Fourth day!

5/12/2023 We went on another excursion but this time it was an arcade and an observatory. Observatory was nice you could see the whole Tokyo. In the observatory they had ice cream, and gifts we could give people for back at home. I didn't get a gift but I did get strawberry ice cream. From the Observatory we then made our way to the arcade where we tried to win stuffed animals but didn't end up winning. After that, we left our teachers & went shopping AGAIN! After shopping, we found something to eat & then ate later again and went to Tgi Fridays. Friday the 12th was a cool day. I can't wait to see what's next.

Third eventful day

Thursday 5/11/2023 was the most eventful day. We went on excursions with our teachers & then we tried new desserts such as candied strawberries. I was not a fan of them, but everyone else enjoyed it. Then after the excursion, my friends & I went shopping. While shopping we saw the shein store that we LOVE back at home. Unfortunately, we couldn't buy it we had to purchase clothes online. After being out shopping for the rest of the day, we got so tired we went back & fell straight to sleep. That was the most sleep we got while being down here since jet lag. We were extremely tired that we didn't get dinner that night. Not to mention, it was also raining that day.

Day 2

 We tried Mcdonalds, KFC, & ramen on our second day. We were exploring, and found different foods in American-based food places & also wanted to try their famous ramen because it is very popular. I can say that I do not prefer none of them, they are not the best tasting. But not only did we go try the food, but we also went to the zoo for our project! The zoo was very large & parks around it. It took forever to walk, and I was very tired when done. But I enjoyed it because I love zoo's.

First Day In Japan!

 My first day in Japan focused mainly on getting here safely & finding our whereabouts on the train. We didn't do too much because we settled in around 8 pm and around that time we were ready to eat & sleep. I went to the family mart to find something to eat & I didn't actually find anything I thought I would like. I got noodles, that I eat from back home, I tried donuts and ice cream. 

This is the video of all the icecream options that I was excited about because I absolutely love icecream!

Day 1- the flight…

I am very TALL and had a very uncomfortable and painful 14 hour flight.😅 Probably by hour 8, I was restless and was ready to just be there. I felt some what anxious on the subway trying to navigate and lug my suitcase onto a packed train. It all felt worth when we finally exited the station to the bright lights from the buildings. I was amazed and couldn’t believe that I was really in Tokyo.

 

When finally made it to our hostel and I was exhausted and excited to finally lay down. I finally did what I had been wanting to do for months which was… go to the konbini and get onigiri! 

First full day in Japan

My roommates and I visited the Ueno zoo. This zoo was much different from ones in the United States. There was so much more greenery throughout the zoo and it was beautiful! It felt more like being in an actual forest than in a zoo at some points. Unfortunately I didn’t see the pandas but there were many other animals that I enjoyed seeing! 

After the zoo, we walked through Ueno Onshi Park and visited Toshogu shrine. This is the very first shrine I’ve visited in my life and it was beautiful! This shrine was large and there were many photo opportunities.

We finished our visit to Ueno Onshi Park with a walk around Shinobazu Pond! 

First full day in Japan: day 2.

 Day 2 started bright and early! Me and my roommates woke up at 6am and shortly after went on an adventure to vending machines. I love the vending machines and the convivences. It is so exciting to continually check out new vending machines for new drinks. I enjoy the experience of buying a drink that is unfamiliar. 

We visited a Lawson store not far from the hostel. We bought breakfast and souvenirs. On our way back to the hostel we saw many children going to school! Seeing students in uniforms is neat. It was a lot of fun to watch parents lead their children to the gate and even some children walking alone. 

I have seen many advertisements in Japan, but this one has been my favorite. This ad stands out among the neutral greys and darker colors of the city. This ad being as large as it is adds emphasis as well. It makes me tempted to try the chips it is advertising! Later in the day, I visited Ueno park. There were many market shops further into the park to which I bought little ceramic cats. It was quite fun to sit and observe the people in the park. I watched the koi and the pigeons and the cute dogs walking by!

After visiting a market and an arcade, the night ended early at 7:30pm. 

Arrival in Japan: day 1.

The flight to Japan was exciting yet exhausting. The airport was very stressful. Arriving in Japan was very exciting. I experienced my first train/terminal ride. It was interesting to experience the normal, daily transportation in Japan. Seeing the streets of Tokyo as we passed by was amazing! As we passed, I enjoyed seeing the different lights of different businesses. The advertisements and signs in Japan are bold and bright. 

Once we arrived to the hostel, me and and my roommates picked beds and decided to search for food. We visited the Family Mart around the corner. I was surprised by the selection. There were so many premade meals such as ramen, sandwiches, and sushi. 

I bought a sandwich, rice ball, and taiyaki. All of which were good (except the rice ball). I've always wanted to try taiyaki, so I'm so glad to have had this experience!

Japan zoo day

 This day I went shopping at shops outside of the zoo. Got some cute Keychains then went to the zoo, I saw all the animals other then the pandas 🐼 I am going to go back to the zoo to see the pandas. Then I went down to the anime section in tokyo and saw so many cool shops to buy stuff. Definitely going back there too , had a great day 💕

Japan first day

 First day was crazy getting to Japan, my back killed me from the flight and I had fun riding the subway. The room is very nice and I was shocked by all the tall buildings. 

Welcome:  It is almost time to leave.  Although everyone is busy packing, soon you can just relax on the plane and start to enjoy the experience.  Looking forward to seeing you all very early tomorrow.