“Would you like to visit one of the world’s largest comic museums?” That was how I know this program. I’m interested in Japanese manga culture and its translation, and a professor who knew this introduced me. One thing led to another, and I was in Ohio State University. The initial purpose of visiting the museum led to an increase in my motivation to learn what I wanted, as I was shown the archives and found myself agreeing with the opinion that manga is a culture worthy of study. On the other hand, what left an impression on me were the more trivial experiences. I was astonished when I bought a translated Japanese manga at a local bookstore and it cost two thousand yen. Not just books, but foods and transportation fares were also expensive because of the exchange rate. It’s a trashy problem, but I believe it’s worthwhile. This experience turned what I’ve heard in the news into the real knowledge; and that’s awesome. As the saying goes, “seeing is believing,” and I encourage everyone to jump into this kind of opportunity.
