An Interview with Aisa Okuyama

When I’m alone, I listen to English podcasts or go exercise.

What language(s) do you speak? How do you say "Hello" in your language?:

I can speak English. In Japanese “hello” is konnichiwa.

Do you have pets?:

Yes I have a cat and a dog (a toy poodle). I think toy poodles are the most popular dogs in Japan because they don’t shed — haha.

Have you traveled? Where have you traveled to?:

Yes! My family loves warm places, so we’ve been to Hawaii and Guam.

What do you do for work?:

Since starting university I’ve worked a lot of part-time jobs — at an udon shop, a ramen shop, as a hotel waiter and as a bartender.

Is there anything else you would like to say to students in the United States?:

What is Japan like from an American perspective? What kind of impression do you have? Why do so many Americans want to visit Japan?
Japan is a bit of an insular country, but I think it’s precisely because of our history of isolation (sakoku) that we’ve been able to preserve our culture. Japanese society is very orderly and amazing, but we still have problems — especially with work environments.

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