My Design Internship in Tokyo

The biggest gains were professional communication, collaboration across styles, and a real confidence in my craft. Practically, that looks like sending short pre-reads before meetings, inviting input with clear either/or questions, and closing the loop with concise written recaps so everyone knows who’s doing what by when. I also practice a bit of nemawashi, sharing options one on one with key people before a group review because I learned how powerful it is to build alignment quietly and respectfully.

Japan was special for its everyday craft and high-context collaboration; even train signage and snack packaging showed me how clarity, restraint, and small details add up to real quality. That environment sharpened my eye for hierarchy, spacing, and typography, and it taught me to read nuance when to pause, when to ask a gentle follow-up, and when to let silence do its work. I’m deeply grateful to my onsite supervisor Frank for trusting me with real deliverables and mentoring me through cultural differences; because of that guidance, I left as a better designer and teammate who can bridge styles without losing speed.

For students following my path, my advice is to:

• prep your toolkit (Figma/Adobe libraries and shared styles)
• over-communicate politely (agendas 24–48 hours before, action recaps after)
• keep one source of truth for assets and feedback
• observe first, then suggest with two clear routes and trade-offs.

Five things I wish I’d known before interning abroad:

1. Silence often means “thinking,” not disagreement. Give it space.

2. Feedback may be indirect, so ask targeted either/or questions to surface preferences.

3. Hierarchy matters, pre-align with decision-makers before the big meeting.

4. Time zones always win—use async comments and short screen recordings to keep momentum overnight.

5. Carry a transit card and small bills because convenience stores and trains make cash and IC cards incredibly efficient.

Learn more about interning in Tokyo here!