I lived in the centre of Tokyo, Asakusa, and I commuted every day to the Tokyo University of Science, Noda Campus. Tokyo is an amazing city with so many things to do. Noda is really small, so if you do not go to university there, there is not much to do.

Tokyo is the biggest city in the world, so of course it is a big shock at the beginning to be surrounded all the time by so many people. I lived in Asakusa. Asakusa is a tourist must-go place. There is a very popular Buddhist temple, Sensoji, with a lot of traditional craft shops and street food stalls. Also nearby is the Sumida River, with a beautiful view of Tokyo Skytree. Also, I loved Shibuya and Ginza City.

I recommend visiting Sensoji in Asakusa. In Shibuya, there is a park at the top of the building (Miyashita Park) with a skate park (it was my favourite place in Shibuya). On the opposite side, right in front of Miyashita Park, you can find in one building the amazing Udon Restaurant. I actually went to Shinjuku a lot of times, but I do not like that part of the city at all, haha, but maybe you will like it. Ginza also has a big shopping mall (Ginza Six), and on the top, there is a park, so you can see an amazing view from there. Of course, you should consider coming to other places outside of Tokyo that are really near: Chiba Prefecture (great hikes and surfing places) and Nagano Prefecture (breathtaking mountains).

I worked in the Ichihara Lab, at the Tokyo University of Science, under the supervision of Professor Gaku Ichihara. My professor was really nice and did everything for me to feel comfortable in the lab. Really great experience working with him and the whole lab.

I prepared the new project after a discussion with the professor. I did in vitro work in the lab, working from Monday to Friday, sometimes at the weekends, because I had to take care of the cells. Of course, nobody pushed me to work during the weekends, it was my decision because I wanted to do as many experiments as I could.

I got my salary the first day of my internship. It was 270,000 yen for 2 months. The problem was that I had to commute from Tokyo every day, and the monthly commuter pass was really expensive (28,000 yen). So I would say that it was not enough, and I had to pay for a lot of things from my own savings.

I cannot speak Japanese, only English. My professor and some of my colleagues were more than proficient in English, but with Japanese students, it was harder; not many of them could actually speak. I think that in Tokyo you would be okay with just English, and you eventually will learn some phrases in Japanese, so it would be easier. Also, if someone does not speak English, you can always use Google Translator.

I lived in the Fresh Room in Asakusa. I do not understand the choice of this accommodation because it is really far from my university. I wanted to change it so I could live in Noda, but IAESTE Japan told me it could not be changed. I had a really small room, and I paid something around 70,000 yen for a month. Although it was really far from my university, Asakusa is such a nice part of Tokyo, so it was really cool to live there. But if I had to go a second time, I would definitely contact the professor earlier; he told me he could arrange some accommodation in the dormitory next to the university, which would be much cheaper.

IAESTE Japan does not pick up people at the airport. They will meet you somewhere around your accommodations. They organised a lot of great events, and we met with many interns from all over the world. I have to mention a few names from IAESTE, Japan, who were really helpful and great people: Takashi, Ryohei, Sae, and Mina. Also, your contact person usually goes with you to the university to help you arrange many things (thanks to Jumpei).

I met with interns the second day I was in Japan, and we became really great friends and did a lot of trips together. We had a WhatsApp group, so we called people to go out with us for dinners, parties, or some trips. I am really happy for them, and we are still chatting even after the internship.

Culture is really different compared to Europe. Japanese people are really nice and humble, and they will always help you. It is really great to experience life in Japan. But be prepared; you should follow a lot of rules to blend in.

We tried almost every traditional Japanese food. For me, sushi is a win-win (there is a really cheap chain restaurant around Tokyo, Sushiro, which is really amazing), and I also love udon with tempura, izakaya, and ramen. If you eat locally, you will have a great experience.

You can use for communication anything you use in the Czech Republic. There are no restrictions on apps, so it is up to you.

If you will do some research on Noda Campus, try to contact your professor so he can arrange an accommodation for you so you do not have to commute from Tokyo every single day; it is really tiring.

I think that you should definitely take some basic medicine. I cannot imagine buying medicine when I do not understand and do not speak Japanese. If you are a girl, maybe I would take tampons if you use them during the menstruation cycle. They only have this one brand, which is not that good.

The benefits are that you will meet people from all around the world. Also, it is a really special work experience, and Japan is really different from the rest of the world in their work ethic and their culture. You will definitely have a great time.

As I mentioned, IAESTE Japan students were really nice and always helpful.