Living With No Regrets: A Journey Through Japan

"You‘ll never regret going!" 

That is what my family said as I contemplated traveling to Japan as part of my MBA experience. Studying abroad was a dream of mine. I missed the opportunity as an undergraduate at San Jose State University.

While researching business schools, I kept my eye out for study abroad courses. I found UC Davis Graduate School of Management to have a vast offering of global opportunities through their International Study Trip, International Exchange Program, and a summer session abroad at LUT University (Lappeenranta University of Technology) in Finland.

As a working professional, I found that the UC Davis MBA program’s International Study Trip to be the best choice as it only required a week away from work. The quarter-long course is led by a faculty advisor, who lectures on international business and the specifics of the targeted country. After nine weeks of studying and teamwork at UC Davis, the course culminates with a whirlwind tour of the selected country that offers firsthand exploration of how companies are impacted by global market dynamics.

Associate Professor Joseph Chen prepared us well for our trip, covering the economics of international trade, business etiquette, cultural norms, and navigating Japan.

In class, we researched and presented the businesses or organizations we would visit. We were expected to act as a resource during the tour.

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On the Ground in Japan: Exploring Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka

By mid-March, we were ready and excited to start the journey. I arranged to travel with my friend and classmate, Marissa Hernandez MBA 25. After taking off from San Francisco, we landed in Narita on the following day and made our way to Tokyo.

Upon arriving, Marissa and I settle naturally into our roles. She was our navigator and effortlessly traversed the complicated Japanese subway system. I, on the other hand, served as an interpreter who relied on Google Maps and Google Translate for help.

During our first leg of the trip, we went to Kyoto and Osaka. In Kyoto, we saw the Nishiki Market, Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, and Fushimi Inari Shrine. I found the Fushimi Inari Shrine to be my favorite site to visit. I was amazed by the shrine's size and the surrounding mountain scenery.

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Upon our return to Tokyo, we settled into the Royal Park Hotel Shiodome in the Ginza District., Marissa and I started our morning with an immersive cultural experience at the Tokyo Maikoya Kimono Tea Ceremony. I was deeply grateful to experience a traditional Japanese tea ceremony while adorned in an intricate purple and pink kimono.

Later we met up with our classmates for a tour hosted by Jordan Metzger, the Austral Group program manager, and Tsugue (Sue) Naga, the tour guide. Sue was an amazing resource as we toured the Imperial Palace Grounds, Asakusa Temple, and the Senso-ji Shrine.

Insights from Industry

We navigated the metro to the American Chamber of Commerce thanks in part to Yuri Takahashi, program coordinator. There, we met Executive Director Laura Younger. She brought us up to speed on how the American Chamber of Commerce supports U.S. business in Japan. Younger provided us with valuable career advice about networking and also emphasized the importance of volunteering as a means to gain skills and connect with people.

The following day we took a bus to Balanced Inc., where we met Mike Eidlin, a 2014 UC Davis graduate, who founded the cannabidiol startup in Tokyo. According to Mike, Japanese consumers are curious about CBD products. Unlike in the states, he said CBD products are very niche. Mike's motivation and passion for startups was inspirational.

Our trip continued and we met Mayu Yoneyama, account manager at Cisco Systems Japan. Yoneyama recalled with fondness studying abroad at UC Davis in 2015. We learned that Duo, the authentication tool used by UC Davis, is a part of Cisco Systems.  

On our last day,  we visited the Nissan Motor Corporation for their Yokohama Plant Tour. We took a well-organized tour of the showroom and engine assembly line.

After, we headed back to Tokyo to visit Bel Japon, part of the Bel Group, which makes quality cheese products. Upon our arrival, our host, HR Director Nisha Gordon, offered us Kiri cheese samples. Kiri is the local sweet and savory cheese brand popular with women. It was strange to try sweet cheeses. Everyone found the sweet cheese flavors of peach and yuzu lemon to be delicious. We were honored to have a Q&A session with Aytekin Yildiz, president of Bel Japon.

Memorable Moments: Reflections on Japan and Farewell to Tokyo

Our trip concluded with a farewell dinner at Nobu Toyko. As a group, we had grown much closer. We reminisced on the past week's events. Toasts were held for our gracious hosts Jordan and Yuri. It was bittersweet to hear about everyone's next adventures. We wrapped the trip in style with Karaoke at Big Echo.

The key takeaways from visiting Japan were timeliness, respectfulness, and politeness.

Overall, my highs were building friendships and my lows were not eating enough ramen! Going to Japan was a transformational experience!

I am extremely appreciative of the UC Davis MBA program for offering these opportunities. I'm thankful for my family's support without which I could not have gone.

My family was wrong though, I did have one regret after all—I wish I had taken advantage of more study abroad opportunities.

See our International Study Trip: Japan 2024 Travel Itinerary