At Cultural Vistas, immersive international experiences are everything; even after they’re over, we continue to learn from them. While new international experiences are not possible right now, we can still learn from our past experiences abroad.

Over the next two weeks, Cultural Vistas will be sharing photos from our alumni through our (Re)Visit series. Each day, we will focus on a different country or U.S. state that transformed them. These photos stay the same, but our perspectives continue to change.

Thank you to our alumni for allowing us to highlight their stunning photography. We hope these photos inspire you to reflect, remember, and #ReVisit your own experiences abroad.

Japan

Cultural Vistas has a long and rich history of exchanges with Japan. Since its inaugural training program in 1964, we have exchanged more than 3,000 Japanese and American citizens across a variety of formats–helping to bring a global perspective to U.S. and Japanese business operations, advance university internationalization efforts, and connect young professionals with internships and an array of opportunities to enhance their education and careers.

Today, we take you back to Japan through one of our alumni that also happens to be a prolific photographer: Kai Dambach.

Remember, revisit, and reflect on your own experiences in Japan through the images below.

Harajuku in a typhoon

Kai Dambach
Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange for Young Professionals (2016)

Harajuku reflections

Kai Dambach
Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange for Young Professionals (2016)

 

Last Train

Kai Dambach
Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange for Young Professionals (2016)

“The Japanese are incredibly hard-working, sometimes too hard. It’s not uncommon to see people fall asleep while on (or waiting for) a train like this man waiting for the final train of the night.”

 

Looking up

Kai Dambach
Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange for Young Professionals (2016)

Senso-ji Temple, Japan

Kai Dambach
Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange for Young Professionals (2016)

“It always amazes me how Japan, especially Tokyo, can balance its traditional and modern mindsets so fluidly, so comfortably. That is especially true with the Senso-ji temple in the middle of Tokyo.”

 

Walking through a temple

Kai Dambach
Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange for Young Professionals (2016)

 

Wrestlers commuting

Kai Dambach
Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange for Young Professionals (2016)

 

Sumo Wrestlers

Kai Dambach
Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange for Young Professionals (2016)

“Watching one of the grand sumo tournaments is simply a must-do if one is in Japan for long enough. One doesn’t truly appreciate how intense it is until they see (and hear) it up close. The traditional sport incorporates a feudal hierarchy. The lower ranks must serve the higher-ranked wrestlers at every turn, and training and exercising when they can, while the best wrestlers live a life of luxury.”

Typhoon Temple

Kai Dambach
Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange for Young Professionals (2016)

“Temples play an important role in Japanese culture. They are places of absolute peace, and they will even go to pray in the middle of a typhoon.”

Ueno Park, Tokyo, Japan

Kai Dambach
Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange for Young Professionals (2016)

“Walking around Ueno Park in the evening makes it so easy to relax in this hectic city.”

 

Fish pond

Kai Dambach
Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange for Young Professionals (2016)

 

Sunset at Ueno Park

Kai Dambach
Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange for Young Professionals (2016)

 

Yakult Swallows Stadium

Kai Dambach
Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange for Young Professionals (2016)

“Baseball has a special place in the heart of the Japanese people. The Tokyo Yakult Swallows are not the most popular team in Japan or even Tokyo, but their fans will support them no matter what.”

Yakult Fans

Kai Dambach
Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange for Young Professionals (2016)

 

Yamanouchi, Japan

Kai Dambach
Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange for Young Professionals (2016)

“I got to see the indigenous snow monkeys in the heart of Nagano. Seeing the animals up close took me to a whole new part of Japan that I had never experienced before. To go along with the snow monkeys in the mountains, I also managed to experience a hot spring for the first time, simply a must for the mountains in the winter.”

Yomiuri Giants

Kai Dambach
Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange for Young Professionals (2016)

“The Yomiuri Giants are the most beloved baseball team in Japan. The Tokyo Dome is sacred ground for baseball in Tokyo. I really got to experience what makes Japanese baseball that much different to baseball in America here. No DH, cheering squads in the outfield, picking up after oneself after the game no matter the score; there are plenty of things Americans can learn from Japanese baseball fans.”

 

Are you remembering, reflecting, and (re)visiting your own experiences abroad? Share your story with us.