Visiting Japan has been one of the things I have wanted to do since I was very little. When I got the acceptance notification from Professor Newsom, I was super excited! I had previously been out of the country in another SPC study abroad program, so I was prepared for everything related to packing and the plane trip. Visiting Japan was nothing like visiting Europe, as the culture and language were very different. In fact, a traveler’s worst nightmare happened to me the first night I was there, when I lost my wallet! However, our tour guide was very helpful in speaking with the police, and I was able to get my wallet back within about 12 hours, with everything in it! I feel as if that wouldn’t happen in any other country than Japan.

The people I went on this trip with were also amazing. We all hung out and did so many things. We visited many shrines and ate lots of great food, and a small group of us went to Tokyo DisneySea on our last day in Japan. The rides and food they served there were super thrilling and tasty. My all-time favorite experience, however, was on the last day for dinner: we ate at a camping-style restaurant at Tokyo Tower, where we grilled hot dogs and pork while sitting in tents or camping chairs. The restaurant was outside and offered amazing views of the surrounding city.

Where we stayed was also nice. In Tokyo, we stayed near Asakusa, which had plenty to see, places to eat, and activities to do. The second night I was there, I saw a street performance of two people fighting with wooden katanas. I also liked that the public transit was very punctual and connected all the places seamlessly. It allowed me to visit Akihabara, which had lots of cool vintage manga and video games, and Harajuku, which had plenty of interesting food places and fashion shops. The bullet trains were amazing and very fast, and they were smooth enough to play solitaire on the tray tables. Kyoto was also nice, with my favorite thing there being the Uzumasa Kyoto Village, which was themed after an old Kyoto village (similar to Heritage Village in Largo). They had a store that sold Neon Genesis Evangelion merch, and they even had a cool ninja show! Another thing I enjoyed visiting was the Itsukushima Shrine, which was very picturesque. My favorite thing on that island was all of the friendly deer, but you had to be careful so they wouldn’t go poking around in your bag and stealing your food!

Overall, this study abroad trip was amazing, and I would highly recommend it to anyone who is currently on the fence about it! The sights were amazing, the food was delicious, and the company was super nice. I walked away from this trip feeling more knowledgeable about the world at large, and it made me ask one specific question: “When can I go back?”

-Logan, SPC Study Abroad Japan Program, May 2026