Exploring Fukuoka as a First-Time Traveler in Japan

Alana is a First Time Traveler Scholarship winner who attended Teen Summer Language Camp Japan in the summer of 2024. She told us about exploring her temporary home in Fukuoka.

By Alana, Teen Summer Language Camp Japan-Fukuoka Summer 2024

One of the expectations I had for Japan before I arrived was that I would be able to see many sights and do a lot of things, but I thought I would only be able to do those things with the school. I imagined everything would be too hard to get to by myself, but I quickly learned that that was not the case. I realized that there was always something new to try out and that places were relatively easy to get to even if they were far away. In Fukuoka, I was never bored and I always found something to do whether it was with friends or by myself.

I saw so many beautiful places including the white Torii gate at Sakurai Futamigaura, the five story pagoda at Tochoji Temple, and the Shinto Shrine in Dazaifu along with all the Torii gates located in it. With friends however, we visited more of the shops in the city and many restaurants where we tried many different dishes. We went to many Jump Shops, and different pop-up stores in the mall at Hakata Station. Canal City Mall was also a good place to go as there were many restaurants, clothing stores, and arcades. Hanging out with friends from school was also a lot of fun, as we all came from different parts of the world and therefore thought about things differently. We all were able to go together to places we each wanted to explore and show each other the things we liked and enjoyed.

For this reason my biggest take away from this experience was to come out of my shell and truly experience everything to its fullest. To talk to new people and make new friends, to learn about a different culture than mine, to go to places with people or alone to which I usually would not go to. I tried to not let my shyness stop me from trying new things and overall, I was able to experience so much and I am so grateful for this trip as I think it allowed me to grow as a person and let me see the world in a new light than I did before.

Learn more or apply for Greenheart’s Teen Summer Language Camp Japan.