At the end of Term 1, 17 students from Years 9, 10 and 11 with three teachers – Mrs I’Ons, Mrs Brown and Mr Burke – embarked on a cultural and educational adventure throughout Japan.
Hear below from Year 10 student Joshua about the trip – one that broadened the group's understanding of different cultures, histories and traditions, and significantly developed their Japanese language and speaking skills!
We began in Tokyo arriving late at night struck in awe by the bright vibrancy of the city and sheer number of people. Our experiences in Tokyo involved seeing the beautiful cherry blossoms in full bloom along the Meguro River, visiting Rissho High School, shopping and eating street food in Asakusa, seeing all of Tokyo from the Skytree Tower, more shopping in Harajuku, visiting Shibuya crossing and experiencing TeamLabs Borderless.
From Tokyo we caught the Shinkansen down to Hiroshima, where we had an amazing one-on-one experience with an A-bomb survivor, Teruko, listening to her testimony. Teruko’s testimony was powerful, insightful and very personal, deepening our gratitude for peace. In Hiroshima we walked through the A-bomb museum, ate delicious Hiroshima style okonomiyaki and explored local malls.
Before heading to Kyoto, we were able to visit the breathtakingly beautiful island of Miyajima and see the famous Itsukushima Shrine and make Momiji Manji, a famous local dessert.
After Miyajima we went to Hiroshima station and transferred to Kyoto by Shinkansen. In Kyoto (as well as Osaka and surrounding areas) we were able to experience Universal Studios Japan, explore Himeji Castle and visit countless shrines and temples including Fushimi Inari Shrine, Kiyomizu-dera, and Kinkakuji.
We were in Tokyo for 5 nights, Hiroshima for 2 and Kyoto for 4. We all loved exploring these cities whether it be its long rich history, beautiful views and buildings or sheer size. One of our clear favourites was experiencing USJ, enjoying the rides and shopping for souvenirs.
Although USJ was fun, our most valuable experience of the trip was reconnecting with past hosted students and friends and growing everlasting friendships, spending time with them at both Rissho High School and at Harajuku, while also making some new friends along the way. Spending time at Rissho High School in Tokyo enriched our understanding of Japanese everyday life.
We immersed ourselves in Japanese culture, trying a range of unique local foods including ramen, okonomiyaki, gyoza, bento boxes and even squid. As well as the food, we also attended a traditional performance at Gion Corner in Kyoto which consisted of multiple acts including tea ceremony, ikebana, music, kabuki and comedy.
Throughout our travels our language skills were constantly tested, with each of us, no matter our personal level, striving to improve our understanding. Each of our experiences, whether it be with Japanese train stations and busy streets or the peaceful temples, strengthened our confidence, independence and certainly our friendships. We all left Japan, not just with souvenirs but with wonderful lifelong memories and a wish to one day return.
Joshua Olsen
Year 10 Student
