My courses this semester are divided between the University of Tokyo’s two campuses: Komaba and Hongo. I spend most weekday mornings at the former before catching a train across the city to the latter. Hongo is located at the site of…
Osaka to Okinawa
After spending a few weeks hanging out with friends and host families in Hiroshima and Osaka, I’m ending my spring break with a brief solo trip to Japan’s southernmost prefecture of Okinawa. Once a semi-independent kingdom, Okinawa subtly separates itself…
Japan’s School Year
The University of Tokyo’s school year is dramatically different from that of most Canadian universities. The first semester begins in April and ends in August. After a two-month summer holiday, the second semester begins in October and ends in February.…
Yokohama and Japanese History
I went to Yokohama for the first time last weekend to catch a play. The professor of my Japanese theatrical history course has a number of friends in the Greater Tokyo Area’s theatre scene. He somehow negotiated free admission for the…
Tips for Learning a Language
Learning another language is an important part of many exchange students’ time abroad. In my case, part of the reason why I’m here is to improve my ability to read and write academic papers in Japanese. I have a history with the Japanese…
Komaba Festival
A few friends and I checked out the University of Tokyo’s annual Komaba-Sai (駒場祭) festival last weekend. One day of preparation transformed the campus’ otherwise tranquil tree-lined corridors into bustling streets of food vendors and entertainers. Almost every student group…