As of today, I have been back home in Seattle, Washington for over three weeks. Before my return, I was living in the Akita prefecture of Japan for four months. During that time, I studied the Japanese languge and culture while also exploring my surroundings and trying as many new things as possible. I developed a taste for sake (Japanese rice wine), which even my dad struggles with because it is so bitter. I also have come to love the several different styles of resturants where you cook your own food. A couple examples are okonomiyaki, which I talked about in my Field Note article on food, and yakiniku, where you grill different kinds of meat. One of the places I visited was Kakunodate, the samurai city of Akita prefecture where many of the last samurai houses still stand. I was even able to visit the local Maiko house, where Geisha perform tea ceremonies and dances. It has been amazing to take you along with me on this journey and share these places with you all!
When I first applied to study abroad in Japan, I was looking at schools in Tokyo for the spring.
