The Volleyball Team’s Guide to Tokyo

Photo courtesy: Seoul Foreign School (Instagram)

With one of the strongest and most competitive volleyball programs in KAIAC, SFS showed amazing performance throughout the volleyball season this year. YUJO, an international volleyball tournament held each year at the American School in Japan (“ASIJ”), is an opportunity for our players to test their skills against schools from all over Asia. Both the Boys and Girls Varsity teams represented SFS with pride and talent, but how did they spend their time off the court?

Shops and Stops

When it comes to shopping sprees in Japan, it would be a crime to not mention Don Quijote. Don Quijote is a discount store chain known for its endless array of choices ranging from headbands and accessories all the way to Halloween costumes. If you ever lose or forget something in Tokyo, or if you simply want some souvenirs to remember the city, Don Quijote has you covered. While varsity boys’ setter Andy Park (11), along with the rest of the boys’ team, was busy at Don Quijote, Lila says many members of the girls’ team “spent over 100 dollars” at Brandy Melville on cute and trendy clothes, ranging from tank tops to accessories. As Brandy Melville isn’t yet available in Korea, varsity girls’ libero Lila Lim (11)  stresses that their Tokyo store is a must for any girl looking for some new fits!

Bites and Delights

From trendy vending machines and convenience stores to decades-old ramen spots, Tokyo has no shortage of places to show your true ‘big-back’ colors. This was perfect for our athletes in Japan, as refueling after a long day of volleyball is a must. Andy says he loved the automatic sushi bars because “if you order a certain sushi piece, it will come out almost instantly through an automatic conveyor”—perfect for a group of hungry athletes. Lila says she enjoyed another traditional Japanese classic, Donkotsu Ramen. She “suggest[s] trying the warm, umami ramen at Ichiran,” a chain restaurant popular in Japan. To her, the price of 500 yen, or about 5000 won, was a completely novel but also amazing experience, considering the relative premium that we pay at most ramen stores here in Seoul. 

The Tokyo Vibe

Speaking of prices, it was crucial that the YUJO trip did not break the bank for our volleyball athletes.  Despite the overwhelming amount of new foods, goods, and experiences, Andy and Lila are happy to report that most prices in Tokyo, whether it be for food or the countless choices at Don Quijote, were reasonable and similar to prices you can expect in Seoul. Unfortunately, this convenience wasn’t the same when it came to communication. While the shop owners were hospitable, Lila notes that many Japanese people aren’t as fluent in English as Koreans are. There was a moment when Lila was “at a sushi restaurant and was trying to ask if VISA card payment was available,” and although they tried to communicate in both English and Japanese, the shop owner couldn’t understand. It’s important to note that English is a lot less widespread in Japan than it is in Korea!

During international sports competitions, time spent off the court is, at times, as important as the sport itself; it’s a great opportunity to build memories with teammates. Make sure to root for this year’s sports teams, both when they go overseas and when they compete on home territory!