The Life of a Japanese College Student

Introduction:

I first met Hiroki at the International Afternoon Tea, a weekly event to connect international and Japanese students. We quickly realized that we had many shared interests, including board games and card games. We created a LINE Group (LINE is like the Japanese Google Hangouts or Facebook Messenger), began adding people, and now we have a full-blown board game club that meets weekly! I sat down with Hiroki to learn about his life in Japan.

What is your full name?:

My name is Hiroki Matsumura. I’m 18y ears old, and I just finished my first year of college at Kyoto University, where I am studying science. The Japanese school year starts in April and ends in February, so my vacation is about to begin.

Where do you live? What is your house like?:

I live in Itami City in Hyogo Prefecture. A prefecture is like a U.S. state, and Itami City has around 200,000 people. In Japanese houses, there are two styles of rooms. Washitsu are Japanese-style rooms with bamboo floors and mattresses on the ground, and youshitsu are Western-style rooms with beds. I sleep in a youshitsu.

What is your family like?:

I live with my mother, father and siblings. My sister is a high school student, and my brother is in junior high school. My mother is a librarian and my father teaches Japanese at a high school.

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