Dear Nagano

First off I would like to say that you are beautiful, a snowy paradise that makes me feel like I have just stepped into Narnia. The honest truth is that I couldn't get over the snow, being a "Hawaii kid" it is only on rare occasion that I get to see snow so thanks for that. Being able to wake up and see this blanket of pure white made me feel like I was in another world. So calm peaceful and serene, Hakuba sure is a unique place.

Secondly your residents were some of the kindest people I have met in my entire life, so welcoming and so wonderful. Especially my host family, although my Japanese is terrible and I could barely say a word to them. You could feel their warmth and joy to share not only their meals with us but their culture. My fondest memory is chilling with our host mom and she fitted us in traditional kimonos. The fact that she took the time to do this warms my heart. These people will stay with me for as long as I live.

Finally I would like to talk about your historical beauty, the Zenkoji temple is breathtakingly beautiful. Getting to see this site that is so rich in its history and cultural practices was a true blessing. I can'tell even begin to describe how enlightening it was for me just to feel the atmosphere of this place.

Nagano, I will never forget you. I am speaking into existence that I will visit you again. I will bring my family and friends to experience all your beauty and your history.

With much love,

Jamie 

(A very grateful student)

Reflecting

Whats up again guys,


It's been a little over 2 months since we got back and the memories are still fresh in my mind. I can't even tell you how badly I would like to go back someday! I haven't done a great job of staying in touch with everyone from the trip, but I think I speak for everyone when I say that we have plenty of memories to share from the trip already.
Coming back to the United States and having to deal with government programs such as the DMV and etc. has shown just how much the Japanese government really cared when they began their JICE program. They were so organized with everything about the program it makes me want to fix issues that reside with a lot of the programs here in the states - but the number one thing I noticed here was the lack of passion in comparison to the Japanese program.
The Japanese showed me just how far a little passion could take something, and now when I think of the Japanese government and other programs, it's nothing but good thoughts from me.

I believe in the first blog I mentioned how everyone should get a chance to experience what I did, but the truth is that this was a once a lifetime opportunity, and at the moment I'm remembering how I was chosen out of a selection of hundreds of students. I am absolutely grateful that I was selected, but now all i want to do is help others get the opportunity to experience what I did! I've been thinking of ways to make travel a much more feasible thing to do financial for students, currently still in the works but hopefully sometime in the future, a reasonable idea financially, will come to fruition.

Again, I'm thankful for everything the program gave to me - the experience, the education, EVERYTHING. I was absolutely nervous going into it, but there is not one thing I regret about the decision to go.

Matt Gunter

Fun Fun fun

Our schedule was packed and we were always on the road. But c'mon, we're in Japan, it's a must to get some shopping done and to taste their desserts.

Not even the snow could have stopped me from devouring that gelato...the best!

Don't these desserts just look so inviting?! After a long day of travel, it was definitely worth having a girls night out and finding some delicious desserts. It was just too pretty to eat! But was definitely was worth the 400-500 yen.

Whether it's at the JR station going back to Tokyo from Nagano, Walking the famous Shibuya 109, or simply just being in Akihabara, you can never say no to shopping! Souvenirs, snacks, and anything that will remind me of Japan is a hands down must buy and must fit in my luggage(s) back to Hawaii.

I honestly arrived in Japan with 1 check in luggage, 1 carry on, and 1 personal plus my little handbag.  

But my travel buddy Maricar and I somehow came back with 2 check in luggages, a new carry on, and our personal bag. Gee, I wonder how that happened. haha

Aftermath and to JICE

After come back home to Hawaii after the trip, one of the first things i find myself thinking about is wanting to go back to Japan right after i left. My parents when i got back wanted to know everything about my trip, also it was hard getting back to normal right before finals. My friends really liked the gifts i got them.   When i do go back i really would like to go and see more of both Tokyo and the rest of Japan. One of the biggest things that i really miss is all the awesome people that i got to know during the trip, i hope i will be able to keep in touch with them in the future. Also i was really happy that i was able to help promote this trip via a radio spot at Shirokiya and also by helping the school by meeting with the Consul-General of Japan at our school along with some other students to give our overall thoughts on the trip.

I would just like to thank all the people over at JICE for give both me and HPU this opportunity to be allowed to visit Japan. I had so much fun see and learning so much about Japan, i would very much like to go back to Japan hopefully after graduation. All of your staff was very friendly and also very knowledge. I hope very much that other HPU students will be able to visit Japan very soon. One again i would just like to say thank you for showing us a wonderful time.

The Life-changing Adventure Begins...

Day 1!

 The feeling of anxiety and excitement flourished me as I put my suitcases in the trunk of the uber that would take me to Honolulu Airport. I still could not believe I was actually on my way to the place I have been dreaming about my whole life. I was full of curiosities, a few worries, and ambitions for a life changing and experience. Little did I know that the next 12 days of adventure would make such a permanent imprint on me.

The Plane Ride

As all the participants and chaperones loaded the plane our seating assignments had been spaced out among the plane. Never have I been embarking on a trip to a country with a whole group of people that I did not know. For some people this may be overwhelming, however, nothing was more exciting. I remember constantly wondering about how the others on this trip were feeling right at this moment.

I knew the plane ride would be around a little over 8 hours, this did not bother me as much as the looping headache I had as soon as I got comfortable in my seat. Even still, sitting on this plane made me realize how long I have been hoping and dreaming of this moment ever since kindergarten when I entered my first Japanese class.

One thing I was happy about was the total of 5 hours of sleep I got on the plane considering the 2 hours of sleep I got the night before because of last minute packing and over excitement that made me restless. I woke up on the plane with 3 hours left feeling refreshed. The rest of the ride consisted of me still awaiting the adventure that lay before me.

When we landed at Narita Airport in Chiba Prefecture I  had to let it sink in that I was actually in Japan which was still a big deal for me. The group picked up our carry on luggage and put on our coats, boots, and winter accessories for we were leaving 80-degree weather into 35- 40-degree weather with light precipitation.

We met up with our program coordinator who greeted us to Japan with high spirits and a smiling face. She led us to our bus where we would be taken to our first hotel.

On the bus ride to Tokyo, I felt a sense of belonging, friendship, and family. I listened to my Japan playlist that I set months before the trip. I tried to take in the night views of Japan that I have only seen in magazines and google search images, it felt so surreal.

When we arrived at the Dai-Ichi Hotel Ryogoku I realized how Japan was everything I imagined and more. There was no place I'd rather be in that moment and it seemed like it lasted forever.

• We settled down and took our luggage to our rooms. When I walked in the room was pitch black. In japan to conserve energy for the lights to come on you must stick the key card in the slot next to the door.

On our way to dinner...

The weather was brisk yet refreshing, the time was around 7:30 pm, as the dark night sky became more apparent, rain drops and smoke coming from my mouth contrasted the humid, warm nights in Hawaii.

As we walked down the semi-lit alleys, faces of contentment of Japanese bike riders became more focused when they came closer as the rain droplets on my glasses slightly blurred my vision. The further we walked to our destination, the sound of J-POP and slot machines sounds became louder as we approached. Neon signs of popular anime characters filled my sight. The casinos (Pachinko) we passed were filled with Japanese businessmen with their eyes glued to the screen.

We walked into the restaurant and tobacco smoke, welcoming voices, and the aroma of Japanese food wrapped in my nose. The colors of red, white, with a light tan wood finish and friendly waiters and waitresses, made me excited for dinner.

As I entered the reserved seating area we were advised to remove our shoes and put them in cute lockers. We sat down with the food already prepared for us to eat. The food was good and colorful!

After dinner, Matt, Shawn, Paige, and I decided to go exploring. Tokyo at night was quieter than I expected.
 We found a small and cozy Italian restaurant after about an hour of trying to find our way around the city with lots of trial and error.
A sweet woman welcomed us into the restaurant and put up my umbrella.
I was the designated translator for the group that night and everything was perfect. We all relaxed to nostalgic 90's and early 2000s music in the background which was hilarious. We all laughed and had a great time.

We walked back...
 When I returned to my room I took a great shower in an awesome bathroom with heated toilets and temperature controlled shower!
Also, when the windows fog up, the mirrors have a function where one area serves and a vanity and does not fog. Our room came with comfy pajamas (a great touch).
And Minna  ( my roommate from China) made me a cup of green tea :).

End of Day One!

First Full Day in Japan

Japan Diaries

26 November 2015

First Full Day in Japan

            Ohayoo Goziamusu Tokyo! It is my first full day in Japan. Breakfast was at & o’clock am. My room mates and I woke up very early due to jet lag. I first woke up at 1 o’clock and then went back to sleep and woke up at 5 o’clock. We went down to the 5^th floor to eat breakfast. As we entered, we see students from other states in the dinning area. Breakfast was like a buffet. There were many food options to choose from. There were American and Japanese style breakfast. The American breakfast included eggs, bacon, sausages and cereal. For the Japanese breakfast it included miso soup, seaweed, and some Japanese vegetables. After breakfast we headed out because we had many things to do today.

            The first agenda in the itinerary was to visit Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA). We had the chance to meet the people behind Japan International Corporation Center (JICE), who made the Japan Study Tour possible. If it was not for them then I do not think it was even possible for me to travel to them. They gave a presentation about the the Kakehashi project. Kakehashi means bridge. It is a bridge to link American and Japanese together, to build a better friendship and understanding between these countries and tis people.

            After talking about the Kakehashi program. Another lecture was given, but this time its was about Japan’s Foreign Policy. From this presentation, I got to learn more about Japan in terms of their diplomacy. There are four key policy areas of Japan diplomacy and these are strengthening the Japan-US alliance, deepening cooperative relations with neighboring countries, strengthening economic diplomacy as a means to promoting the revitalization of the Japanese’s economy, and further contributing to address global issues.

Next was to move to Meiji University. There is one or more building dedicated to this college. In the university, one of the professors gave us a lecture. One interesting I learned was Japan’s low birth rate. I was surprise to learned about this because I did not realize it at first. Japanese life is build on Kaishaism. It is where Japanese people dedicate their life to work rather than family. Most people who works under the big companies work from 7am to 11pm, thus, not having time for their family since they work long hours. In addition, most Japanese women rather have a career than have families. Japanese government is promoting different ways to increase the birth rate.

Next destination was Akibahara. Akihabara is famous among teenagers for its Anime games and products. Akihabara somewhat reminded me of New York City because of the tall buildings and colorful lights. The darker the night gets, the brighter the lights get. I have never experienced this kind of setting before but I was excited. We had about two hours to explore and shop. What I noticed about the stores was that it was small, yet they utilized the space well to fit all their products in it. My friends and I acted like tourists, we took many pictures and bought souvenirs for our family back home. I finally got to experience what city life is like. 

The Aftermath

It has been approximately four months since I had the opportunity to travel to Japan via the Japan Foundation Program, and I can honestly say that I’ve never had a more life changing experience. As someone who was born and raised in Hawaii, and had never had an opportunity to travel outside of the country, my view of the world was unfortunately very limited. While I was very interested in Japanese culture, being able to actually visit the country and see everything first hand seemed like a dream that was completely out of reach. After having the experience of traveling abroad with HPU, I have developed a newfound respect and appreciation for Japan, as well as developed the belief that I am not only able, but will, be able to return to Japan.

Initially, I had many concerns about studying abroad. Like most people, I was afraid of being away from my family and overall comfort zone. I was worried about how I would manage in a strange place. However, throughout this experience, all of these fears were dissolved. Every single person I met in Japan was both extremely friendly and willing to help me when I asked him or her. I was shown incredible generosity and graciousness by every single person I interacted with while I was in Japan. On top of that,  I discovered that the limits of my independence is far vaster than I originally anticipated. To be in a place you love, feeling completely free and captivated, is an incredible experience.

As soon as I came back to the United States, I decided that I wanted to pursue a longer study abroad session in Japan. For me, ten days just wasn’t enough. There are so many places and things I didn't get the opportunity to see. I’m completely fascinated by both the social and physical infrastructure of the Japanese people, and it is my hope that I can one day soon return to Japan once again.