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5 Places to Visit on Long Island By Virginia Coleman I was born and raised on Long Island, specifically Garden City; therefore I feel I would be remiss if I didn’t mention it in my blog. 1. Garden City, New York Garden City is a quaint town located about 18.5 miles from Midtown Manhattan. Alexander Turney Stewart founded the village in 1869. Following Alexander Stewart’s death, Cornelia Stewart (his wife) built a memorial Cathedral along with a school for girls and a school for boys.  The Cathedral was designed to mirror the Gothic style of architecture found in many European churches.  The stained glass windows located in the Cathedral are […]

Cafes in NYC This week, JICUF staff Shiori shares her favorite cafes in NYC! One of the best thing about New York is that you don’t have to leave it to experience a wide variety of cultures and cuisines.New York is also a place that you walk around all the time- which gives a good excuse to stop by at cafes for a rest. If Global Link students ever get tired of walking around or having typical American foods like pizzas and burgers and want to splurge a bit on food and the experience, New York is the place to be! Here are 5 (+1) of my favorite spots to […]

NYC and the Japanese Community New York City is often described as a cosmopolitan metropolis and a melting pot. In 2015, its population reached 8.5 million of which roughly 37% were born in a foreign country. What about the Japanese population? Do you know how many Japanese nationals reside in the city? According to census data from 2011, approximately 24,000 Japanese lived in NYC, and 55,000 in the New York Metropolitan Area which includes parts of New York, Connecticut and New Jersey. The size of the Japanese community in the NY Metro Area is second only to that in Los Angeles (approximately 70,000 in 2011) within the United States. Katagiri […]

5 NYC-Area Day Trips This week, JICUF staff Fernando shares five easy to do day trips in and around New York City. Enjoy! Every once in a while, even New Yorkers want to escape the city. Sometimes we wish to get away from all the noise and bustle of the Manhattan, especially when the summer is high tourist season. Fortunately, there are ways to escape the city for the day. Here are five of my favorites 日帰り trips to do over the summer. 1. Bear Mountain (Harrison, NY) This spot has been popular with New Yorkers since it was first open to the public in 1913. Only a 45-minute drive, […]

Top 5 Places in NYC – Paul’s Picks This week, it’s Executive Director Paul Hastings’ turn to share his five favorite spots in NYC! I moved to NYC in August 2006. I first lived on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, followed by Harlem, Brooklyn and once again in Harlem, before moving to Maplewood, New Jersey in April 2014. However, my roots in NYC go back much farther. My grandparents lived in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn for 25 years. They were both ministers at the Union Church of Bay Ridge. My mom and her three sisters grew up in Brooklyn, and I remember visiting my grandparents house on 86th Street as […]

TOP 5 Places in NYC – Virginia’s Picks This week, JICUF director of accounting Virginia takes us to her five favorite spots in NYC! I was born and raised in New York, but I still enjoy coming into the city to take in all that it has to offer.  Below I have summarized five of my favorite spots in the city for various reasons.  NYC is an exciting and fun place to visit with many places to see.  My summary focuses on Manhattan, but the other boroughs have a lot to entertain visitors as well. 1. Whitney Museum of American Art 99 Gansevoort St. New York, NY 10014 NYC is […]

TOP 5 Places in NYC – Aki’s Picks   This week, it’s Director of Communications Aki’s turn to share her five favorite spots in NYC! Although I am a Tokyo native, I’ve been living in New York for the past 18 years. Most of this time I’ve been raising kids, so I know a lot about playgrounds, kid-friendly restaurants and restroom locations. However, for our readers, I’d like to introduce some places I love in my neighborhood, the Upper East Side (UES) of Manhattan. UES is the area between Central Park in the west, the East River in the east, 59th St. in the south and 96th St. in the […]

TOP 5 Places in NYC – Fernando’s Picks This week, JICUF staff Fernando shares his five favorite spots in NYC to get great food that’s easy on the wallet. Enjoy! As someone born and raised in NYC, I know how expensive this city can be, especially when it comes to food. Many places that offered cheap, affordable food have started to disappear as rent get higher and ingredients become more expensive. If you look carefully enough, though, and are willing to walk off the beaten path a bit, you will be surprised by the number of great restaurants that not only have delicious food, but are also available at a […]

TOP 5 Places in NYC – Shiori’s Picks JICUF staff will take turns introducing their favorite places in NYC. This week, Shiori will talk about her five favorite places in the city. 1. Central Park Central Park is my favorite place to be in NYC! When I was in graduate school, I used to take my books and other readings to the park to make studying more enjoyable. I also like following the four seasons – flowers blooming in the Spring, having a picnic with my friends in the summer, or just taking a stroll in the autumn or winter (freezing yet beautiful). During the summer, there are many concerts, movie […]

The High Line is a 1.45 mile-long (about 2.3km) the only elevated train track turned urban park in the Meatpacking District in 2009. It runs from Hudson Yards to the northern edge of Chelsea, and their architecture, plant design, and the view makes it one of the popular destinations in the Summer. I recommend starting at the Hudson Yards and walk south to Chelsea so you can stop by at the Chelsea Market when you want to take a break from walking. Chelsea Market has a food hall  (there are many food vendors to choose from!) and a shopping mall.

Free things to do in NYC This week, JICUF staff Shiori shares her favorite free things to do in NYC in the summer! New York is known as an expensive city, but there are also many activities you can enjoy for free or at a very low cost! 1. Museums& galleries Many of the city’s attractions, museums, galleries and performances offer free entry of pay-as-you-wish options. Here are many museums in New York that are always free, free on certain days or pay as you wish. For instance, MoMA hosts UNIQLO Free Fridays and Museum of the Moving Image every week from 4-8pm. Also, if you’re into galleries, check out the […]

The application deadline for Global Link 2017 is Tuesday, February 14th, 2017.  Global Link is a 4-week summer program in New York City for undergraduate students at the International Christian University (ICU). Sponsored by the Japan ICU Foundation (JICUF), the program is designed to spark students’ intellectual, social and professional development. Taking full advantage of New York City, we introduce students to diverse people, places, institutions, and professional fields, prompting them to reflect on social, economic, political and environmental issues in the city and beyond.