InsideJapan News Network

A US college student taking a summer trip to Japan has been writing about her experiences on a blog.

Nicole Brown, student at Howard University in Washington and senior captain at of the school's women's volleyball team, wrote that she is having a "great time adapting to the culture and daily social practices in Japan".

Many people are drawn to the country by its "pop culture", "unique infrastructure" and shrines and temples, she said.

"To have so many world-renown [ed] sites, Japan is a fairly small island. However, its small area does not attest to the rich traditions and cultural history that are inevitably present," Ms Brown commented.

Tourist sites visited by the student so far include the Tokyo Tower, a replica of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, as well as the district of Odaiba. Here visitors can find the National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation, the Fuji TV building and Asimo, a robot with human characteristics built by Japanese scientists.

Another must-see district is Harajuku, popular with teens and noted for the incredible fashion sense of locals.

Written by Kimberley Homer.