Exploring Prefectures: Saitama, Japan

Hi Everyone, 

My name is Izavelle Martos and this is when I spent the weekend in Saitama! 

While my host university was in the heart of Tokyo, Japan (Aoyama Gakuin University)…I found myself craving more country side views. I pitched to my friends that we could spend less money while still having a great time IF we chose to do a weekend stay-cation in Saitama. Saitama is only 2 hours of a train ride away from Tokyo and for 6 people we each paid $35 each for our Air-Bnb! Which was a steal because our place was so cute!

More Importantly, we spent the weekend exploring the neighborhoods which allowed us to talk with the locals…they held a festival in the neighborhood and what felt like an Ewa Beach Block Party was really a Saitama Neighborhood Summer Festival. I ate tons of fresh food from many family businesses and even got myself an Chiikawa masks to sit on the side of my head during the festival. A lot of people do this at festivals especially of characters they really like. I had such an amazing time, I explored a new neighborhood, and I got to destress before finals. 

I highly recommend that when you study abroad in Japan…visit the close by prefectures like: Yokohama, Nikko, and especially Saitama! Also, don’t forget to find the time to sit at the park, watch the sunset, and cut open a watermelon! Thanks for Reading. (*^ω^*) 

Semester in Japan Spring 2018 - Video Compilation

Studying in Tokyo, Japan was such an amazing experience, and I would not trade it for anything else in the world! I got to experience traveling to major sites I had always dreamed of visiting since I was child, I made great connections that will last a life time with people from not only Japan, but other parts of the world too, and because I was so immersed into the culture, I was able to learn more about the Japanese lifestyle as well as enhanced my language speaking skills. 

While studying in Aoyama Gakuin University (AGU) in particular, I was also able to work as an English "Chat Leader" in their Chat Room (one of the language practicing services that AGU provides), lived in the international dorms in Musashi-Kosugi, joined circles (extra-curricular activities) such as the Aoyama Christian Fellowship circle, Gospel Choir, and MBS A Capella circle! Through all these different activities, I was able to experience what it was like to go on an overnight retreat with a Japanese university circle, perform an a capella solo of the famous Japanese song "Everything" by MISIA  in front of students of 4 other big universities in the area, visited the AGU Sagamihara Campus (in which international students rarely get the experience of going to, and most of which don't get to visit at all), and as a Filipino Christian, I was introduced to a small international church, not too far from my dorm, that had Sunday Filipino services. 

I am still quite shocked with all of the extraordinary experiences that I had while studying abroad in Japan, and I am so grateful to have been able to go on such an amazing journey there. 

Also, below is a link to a video compilation of my different experiences in chronological order from Day 1 in Japan, all the way to my very last day in Tokyo! I hope that you enjoy watching~ 

https://youtu.be/-cglUBzlr6c

Aoyama Chat Room

One of the best experiences that I have had during my entire study abroad trip to Aoyama was having the opportunity to work as a Chat Leader in their “Chat Room.” The Chat Room is similar to a tutoring center, such as our Academic Center here at HPU, however the services provided here solely focus on helping AGU students to practice a language that they were learning on campus. Most Japanese students come in to practice their English abilities, and a very small percentage come in to practice other languages such as French, Spanish, Korean, and Chinese. Because of the fact that English Chat Leaders are so high in demand, the Chat Room has broken up their sessions into sections of difficulty: Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced. These sectioned services are made available to Aoyama’s High School students, University students, as well as local Shibuya residents who don’t necessarily attend Aoyama Schools, but register for these sessions just to help them practice and enhance their English speaking skills. These Chat Sessions are also made available to the Elementary School as well as the Junior High School, although working with these students are a bit different compared to working with the high schoolers and up. In the Chat Room, the Upper Division students (High School and up), each group can range from 2-6 students per Chat Leader, and for every day there is a predetermined theme, which helps Chat Leaders to start up a conversation. The Chat Leader can choose whether or not to continue on with the theme for the entire duration of their chat session, but they are also welcome to change the subject if the students in their group feel comfortable or are passionate about another topic. For the Elementary School sessions, Chat Leaders are asked to host a game with the students as best as they can using only English. As for the Junior High School sessions, Chat Leaders can choose whether to host a game with their group, or have a casual conversation with the students. It’s more of a free-for-all type of situation when it comes to the Junior High Schoolers because of the fact that they are more advanced than the Elementary Schoolers but not as advanced as the University and High School students. I was fortunate enough to be able to work with all grade levels from Elementary Schoolers all the way to the Shibuya Residents sessions, and I am SO grateful that I did. I got to meet so many different people and made many friends from all ages. I enjoyed playing fun English games with the kids, and bonded quite a lot with the older students as well as we talked about topics ranging from fashion to politics. I found it really funny whenever the topic of relationships were brought up, especially with the girls in the Junior High School, because they were so interested and passionate about the topic! Overall, my experience in the Chat Room is the most memorable memory that I have from this study abroad trip, and I wouldn’t want to trade it for anything else in the world! If you plan to study abroad in Japan, I highly recommend applying to be a chat leader! It’s an experience that you most definitely won’t regret!

New AGU Chat Leaders Welcome Party!

My first time hosting an Elementary School Chat Session

Playing Pictionary with the Elementary School Students

More games with the kids! 

Chatting with the Junior High Schoolers

Learning about the Junior High School Students

More of the awesome Junior High School Students! 

English Training with the AGU Staff Members! 

Welcome Party for Shibuya Residents! 

My last day at the chat room ;~;

I'm going to miss everyone at AGU's Chatroom sooo much!!! <3 

Arriving at the AGU I-House Dorms

Finding my way to the dorms for the first time was quite the adventure. It was my very first time traveling to another country alone, with little to no internet upon arrival at the airport, and limited vocabulary when it came to the Japanese language. I was honestly scared that I wouldn’t know where to go and what to say, but luckily I was given a guide on how to get from Narita Airport to the Aoyama Gakuin University (AGU) International House (I-House) dorms in Musashi-Kosugi through my welcome package before departing for Japan-- in both English AND Japanese. This guide was literally my best friend from point A to point B because, although there were many employees in the Airport that spoke English, once I stepped foot outside of the airport, not many people were able to understand what I was saying. And after dozens of questions on what trains to catch and giving my taxi the address to where I need to go, I had finally arrived at my destination… At about 9pm… approximately 6 hours after landing ^^; Once I had arrived at my dorms, I was assisted by another student who lived in the building, which was very kind of him because I later found out that he didn’t go to the same school as I was going to. When I took my first step into the building, I was in awe at how modern and new the building looked. It made me really excited to see the rest of the dorms, though I was a bit nervous to meet everyone else. Within a couple minutes, a Residents Assistant, or RA, greeted me with open arms and welcomed me to what I was going to call my home for the next 4 months. Her name was Giwon, and let me tell you now, she is literally one of THE BEST RA’s I have ever met in my LIFE (and that’s including my experience dorming at HPU, too!). Giwon, with her happy and uplifting spirit, gifted me with a welcome package from the university, my room key card, and documents of important information I needed to know while living in the I-House (such as WiFi, my mailbox combination numbers, etc.). Then, she helped me with my luggage and guided me to my room. I was honestly shocked when I entered the room. It was not what I had expected, AT ALL. There was one desk, one bathroom, one closet, and one bed… This room was obviously made for just one person, and I found it hard to believe that it was all mine. I didn’t know that these dorms provided us with our own private rooms beforehand. I had assumed that I would be given a roommate, just like how I always did back at HPU. I don’t know if I missed that information or wasn’t told this at all about the AGU I-House in advance because this was literally a jaw dropping moment for me. But I honestly don’t want to complain since it was my first time having my own room, which I was really blessed to have. After getting a feel for my room, Giwon had suggested that I went down for dinner before they ended serving food at 9:30pm. I had barely made it in time, 9:28pm, and I was SO thankful because I was actually pretty hungry after all of that traveling. We had some sort of ramen, and it was really nice to have something warm in my stomach on a cold March day.

My first dinner at the dorms after a long day of traveling!

College Life in Tokyo

Hello everyone,
The first month in Tokyo, Japan was awesome. I definitely love the hustle bustle in Tokyo. Especially, the location is right in the district of Shibuya which is known for its pop culture and fashion. Strongly suggest you do not just go back to dorm right after school if you got some time I recommend you to walk around Omotesando, Shibuya, and Harajuku there are tons of things to explore. For example, Line store that has so many cute characters, and Calbee Store that you can try their freshly fried potatoes.


Aoyama Gakuin University is great. Their International Center and tutor are really helpful. From where is ATM, where are the classrooms to how to get discount half-year pass for train etc. Also, there is a job on campus that we can apply for as an exchange student which is the chatroom leader. A chatroom leader at Aoyama is someone to help local Japanese student with their English speaking skills and it is a good chance get to know what are the trends among Japanese students. Moreover, the welcome party held by the student life office was awesome because it is free for new exchange students and dinner is included. The welcome party is the best timing to meet other students like exchange students and degree-seeking. 

Caption: Shibuya Crossing

The class size at Aoyama is quite different compared to what we have in Hawai'i. Many lectures in Japan have around at least 100 students so as you can see in the picture below they got multiple projectors to make sure everyone can see the slides clearly.

Resources: RAs,Tutors, IEC, and Lingwave

One thing that really surprised me when I got to Japan was how much support I was provided with. Right off the bat, I was introduced to my RAs Hinako and Yuka, who have been a massive help to me in so many ways since I’ve arrived in Japan. From translating important documents to helping me not get locked out after curfew, these two have been so crucial to my new living adjustments. ‘Where is an ATM? Where can I buy toilet paper? What’s the best route to get to school? Where can I buy food? Does this have mayonnaise in it?’ These are all the things you don’t think about beforehand and then panic about when you arrive. And this is where your RAs save you're a**. Kids, take note: be nice to the RAs. You will need them.

In addition to the RAs, Aoyama Gakuin’s International Exchange Center has been exceptionally helpful in getting adjusted to the school. During orientation week the staff members introduced themselves to us personally and walked us through the registration process for courses at Aoyama Gakuin as well as presented us with a wide variety of extra curricular options. Nao, the program coordinator, has been especially helpful in keeping in touch with me both over the summer and during the first few weeks of adjustment. I had a major issue with being able to pay my dormitory fee and I was able to work with IEC to make staggered payments for my invoice both in America and Japan. She was a godsend. The dormitory payment on the other hand, was probably the most difficult money exchange I’ve ever experienced in my life, and I 10/10 do not recommend attempting without guidance.

Outside of IEC, there’s a club/organization called Lingwave at Aoyama Gakuin run by students that focuses on hosting events for exchange students. Basically, these people really love foreigners. And in a country where you aren’t competent in the language and can be easily isolated, it’s pretty fantastic to have people that actually want to talk to you. Lingwave hosts weekly events like bingo games and chat sessions where Japanese and foreign students come together and essentially have a reason to talk to each other. It’s a pretty nice change of pace from the seriousness of classes and studying, and has allowed me to meet some of Aoyama’s Japanese students as well as get to know the foreign students a bit better.

I was also assigned a tutor when coming to Aoyama who I’ve met up with a few times since arriving. During the first few weeks, she took me and some of the other exchange students to Karaoke for the first time. While the Japanese students were more reserved, most of the foreign students went all out belting beautiful and not so beautiful interpretations of classic American and Japanese songs. Basically, drunken westerners are animals, and things got really bizarre. I’m pretty sure we mortified our tutors, but I like to think they secretly enjoyed watching the show. They still talk to us when we cross paths in the hallway, so I’d call karaoke night a success. 

Karaoke with tutors and fellow exchange students in Shibuya, Tokyo. 

Arriving to Tokyo

My first few weeks in Japan have been a blur of errands and meetings and orientations for nearly anything and everything you could have imagined. I have managed to fully furnish my apartment entirely out of the Hyaku Yen shop (A store that sells $1 miscellaneous products), figure out Japan’s public transportation, and register for classes. Finally starting to establish a sense of normalcy, I thought I’d take a moment to reflect on what’s been happening since I left America.

When I first arrived in Japan, I was met by a representative that took a batch of exchange students from the airport to their respective dorm. I was surprised to see that I was the only American amongst the students, and most came from different parts of Asia or Europe. Due to the language barrier, I was immediately put to the test of utilizing all my knowledge in Japanese to be able to communicate with my fellow dorm mates. Severely jetlagged and fueled on airport coffee and animal crackers, it was both exciting and completely terrifying.

I soon learned that most of the students that I originally met with were from China or Taiwan, and their Japanese was much more advanced than mine. While communication was a bit patchy, they were all very kind and seemed to be just as nervous and eager for an experience abroad as I was. I like to think that coming off the plane with my ukulele case in hand gave me the quirky edge of being from Hawaii- which also served as a good conversation piece when conversation got difficult. All in all, I think my introduction attempts went as smoothly as I could hope for.

My dormitory is located in Ikebukuro, a busy and bustling subsector of the giant metropolitan that is Tokyo. Ornate with a variety of restaurants and nightlife activity, and just a short walk to the station, the Ikebukuro dormitories quickly earned the title of “desirable location” in my book.

My first night in Tokyo, I found myself walking in the surrounding neighborhood of my dormitory. Out of all the lights and signs competing for my attention, what captivated me the most was seeing these traditional Japanese lanterns that hung humbly outside of the convenience shop around the corner from where I live. While Ikebukuro is one of the more urban areas in Tokyo, these street lanterns were a small but powerful reminder of the culturally rich country, which I had entered. They were subtle, warm, and beautiful. And to me they said, “Welcome to Japan.”