Japan Study Tour
Japan Study Tour 2017/18
On 27 December 2017, twelve students and two teachers departed for Japan. We spent two weeks sightseeing many parts of Honshu (the main island of Japan), and one week with our Sister School in Matsudo, before returning home on 16 January 2018. Our Sister School relationship with Matsudo Municipal High School is very well established and has been strong for over 30 years. It has continued to be a highlight of the Japan Study Tour.
Thank you to the students who have provided a little bit of information about our tour for this newsletter.
Group members:
Back row left to right: Daniel Sharpe, Alexander O’Brien, Jackson Birch, Trevor vanden Driesen, Daniel Pooley, Mitchell Tsakaros, Faith Morgan, Hamish Andrew
KYOTO
Kyoto was the first city we visited. We spent 5 nights in a traditional ‘ryokan’ inn, where we became accustomed to communal bathing and elaborate Japanese-style breakfasts. Our days were spent exploring the city and the surrounding areas such as Arashiyama, home to an UNESCO listed temple and the famous Sagano Bamboo Forest. The sites we visited in Kyoto included Ginkakuji temple, the golden Kinkakuji temple, Kiyomizu-dera, and the rock gardens of Ryoanji Temple. We also welcomed in the New Year at Yasaka Shrine with crowds of locals.
NARA
While we were in Kyoto, we visited the city of Nara, where we were very surprised to see so many deer. We were told before going that Nara was known for its deer but we didn't expect to see them almost everywhere we went! We were also given special biscuits to feed the deer, and found that if you bowed before and after giving them food, they would bow back! Also in Nara we went to Todaiji Temple which began construction in 743 AD and is the world’s largest wooden building. Inside it has one of Japan’s biggest Buddha statues. Landing at a gigantic 15 metres tall, the bronze structure was incredibly big. The entire Japan group was in awe of its gigantic stature.
HIROSHIMA
We were all very lucky to visit Hiroshima and see the memorial dedicated to a very tragic time in Japanese history. We visited the A-bomb dome - the site at which the first bomb was detonated. The gutted building has been preserved, and a beautifully crafted peace memorial was built. Being able to walk through the city and see the beautiful memorial was such an amazing experience that none of us will ever forget. We also visited the nearby island, Miyajima and ate Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki!
HIMEJI
We travelled to Himeji from Kyoto by shinkansen (bullet train) for a day trip. In Himeji we climbed most of the way up Mt Shosha via a ropeway and walked the rest of the journey. At the top we saw a beautiful temple perched on top of the mountain and took in the views of Himeji. Afterwards we visited Himeji Castle. We all agreed that it was one of the most amazing buildings we had ever seen. Its intricate and massive array of walls to create its defence system was incredible!
TAKAYAMA
In Takayama, we stayed in a tradition ryokan, hosted by a beautiful elderly couple. Together, we made soba noodles, mochi and osushi. During our stay, we also visited a ski resort, as well as a world heritage site. For most of us, it was our first time seeing snow fall. Although it was freezing cold, it was an extremely enjoyable 3 days.
TOKYO
As soon as we landed in Tokyo we all instantly knew that our money was going to start rapidly disappearing. Intriguing clothes, food and souvenir stores caught all our eyes as we spent almost every last penny we had. We also had the chance to go to the top of the highest building in Japan, Tokyo Skytree, cruised along the Sumida River, and visited many areas of Tokyo including Akihabara, Asakusa, Harajuku, Shibuya and the Ghibli Museum.
MATSUDO SISTER SCHOOL EXPERIENCE
We spent the last week of our trip with our host families. We met at the local train station, where we met our host families for the first time before all splitting up and going back to their homes. For one week we went to school with our host sisters, where we got involved in their classes and club activities, before heading home and experiencing what it was like to be part of a traditional Japanese family. The city of Matsudo paid for us all to go to Tokyo Disneyland with our host students. We all enjoyed that very much. On the Monday, after a quick meeting with the Major of Matsudo, we had an emotional farewell to our hosts and our new school friends before heading off to the airport for our long journey back home.
日本旅行はすごく楽しかった！
Matsudo City (Japan) Youth Delegation Visit -
Host Families needed March 15-21 March 2018
Following on from our visit to Japan, we are very excited to be welcoming 10 students from Matsudo City to Koonung from 15 – 21 March this year. After our students’ wonderful experience with their host families in Japan, we would like to offer the Matsudo students a similar opportunity to spend time with families from the Koonung community. We are currently seeking host families and are very keen to hear from any of our Koonung families who may be able to assist with caring for the Matsudo students during this time. During their stay, the students will experience Australian school life through a range of school organised activities, and spend time with their host families outside of school hours. If you would like to be a part of this event please contact either Mr Paul Dailey or Ms Mia Poulton via email for further information:
dailey.paul.a@edumail.vic.gov.au poulton.mia.m@edumail.vic.gov.au