In December 2015, the first ramen shop in Japan was granted a Michelin star. Tsuta is a small shop in Sugamo that serves up some of the best ramen in the world. Being near Ikebukuro station, there is plenty to do in the area as well. From Saitama University, it takes about an hour in total to reach the destination.
I had the opportunity to try this glorious bowl of noodles, so I jumped out of bed to get a ticket. Click "Read More" to learn about my ramen excursion.
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All exchange students arrive at Saitama University at the peak of Tokyo's cherry blossom (さくら, "sakura") season. The campus is absolutely beautiful during all the orientations. I definitely felt privileged to see such a signature part of Japan upon arrival.
Hanami (花見, "flower viewing") is a Japanese tradition where people admire cherry blossoms and spring. While I did not have the chance to attend any festivals, I did go to Ueno Park to look at the awe-inspiring pieces of nature. Click "Read More" to see some more さくら! The cafeterias at Saitama University are very convenient, cheap, and the food tastes pretty good. It can be intimidating to eat at one for the first time, but there is really nothing to worry about. Just like one would expect, one grabs a tray and asks one of the cooks to give them what they want. Then, take the tray to the register and they will tell you how much it costs. They accept both yen and Suica (IC) card as payment. The free drink options are water and green tea. The cafeteria is open on weekdays from about 11:00 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Click "Read More" to learn more about eating on campus at Saitama University. The International House (I-House) at Saitama University is currently where all international students stay if they choose to live on campus. It is a fairly inexpensive and convenient place to stay, as well as stress-free for students who are beginning their study of Japanese.
Click "Read More" to take a look inside the building and one of the rooms. The check-in days at the university were April 3rd and 4th. I flew nonstop from Denver Int'l Airport to Narita Int'l Airport (UA 139).
Haneda Int'l Airport is actually closer to Tokyo than Narita, so there are better options for one to take. I opted for my flight because it was nonstop. Once arriving in Narita, I went to the station located on the bottom floor of the airport. For about 2500 yen, I got an IC card (allows you to travel via train by scanning) and enough to make it to the university. Click "Read More" to see a brief guide on getting from Narita Airport to Saitama University. |
AuthorI am a student from the University of Nebraska at Kearney who studied abroad at Saitama University in Japan. I want to share my experience to inform future students about the program. Archives
March 2018
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