Photos taken by Judy Li (Soka University of America), Student Correspondent for CET Japan, Spring 2023
![A Japanese housemate in a room setting up for a birthday party with pink, grey, and purple letter balloons on the wall and pizzas on the table.](https://cetacademicprograms.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Blog_Japan_Spring-2023_Judy-Li_1_housemates-birthday-party_800x600.jpg)
Housemates prepared a surprise party for the birthday girl! The surprise was really successful, and everyone had so much fun.
![Hands holding five drinks in the middle of a table.](https://cetacademicprograms.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Blog_Japan_Spring-2023_Judy-Li_2_drinking-party-with-students_700x933.jpg)
Nomikai (drinking party) with other CET international and OGU Japanese students. We all felt the drinks contained little alcohol, so everyone drank a lot for a long time and still remained pretty sober. People did have to fight in the line for the bathroom though!
![A CET Japan student outside wearing a red beanie and tan shirt, standing in front in Osaka Castle Park](https://cetacademicprograms.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Blog_Japan_Spring-2023_Judy-Li_3_Osaka-Castle-Park_700x933.jpg)
Going to Osaka Castle Park on a beautiful Friday afternoon after class. Got a red beanie from Uniqlo and have been wearing it every day since (almost).
![A CET Japan student standing in front of Kiyomizu Temple, which is a vibrant red color with accents of green and white](https://cetacademicprograms.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Blog_Japan_Spring-2023_Judy-Li_4_Kyoto-Kiyomizu-Temple_700x933.jpg)
Going to Kyoto’s Kiyomizu Temple. The temples were very pretty, and from the mountains, I could see the city below, forming a beautiful contrast between the modern and traditional.
![A CET Japan student in front of the yellow Kinkakuji Temple.](https://cetacademicprograms.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Blog_Japan_Spring-2023_Judy-Li_5_Kinkakuji-Temple_700x933.jpg)
Going to the famous and beautiful Kinkakuji Temple on the same day. Had to take a bus ride from the Kiyomizu Temple. Going to Kyoto only takes a forty minutes train ride from where CET students live.
![A small anime plastic toy of an Attack on Titan character holding four large missles](https://cetacademicprograms.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Blog_Japan_Spring-2023_Judy-Li_6_anime-figure_800x450.jpg)
Shingeki no Kyojin (Attack on Titan) fan getting a Shingeki gacha from Japanese Kanji class!!! Lucky!
![A CET Japan student sitting in a prayer position in front of large wrapped burgers in TOEI Kyoto Studio Park](https://cetacademicprograms.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Blog_Japan_Spring-2023_Judy-Li_7_CET-activity-to-TOEI-Kyoto-Studio-Park_800x600.jpg)
CET outing to TOEI Kyoto Studio Park, the film set of jidaigeki films (period dramas). The was an exhibition of Kuroko no Basket (Kuroko’s Basketball), and I got to eat all their burgers (jk).
![A bowl of shrimp tempura to the left, a plate of soba noodles in the middle, and tea to the right, all in front of a view of Arashiyama in Kyoto](https://cetacademicprograms.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Blog_Japan_Spring-2023_Judy-Li_8_soba-noddles-food_800x600.jpg)
Delicious soba noodles and a stunning view at Arashiyama in Kyoto.
![Tea snacks shaped in pink and white flowers on a napkin to the left and a piece of paper with information about the tea ceremony workshop in Japanese and English.](https://cetacademicprograms.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Blog_Japan_Spring-2023_Judy-Li_9_tea-ceremony-workshop-with-CET_800x600.jpg)
Participating in a Sado (tea ceremony) workshop organized by CET. We drank tea and ate traditional Japanese sweets.
![A CET Japan student and OGU student smiling with masks on and with a bag of donuts in front of them at a café](https://cetacademicprograms.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Blog_Japan_Spring-2023_Judy-Li_10_cafe-with-OGU-student_800x600.jpg)
Going to Neko Café, having Mister Donut, and chatting for hours with an OGU friend I met from I-chat Lounge. I am usually not confident in speaking Japanese, but her patience and kindness made me very comfortable explaining even complicated ideas in Japanese.