It’s time to get back to my roots – I’m visiting Japan this summer!

Culture is an important factor in what makes you who you are. Even though race, gender, and religion also make you unique, where your family comes from plays a significant role in your identity. Whether it’s from a different state or a whole different country, I think it’s important to visit one’s roots. Since my mom grew up in Tokyo, part of my identity is being Japanese. For this reason, I am super excited to be visiting Tokyo this summer to visit my mom’s family! Before I depart, I asked my mom about her childhood, and this is what I learned.

First, I’ve made a list of places around my mom’s neighborhood where she grew up. Fortunately, a good chunk of them are within walking distance from my aunt’s house, which is where I’ll be staying for my visit. I really want to see her old elementary school, in particular. Although I can’t see what it looks like inside, it would be very cool to see it in person (especially since one of my cousins recently went there). I also want to visit my mom’s favorite park near the school. She told me that she used to play there all the time with her friends. Perhaps the place I’m looking forward to going the most is “Hiyoshiya Bakery”, a small pastry shop she used to frequent and is surprisingly still open today. My mom told me that the pastries there were amazingly delicious!

Speaking of food, I’m going to be eating a lot of authentic Japanese cuisine. Of course, there will be well-known foods like sushi and ramen, but there will also be a lot of other dishes that many Americans (like myself) probably have never eaten. My mom told me that fish, fried or raw, was a big part of Japanese meals. There’s also a lot of baked goods served there, like melon flavored bread and custard filled puffs. At home, my mom does make some food that she ate when she was younger, but to try these foods in Japan should be special. For example, there is okonomiyaki (a savory pancake), shabu-shabu (hot pot), natto (fermented soybeans), and karaage (a special kind of fried chicken). I can’t wait to try other types of food in Tokyo.

I arrive at Narita Airport on June 12th (which means I might be there right now as you read this!) and will be there an entire month. I’m looking forward to meeting my relatives, but they don’t speak much English. That’s why I need to be prepared to speak Japanese. Luckily, I’ve been studying Japanese so that I can properly communicate with them. I’ve been practicing by using language learning apps like Duolingo, as well as listening to Japanese YouTubers and a lot of J-Pop. Apart from that, I’ve been speaking Japanese to my mom as much as possible. She gives me great feedback and corrects my grammar and vocabulary. It’s really valuable to get help from a native speaker, especially when they live in the same house. Hopefully, I’ll be confident enough to speak naturally during my stay.

There are many reasons to travel this summer and mine is to visit family in Japan. Of course, I’ll be sightseeing and shopping but learning about my mom’s culture will be my main focus. If you have an opportunity to travel, I recommend going back your roots.

Mizuki Wong is a 10th grader at Mountainside High School. In their free time, they enjoy drawing, animating on YouTube, listening to music and learning about science.