Beyond City Limits

There's a lot to be said for studying in as metropolitan an area as Tokyo. You'll never be able to take advantage of all the opportunities available, and the train system allows you to go almost anywhere in the country with incredible ease. Make sure you get a map of the train system at first though, and keep it with you until you learn your way around.

That's not to say that big cities and bright lights are all there is to Japan though. Most of the country is actually pretty rural, and the scenery is breathtakingly gorgeous. There are beautiful hiking trails, mountains to climb, and gorges to explore nearly everywhere! Nikko is an especially good place for this. If IES doesn't schedule a group trip there, you should go check it out!

Make sure to travel outside the city as much as you can. As exciting as Tokyo is, you'll have the most fun on your trips outside of it. Try looking up famous festivals in Japan and taking a day trip to visit one. They're always great fun, and you'll get to see and try a lot of new things. Personally, I would recommend the Narita Taiko Festival. If drums are your thing, this is for you! Great food and incredible performances every time you turn around. Make sure to try the Unagidon! If you're looking for something a little closer, head to the Jidai matsuri in Asakusa. Samurai, lords, princesses, shrine maidens, and ninja all in one glorious parade!

Also, keep the climate and weather patterns in mind while you're packing. Spring semester has the rainy season, and fall semester has typhoon season. Typhoon season will break your umbrella, so bring a raincoat instead. You should also keep in mind that most places in Japan don't take cards, so bring cash.