The purpose? To bridge the cultures of Hawai'i and Japan in the spirit of future diplomacy as part of the efforts of JICE (the Japan International Cooperation Center). As to whether we were successful or not - well, they don't call Hawai'i the 48th prefecture for nothing. The week was jam-packed, so I'll give you the speedrun of our activities. I had actually been to Japan previously, but I was really curious to see what JICE had planned for us - basically, what do Japanese people & the Ministry of Foreign Affairs think foreigners should see and experience in Japan, with only one week to do so? The shenanigans started upon landing in Japan.
We played several hands of Speed while we bonded as a group in the immigration line. We were exhausted and hungry from the flight, so the three hours of customs, immigration, and security in Tokyo Narita felt especially long. However, we were all incredibly stoked to finally be in Japan. We had been preparing for this trip for several months at this point, and I don't think the reality had fully set in. Midterms had only just ended and we suddenly found ourselves in another country.
On the bus to the hotel, we had our first introduction to our JICE representatives and guides to Japan: Kyoko-san and Yumi-san! (<3)
The next morning, it was full steam ahead from the start. Meiji-Jingu Shrine and Takeshita Street (the most famous street in Harajuku) were our first excursions. We had lunch at a local restaurant, where we ate tempura with matcha salt and miso soup. JICE was really well organized in this arena; walking into restaurants felt like being part of a royal precession. Our meals were ready as soon as we were seated, and they had prepared vegetarian and kosher meals in advance as well.
After lunch, we walked around Shibuya and the Metropolitan Building, where the Japanese Assembly meets to discuss bills and other policies.
After a day in Tokyo, we woke at dawn to catch the shinkansen that would take us to Osaka, with a plan to stay in the Kinki region for a few days. On the first day: Osaka Castle, then Todai-ji Temple inside Nara Park, which houses one of Japan's largest bronze Buddha statues. The park is also home to free-roaming deer, who were reasonably amenable to our outward displays of delight and even posing for a quick sketch.
At dinner, we learned an expression for delicious: hope ga ochiru ほっぺたが落ちる), an idiom which roughly means the food is so good, my cheeks are falling off. We explained that in Hawai'i a similar expression exists. Indeed, the tofu broke da mouth. JICE was serving up straight grindz the whole week.
Some things are truly universal - it just goes to show that in all cultures, if the meal is truly good, your mouth should cease functioning entirely.
Highlights from the Kinki Region:
1. Walking through the red torii gates of Fushimi Inari Shrine, which traverse Mt. Inari to the peak.
2. A visit to Ritsumeikan University. This was an especially fun excursion to interact with students from the university and tour the campus. We had the opportunity to tour one of the labs, where students are able to use resources such as 3D printing and automatic sewing machines to work on robotics projects and other creative endeavors.
3. Drinking matcha and enjoying some wagashi (traditional Japanese confections to balance out the bitterness of the tea) at Kinkakuji Temple, otherwise known as the Golden Pavilion.
3. Kodai-Yuzen, where we participated in traditional yuzen cloth dyeing.
4. Arashiyama, a district in Kyoto known for its busy shopping streets (selling everything from handmade chopsticks to artisanal confectionaries) and bamboo forest. The path through the bamboo was crowded with visitors hoping to enjoy the tranquility of the wind through the shaded green stalks, but further exploration just outside the forest led us to a pleasant café on a suburban road, where we enjoyed some afternoon refreshments and a much-
needed sit-down.
5. Sanjusangen-do. This temple houses the 1001 statues of Kannon, the goddess of mercy. The long wooden structure was permeated with the smell of incense and was quiet except for a lone monk chanting at the center of the statues.
After a few days of sightseeing around Kyoto, we returned to Tokyo via shinkansen. One of our most important days was also our last full day in Japan - our presentations to members of the U.S.-Japan Council. After a session of preparations, edits, and practice, it was time.
The presentations went splendidly, of course. Despite a bit of nerves (this was what we had traveled to Japan to do, after all), the whole group killed it. The presentations ranged on a wide variety of cultural topics: everything from the differences in diet in Japan vs. the U.S. to the origins of the Aloha shirt. In fact, the presentations will be given once more here on island for members of the Japanese consulate on April 16th, 2023.
On our last day, we visited the small town of Sawara just outside of Narita City to attend a festival (Hina Matsuri, also known as Doll's Day or Girl's Day). This also happened to be the
last day of the festival, so we were lucky to catch it before our departure. Girls from the town, dressed in red eyeliner and traditional doll-like outfits, sailed down the river in open-top boats as musicians played Japanese-style wind instruments. Vendors lining the river and main street of the town were selling homemade mochi (which contained the most delicious, locally-grown strawberry and silky red bean I have ever had the pleasure of tasting), takoyaki, and sakura soft-serve ice cream. The town itself felt like stepping into Old Chiba, though we were less than an hour's drive from the airport.
Then, after some bittersweet goodbyes to Yumi-san and Kondo-san and standard airport tomfoolery, we were on the plane back to Hawai'i.
It was a truly wonderful week, and I loved getting to know everyone who was selected for the program. I appreciated the different backgrounds of the other Kakehashi scholars, and that we were each in different years and majors at school. It added another layer of perspectives to a program intended to explore the differences - and similarities - of where we grow up and how that informs our interactions with the world.
Anyway, enjoy some B-roll. And don't worry, our mouths have since recovered.
The next morning, it was full steam ahead from the start. Meiji-Jingu Shrine and Takeshita Street (the most famous street in Harajuku) were our first excursions. We had lunch at a local restaurant, where we ate tempura with matcha salt and miso soup. JICE was really well organized in this arena; walking into restaurants felt like being part of a royal precession. Our meals were ready as soon as we were seated, and they had prepared vegetarian and kosher meals in advance as well. 
straight GRINDZ still can't believe how onolicious the food and experience was. Great blog Ness!! Loved reminiscing on this incredible experience <3 my cheeks are still missing
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