Day 15: Back to Tokyo

After a relaxed morning at the beach, we all headed back to the airport for a return flight to Tokyo. In Tokyo we met all the people that had gone to different places and swapped stories and experiences. We also did some shopping for souvenirs (kimonos, fans, pottery, and chopsticks were popular items.

Day 16: Closing Reception

This morning I attended a seminar about art education in Japan. The presenter was Chihiro Tada, who is the director of the Art Education Institute and the National Toy Museum. He spoke about the need for everyone to have some time to play, both children and adults. He talked about the growing concern over time spent on computers, playing video games, reading comic books, and watching TV. In Japan, kids spend 2,000 hours a year doing those four things. Compare that to the 700 hours spent studying in school. He closed with “I believe that art education is as important as three meals a day. It is very important for the body and the spirit.

In the afternoon we had one last question and answer period about the education system of Japan. Emphasis was placed on “exam hell” and how preparing for tests seems to control what is taught in the classroom. Overall, the school system in Japan is very similar to what I grew up with, minus the high school entrance exam.

Day 17: Wrapping It Up

Today each group did a presentation on their experiences in their host cities. The presentations were very impressive and it was evident that everyone had their own special experience. For our presentation we performed a comical kyogan play about mudskippers. We then showed slides of the incredible people and scenery of Ogi and Saga. To end it, one woman in the group shared an experience she had with her host family. Soon after she met her host father they discovered that his father had been a soldier in the Japanese army during the war and this woman’s father had been an American soldier. The host father quickly said “We must go to Nagasaki.” The following morning they got up early and made the two hour drive to the city where the second atomic bomb was dropped. As the two stood in the Peace Park, at ground zero, they could not control their emotions. Sixty-two years after the war had ended, the children of two enemies stood together as friends on sacred ground.

The night ended with a closing reception. There were many hugs and even some tears as we all said our goodbyes, promising to make our new friendships last.

In Reflection:

It is hard to put into words the experience I had in Japan. Perhaps I will share an experience that I had. On my first morning in Saga I went for a walk.. There were very few people out and I found myself alone on a street except for a little elderly woman who was walking in my direction. I decided to greet her with a bow. She returned the bow and then looked up at me with a huge smile and sparkling eyes. She then said good morning in that sweet, sincere way that Japanese people do. “Ohiyo gozaimasu.” I won’t soon forget that greeting. There is a Japanese saying that goes something like “when words cannot be understood, the language of the heart can.” That old woman spoke to me with her heart. She said to me “Welcome to my country, my beautiful landscapes, my fascinating culture, and my wonderful people.” At that moment I grew a true love for Japan. I will forever be impressed for their desire for peace, their love of nature, and their respect for body and spirit.

A special thanks to all of those who made this trip possible, and to Laurasan, our guide, guardian, interpreter, and friend.