The reasons why 15 million overseas travelers visit Tokyo each year, to say nothing of the hundreds of millions of trips made by people from the rest of Japan, are clear. They include the culture, cuisine, history, safety, convenience, prosperity and big-city energy that saw Monocle name it the world’s most livable city this year. Tokyo also boasts a vibrant student community, again ranking second worldwide in the QS Best Student Cities 2027 with an overall rating of 98/100. The Japanese capital posted particularly high scores for quality of life and a perfect 100 for employer activity. A great way to combine living in a global city and enhancing career prospects is the international MBA at Waseda Business School (WBS).
Alessio Guidarelli, [33], in his first year on the WBS international MBA, reflects on swapping Italian consulting and banking for life on Waseda University’s central Tokyo campus and beyond.
Can you tell us a little about your background?
Guidarelli: I’m from Milan, and I’d describe myself as a curious person who likes a challenge. Maybe that’s why I studied physics; a bachelor’s in astrophysics and a master’s in computational physics. After graduating I spent almost three years in consulting, then three and a half in banking, at a cloud-native Italian fintech, until July 2025. But the turning point was 2018, my first trip abroad, to Tokyo. I was hugely impressed: the city is enormous and complex, yet everything, like the transport network, runs so well. There’s a lot of effort behind that; it’s not magic. I’m a big-city person, so I loved the crowds, the tall buildings, and the bay. I went home thinking that I wanted to study Japanese and come back and build a life here.
How did you first hear about Waseda, and what made you choose it?
Guidarelli: For a foreigner who wants to work in Japan, Tokyo is more or less the de facto first choice. At the time few universities offered a fully English-language program and I wanted to be in an international environment rather than a purely Japanese one. Waseda is well-known for its global atmosphere. I already knew the Waseda name as friends in Italy had been there on an exchange program, and my Japanese teacher had told me it’s one of the most famous universities in Japan.
Were you concerned about doing an MBA in a country where English isn’t the native language?
Guidarelli: Not about the program itself, no. The international MBA program is conducted entirely in English, and Waseda has a strong international reputation, so I had no doubts there. My concern was Japanese, for life outside the MBA. I arrived with the JLPT N2, but I knew I wanted to push further. Waseda’s Center for Japanese Language helps with that, with cheap, on-demand classes for international students.
How has the transition to living and studying in Japan been?
Guidarelli: It was really smoothed by Waseda’s international office. From the moment my admission letter arrived, they sent precise instructions on everything from the visa to registering with my local ward and opening a bank account: the full stack of bullet points, with that characteristic Japanese precision. Not every school does this; a friend at an ordinary language school got none of that help. The biggest adjustment, honestly, has been social: being around classmates from across Asia, with very different mindsets, and rebuilding a network from scratch. But that difference is exactly what I was looking for.
What has living in Tokyo been like, and what have the challenges been?
Guidarelli: The main shock is the size of the rooms and apartments; the contrast with Europe is striking. Complex bureaucracy is another challenge. I took a shortcut by living in a university dorm, which meant I could skip dealing with agencies and focus on settling in. Otherwise, the city wins me over: it’s strikingly safe, and so varied that going to a different ward is like visiting a new city — the Imperial Palace district, the bay area, futuristic Shibuya, the contrast of old Asakusa with the imposing Skytree.
What are your impressions of the course so far?
Guidarelli: I’m really enjoying it. The core is a classic international MBA, but Waseda tilts it toward Japan, its companies, its macroeconomy, its changing corporate governance, where most programs lean American. The other thing I love is the zemi, the seminar system: a small group meeting weekly with a professor around one theme. Mine is digital transformation for public good. There’s no pressure or judgment; if you have a wild idea, you can put it out there. For me, an MBA isn’t just theory, it’s discussing things with people who think differently, and Waseda is built for that.
How is the MBA student body — the mix of people and backgrounds?
Guidarelli: The diversity surprised me. My international class of around 58 has 19 nationalities, with backgrounds from consulting, finance, data and engineering. What’s distinctive is the number of students from family businesses — some fourth- or fifth-generation — who are trying to modernize and expand companies built by earlier generations. They think very differently from people in big corporations, and that adds a lot to the class. There’s also a Japanese MBA program, and we come together for bilingual classes and trips.
Beyond the classroom, how have you found the wider community, events, and trips?
Guidarelli: There’s a lot going on: student-run socials, talks by CEOs, even a recent visit from former prime minister Shigeru Ishiba. There are around 100 university clubs, from ramen to beer to golf; I haven’t had time to join one yet, but I plan to look into it in my second year. And there are overseas study trips: a long-running Singapore program, and this February a new one to Thailand, where we toured Japanese factories and had dinners with alumni working in the region. Those are great for meeting people beyond your class and exchanging business cards, which matters here.
What are your long-term plans? Is Japan part of them?
Guidarelli: Very much so. The plan is to get an internship and then a proper job, and to stay; it’s why I keep pushing my Japanese. Right now, it’s student life, with its restrictions; I want to experience real Japanese working life. If I had to choose, I’d love to try a Japanese company, though a first role at an international firm might be the softer landing, where you can switch between Japanese and English. Japan is going through a lot of change, and it’s an exciting time to be here.
Any advice for people considering the WBS MBA?
Guidarelli: Gather as much information as you can, and talk to current and former students, through LinkedIn or wherever, to see whether your expectations match reality, because it’s a big step. And come precisely for the difference. In a European or US MBA, you’ll meet people quite similar to you; here, the culture is so different, and you really grow when you’re confronted with the unknown.
