Bullet Train trip from Kyoto

Winter Field Trip to Japan has been scheduled from 12/18/08 to 12/30/08 under the Title of Exotic Japan, but for various reasons the trip theme was modified and re-titled as "Bullet Train and Kyoto." The group will base at Kyoto and using Bullet Train as much as possible to reach Hiroshima (Miyajima-island for which monkey living Mt. Misen and floating Torii Gate famous and we plan to visit), Okayama (Korakuen park and Okayama Castle and Museums), Tokushima in Shikoku Island (Naruto for which largest whirlpool in the inland sea is famous), Himeji (White Heron Castle), Nara (Deer Park, World largest wooden structure housing the huge Buddha Image in it), Osaka and Kobe. Kyoto's main spot will certainly included to enjoy the old and the new of Japan. I hope many students and community folks join the trip!

Ritsumeikan Univ. Chicago Alumni

Whiling coping with jet lag, I attended the Ritsumeikan University Chicago Alumni Association Summer Dinner at Daruma Restaurant in Schaumburg. There have been annual golf competition among 4 major university alumni association members in Chicagoland area. These 4 universities are Ritsumeikan, Doshisha, Kansai, and Kwansei Gakuin. Since Ritsumeikan and Doshisha are both located in Kyoto, they have been a rival for many years in various fields. I went to the Restaurant with my 2-year old daughter and happened to find my former student as a waitress who went to Kyoto for Study Abroad a few years ago with GTS. What a coincidence! What? Golf? Ritsumeikan lost badly!!

JET Program Sending-off Party

The following late afternoon of the day we returned from Japan, the JET Program (Japan's governmental program to provide English native college graduates to local government and schools) Sending-off Party at a hotel near O'Hare airport. I, serving as an interviewer for JET candidate selection, was invited as a guest. There were quite a few new JETs, I recognized. My table was for some reason Kagoshima Prefecture JETs table (Southern most prefecture in Kyushu) rather than the Kyoto- area table. Since I lived in Kagoshima near the Sakurajima volcano during my kindergarten days and visited my grand parents many times before while they were still alive, I could give appropriate advice to JETs somehow. I was happy to find a sister of my student at COD in the group which were to go to Mie prefecture!

Problemless Return to Chicago!

Students gathered at Kyoto Station Bullet Train Gate at 9am to catch 10am-Bullet Train (Kodama, or Echo) for Central International Airport via Nagoya. Most host families came to the station to see off their students and some students were burst into tears! Unlike the first day of the program, there was no significant problems! Getting to San Francisco was even a little earlier than scheduled and smooth connection this time made everyone reach O'Hare on time. Some students submitted post-program assignments and enjoyed reunion with their family members! All students and friends were invited GTS's Japanese Culture Club monthly dinner on Friday 8/1 at Kyoto Sushi in Downers Grove!

"Watermelon Explosion" at the farewell party!

Time really flies! The commencement was held and was followed by the farewell party which many host families attended with students. Every student made a brief speech after "Kanpai (Cheers!)" teachers' speech and host family's speech followed. Then lunch time came and everyone rushed into Japanese Pizza Hut pizzas, Sushi, Okonomiyaki, Fried potatoes, sweets and cake. Three classes of our program made their performance they practiced yesterday. The main event was "Watermelon Explosion." 4 big watermelon were prepared and 2 students and 2 kids from host families were selected to play as a melon hitter/breaker. Each eye-covered hitter used a baseball bat to find a watermelon and hit and break!! They did it! Every attendee enjoyed watermelon as a dessert! The party was ended with big smiles!! They all miss Japan!

Heat Wave in the Osaka Castle

A day over 98F contnued today. After lunch 45-min train ride took students from Kyoto-city to Osaka Castle area in Osaka-city, passing several suburb cities between Kyoto and Osaka such as, Yawata, Hirakata, Moriguchi, Neyagawa, Kadoma, etc. From Kyobashi-station in Osaka, students walked from one building to another building through elevated pathways to where the Osaka Castle Donjon(Tower) or "Tenshukaku" became visible. Through bridges of the outer moat and inner moat, students got to the Tower, from which they can the entire Osaka city on the top floor balcony. Leaving the Tower for another side of the castle where Hideyoshi was enshrined. An express train skipped as many station as possible to carry them back to Kyoto-city and final official afternoon excursion ended!

Lake Biwa Lunch Cruise!

A couple of students decided to join the lunch cruise in the Lake Biwa, the largest lake in Japan and 3rd oldest lake in the world. 25-min train ride brought students to the Otsu port in the Lake Biwa. 90-min cruise ride on the top floor let student draw larger map of the area in their mind. It was quite unimaginable for them to realize that Japan's largest lake is just next to Kyoto! Through this program, students could reach almost all the direction from Kyoto as far as they could within one day. Students briefly visited Miidera-temple (or Onjoji-temple), one of the most famous imperial temple in the Western Japan. Tomorrow's Osaka Castle visit will conclude the daily excursion program during the study abroad Japan!