Why I Want to Visit Japan Essay

I have always desired to go to Japan ever since I was a child. This dream came about because of the beautiful things I used to see about Japan on television. These features that made me really long to visit where the breathtaking geography and the food which looked so fascinating. I even dreamt of learning the Japanese language so that I would fit in when my dream materialized. My family knew about my obsession with Japan and during my first year of high school my dad planned a trip with the family for my birthday. This was the best gift for two days as I got to experience even more than I had seen on television or even read in magazines.

I was thrilled that my dream was finally coming true one cold January morning as we left our house with our bags packed up for an adventure. Upon arriving in Japan, we read some informational material at the hotel where we were staying which helped us gain an understanding of the culture and economy of the area and the country at large. I could not wait to visit Tokyo and its several wards which I read all had unique cultures. The next morning I was able to experience the skyscrapers and offices of Shinjuku, which towered mightily I could not imagine what it took to construct them. In the city, I was also able to come into contact with the anime and manga cultures of Akihabara. The shopping and pop culture of Harajuku gave me a lifetime of a memory it was like I wanted to just stay there. From all this diversity, I learned that Tokyo was even more diverse than I had imagined. I found out that religion played a central role in the Japanese way of life as I saw an ancient shrine for the Buddhists where the people went to pray and burn incense for their ancestors.

The second day was a continuation of seeing the mix of technology and pop culture with the traditional customs of the Japanese people. We visited a Japanese family and I got a chance to be truly immersed in the daily life of the family, eating their food and following their culture. The family that hosted us was very close and they had a loving relationship which came as a surprise as there is a general perception that Asian families usually are note close and do not show affection. on our way back to the hotel I noticed that people were polite to each other in the train while the children were so independent as they walked and rode themselves to school, something I had no idea about since it is not common in our community where parents and teachers are always hovering over the children. Part of my best experience was with the food which was so spicy. This made me want to try out some Japanese recipes which I intend to perfect and share with my family.

Together with the chance to see and experience life in Tokyo I came back with a valuable lesson from the trip of my dreams as I learnt that it is possible to honor and accept both the old and the new and live in harmony. I am grateful for the wonderful opportunity I had to visit Japan and would like to go there again and even stay for a longer period of time. I think that everybody should have a chance in their lifetime to visit this very wonderful place for the rich culture and cuisine.