Student Interview: Cultural and Language Differences While Studying Abroad in Tokyo

The following blog was written by a student intern on a Summer 2025 CIEE high school summer abroad program. Read on for an interview with two students about their experience on program in Japan.

When going to any country for a long period of time, it is natural to experience cultural differences at certain points of your trip. Furthermore, if the country that you are at speaks a different language, it is very likely that you would experience language barriers as well. As Language and Culture students approach their last week of their time in Tokyo, I interviewed two students, Damauri and Michael, about their experiences with language and cultural differences in Tokyo.

Was there anything you had to culturally adapt to living with a Japanese host family?

Damauri: I had to adapt to my host family wanting to do everything for me [like cooking, laundry, etc]. My mom raised me to be very independent, especially because she was very independent as a single mom. So it took a bit of time for me to get used to that.

Michael: Not really, my host family actually functioned pretty similarly to my family back home. Of course, there were language barriers between us, but that was really it.

Was there anything you had to culturally adapt to when exploring Japan?

Damauri: I had to adapt to the quietness of everything. Compared to where I am from (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) people don’t really talk in public spaces.

Michael: People in Japan are a lot more reserved and quieter in public spaces, and there is a greater emphasis on respect compared to where I am from, in New York. Sometimes, it’s a little isolating. In New York, you’ll have people screaming, singing, even breakdancing, and it’ll be annoying, but I realized that it takes a bit of adjusting to not have that.

Was there any time when you had language barriers with locals? How did you overcome it?

Damauri: I have language barriers every day. I learned Japanese for around four years at this point, so I have a better understanding of Japanese grammar and sentence structure. But I struggle more with vocabulary, so I have to search up words a lot.

Michael: Yea, I have language issues all the time. I try to speak Japanese to local people as much as possible, but it gets difficult to convey what I want to say. I’ll freeze sometimes and forget what I want to say even. I often use translators or non-verbal gestures to convey what I want to say.

Is there anything about Japanese language and culture that you wish you knew before coming to Japan?

Damauri: I didn’t realize that a lot of Japanese people shorten sentences. When I learned Japanese, I mainly learned formal speech. So a lot of the times, when I ask a question, my questions will be a lot longer than their answers.

Michael: The different modes of respect. I knew about it somewhat before but it still takes some time to adjust.

Is there any advice you would give to a prospective student looking to study abroad in Tokyo over the summer?

Damauri: Don’t romanticize the country that you are going to. Every location has its pros and cons. And don’t let anybody discourage you from pursuing your ambitions to study abroad. Finally, a lot of things are provided in English so it’s okay if you don’t speak any Japanese, but try to learn some key phrases before coming to Japan.

Michael: Definitely make the most out of your activities, days off, and your time Tokyo in general. Try to see the beauty in everything, especially more traditional and historical aspects of Japan like shrines and temples.

Both Damauri and Michael provided great insight surrounding the hardships they experienced during study abroad in Tokyo. Although these experiences could be challenging at first, there is no doubt that they turned into valuable lessons as students in language and culture.

Sound like something you or a friend would be interested in experiencing for yourself? Explore CIEE's high school summer abroad programs today!