Japan: The land of the past and future

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Akihabara: The land of the future

Imagine a land where technology fully makes up the culture of a society. In every corner, one can witness a technological marvel in the likeness that no one can see anywhere else. That place is called Akihabara. From the real-life Mario Kart racing to the bundles of robotics shops, Akihabara lives up to its name as ‘The Electric Town’. Once I arrived, I could not believe my eyes. It felt like I jumped five years to the future. As I walked around, I saw different electronic stores about the size of a US mall! Inside I saw an array of computer parts, 3D printing developed technology and lots of robots.

 

               Akihabara

Ueno: The Land of the Past

After leaving these stores, I decided to just walk around to see what I could find. Then after walking for about 2-3 kilometers, I discovered an interesting shift. In fact, it seems as if the whole area around me was traveling back in time. Finally, I arrived at what looked like Japan in the 17th century.

For example, the local flora and fauna consisted of traditional Japanese species such as Koi fish, Bonzai trees, and Japanese lily pads. After a little stroll, I managed to find a sign that said ‘Ueno Park’ and all the amazing landmarks that is within it. Therefore, I looked around the map and found that there was a temple by a lake that looked very interesting.

Then, I decided to take a quick glance around before entering the Shinobazunoike Bentendo Shine area. When I arrived, I was greeted with amazing scenery which I never experienced in my life. It was a jaw-dropping experience for me. In my opinion, Japanese architecture displays a level of beauty that cannot be witnessed anywhere else. I hope to remember these experiences for the rest of my life.

Shinobazunoike Bentendo Temple(back)

Shinobazunoike Bentendo Temple(Front)
        Ueno Park
Javier Ayala

<i>Hello in your host country language</i>: Konichiwa <i> University</i>: University of Houston <i>Expected graduation year</i>: 2021 <i>Destination</i>: Tokyo, Japan <i>Program Provider</i>: International Studies Abroad (ISA) <i>Major / Minor</i>: Mechanical Engineering / Mathematics <i>Language of Study</i>: Japanese <i>Demographic background</i>: First-generation, Hispanic <i>Future career aspirations</i>: Use different engineering methods from across the globe to invent something revolutionary <i>Top 3 goals for study abroad</i>: To experience a unique culture and tie it back to the US; To make a network of friends and colleagues to help me on future ventures; To expand my horizons both professionally and personally.