Learning the Language of the Land of the Rising Sun

Often, when someone asks me why I'm learning a language that isn't as commonly spoken in the US, there's an underlying tone of judgment that asks, "When will you ever use it in real life?" As someone who grew up speaking Spanish and English, I always saw the practicality of Spanish: translating for those who do not have a voice in this country, communicating with family who cannot speak in English, and-most importantly- preserving aspects of my culture that simply cannot be expressed as clearly in another language. 

I've always been interested in other cultures- especially if they differ greatly from what I have grown come to know. I think I had a popular culture fascination when I was younger. I admit, I think I might have been a "weeb" at some point. I dabbled in Korean my freshmen year, and truly, I realized I did not have enough of a use for it for me to go through the intensity of a five credit class. However, I felt like I gave up too easily. So now, I am back, but I want to study Japanese only so long as I can work toward a goal of either studying abroad for a semester, being in the JET program, or eventually attempting to obtain a CS job in Japan. I want to feel like I have achieved something by pushing myself out of my comfort zone to experience another culture in its least filtered form.