Left Coast Artisan Burgers @ Itaewon

by Matt Dela Peña

Not Chris.

After three consecutive weeks of never-ending meals from our dorm cafeteria, my friends and I were finally overdue for an American burger fix. Luckily, a few days back, we made a new friend from the States who also happen to be a part of the previous batch of ISA students. His name is Chris from almost-the-Bay Area Tracy, California.

Kansai Part Two

A traditional Kyoto lunch: soba

Ohisashi-buri Kyoto!

My most awaited visit of the Kansai region was definitely Kyoto. The one day trip where I'd been to Kyoto before is maybe half the reason I wanted to return to Japan! I absolutely love everything about Kyoto, and as I've found out from my Japanese friends, they often love Kyoto the most too. 

Everything feels transcendent after visiting Kyoto. It's like, "Did I just see that all with my own eyes?" How have they preserved  this ancient capital so beautifully? There are so many temples that you step out from the gates of one and there's another right next door! Even now, the big city skyscrapers and ultra-modern Kyoto station seem to blend seamlessly with the old Kyoto image. You still see women walking in kimonos and rickshaw drivers for hire on the streets.  

But being able to live in Kyoto, drinking in the sights of your own Japanese garden, the surrounding walls and leaves of the plants absorbing the drone of the city when you return from your busy urban life; that would be superb.  It's such a one-of-a-kind city. Our first stop was Arashiyama, to the west.

Arashiyama

With Maiko in Arashiyama

Walking upriver

An absolutely perfect Japanese garden to the side of our soba restaurant. 

The gardens here can make anyone go halfway nuts. Every time I pass one, I just want to live there as a hermit forever. They are so old and so meticulously perfected, you can tell right away from the age of the pines and the luscious blanket of moss underfoot. Kyoto is 100% the mecca for Japanese gardens. And I would like to go on a pilgrimage here.

Kyoto is chock-full of gardens

Loving the Kansai Region!

by Josie Losh

Flying away from Kyushu and towards Honshu on my first domestic flight within Japan.

Hello, Readers! My first travel of spring break has just finished and do I ever have a lot to share with you!

Along with five of my friends, I set out on a 6-day spring break trip to Osaka, with day trips to Nara and Kyoto. Our group composed of two Japanese, Swedish, Armenian, Belgian, and American exchange students. For most of us, it wasn't our first time in the Kansai region, but it was our first REAL stay there, and boy was it worth it!