After four years of studying hard and watching in longing as students of other languages traveled to China and Ecuador, students from the Japanese classes finally had their chance to try their hand at the language and travel to Japan.
Four seniors and five sophomores, as well as Japanese teacher Ms. Natalia Higashide and math teacher Ms. Ho-Ling Lo, boarded a plane on the first day of spring break for a thirteen hour flight to Narita Airport. The students and this reporter were greeted by several of Ms. Higashide’s friends who escorted them to Chiba, a town about two hours out of Tokyo where they would spend the first night.
Because this trip was not a pre-set tour, students had the opportunity to get to know Japanese culture a little better by often speaking with their hosts from Chiba.
The next day in Tokyo we had two guides from Chiba, as well as two more friends who accompanied us to Harajuku and Akihabara, a fashion and electronics neighborhood, respectively. As a result, we were all able to experience first-hand knowledge of the best shopping areas.
“I was extremely excited to visit Akihabara, one of the most electronically advanced places in the world. The pure innovation of both large and mobile products surpasses any form of technology in America to date. It is simply stunning,” said Wayne Vivola.
A Kabuki show, or a traditional Japanese play, afterwards gave the students a cultural experience that day that dated far earlier than modern Tokyo.
The next two days were spent in Kyoto, the Japanese capital before Tokyo, and one of the only cities in World War II that escaped bombing by the American forces. As a result, Kyoto is known as the traditional side of Japan, where one can view buildings and temples that date back over a thousand years.
After taking the super-fast, famous bullet train, students spent their first day in Kyoto at a famous Buddhist temple, walking through the paths of cherry-blossom trees and grave-markers to see an awesome view on the side of a mountain. Shopping afterwards in a tourist area culminated in a dinner at a fancy tofu restaurant.
The second day in Kyoto was a long one.
Our group began the morning at Kinakuji, the Golden Palace, which dates back to the sixth century. We spent the early afternoon at a movie studio, the set of which was that of a traditional Japanese village.
Everyone had the opportunity to go on stage to learn how to swordfight like a samurai after taking pictures in the village. Following lunch at the movie studio, the group went to Gion, an area which some might remember from Memoirs of a Geisha. Today, Gion is a rather touristy area, but there are still a few geisha walking around every once in a while. The next day the group left for Hakone, a hot springs area. At the hotel a traditional hot springs dinner was served, and that night students had the opportunity to bathe in the hot springs.
“Hakone was an amazing cultural experience. The hotel was completely traditional: food, hot springs, and nature,” said Jeremy Smith.
The next morning and a few cable-car rides later, students boarded a boat that crossed a lake to set a better view of Mount Fuji, the most famous mountain in all of Japan.
They then spent a few hours in Tokyo before heading back to Chiba to spend a night with their host families.
This was the real test of language skills. Several of the families’ English was severely limited, and both sides often had to use dictionaries to communicate.
In the end, the night with the host families was an invaluable experience when it comes to understanding the Japanese culture.
Another cultural immersion the next day came in the form of attending the local Otaki High School for the day.
The group sat in on English and calligraphy classes, toured the school, introduced themselves at an opening ceremony, and visited the castle where the school is built in the courtyard. In English class the group was divided up and spent twenty minutes speaking to Japanese students who were studying English, exchanging ideas about America, Japan, and life in general.
That night in Chiba the hosts held a karaoke farewell party. A fabulous home-cooked dinner was the prelude to a wonderful night with the hosts, having a lot of fun in the Japanese style!
That morning the group was treated tp a bunraku performance, which is traditional court music and dance.
They then spent another hour or so taking pictures with friends before heading off to the airport, where a thirteen hour flight awaited them before arriving home.
This first trip to Japan proved to be truely rewarding.
