Okayama

I’m actually moving here in about 3 months and I’m really excited. I’m really making a push to learn Japanese but any help would be amazing!

For years I had wanted to travel to Japan, and last summer through an exchange program I was placed in Okayama, a city I had not heard of until then.

When I got there…it was fabulous! Everything from the Joypolis arcade (Oh God the photobooths, that was fantastic!) to Okayama castle; from a previous imperial garden to a pedestrian shopping mall; zebra print karaoke and a Gothic Lolita store in Vivre; it was all amazing!

If you can, I recommend being there for the celebration of Tanabata~! A fabulous story, wonderful event to witness. Make a wish on the seventh day of the seventh month and pray it doesn’t rain; you should wish to visit this place!

I miss it all the time and desperately want to return.

This is apparently the sister city of my current home town (San Jose, CA) so I thought that it might be interesting to try to visit the next time I’m in Japan.

I only was there for a day, but I saw some wonderful things. Check out Korakuen – one of the three great gardens in Japan – and Okayama castle. Also, be sure to buy some “kibidango” – a fruity, gelatinous sweet that’s very popular there.