My Year at Keio University, Tokyo

My year in Tokyo is drawing to a close. In under two weeks, I will arrive at Heathrow to conclude what has been an unforgettable year, living in Tokyo and studying at Keio University.

Decision to go on a Year Abroad

It was very much a last-minute decision to go on a year abroad but it was by far one of the best I have made during my time at university.

I decided that my university experience up until that point was void of exposure to anything outside of the University of Southampton bubble and I felt I needed to branch out.

I chose to go to on a year abroad in Japan because I wanted an adventure, and out of all the possible destinations I felt at the time it was the country I knew the least about.

University Life

The experience of studying at one of Japan’s most competitive universities was a great part of my year abroad.

The university made sure that as international students, we were properly integrated into all aspects of university life in Japan from the outset.

The Keio International Programme requires students to pick a minimum of 7 modules per semester across a range of subjects such as Law, Japanese History, Politics and Economics, alongside optional weekly Japanese Language classes.

The university dormitory I stayed in, located just 15 minutes away from the centre of Tokyo was a real highlight of my experience in Japan.

Extremely modern, with a blend of Japanese and international students, and the added bonus of a conveyor-belt sushi restaurant on the ground floor – my dorm was where some of my fondest memories of Japan were forged.

Due to Japanese term dates, the vast majority of students stayed in Japan over the Christmas and New Year period.

Our landlord and his family ensured that on Christmas Day we all came together for an enormous feast. Our landlord also hosted many events to bring together students from the other dorms nearby.

Travel

I have been able to travel extensively both in Japan and have also been able to explore other parts of Asia as well, being fortunate enough to stay with friends in all of the countries have I visited.

In Japan I’ve been on trips to the tropical southern islands of Okinawa, cities such as Kyoto and Osaka and have gone on hiking trips in the mountain ranges outside of Tokyo.

I have also been fortunate enough to visit friends in Beijing, Shanghai, Taipei and I also spent three weeks travelling the length of Vietnam during the two month spring break.

Taipei is by far my favourite place outside of Japan that I’ve visited to date. The blend of Taiwanese, Chinese and Japanese cultural influences made for a fascinating atmosphere, while the buzzing night markets of Taipei and the famous street food ensured for an incredible experience.

Having arrived in Japan not knowing a single word of Japanese I am proud to leave being able speak and understand Japanese at level that I never imagined was attainable during the first weeks and months of my exchange.

It is one of my proudest achievements to date and I intend to carry on studying Japanese – perhaps with a view to returning in the future for an internship or a full-time job.

I strongly urge more people from non-Modern Language disciplines to take the opportunity to spend time abroad during their degrees. It was by far the best decision of my university career so far, and the year abroad has left my with new language skills, friends from all around the world, and another city I can call home.

Thank you for reading my blog!