Spending four or five months exploring a foreign country is a rare opportunity, so it should be no surprise that many college students consider studying abroad before graduating and entering the workforce. Interestingly, only about one-tenth of college students choose to study abroad in Asia despite the professional benefits gained from getting to know Asian languages and culture. After all, China, Japan and other Asian countries are increasingly playing significant roles in international politics and the global economy.

Tokyo is an eclectic mixture of Japanese culture, international business, technology and popular entertainment, all packaged in an energetic, forward-moving environment that never seems to slow down.
Melissa Pae Redwood, a political science major at Smith College and former Mochi writer, studied abroad in Tokyo during the spring semester of her junior year. She was first attracted to Japan because of her interest in the relationship between Japan and the U.S. after World War II. In addition, as a student at a small liberal arts college in Massachusetts, she wanted to …

Nagoya, the third largest city in Japan, contains 2.2 million inhabitants and is notable for its high air quality. The city is also well-known as the home of Nagoya Castle, Atsuta Shrine and many art museums. It is located near Toyota’s headquarters, which account for much of the region’s prosperity.