Taking over Tokyo

Programs for this blog post

Japanese Pop Culture: Anime & Manga

Authored By:

Vanna Vongchareun

こんにちは or Konnichiwa! 36 Global Navigators have landed in Japan, ready to take on the city and learn about Anime, Manga, Gaming, and Pop Culture!

Photo for blog post Taking over Tokyo

After their arrival Sunday morning, the students made their way to the hostel they will be calling home for the next 3 weeks. They took the day to settle in, make friends, and explore the surrounding area before calling it a night.

The next morning was orientation! They got to meet all the Program Leaders, Program Coordinators and learn about what to expect for the duration of the program as well as what’s expected of them.

After lunch it was scavenger hunt time! The Navigators split into 4 groups and with a Program Leader each, they set off into Shinjuku to complete their scavenger list.

Photo for blog post Taking over Tokyo

Photo for blog post Taking over Tokyo

The next day the students attended their first gaming class with their instructor Steve Ross. Mr. Ross is a Japan Correspondent for CGTN America who has taught both university and high school courses in Japan. For their first class the students engaged in an activity to discover the emotions they feel when gaming and what brought them to be here in this class.

After lunch the Navigators took the subway to their first Japanese language class! The instructor for this class was Ms. Atsuko Iwamoto who gave a great first lesson going over the basics.

Next we all headed to Harajuku! The students did lots of exploring and shopping and soaked in the environment and atmosphere of Takeshita Dori.

The last 3 days have been a whirlwind of emotions but as the days go by and things calm down, the Navigators know there’s more excitement to come!