning new languages!
This is my last semester of college which might seem a bit unorthodox to be studying abroad now, but I assure you this isn’t my first time abroad. Just last semester, I visited London and Mexico for my fall and spring breaks. In the future, I want to be a travel agent and help make travel accessible and safe for Black and brown female solo travelers! It’s sort of a hard thing to study for especially since I’m not a hospitality major, but I’m passionate about seeing the parts of the world that many have yet to see.
Most of my content on this blog will center around travel writing, food, music, local events, and the intersection between my Caribbean heritage and Japanese culture. My medium of choice is typically written, but this semester I am endeavoring to challenge myself to also post video blogs and reflections in a more episodic manner. I look forward to keeping you all updated on my journey here in Kyoto and invite you to follow along!
If you want to learn more about Temple University Japan and study abroad in Kyoto, check out the Temple Study Abroad website! Here on our Global Storytellers blog, you can also read more stories from students abroad across the globe just like me.
