As the sun rises in Japan, so do all of the country’s citizens. Millions of people hop on trains and buses to commute to work, school, and other daily responsibilities. I have recently joined the daily commute as I started my high school study abroad program in Kyoto with the Council on International Educational Exchange.
I chose to study in Japan because I’ve been fascinated with Japanese culture since I was 10 years old: when my friend introduced me to anime like how so many others have discovered this unique culture and country. Outside of its ever-growing pop culture influence, Japan is steeped in a rich history that I’ve set out to explore one day at a time during my three-month stay as an exchange student.
Since leaving Minneapolis for Kyoto, I’ve spent most of my days staying with a host family in the suburbs. I live with a Japanese mother and a French father with two young children who are as energetic as they are cute.
Kyoto, as a city, is a hot spot for traditional Japanese architecture, food, art, and scenic nature.
So far during my stay, I’ve encountered plenty of the expected enjoyable parts of Japan but also the more unfamiliar and challenging aspects.
One of my favorite things about Japan is the safety and the amount of trust that Japanese society has. To uphold this standard, though, effort is required and quite literally asked from Japanese people at every crosswalk, bus stop, and train station. Doing your best to fit in with others and follow the rules, spoken and unspoken, has proved to be a challenge for me, even when I didn’t think it would be.
Even in my host family’s home, culture shock pursues me. In Japanese homes and public establishments, there is a fairly robust recycling method of separating trash into glass bottles and tin cans, paper, plastic, and burnable trash. This system allows Japan to improve its carbon footprint within households and even in places like convenience stores and businesses.
While I think recycling is extremely important, and America would be better off having a system similar to this, it has been hard adjusting and being mindful of what trash goes where.
As the annual culture festival at my high school came to an end last weekend, I, along with three other American students attending my high school, have been adjusting more and more to the lifestyle of a typical Japanese student.
This piece was originally published in Zephyrus’ print edition on Oct. 2, 2025
