NEUS – Travel in Japan – from Spain

2024-04-24

Meet Neus, a joyful member from Spain who embarked on an unforgettable journey to Japan to explore its culture, language, and people. Fascinated by anime and manga from a young age, Neus’s adventure in Japan was a dream come true, enriching their life and shaping future aspirations.

STUDY JAPANESE IN JAPAN

Interview – Travel in Japan

WHERE ARE YOU FROM?: Spain
WHAT DO YOU DO IN JAPAN?: In 2023, I decided to catch a plane to Japan to simply get to know and enjoy the country for 2 months (July 18 ~ September 12). I went because I was presented with the opportunity to stay in Japan for an indefinite period of time at the home of a Japanese friend, and later I also planned a visit to a friend who also offered me a place to sleep. I had always dreamed of visiting the country, so I couldn’t pass up the opportunity. During my stay, I enjoyed the company of the locals and even my personal evolution since it was my first time traveling alone. I was able to visit several major cities in Japan and learn a lot about the culture and dialects of the language through experience and, above all, through the people around me. Without a doubt, it was a rewarding experience that made me grow in many ways, especially as a person.
WHY ARE YOU INTERESTED IN JAPAN?: I would say that when I turned 15, anime and manga started to become popular in my country. I met fanatics of the industry and the algorithms of social networks made me start to know what Japanese animation was. After a while, I began to be interested in the language and, as I was learning, I began to learn more about Japanese culture and meeting people with whom I had fun talking. I can affirm that being able to communicate in Japanese makes me happy. Japan has become a part of me in recent years. Initially, it was attractive because it seemed to me a world totally different from the one I belong to, so the desire to check what the real Japan was made me want to travel to the country. Now that I have been there, I can feel that I understand more things when I talk to natives, and I am also curious to know more. So, it would not surprise me to end up living there for a while.
WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO STAY IN THIS CITY?: Most of the time I was staying in Yokohama, but I must say that I have not toured the area as much as I would like. Every morning I would get up and wait for the bus that would take me to the nearest train station, near Minato Mirai. Minato Mirai is the most beautiful area I can talk about since it is the area I frequented the most. There is a well-known Pokémon event held there. It is located near the sea and, as its name indicates, it has a port worth visiting (Minato in Japanese means port). But not only the port, you can also appreciate nearby areas of tall and impressive business buildings with shopping centers, parks, and universities. There are also shopping areas, rich restaurants, and a charming atmosphere. When talking about Yokohama, I cannot forget Kamakura, Enoshima, or its Chinatown since these areas manage to attract most tourists. Also, near where I lived, there was a little-known but beautiful garden to visit. Named “Sankeien,” this place is one of the most beautiful gardens I have been able to visit.
WHERE IS YOUR LOCAL RECOMMENDATION IN THIS CITY?: Restaurants, Landscapes, Entertainment, etc. My recommendation, without a doubt, would be to take the time to walk around the entire Minato Mirai area. As a gastronomic recommendation, I must recommend trying the whipped cream and fruit sandwiches at the establishment in the commercial part of the Sakuragicho station. Sakuragicho Eki is my favorite station, it has incredible night views, from there you can see a Ferris wheel that lights up at night. Culturally and as an entertainment plan, I would recommend visiting the Noodle Museum.
WHAT DID YOU ENJOY THE MOST WHILE STAYING ABROAD?: It may seem an unusual answer, but what I enjoyed the most about Japan was the infrastructure for cycling. My best experience in Japan was touring Kyoto by bicycle. However, I have no doubt that I greatly enjoyed the food, Japanese hospitality, and, of course, being able to enjoy the language and culture in my day-to-day life. There was an occasion when I was about to wear a yukata in a corner of a Tokyo station and, kindly, a lady and her partner approached to help me in the task while they spoke to me cheerfully, throwing compliments that I would never have expected to hear.
WHAT IS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE BEING IN JAPAN?: If I were to live in Japan, I would say that the biggest challenge would be the process of finding a rental, but from my experience, I would only emphasize the fact of understanding Japanese thought. It is a culture quite different from mine, and I have encountered many misunderstandings, I feel that there may have been more than I have realized.
WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN JAPAN AND YOUR COUNTRY?: The first difference that comes to mind is the way and times of eating. In Spain, we usually have lunch around 2:00 p.m. and dinner around 9:30 p.m. In Japan, on the other hand, they have lunch around 12:00 p.m. and dinner around 7:30 p.m. For Japanese people, the most important meals would be breakfast and dinner. In Spain, the main meal is at noon. I point this out as a major difference because it reflects the daylight hours in one country versus another, in addition to being a difference that could be an obstacle when adapting from one country to the other.
DID YOU EXPERIENCE ANY CHANGE IN YOUR LIFE AND FUTURE PROSPECTS?: Honestly, my visit to Japan was also aimed at discovering if it could be a destination I would like to go to study. If not possible, to live there for a while. After the good first impression and experience I had of Japan, my future efforts are only focused on the possibility of going again to Japan (not to mention that I would still like to visit many more places in the country). On the other hand, and I will never tire of saying it, the experience has helped me a lot on a personal level and has made me understand many more things than I could have imagined.
WHAT IS YOUR DREAM?: My biggest dream is to feel comfortable communicating in Japanese, although, if we talk about dreams, it would be to be able to study for a master’s degree in Japan, to be able to learn many more things about the country, and to enjoy unique experiences there.
MESSAGE TO OUR FRIENDS WHO WILL GO TO JAPAN.: The most important thing for studying Japanese is, firstly, not to be afraid of learning the language. I have heard a lot from people who do not dare to start simply because Japanese has three different forms of writing that are combined. I recommend enjoying the learning process and not thinking of it as an obligation.
HOW DO YOU LEARN JAPANESE?: At first, I learned through apps and videos of language learning content. I also went to face-to-face classes for two months, but due to certain circumstances, I had to stop. Listening to music daily, watching anime and dramas, and communication with natives could have been my main means of learning. At this moment, I mainly learn by asking the meaning of words I hear for the first time, and although I may forget them, over repetition, the concepts become integrated.