日本

I was in Japan for a 2-week long cultural exchange program and got back last weekend. While in Tenri I ventured to Nara City, Kyoto and Osaka.

Tenri University's campus

My room and futon at Tenri

I miss riding my bike through Tenri's shopping arcade

My $20 Minion burger and beer at Universal Japan

I wish trains like this existed in New York City

Realizing how tiny I am at Todai-ji

A maiko I spotted while in Kyoto

A boy I spotted in front of the Yasaka-jinja during the Gion Matsuri

Outside the Osaka Castle before climbing to the top

Chilling around Umeda in Osaka

Walking up the Fushimi Inari-taisha in the morning

I couldn't help but snap this at the Kiyomizu-dera

After the cultural exchange at Tenri University was over I took a shinkansen to Hiroshima.

Hiroshima's heartbreaking skyline

I visited Miyajima and watched the sun set with onlookers

Too bad my shinkansen for Tokyo left first thing in the morning; I wish I stayed in Hiroshima longer!

Having delicious pancakes, liquor and a latte at Square Enix's ARTNIA cafe

A street-crossing I fell in love with

The view from my room at the Park Hyatt Tokyo

I also went to the Railway Museum in Saitama

While in Tokyo I ran out of cash because I spent it in Ni-Chome. Otherwise it was a amazing 2½ week adventure I spent taking Japanese-style baths, chatting with locals (including my classmates from France, Ukraine, Spain, Taiwan and Thailand) and learning how to be a grown-up!

I'm already looking for a reason to back, maybe for longer...maybe permanently.