Finding My Place in Japan

Ruby Thompson
2024-2025 Tanaka & Green Scholar

When I reflect on the past two years I spent in Japan, I feel truly lucky to have experienced it in such a unique way. I realize that two years is very different from one semester, or even a year abroad. Though I was always aware that the experience would eventually end, I had enough time to really build a life for myself there and connect with people.

Back in high school, I applied to go to Ritsumeikan as part of my school’s joint degree program because I wanted to learn Japanese. I loved studying Spanish in high school, and the short study abroad I completed at that time made me realize that one of the most fun aspects of language learning is being thrown into an environment where you must use the language, no matter how much confidence you have in your skills. Even at the end of my study abroad in Kyoto, I can’t say that I’m fluent in Japanese. However, I can say that I made an effort to learn every step of the way. I said yes to experiences that would connect me to other Japanese students and created many of my own opportunities to do so.

One memorable experience was in my second month at Ritsumeikan, when I was approached on campus by a Japanese student from another university in Kyoto, Seika University. She asked if I would wear the clothes she had designed for the school festival fashion show. I was hesitant at first, but I ultimately agreed because I wanted to ‘get out there’, and it seemed like a unique side-quest. In the weeks before the show, we did fittings for a dress; I met her cool friend with neon green hair, and we got to know one another despite our limited knowledge of each other’s language. On the day of the festival, I explored Seika University, a beautiful university also in the northern mountains of Kyoto City, known for its creative programs for manga and art. I somehow made my way down the runway, despite having no prior experience.

One of my favorite aspects of university life during my time in Japan was the school festival, or gakuensai (学園祭). It is an annual campus event, but because Ritsumeikan has three campuses, I was able to attend several in my two years, along with the ones at Seika University. School festivals are usually held in early fall or beginning of winter, and students perform, sell snacks, and promote their club activities.

There are different expectations and commitments across types of clubs in Japanese universities. Official clubs, with the kanji “bu” (部) affixed, generally were more serious, requiring greater weekly commitment from members. “Circles” were more casual, either meeting up less frequently or their activities were not as competitive.

The festivals were a big part of the photography club’s activities, a more serious club I joined during my first semester at Ritsumeikan. The learning curve was steep. Meetings centered around discussion of each other’s photos, which proved to be quite challenging for someone not fluent in Japanese. I also had to learn the club hierarchy and the expectations that came with it.

Eventually, I became more comfortable participating in the club. I joined partly for the Japanese practice, and partly for the motivation to take more photos. I attended photo-taking meetups across Kyoto and Osaka and went to Nagasaki for a summer training camp. The trip is one of my fondest travels in Japan. We took a ferry from Osaka to Kyushu, and photographed Nagasaki for the weekend.

I met many people from different countries while studying in Japan and learned about various cultural norms and how they shape people’s behavior. After building relationships there, I came to understand better that while societal practices and rules can be influential, people are not bound to them. Throughout my time, I took courses about intercultural communication, Japanese culture, and anthropology. Going forward, I hope to apply the knowledge I gained about Japanese culture and society, both in and out of the classroom, to my career.

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