Japan Trip
● Tokyo - Homestay
We started the first leg of our trip at school at 3:30am to depart for Christchurch
Airport, twelve hours later we arrived at our first hotel in Asakusa, Tokyo. In Tokyo we
visited Meiji Jingu Temple, Takeshita Street and the Tokyo Dome to watch the
Giants vs the Dragons. We visited the Shibuya scramble which had so many people
trying to cross! I was trying hard not to get lost. We got a photo at the Hachiko
statue, visited the Metropolitan building and did the 3 minute kimono experience.
The kimono experience was one of my favorites because we got to choose, cut and hem
our own kimonos to take home. On day four we took a day trip to Kamakura to see
Engakuji Temple and the great buddha statue. Day five was Disneyland day! Splash
mountain was my favourite ride and the light show in the evening was amazing,
Disneyland was definitely one of our highlights! From Tokyo we caught the
Shinkansen for and some local trains to get to Kasumi Station, Shin Onsen 5 hours
later to meet Kaori, Cindy and Yuka from Yumagoka Junior High.
We stayed at Log House Canada, where we had our first bear briefing which definitely came as a
shock. Bear bells were handed out to each student in our group, all the students at
the school also had bear bells. The night in the log cabin was our last night together
before staying with our host families for the next four nights.
● Homestay - the end
Our first day at Yumagoka Junior High School was an incredible experience of
Japanese school and culture. We had a big welcome ceremony with their whole
school and speeches from Shinonsen Deputy Town Mayor, Yumegaoka JHS school
principal, Yumegaoka JHS student council leader, Head of Board of Education,
Shinonsen International Exchange Committee and vice principal and Mrs and Mr
Saxon.
We all introduced ourselves in Japanese one by one and exchanged gifts
with students. And we finished with our school Haka. We joined periods two, three
and four with our buddies. We learned how to play paper, scissors, rock in Japanese,
did a set of missions around the school and taught a class some basic Maori
phrases with a song. We also joined the students on their afternoon sport options;
volleyball, softball, soft tennis and table tennis. The students practiced their chosen
sport heaps so they were very good. Over the next few days we spent half the day
with our host families and then did activities all together for the other parts of the day.
We had a bbq at the Log House Canada, We went to Shinodani for our marine
sports day and went on canoes, kayaks, paddle boards and the Banana boat which
was a blast! On our last full day with our host families we went to the Tajima cattle
museum where we learned about special Japanese beef, made udon noodles and
went to the Kinosaki marine world where I saw a walrus for the first time! After a very
emotional goodbye to our host families we started our transit to Hiroshima. We
stopped at the himeji castle on the way and walked up 6 flights of steep narrow stairs
past all the defence mechanisms for the castle. Our first day in Hiroshima was very
somber. We visited the Bomb dome, Cenotaph, peace park and museum. I learned
so much about why the bomb was dropped and about all the survivors and how the
city and to rebuild itself. After a huge day of learning we had dinner at the
okonomiyaki village. Our next day's trip was to Miyajima Island with the deer!
The island is famous for the tori gate and shrine that is floating on the water, it was full of
colour and very hot. The last leg of our trip was in Kyoto. We went to Osaka for a day
trip and went on the Don Quijote Ferris Wheel. Our last day in Japan started with
the Hozugawa Boat Ride through rapids and ravines from Kameoka to Arashiyama
and we ended with Team Lab which was an amazing show of lights, sculptures are
mirrors! Our last proper meal in Japan was an amazing buffet at the tokyo century
hotel, I was so full after! We started our 24 hour journey home the next day, catching
a bullet train and the narita express to the airport. We were happy to see our families
back home and we were all so grateful for this amazing experience and I can highly
recommend going to Japan!
By Isabella Barlass
