Lucas Alven, Staff Writer

WATCH THE BACKSTAGE PASS EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW FOR THE TRIP HERE!

TOKYO- This past spring break I visited Tokyo, Japan as a part of the travel study for La Salle’s Japanese Pop Media class. Now that the jet lag has subsided, I would like to reflect on the many years it took me to finally travel to the country.

For as long as I can remember, visiting Japan was always my biggest dream. When I was very little, my Dad would often put on Japanese professional wrestling and I would watch in amazement as each athlete told a meticulous story in the ring. Even at this young age I remember having an interest in Japanese culture’s entertainment, someday aspiring to visit the country to experience it myself.

Despite childhood, my true love for the Japanese arts did not really form until I was older. When I was in middle school, my close friend introduced me to the anime “Sword Art Online,” which at the time was a medium of storytelling that intrigued me with its uniqueness. However, in a full-circle moment, it was me learning and getting into New Japan Pro Wrestling, the current top wrestling promotion from Japan, which really sparked my interest in Japanese media. After that, I would seek out anything I could about Japan and its culture. This ranged anywhere from getting into Japanese music, to reading books about Shinto and even successfully teaching myself how to read the Japanese alphabet.

When I enrolled at La Salle as a Communication major with concentrations in media & journalism and advertising, I made it my personal goal to apply the skills used in my field by promoting Japanese media to the world. By my first semester I began producing for La Salle TV’s entertainment show Backstage Pass, where I have since highlighted my favorite Japanese celebrities, musicians and films.

This goal of mine also expanded into my academics. In my sophomore year, I surprised my advisor by allegedly becoming their only advisee to ever want to intentionally take Japanese 101. When I heard there was an opportunity to take a travel study to Tokyo with the Digital Arts department, I jumped on it as quickly as I could.

Fast forward to March 15, 2025 around 4 p.m. Japanese Standard Time, and there I am living my childhood dream. I had the opportunity to visit so many amazing places that I have dreamed of experiencing since I was little. Amazed, I stood in front of legendary venues like the Tokyo Dome and Nippon Budokan where some of the world’s most famous concerts and pro wrestling matches took place. My early childhood self finally got what he wanted when I stepped into Korakuen Hall, one of the world’s most popular pro wrestling venues, to watch Pro Wrestling Freedoms. I also traveled by subway to be a stereotypical tourist by visiting places like Akihabara, Shinjuku and Shibuya. Then in the blink of an eye, we were boarding a plane back to the United States. After take off, my mind caught up to my body as tears began to flow down my cheeks, I processed that I had truly accomplished my dream.

My biggest takeaway from this journey is that there is nothing more beautiful than chasing a dream. Life is strange and will take you down paths you never anticipated, but these unpredictable moments give you an opportunity to truly discover what your dream may be. While some interests and desires fadeaway, nothing compares to having a dream or massive life goal. Some dreams are reached by luck, others after years of waiting and there are many who not will never reach their dream. However, the true joy comes from the chase because when that dream is reached, the years of chasing will make everything about it feel greater than anything else.

I would like to extend a very special thank you to Professor Zhifang Li for helping to make this trip possible. Additionally, thank you to Professor Jo Anna Van Thuyne and Connor from Walk Japan for both of your contributions during the trip.

Work by the Japanese Pop Media travel study class will be on display April 29 at the third annual Communication and Digital Arts Showcase and Awards Night that takes place at 5:30 p.m. in the Holroyd Hall Atrium.