Traveling to a number of countries yearly, junior Chloe Rivera has experienced the scenery, culture, and wide range of entertainment in each. However, out of all the destinations she’s traveled to, Rivera has visited Japan the most, returning to the island nation almost nine times with another visit scheduled soon. 

Unlike the average student, Rivera travels 4-5 times per year, with her mother doing most of the planning.

“Since my dad works at an airline we have some perks, but we aren’t guaranteed seats on certain flights so we plan our travels based on two things: where we want to go and seat availability,” Rivera said. “We usually travel during the holidays, but technically whenever there’s a birthday or a big chance we can get good seats. I like traveling with family since I get to make memories with them, but sometimes now after I’ve been so accustomed to Japan, I wish I could travel by myself.” 

Despite being able to travel to different countries, Japan has always brought Rivera and her family back, visiting at least once a year.

“We kept on going there [Japan] because of the food and we have been so accustomed to it,” Rivera said. “With Japan, I feel more connected to the country because of the many times I’ve been there. My brother and I are a bit nerdier, but my parents usually want to see more of the culture and nature and Japan is kind of a mix of both where it’s interesting for both my parents, brother and myself. Going to Japan is more of a personal preference since it fits all my dietary needs and has that balance.”

Although she has traveled to multiple other countries, including areas in Asia and Europe, Rivera has developed a connection with Japan. 

“I’ve been to Amsterdam five or six times, but I still don’t enjoy it as much as I do Japan,” Rivera said.”I’m not saying that I only like Japan because every other place in the world sucks, I even have some preferences to where I’d like to go when I’m in Japan. I only really like the cities because I have a lot of nerdy interests, which means shopping in the city is easier than the countryside.”

Gallery • 2 Photos

Even with the activities of the city, Rivera finds that the city rush isn’t her style.

“While sometimes it’s cool I hate Shinjuku, especially at night,” Rivera said. “There’s a reason why a lot of interview videos happen in shinjuku or places like that because there’s a lot of nightlife and clubs. Also, [in the] the city, everyone is constantly in a rush, which is a bit overwhelming for me. If I were to pick a place to go, I would love to go to Osaka; it feels a bit more calm there.”  

Rivera’s continuous traveling means she is often gone during breaks or even some school days. This means missing school work and also being away from her friends for long periods.

“I don’t really feel too positively or negatively about her [Chloe] traveling to Japan so much,” junior KJ Palacios said. “She likes it there, so I’m glad she can go pretty often and not many people can say they’ve gone to Japan multiple times in one year, but the only thing is when she’s gone on school days I miss her. Also she brings back gifts sometimes and I’m not one to complain.” 

Japan has become a highlight of Rivera’s life, holding some of her favorite memories.

“I don’t really remember the first time I went because I was in the 4th or 5th grade, but I will say the more I went, the more I knew where to go,” Rivera said. “A deep rooted memory I have was one time in the summer; it was the first time I went there when it wasn’t cold. Normally I like the cold, but I got to experience new things when I went that time. It was also the first time I ate peaches and it tasted absolutely amazing and immediately became my favorite fruit.”

Rivera finds that traveling to Japan came more naturally as she kept going, and encourages  travelers to be considerate of the culture, but not necessarily uneasy.

“Be respectful as foreigners already have a bad reputation in Japan,” Rivera said. “I think it’s okay to try some tourist things at least once, but there is so much more that you could enjoy… I also recommend learning Japanese even of you’re in popular tourist areas since you could get lost and need to communicate. Also using google maps, makes navigating much easier. Don’t be afraid to try something new and don’t be nervous, it’s easier than it looks.”