Japan attracted me because I knew little about it. There was a Japanese language class in my high school. Before I took the class, I did not know many of the differences between Japan and Canada. I had imagined Japan as a modernized county like Canada, having seen Japanese car and electrical goods around all my life, but I found a different culture in the Japanese class, like Ikebana and Tea Ceremony, which seemed exotic. The first surprising thing that I experienced in my studying in Japan in Osaka was the train packed with many people.
Japan has a larger population than Canada in a smaller space.
Japan's high population density was more than I had expected. I prepared for a different life in Japan of course, but the unique foods such as Tofu and Nattou gave me some troubles at first. After I graduated from the University, I came to Japan again on the JET program, and I worked as an International Exchange Staff in Hashima City, Gifu Prefecture. I met many citizens, who asked me about Canada eagerly, in the English class, visiting schools, and events introducing Canada. I was impressed and glad they were so interested in me and Canada.