Spring has just arrived to Fukushima! This means new start to the seasons after battling snows during December last year. I absolutely love snow and I was always a winter kid when I was young since where I lived have seen pouring snow consistently every year, thus I had no issues transitioning through the winter season.
I always wanted to go with my friends to visit many local businesses in Fukushima city to support and taste the authentic "tei-shoku" 「定食」flavours, crafted by the years of deliberate and melodic efforts from the owners that run these businesses. I was always afraid and concerned about the differences with the language barrier and cultural differences. However, every cook or business owner running the restaurant was always patient, kind and accommodating. Every time we went to any of these tei-shoku restaurants, it was always a pleasant surprise with high quality and freshly prepared food from the hands of every angel we have met in these restaurants.
I have also been going to many other places that support other forms of cuisines from other countries! I have always been fascinated in Japanese people's love and passion of cuisines from other culture and how they recreate them in their own style accumulated by their experience and cultural capital from prior visits to that country or relations with the respected demographic. From a restaurant that serves amazingly crafted, affordable Thai food to Jamacian jerk chicken being served with extensive customisability with their respective sauces, from mild to spicy, so exceptionally spicy that you may love it or hate it! The Fukushima residence are very open with their choices to try out and routinely enjoy these new flavours that do not even compare with mainstream Japanese cuisine.
There has been this one place I always wanted to visit ever since I played a photography game that contained a location in Yamadera, Yamagata. And the vibes of the scenery, in addition to the elaborate nature pieces that were in the game, I set out my mission to go there and photograph the area of Yamadera. Plus, enjoy the nature! I always love solo travelling to the places that mean so much to me. Having Yamadera near Fukushima meant easy travel connections towards Yamagata and taking the local train towards Yamadera. It was a fascinating place and I felt very happy to visit this place. I recommend anyone who's reading this paragraph to go visit Yamadera in Yamagata if you ever have the time and money! It is worth it.
I am also a car person! I love cars, especially 90s and 2010s era cars, either that's from JDM or European, Japan has plethora of unique cars you will be able to spot. Surprisingly in Fukushima, there are many cars that are eye-catching and captivating to the eyes of a car enthusiast like me. In my time in Fukushima, I always see a minimum of one up to a dozen phenomenal cars each day that will make an enthusiast drool. Many people don't realise that no matter the area or prefecture, there are always glamorous cars driving on the roads still to this day. I even spotted my dream car, which I would never be able to see one back in my home country.
Anytime I travel through the prefecture in Fukushima, I want to photograph everything and capture the essence of what the prefecture should be, a place. Joost-sensei influenced me to go out there and take photos with my camera, capture the naturalness and areas off the beaten path. Places that have not yet influenced by social media and show that there are still a spirit and an essence of unity in the prefecture. Whether that is the colourful flowers and plants in parks, to the rigid and spiritual structures, and naturally occurring rivers flowing through modern cities, there is so much to photograph to make a beautiful story for the prefecture!
I have started photography as a hobby almost a year ago, and it will be my first anniversary. To keep my passion for photography going in a place I have never been opens for so many potential opportunities for artistic styles and subjective viewings. It makes me fervent, always to capture something that my heart wants to.
It has been only two weeks of classes at Fukushima University. Now it is Golden Week, therefore I am still looking forward to all the effort I will be making towards my class work and participation towards class attendance and make a positive influence amongst my Japanese students and friends. I want to thank all the staff and students Fukushima University and everyone who I have met and worked with, to allow me and provide me such an opportunity that I still will not be forgetting. Let's all try our best towards spring, and the upcoming summer! みんなで頑張りましょう！
福島大学への留学案内・年間スケジュール
