Final Week in Japan

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A powerful image of the most “iconic” image of Hiroshima

Wow, what an amazing final week in the Land of the Rising Fun!

After my twin and I finished up our life-changing experience at Ritsumeikan University (my twin and I both received an ‘A’ on the final exam!), we ventured off for a one week vacation, because after all, if you study abroad in the one of the most amazing countries in the world, why not take the time to see as much of it as you can?!

Our first destination was Hiroshima, a city known by most as being the first city in the world to be hit with an atomic bomb. As you can imagine, we immediately headed for the Peace Memorial Park, where our eyes met the A-Dome; a very powerful image indeed. The whole city of Hiroshima was full of surprise statues and memorials dedicated to spreading peace following the atomic disaster. Anyone studying/traveling to Japan should take the time to explore the hidden treasures of Hiroshima, which is filled with so much history and tragedy, but yet stands today as a beautiful modern city.

Afterwards, we set out to Tokyo, which is way too big to consider a stand alone city; indeed it must be broken into wards or areas in order to explain where in Tokyo we visited. Because of the massive size of Tokyo, we visited the most famous areas or wards in Tokyo, such as Asakusa (home of Tokyo Skytree Tower), Akihabara (the famous “Electric Town” and anime district), Shinjuku (an interesting area with people dressed in interesting fashion), Shibuya (home of the famous scramble crossing), and Minato ward (home of Tokyo Tower). Each area was simply spectacular, but there is still so much more to see than could be explored in one week! This is exactly why Japan has NOT seen the last of me! รขโ‚ฌโ€น

Shonda Witherspoon

Konnichiwa! My nameโ€™s Shonda and I'm majoring in Computer Information Technology (Software Development Track) at Florida International University. I'm also earning a minor in Japanese Language and Literature, as well as a certificate in Japanese Studies. I currently work as an undergraduate researcher at the High Performance Database Research Center at FIU. After years of fantasizing about traveling to Japan and actually experiencing the culture for myself, I will finally go to the land of the rising sun, where I will be studying Advance Japanese II. This is a dream Iโ€™ve had since I was a child, when my love for anime and manga (Japanese comics) blossomed and transformed into a true appreciation for Japanese culture, and ultimately found its way into my academic and future goals, such as aspiring to work for Nintendo. When Iโ€™m not studying, I enjoy drawing, playing video games (especially ones made by Nintendo), and spending time with my mom and five (!) siblings. This summer, I will be studying abroad at Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto for a five week intensive language and culture program. This program has so many unique aspects, such as cultural exploration and a buddy system! The best part about my time abroad is that I will get to experience every last minute of it with my best friend; my identical twin sister. Traveling abroad will be a totally new experience for me, so Iโ€™m excited that we will both get to study abroad for the first time together. After our five week stay, my twin and I plan to stay an additional week in Japan, where we will have the chance to explore beyond Kyoto. Our plans include a visit to Hiroshima, Nara, and a few days in Tokyo. Yatta (Yahoo)!