When living in Japan and everything around me was foreign, it may seem odd that going to a place like the Museum of Nature and Science could feel familiar. In reality though, both science and nature are areas that cross all international divides. By that I mean that a dinosaur is pretty kick-ass in any culture! No matter where you’re from and what language you speak, there can be a deep understanding and interest in all things “sciencey”.

There were stuffed animals that were native to all different parts of the world, tanuki from Japan, armadillos from the US, big cats from Africa—some familiar animal no matter where you’re visiting from. The displays were graphic and beautiful, even the preserved pink baby rabbits and parasite infested cow intestines were pleasing to the eye (at least to me). The varieties of creepy but colorful bugs were even presented with an elegance that made them seem more appealing. I think the universal quality of nature makes it easy to appreciate dinosaur skeletons, taxidermied animals of all sorts, and beautifully displayed specimens of insects and butterflies, even in a land and language that you don’t fully understand.