Growing up watching anime and reading manga, I introduced myself to Japanese culture in some way I never thought of as a child. When consuming media at a young age, you tend not to think about logistics, where it came from, and how localization played into factors when carrying one culture icon to multiple parts of the world. Pokémon is a great example, a “glocal” product that started in Japan and then transitioned to Western media to fit local tastes. That’s the idea of “glocal!” Noticing the opportunity given by Ehime University and UWB, I wanted the opportunity to explore a country that I’m familiar with through the lens of Japanese media, but I wanted to experience the culture, people, and places that make Japan well known. To be perfectly honest, it was also an excellent excuse to go to Japan, which has been my dream for a long time!
My only experience of going abroad in Asia was only India, so this is an opportunity to explore a country I’m unfamiliar with. Knowing how big Tokyo was, I didn’t realize what Matsuyama looked like other than checking out a few YouTube videos of the tips and tricks of things to do in Matsuyama. For one, they are known for the Onsen’s at Dogo Park and for their mineral baths. The other biggest attraction was Matsuyama Castle. What I didn’t expect myself to do was be able to do Mochi-tsuki, which is pounding rice to make mochi (rice cakes). I’m glad I pushed myself to do that since they had locals try out how making Mochi worked! Not going to lie, it was very tiring, but I had loads of fun doing it!
Throughout my experience early on in Matsuyama, this program also allowed me to meet local college students at Ehime University, where we had joint lectures and activities with them. It allowed me to speak with them, and eventually, I developed some long-term relationships. I had the opportunity during our free time to meet with locals, some of whom have exciting personalities, and many who were interested in where I came from and why I was in Matsuyama since I’ve noticed that there are barely any foreign tourists around the area. Going to my first ever Izakaya (informal Japanese bar), meeting locals, and hearing their overall experiences living in Matsuyama, gave me a tremendous perspective on what living in rural Japan looked like versus what is known in other big cities such as Osaka and Tokyo. Iwayaji Temple was my first every Japanese temple which was a large hike up on a mountain, very similar to the Poo Poo Point trail in Washington. It was worth seeing the importance of temples in Japan and also to the local pilgrims around the area. We also got to visit do-it-Shoten bookstore. A small local store meant to attract young locals to participate in group activities and rent out books. Learning how Japan has a declining population and most of the young locals are moving into bigger cities like Tokyo and Osaka, the bookstore itself gives young locals a space to hang out, read, and participate in group activities. It was a niche little place that I found attractive as it was cozy and comfortable.
After a few days in Matsuyama, I had the opportunity to travel to Hiroshima, a much different city compared to Matsuyama, but also a hard one to experience. We went to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, a humbling experience to see, watch, and understand the tragic events that took place with the Hiroshima atomic bomb. It was definitely for me the most challenging part of the trip and probably the most heart-wrenching museum I’ve ever been to. It was also fascinating to see how the Atomic Bomb Dome was still up. Coincidentally, I saw a crane on top of one of the memorial structures outside the museum. After a few seconds of looking at it, it took off. In Japanese folklore, the crane (or Tsuru in Japanese) symbolizes honor, good fortune, loyalty, and longevity. Hiroshima was definitely a humbling experience.
After a day in Hiroshima, we ended up going to Miyajima Island! Also known as the deer island. And boy oh boy there were a ton of dears on that island. But just be careful when you have food around them; they can be a little aggressive. Miyajima was also known for its oysters; I’d never had them before. I think I spent about 3000 yen on oysters alone on that island. I also had to try the deer poop ice cream! (it’s just chocolate crisps, but still funny!). The biggest highlight for me was going to the island’s top after one and a half hour hike. A strenuous hike but definitely worth the view.
For a one-week trip, I’m glad I had this opportunity to learn and experience much about Japan and Japanese culture within this program. Getting to experience places like Dogo Park, Uchiko town, Iwayji Temple, Tobe Pottery, Matsuyama Castle, Matsuyama Art Museum, Peace Memorial Musiecu, Oizuru Tower, and Miyajima, it felt like I was there for a month. I even got to see the Cherry blossoms bloom earlier than expected! With the relationships built in Matsuyama, if I ever go back to Japan (I definitely plan on doing that), I need to go back to Matsuyama to relive it again. To me, I’m proud to say it’s my second home!
