Day 13 (last day)

MOM!! DAD!! I’M COMING HOME!!! SEE YOU SOON!!!!

Reporters Malgosia Sikorki, Amy Huang, Amy Luong, and Kelly Zhen reporting on the last day in Japan!! In the morning we had a choice of either eating traditional style Japanese food, or a buffet style breakfast. For the Japanese food, we could either have rice or rice porridge, seaweed, miso soup, soba, salmon, and etc. The buffet had a varity of food but served more Western style food rather than traditional Japanese. After breakfast, we took our suitcases to the second floor where we met at 8:45. We loaded the luggage onto out bus and headed for the Osaka Castle. On our way to the entrance, we got the privilege to see and meet an actual samurai walking around the castle. Inside the castle, there were multiple levels to explore-each with different artifacts and such. The top floor had the view of the entire Osaka city!

After the castle, we went to a restaurant near the castle for lunch. We had takoyaki, udon, and bento. We made the takoyaki (octopus balls) ourselves and it was quite delicious. Although certain students had a difficult time and ate chunky takoyakis, the experience was worth it all. We had a short period of time after lunch to go souvenir shopping next to the restaurant, if you look for NHK News Channel, you might just see us! Next, we visited the Disaster Reduction and Human Renovation Institution to learn about the 1995 earthquake in Kobe. We were lead into a room with polygon-shaped screens. There, we were shown the horrific and disastrous scenes of the 1995 earthquake in Kobe. It was something we would have never imagined if we never came to Japan. After witnessing the disastrous shake and damages, we were led into another room to watch another video. But the route to the second room was an actual replica of how the city looked like after the enormous shake, it felt too real to believe. The next video, narrated by a female victim, had everyone in tears (Especially Amy Huang). She led us through her experience and how she overcame the disaster. To have the opportunity to listen to such a touching story was a great experience. After the video, everyone went out to look around the floor and reading about other peoples stories regarding the earthquake. Every story was sad and unique which brought more tears into everyone’s eyes.

After walking around a bit more in the institute, we started heading to the hotel for the final Kizuna Project debriefing! We had a bit of free time before the debrief starts so everyone split up doing their own things. Some stayed in their rooms to sleep while others went exploring. After a while, everyone started heading down together, which caused a lot of crowding in the elevators. At the meeting, we listened to other schools experience in the Tohoku. Since we went to different areas, it was quite interesting learning about their experience. After finishing up, GWHS students gathered around to talk about tomorrows schedule for going home. We have to WAKE UP AT 5:30 ! NOOOO!!!! In the midst of all the complaining, Tim came up to say a special speech for Kaori san, our guide for the entire trip, since today was her last day with us. Kaori has made every part of this trip so much better. Without her, we’re sure that things wouldn’t have gone as smoothly as it did. As the speech was given, some of us were tearing up cause we just love her with all of our heart. When she received the gifts we got for her, she started tearing up as well. That was such a touching moment we shared. Another example of the great bonds we formed. After a big group hug and group picture, everyone wanted to take an individual picture with her as well. Without noticing that dinner had already started. We were just having too much fun with Kaori san. WE LOVE YOU KAORI SAN!!!! THANKS FOR EVERYTHING YOU’VE DONE FOR US<3. You are the best tour guide we could ever possibly ask for! We are so grateful for the time and effort you’ve put into making sure we had an amazing trip. You made this trip more enjoyable than it would’ve been without you. We’ll miss you, but keep in touch!!

Day 12

Simon here reporting from day two Kyoto in Japan! As I sit on my bed writing this extremely long blog, I tend to ponder on the small things in Japan. From common practices in the malls to people on the streets, Japan continues to entertain me everyday of my stay. Enough small talk; you might want to know about my adventures.

            Starting off our day with a western and Japanese style breakfast buffet, we head out to our first stop, the Heian Jingu Shrine. Although it was the first shrine we visited in Japan, the shrine resembled a lot of the temples we had seen; an intricate building with a praying stand. While similar to temples, the method of praying is different. Instead of just slapping your hands together, at a shrine, you do 2 bows, 2 claps, and 1 bow. Also, the shrine focuses on the future rather than temples, which focus on the past. Just food for thought.

            Our next stop is yet another temple by the names of Ginkaku-Ji. Although the name translates to the “Silver Pavilion” no one understands why it was given the name. Though a mystery, the temple and scenery was no joke. Leading to the temple is a massive passage with walls of bushes. Waiting for us on the other side was several flights of stairs leading to a temple in the mountains. Inside were several buildings, with one containing a giant bell. Walking through the temple was nothing surprising but outside was a lovely view of the entire area below the temple. With a little more hiking up stairs, we reached the mountainside, overlooking the entire city and the temple. Lovely indeed.

            With a surprised mind and an empty stomach, we headed out to eat lunch. Today’s lunch was Udonsuki. Although it is like hotpot, imagine a flame burner with a coffee filter holding soup, udon, meat, and veggies. Yes, a coffee filter over a flame… Well, isn’t really a coffee filter but it still amazed many in our group. Our lunch came with rice, scallops, and pickled vegetables. The process of cooking it was amazing, even if we didn’t actually do anything.

            Last stop of the day was yet another temple, but the best is saved for last. Tenryu-Ji is an extremely large temple with an amazing garden. The temple consisted of many rooms, which many contained old art, alters, and structures. Going through the temple, not much really impressed me until we arrived at a huge pond filled with Koi fishes. With beautiful scenery of trees in the background, the pond was truly inspiring. Now came the garden in the distance.

            Before we venture into the garden, what do you think is the garden? A small plot of flowers and grass? Maybe it might be covered in fences to prevent people from stepping on them. Well… it isn’t that type of garden. Walking behind the pond we find a huge fenced off area full of blue and purple flower blossoms. With trees and streams nearby it was truly nature. With more hiking, we discover a bamboo grove. Looking like the setting of a samurai showdown, the forest of bamboo featured a path for visitors to walk through and on the trail were the carved names and messages of brave rebels who wanted to leave a legacy for the future generations to see. With sprinkling bamboo leaves the area looked like something straight from a movie. Truly inspiring indeed, we walked along the side of a river, back to our bus.

            Dinner was the same style as lunch, except with a special starch noodle, chicken, and veggies with soup with a side of rice and friend hamburger steak. Yeah. Nothing to say here except today was spiritually awesome :D!

Day 11

Wake up in the morning feeling like P. Diddy, got my glasses I’m out the door I’m gonna hit Hakuoh High School. Feeling scared, uncertain, with some bottle of water, I was nervous and frightful from the start of the host family.

Today was the day we left our wonderful host family. In the beginning, everyone was scared of meeting their host families, but today was a day of sorrow and goodbyes. As we were exchanging our last hugs and goodbyes, I saw the tears of the Japanese students running down their faces.

After our emotional breakdowns, we hopped on the bus and got to the Shinkansen. During the long ride, we took the precious time catching up on our sleep. We then rode onto another bus vehicle and went to the Kiyomizu-dera temple. The view of the temple was just astonishing and indescribable. As we walked up to the top, the scenery was breathtaking. There were many foreigners and tourists visiting the temple.Walking down from the big slope, many people bought souvenirs, charms, ice cream, tea, etc.

After an hour, we went to the Kabuki Theatre where people were entertained in the Edo period. The plays and the music were very inspiring and I learned how the past reflected the present. My favorite part of the entertainment was the puppet show because it told a love story about two inseparable lovers.

My favorite part of the day was after watching the Kabuki Theatre. We went to the traditional Japanese art museum. We made pretty Japanese cloth printings. We all personally got to experience hands on activity printing paint on the clothes. It was very magnificent.

Finally, we had dinner. We went to a mall to eat spaghetti, curry pizza, salad, and cake. The curry pizza was crunchy, cheesy, and quite scrumtrulescent. The spaghetti was sweeter than the American spaghetti, however it was still pleasant. For dessert we had chocolate cake. It was very creamy and sweet.

Tired and exhausted we arrived at the Hotel Keihan Kyoto around 8:45. Compared to the last hotel, this hotel is a little tighter and small. However it is still a comfortable and nice hotel. Kyoto, the city is not as busy as Tokyo nor as rural as Tochigi (host family area.)

Today was a very eventful day. I hope it continues to be as fun-filled as the last week and a half had been. Even though the day started slow and was sad to say goodbye to our host families, Kyoto is new, exciting, and refreshing. I hope our stay here will turn out great.

                                                                                                            - Jenny Choi 

Day 9 & 10 (home stay)

KOTONO SAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

こんにちは！ I miss you so much already!! How did your test go? あなたは英語を話するのが上手です。I will never forget how you and your family welcomed me. たのしかった。Please come visit San Francisco <3<3<3<3 Don’t forget to email me and send me pictures of you-know-who! Visiting your home and school was the best experience at Japan (especially learning calligraphy with you).

ありがとうございました！ \(^_^)/

                                                                        <3 Amy Luong (エミールアン)

From: David Zhong&Jason Huang To: Kouya San

Konnichiwa Kouya san, I’m on my way to Kyoto as we speak. Thank you so much for your family’s hospitality. I hope we could’ve had more time to get to know each other.

Remember to come visit San Francisco again and send me the pictures. Arigatougozaimashita.

From Sandip To: Kazuki Ogawa

  Konnichiwa! I’m so thankful for everything you have done for me. I will really miss you and your family. E-mail me and keep in touch. Take care!(: bye bye

Inaniwa Yuri-chan~! <3

            Konnichiwa! Thank you for allowing me to stay in your home. Your family is very kind and warm. They made me feel like I was right at home. ;] I had a lot of fun playing hanabi and Hyakunin Isshu with you and your Obaa-san. I really miss you and your family so come visit San Francisco! Send me an email or add me on Facebook so we can keep in touch. July 15 – Tanjoubi Omedetou! Jya matta ne!

          

                                                                                                              - Amanda To

Nana-chan ^.^

Thank you so much for letting me stay over at your house and even give me a room to myself. I am already sad leaving you and your family. T.T   I really want to spend more time with you and your family. Please tell your dad, mom, onii-chan, haruna-chan, and ojii-chan that I am so thankful of everything your family have done for me. Also, say good bye for me. L Come visit me when you come to SF. Jyane… Let’s keep in touch on Facebook >.<     PS: I really had fun ^.^

                                                                                                                         -Yadanar  <3

~Misa-chan

            Konnichiwa! Thank you for letting me stay at your house and always smiling since day one. I wish I had spent more time with you and your family but it was a great experience. I’ll never forget the memories we made. Lets keep in touch. And once again thank you Misa! <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

                                                                                                                              -Jenny Choi J

Mai and the Otsubo family

    Thank you for welcoming me into your home. I could not have felt more welcome in Japan than when I was in your company. Though it was tough to communicate, our friendship is stronger than any language barrier can hope to contain. It is comforting to know that I have a second family waiting for me when I return to Japan. Visit me if you ever find yourself in San Francisco, and please say hello to Elfe-chan for me! Wild Da-ze!                                                                                                                       

-Jaison Cabebe

            Akemitsu no kazoku, konnichiha. I am really happy to experience a homestay in Japan. You guys treated me like family and I am happy that we both learned from this trip. It makes me really happy to know that even with bad English and Japanese, we can communicate despite the language barrier. If you ever come to San Francisco you can try some of our Chinese food! If I ever study abroad I would love to visit you guys again. Please stay connected with me :D!

                                                                                                            -Simon Luo

            こんにちはさなみとおかあさんとおとうさん！I miss みなさん already. I enjoyed the homestay very much. Homestay はとてもたのしかったです。Sanami, even though we had trouble talking to each other, it was still fun talking with you! そして、さなみのうたがとてもじょうずですよ。さなみはかわいい。I had a great time going to take pictures in the booth too. It was my first time, so I didn’t know what to do, but it was still fun taking the pictures with you! おとうさんとおかあさん、ありがとうfor showing the Niwate pictures and thank you for explaining them to me despite my poor におんご。I wish I could stay longer with everyone! It was truly a fun experience. Keep in touch with me!

                                                                                                             - Malgosia Sikorski

                                                                                                            (マーゴちゃん)

            こんにちはまおちゃんとかぞく。I miss you all already! どもありがとうごじます。Thank you for everything you have done for me.  I appreciate everything, especially the great food おかあさん made all the delicious meals.  とてもおいしいです。 まお、you need to come to America; we will go to Disneyland(Los Angeles) and Disneyworld(Orlando), also Harry Potter world(Orlando).  Thank you for everything. Your family is とてもやさしいです。Even though I only saw your dad for a sec he seems nice.  I will tell all my friends and family of your great hospitality.  We will see each other again soon! Keep in touch(facebook). <3

                                                                                                            - Kara Glapion <3

            ありがとう Kimura family! I really thank you guys for letting me stay at your house. I got to learn about Japanese culture and the daily life of a person living in Japan. The Japanese food that I tried was very delicious (maiyu). Learning new Japanese words and meanings taught by the Japanese students, teachers and family helped me gain a greater knowledge of the Japanese language. Thank you Hiromi for explaining and translate everything for me in English! I really enjoyed the time with you and your family! I will never forget this trip to Japan! Thanks!

-Anna Zhou

Ai Ai Ai-San!!<3

            ほんとにありがとうごさいます。あいさんとみんなはとてもやさしくてにぎやかだとおもいます。さきさんもこだまもなおみもももこ。You’re family is very very nice and kind. It’s so hard to say goodbye and leave. My stay at your home was a very fun experience for me and I’ll never forget you guys. We have to keep in touch and talk online. Tell your parents, Thank you so much for letting me stay and treating me so well. Also, that to come to U.S one day and visit.:D  My experience would’nt have been the same if I haven’t met you guys. Thank you so much.

                                                                                                ~Shirry Tan(シェリータン)

Dear Mayu

私の日本語は下手ですから私はえいごにかきます。I miss you already! This morning when I was crying, my friends said that I must have had a strong connection with you. I told them that I really did and that I would never forget you. By the way, I just wanted to thank you for letting me stay at your house.ありがとう！I had an amazing time meeting your family and your classmates. Everyone was soooooo nice. I was so lucky to have your and your family as my host family. This morning, I should not have said goodbye, because I know that we will see each other again one day. J please come to San Francisco soon and meet my family. 

                                                                  - lots of love Moira Vinnett

DEAR MANAMI!!,

            こんにちは！ありがとございます！Thank you so much! I really mean it. Thank you for welcoming me into your home and treating me like part of your family. When I come back to Japan I will definitely contact you! Please email and text me if you can! Thank you for the short yukata (sorry I forgot what it was called), sakura fan, sakura candle float, && sakura pin. They are all VERY beautiful~ I can’t believe I met such a nice family. Now I can say that I know someone who lives in Japan. Please tell your parents that I am so grateful and I love how thoughtful they are!  Your family showed me the thoughtfulness and the greatness of the Japanese people. ありがとございます！

                                                                                                -Holly Jung　ホリージュン

 

Day 9 & 10 (home stay)

Ms. Saunders:

I can’t believe it is already July 9^th.  It seems like yesterday we were at SFO reassuring parents, putting yellow ribbons on our luggage, organizing the students and embarking on this incredible journey.  Sensei Morikawa asked me to post the blog for today and share some “adult” thoughts.  However, after reading the posts by our students, I am not sure I can offer up any deeper insights, but here it goes…

Today we headed to our host school via bullet train (also known as high speed rail in the Bay Area) and charter bus.  We were scheduled to arrive at Ashikaga Senior High School at 1pm, however, because all of our train and bus connections went smoothly, we found ourselves on schedule to be 45 minutes early.  Thankfully, our bus driver suggested we stop at a large store called Joyful Honda.  Think, Costco meets Home Depot, meets Target with a food court and pet store included!  Naturally the students were thrilled at another shopping opportunity and we were able to kill some time.

The lack of sleep is starting to show with the students.  Two students decided not to go into the Joyful Honda store and stayed on the bus to nap.  The train and bus ride was pretty quiet as students used the opportunity to catch up on their sleep.  Sensei and I hope that they can get rejuvenated during the stay with their host families.

We arrived at Ashikaga Senior High School and were greeted by a school coordinator, three teachers of English and incredible heat and humidity.  Ashikaga is a multi campus high school associated with Hakuoh University.  The site we visited is the smaller (600 students) college prep campus.  We met the Director and participated in a school welcome assembly that included speeches, gift exchanges, student introductions, our performance of “Walking on Sunshine” and three songs by the Ashikaga choir.  After the assembly we waited in the school college center for the host students to finish their last class.  While we were waiting, I overheard a lot of excited and nervous chatter among our students regarding their upcoming home stay.  However, once they met their host student they seemed less nervous, and Sensei and I felt like parents sending their children off on the first day of school.

From a chaperones’ perspective, this is an amazing trip.  Our students never cease to amaze me with their insights and concern for the Japanese people in the wake of the country’s recovery from the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami. Yes, there have been times when they act like “typical American teenagers”, but overall they are showing incredible compassion for Japan’s recovery efforts.  Many of their current conversations include environmental issues, the importance of learning about other cultures and hopes of studying abroad. 

Even though the students are sleep deprived, always ready to shop and going through Facebook withdrawal, they appreciate this amazing opportunity and are learning the importance of becoming global citizens. 

Day 8

With crusty eyes and long, sleepy faces, we dragged ourselves out of bed only to plop ourselves in front of a buffet of food. Although not what we’re usually used to eating, our feast of vegetable soup, eggs, “bacon”, fruit, boiled potatoes and cauliflower beckoned to be consumed. After our meal, we hopped onto the bus en route to a 5 story tall action figure, also known as a giant Gundam. Although it was just a pit stop where we could take a picture, it was a sight nonetheless to see a giant action figure.

Following that, we made our way to the Miraikan Museum of engineering and science where we could roam freely to learn about various topics including the universe, our DNA, genomes, health, and robotic advances. Most importantly, the latest advancements in robotics was shown to us through Asimo, Japan’s latest and greatest robot. In just a brief ten minutes, we were shown how far technology has progressed. Asimo walked, talked, and won over all of our hearts with her amazing dance moves. The most disappointing feature Asimo lacked was doing “the robot” when she was grooving out to the music. How ironic. Regardless, we were all impressed with the speed, flexibility, balance, and smooth moves shown. A small child was even placed in front of the robot to play soccer. Her kicks went smoothly with uncanny accuracy. This only further amazed us and made us believe that Japan’s innovative technologic progress has no ceiling.

Walking and watching helped to build up an appetite, which could only be eased with our delicious sukiyaki lunch. Sukiyaki is a traditional Japanese dish that became popular after the Edo period due to the growth of trade in beef. Sukiyaki is thin slices of beef and various vegetables cooked in a sweet and salty sauce. The consumer can then choose to dip their meat into raw egg, which makes brings out the flavor of the meat while making it tender as a baby’s bottom. It may not have been Kobe beef, but it’s the closest we’ve had yet. The main difference from the sukiyaki we eat in the states and what we had for lunch was the freshness. Most places prepare the dish for you, and serve it all as one finished product. However, we had the privilege of preparing our own food to ensure maximum freshness.

With bulging bellies, we made our way to a special exhibit featuring various arts around Japan. Upon arriving, we were greeted by a cute baby toddler who had mixed feelings about us. Initially, she approached us with the courage of a lion, only to flee away with the shyness of a stray cat. We just had to take a picture with her. Insert picture here. Once inside, We (or for me anyways) weren’t expecting much. However, this turned out to be one of the most interesting parts of the trip. All we did was sit in front of a projector, watching short films (4-5 minutes each) of various arts around Japan. With high definition, professional filming, we were transported into the life of different workers showing off their trade. We were introduced to blacksmiths, cooks, tool makers, basket weavers, box assemblers, and fish preservers. Although it sounds rather dull, it was definitely a “you had to be there” kind of thing. It was something that thoroughly described the passion and pride these Japanese civilians take in their work.

Harajuku. A wonder of Tokyo that inspires even Gwen Stefani-san to make her own line of bags. Once arriving, it was clear that this place was definitely a place to “shop till you drop”. Hundreds of thousands of civilians swarm to search for the kawaii-est items at the not-so-cheap prices. A couple of us went out to find a Japanese specialty: a ball shaped wheat flower batter pan fried with octopus inside also known takoyaki. Although rather rich with the mayonnaise topping, it was simply delicious. Our eyes also feasted on the act cooking portion which the chefs due with uncanny speed and accuracy. Definitely a sight to see. with our bellies once again filled with something new, we had the fuel to walk, or rather, dodge the many citizens as we weaved to and fro to search for our exotic Japanese goods. Purchases included jam, clothing, lightsaber chopsticks, k-pop calendars, beanies, and fancy button down shirts. Although happy with our purchases, our wallets definitely took a hit due to the steep prices.

After dropping off our goods at the hotel, we walked to our dinner location with steak awaiting us. Although definitely not as tender as the meat during lunch, we feasted on a hamburger patty, steak, corn, bean sprouts, and rice. Although unnecessary, the chunk of butter melting atop the steak definitely provided a rich, juicy mouthful of beefy delicious-ness. Gochisosamadeshita!

With our bellies once again filled with delicious foods, we decided to walk it off by visiting a local department store. Tokyu hands was probably the biggest stationary store any of us have seen, boasting 7 floors of anything and everything you can ask for in an arts and crafts store. Although a great find for many of us, our wallets were definitely feeling a little slimmer by the end of the night.

To end the night, we ended up at the top floor of city hall, where we could take in the city lights at night. Although the San Francisco skyline is amazing, Tokyo’s night show is a close rival with pretty city lights as far as the eye can see. By the end of the night, we were all tired and weary. Moans and groans could be heard throughout Japan as we learned we would be waking up at 5:45 am the following day. It is now 12:10. We also have to pack and get ready to leave since it’s our last night in Tokyo. With probably less than five hours of sleep, I sincerely hope my host student will be patient with the half-awake shadow of myself individual I’ll be dragging around tomorrow. Straight from Japan, Sayonara!

Day 7

Amy Hung, Amy Luong, Kelly Zhen, and Malgosia Sikorski reporting in for the days event. This is our first day back in Tokyo after spending three nights and 4 days in Ibaraki. At 7 AM, everyone received a wake up call from the hotel. Since buffet style breakfast started at 7:30 AM, we were left with only 30 minutes to get dressed and pretty up ourselves for this exciting day. It was quite disappointing to have woken up to gray sky, but it still turned out to be a really warm day. Japans weather is quite amazing if I may say. After breakfast, we got on the bus and started heading to a Shinto/Buddhist Temple. Since the bus ride was over 40 minutes long, some slept while others had a fun time playing cards and other games. As we arrived at the temple gate, the size of the shrine had us in awe. After making our wish at the shrine and getting our written fortune, we headed in the directions of the mini shops. Amy Huang drew a Excellent Fortune stick by the way. She was very delighted. As we walked through the crowded street where the mini shops are located, we discovered many fascinating items.

 After an hour of shopping, we met up with the other schools for lunch. It was a buffet style restaurant with BBQ!!!! YUMMY! But since we were somewhat behind schedule, we didn’t have much time to enjoy the food to the fullest. As we waited for the bus to pick us up to go to our next location, students from Moss Point High School joined in on our game of “Hanky Panky.” The next location was to Tachikawa Bousai-Kan (Life Safety Learning Center) where we were able to experience the dramatic shake of a magnitude of 7 and the fire escape through their Earthquake and fire stimulation. We learned about what we should do in life threatening situations of earthquakes and fire. Though we’ve done Earthquake drills at school many times, this stimulation actually let us experience the shake which led to a deeper understanding of the pain the local people had experienced last year. And for the fire stimulation we were able to learn that we must stay as low as possible for avoid breathing in the dangerous chemicals. Though the instructor specifically said the smoke in the stimulation was not dangerous at all compared to the real thing, it still got our hearts racing. Though we were scared, we had an amazing time. The Edo Tokyo Museum was next on the schedule. We had to take the escalator all the way to the 6^th floor where we started the tour. The first thing we saw as we went in the door was a Edo period bridge. As everyone rushed to take his or her own pictures, sensei stopped us for a group picture on the bridge. As we finished, some went their own ways as some stayed with sensei as he explained to us the significance of the artifacts. At the beginning of the museum, it depicted the Edo period’s life style and with each step we took, we were taken to a more modern and advanced period in Tokyo. Seeing the advancement from Edo to the present Tokyo was an unforgettable event. Not to forget the photographic memories we now have to share with all of you! After a long and enlightening day, we joined Abraham Lincoln and Moss Point High School for a delicious, traditional dinner with tempura.

Right as we left the restaurant, the slight drizzle quickly transitioned to pouring rain. However, no need to fright, convenient stores were around every corner! As we battled through rain, we finally found ourselves at the Tokyo Train Station. All of us were quite surprised at how similar their transportation system was to ours. The train got crowded very quickly. We got off at the last stop and arrived at Shibuya. This is where we began out shopping session, or at least tried. It was very big and different from our American malls. Shibuya has streets with shops next to each other along the long streets, so it was easy to get lost. Before leaving for our shopping, sensei told us about walking back down the hill to get back to our meeting spot, so we didn’t worry too much. Some shops had the cutest things, but were very expensive! Some of us wandered around looking for things we liked, but ended up buying nothing, while others decided to save up. By this time, the rain had subsided and at 10:00 p.m., we met at our meeting spot and took the train back to our hotel. We were even at the world’s biggest train station in Tokyo! After that, we went back to our rooms and that is the wrap up of our exciting day! By the way, Malgosia, Amy L., Amy H., and Kelly would like to say that we are having a great time and that we miss you Family and Friends!!

Day 6

Konichiwa everyone. I hope parents and friends aren’t worrying too much about us. We’re doing great, but the week has pasted by so quickly. We’ve returned back to Tokyo, but we all miss staying at Ibaraki, Tohoku. The experience from the past three days was eye-opening, inspirational, and amazing. We’ve gained so much knowledge relating to the tsunami and earthquake. The traditional inn, ryokan was also a new experience for most of us. The manager and the staff  were very nice and polite. They always greeted us with heartwarming smiles and bows. We were all very fortunate to have stayed at such a wonderful place. On Thursday we went to the beach to clean up garbage. The beach clean up was so great even though it was windy and hot, it was nice knowing that we were making a difference and helping out the Japanese people. When cleaning up the beach, a boy about the same age as us came to help. After a while, we realized that he wasn’t one of us. He was just a normal Japanese boy who decided to lend us a hand. Like the staff and manager at the hotel, he was very caring.

After heading back to Tokyo, we ate lunch at a conference room in Tokyo, where later on we met U.S ambassador to Japan, Mr. Roos. He was very generous to take time out of his day to answer our questions about the disaster, his job, and anything else we wanted to know. He was the one who contacted president Obama about the disasters in Japan. He was inspirational and funny. He also grew up in San Francisco and attended Lowell high school. We were all disappointed because Lowell is our biggest rivalry. Mr. Roos decided to take a picture with us and said that he would put it on his twitter account.

After Mr. Roos talked with us, we were told that we were going to make a small presentation about our overall thoughts of the experience we had in Tohoku and what the most important thing was. We said that bonding was the most important thing we learned throughout this experience. Bonding and friendship can raise the hopes of others and aid those who are in need the most. Even though we are so far apart we are always connected and close. At the beginning of this trip, most of us didn’t know each other, but gradually we all became friends. We all made a bond, a connection with each other. We also made bonds with the staff, locals, victims of the tsunami and earthquake, and with the other students in the Kizuna Project from other schools.

Later on we discussed the Dos and Don’ts in a host family, host school, and in public. We also created small skits about the Dos and Don’ts. Once the meeting was done, we went to a restaurant named Kirara and ate dinner. Lastly we were supposed to go to Shibuya, but it started to rain and we ended up postponing it until tomorrow. The trip to Shibuya was not part of the Kizuna project schedule, but Morikawa Sensei and Mrs. Saunders wanted to reward us for our hard work these past few days in Tohoku. Going to Shibuya is a nice reward, but getting to know, connect, and bond with the Japanese people from Tohoku was a reward in itself. Until next time, this was Shirry Tan and Moira Vinnett. 

Day 5

Hi parents and friends, this is David Zhong reporting in for July 5^th. Everyone woke up half asleep this morning, but the day started kicking in right away. We also noticed that the breakfast was gradually becoming more eastern style. First thing in the morning we left our ryokan (Japanese style inn) in Kitaibaraki to go to a senior citizen nursery home in Hitachi. We got a quick tour of the nursery home before spending quality time with the senior citizens. Some of us had the chance to learn Japanese flower arrangements with the seniors and the rest of us would be in a separate area helping other seniors decorate their tree and hang our wishes. Later, our group gathered together and made a brief presentation about San Francisco to the senior citizens. After the presentation, everyone got in the groove and was ready to perform our “Walking on Sunshine” dance to entertain the senior citizens. Our performance turned out much better than I had expected. At the end of the performance, each of us went around the room and gave high fives to all the senior citizens. Watching the smiles on their faces during our performance was truly heart warming. We left the nursery home with a sense of glee when the senior citizens and the staff came out to wave goodbye to us. 

The next thing on the menu was to grab something delicious for lunch to satisfy our stomachs. We had arrived at the Hitachi Civic Center and were served sandwiches, bagels, fruits, and juice. After lunch, we had a small amount of free time for us to go shopping. This was the first time we had shopping time, so everyone reached into their bags and pulled out their souvenirs list immediately. The next destination in the afternoon was to head out to the beach. All three high schools, George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and Moss Point, worked in sync to help clean up the beach. Each of us received a small plastic bag and a pair of construction worker gloves and we all went to work. It’s surprisingly humid on the beach and the sand that went into our shoes and socks didn’t make it any better. After clearing a lot of the trash, we decided to stockpile the large wood pieces. There were some insanely large items such as a barrel, a table, and a huge tree trunk. The tree trunk was probably one of the hardest to move. We had at least 20 guys working together just to drag the trunk to the pile. We even received help from local middle school boys that were at the beach just to have a fun time. This just shows you how much Japanese people care about their environment, helping others, and benefiting the community.

Everyone was extremely tired after the clean up, so we headed to an Italian restaurant for an early dinner. The restaurant served amazing Italian cuisine and also had a stock of the weirdest flavors of soft drinks. We were all expecting to return back to the ryokan after the wonderful meal, but it turns out we had something planned for the evening too. We arrived at a Hitachi elementary school and viewed a dance performance from a local dance group. It was a traditional Japanese dance, but was very empowering. Things turned out really fun when we received clackers and go to participate in the dances with them. Even though I couldn’t keep up with their movement and my dancing looks like jelly, it was probably the most entertaining activity of the day.

Some of the students even got to change into costumes. Lincoln High School’s Japanese Club performed their Japanese dance and it was pretty amazing. Many guys tried the test of strength by attempting to wave around a humongous flag, but only a few succeeded.

Finally, we are on the bus about to return to the ryokan. It has been a long and exhausting day. I am writing this blog under the dim lights in the bus and everyone is taking a quick nap before we arrive. This is our last day at Kitaibaraki and life at the ryokan wasn’t so bad. We will be returning to Tokyo tomorrow morning. David Zhong reporting out.  

Day 4

Hello everybody in The States! I hope all is well back home, because things are definitely going perfectly here in Kitaibaraki, in the Ibaraki Prefecture in northern Japan. As of now, we have spent three full days in Japan, and two days in Ibaraki. However, we are still left in as much shock and awe, blissfully lost in translation, as we were when we had first arrived. This country is truly a breathtakingly beautiful place; where nature and industry collide, the traditional and the contemporary fit perfectly side by side. Here in Kitaibaraki, we are currently staying at Toshimaya Ryoukan, or traditional Japanese inn and enjoying its many customs, such as bathing in an onsen, or wearing yukata. While some of these traditions take some getting used to, they are all enjoyable and an opportunity to experience Japan more intimately.

For those who don’t know, the Ibaraki Prefecture is one of the regions that have been impacted the most by last year’s 3.11 Great Earthquake and Tsunami. Both the land and its people have been shaken up quite badly, but are still making an impressive effort to recover. However, there are still traces of the disaster that remain. It is painfully clear that the great quake and tsunami has left its mark on Ibaraki, especially upon seeing Otsu Port, and getting a first hand look at how the disaster has altered the region. Often times, we must remind ourselves to be sensitive toward their struggles and their pain.

Today, our group met with Ibaraki’s Fire Chief who discussed with us the extent of the damage dealt by the great quake, as well as measure being taken to recover from the disaster, as well as prevent a future event. He reminds us that people must carry a switch within their hearts that sparks the will to survive. Safety measures only come so far, but when it comes down to it, it’s self-preservation that determines who will still be here to see the next day.

Lastly, we were able to visit the Izura Institute of Arts and Culture to learn from, connect with students and representatives of Ibaraki University. Together, we examined Ibaraki’s cultural assets, such as various works of art and architecture, and how many have been either damaged or destroyed by the disaster. Efforts are currently being made to restore these assets back into their original state.

Overall, our stay in Japan has been surreal, adopting an almost dream-like quality to it. I feel as I have been thrust into a different universe with it’s own rules and manners, and we are just beginning to scratch the surface. There is still so much left here to explore and enjoy. There are eleven days left, and I will be here, enjoying every minute of it. This is Jaison Cabebe, over and out. Stay classy, San Francisco.

Day 3

Noelle He

HI BRIAN. IM WRITING TO YOU TODAY! I HOPE YOU SEE THIS! Today we all had a wake up call at 6AM. We had a delicious buffet style breakfast at 7AM and left our first hotel, Keio Plaza Hotel, around 830AM. The breakfast included mushy but delicious scrambled/boiled eggs, cream of mushroom soup, sausages, ham, variety of bread, yogurt, fruits and vegetables, salad, and cereal. Before we left the hotel, we walked around the convenient store that was located on the bottom floor. I spent my first 105 yen on a water bottle, but there ended up to be free water bottles given to us by the JICE. We were introduced to JICE today, the generous company who coordinated our trip to Tohoku, in which we will be staying at for 3 nights and 4 days. We attended orientation around 9AM with two other high schools, Abraham Lincoln High School and Moss Point High School, where we were learned about the structure of this Kizuna Project trip and the disastrous earthquake on March 11^, 2011. 

We were informed about the damages done to the areas that the earthquake and tsunami had affected. I was shocked at how much damage both the earthquake and tsunami had impacted the lives of innocent people. Millions of dollars worth of damages were made and even to this day, there are things that still have not yet to fully recover. Orientation also taught us about how to deal with future natural disasters. After the two hours orientation, we all headed to a restaurant in Aqua City family mall. There were many Americanized stores like H&M, Forever 21, and Old Navy. There was also a store with the cutest puppies EVER! They were all so tiny and had their fur trimmed perfectly! We walked into the restaurant and had to take off our shoes! It was the first time we had all been forced to take off our shoes and walk into a restaurant with socks only. Seeing cushions on the floor, I thought we had to sit down criss-cross applesauce, but there was actually a sunken in floor under the table where we were able to dangle our feet!!!!! It was so cool. I was in awe with this intelligent invention; it had deceived me. We served mixed brown and white rice, along with miso soup. Unlimited appetizers were also given to us where we served ourselves. The main dish was a type of fish that I don’t remember the name of, but it was delicious. White radish with soy sauce came along with the fish where we were to eat it together. All I can say is that, it was a very yummy fish. 

And the rice was so tasty. After eating, we went to the bathroom and got ready to go on a three hour ride to Tohoku. After two hours, we made a pit stop at a tourist convenient store. There were so many random new drinks my friends and I were staring at. After about a 20 minute break, we continued onto our journey towards Tohoku. After another hour, we arrived at a ryokan, a Japanese style hotel(with a tatami and futon) where we dropped off our baggage and had a presentation. The manager talked about how the earthquake and tsunami had affected his hotel, and his personal life. Afterwards we chilled for half an hour before dinner was served. I’m tired now, its 11:12PM and I can’t think anymore! To sum it up, I went to the onsen tonight with friends and it was sooooo refreshing. The end. It was a fun official first day here(: Time to wake up at 630AM tomorrow!  

Day 1 & 2

Konnichiwa! (hello!)

 

We arrived in Japan!  After 17 hours of long flights (SFO – MPS – Tokyo), finally we landed in Tokyo.  Our first day of the trip was a series of transportations, so needless to say, students looked exhausted, but they are excited about being in Japan.

After landing at the Narita airport, we were treated like VIP guests.  Two people from the travel agency were waiting for us with the sign of Washington HS.  Then we took our own limousine bus to Shinjuku, where our hotel is located.  They took us to a "izakaya" restaurant and had our first meal together.

We will take a turn to update this blog to share what’s happening with us.  Hope you will enjoy reading it.

If you have any question, please email me at morikawasensei@gmail.com.  I will email you back as soon as possible.  If you need to reach us immediately, please call me at 415-824-3367.

You can find more emergency contact information in the handout that we distributed to you.

Here is the itinerary for the rest of our Kizuna project trip:

July 3 (stay at Toshiyama Tsukihama Hot Spring: Rocky Seaside Hotel) 

• AM: Orientation and Lecture: Tohoku Earthquake and Restoration Plans
• PM:  Leave Tokyo and go to Kita Ibaraki (link: http://www.pref.ibaraki.jp/bukyoku/seikan/kokuko/en/travel/index.htm)

July 4 (stay at Toshiyama Tsukihama Hot Spring: Rocky Seaside Hotel)

• AM: Presentations by the head of the Kita Ibaraki city fire department presents: aftermath of the earthquake and recent restoration process.  Visit the Ootsukou port and meet members of the Ootsuku fishing industry: 

• PM: School visit – meet local university students and discuss their efforts for restoring damaged shrines and temples.

July 5 (stay at Toshiyama Tsukihama Hot Spring: Rocky Seaside Hotel)

• AM: volunteer activity (1) – visit a local kindergarten / a senior citizen nursing home.

• PM: volunteer activity (2) – Hitachi city coastal clean up

July 6 (Keio Plaza Hotel)

Students will go back to Tokyo in the morning and attend a debriefing session in the afternoon.

July 7 (Keio Plaza Hotel)

Tokyo sightseeing (1) – visit NHK studio park, Harajuku, Meiji shrine, etc.

July 8 (Keio Plaza Hotel)

Tokyo sightseeing (2) – visit Imperial Palace, the National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation, Odaiba, etc

July 9 (home stay)

Students will visit our host school in Tochigi: Hakuho High School (link).  They will stay at their host family’s home.

July 10 (home stay)

Students will attend classes at the host school and give presentations to Japanese students.  They will stay at their host family’s home.

July 11 (Hotel Keihan Kyoto)

Leave Tochigi and take a bullet train to Kyoto in the morning.  Students will visit Nanzenji temple, Kiyomizu temple, etc.

July 12 (Hotel Keihan Kyoto)

Visit more historical sites in Kyoto such as Heian Shrine, Ginkakuji temple, etc.

July 13 (Ramada Osaka)

The last day before going back to San Francisco.  Students will visit Kobe and meet local people who experienced the Hanshin earthquake in 1989.

July 14

Take a domestic flight from Osaka to Haneda, Tokyo.  Then, go to the Narita airport: Delta airlines #208.  We are expected to arrive in San Francisco at 9:35 AM on Saturday.

dewa, oyasuminasai (good night)

T. Morikawa