Trip
Cities Visited
Student Testimonies
Acknowledgements
Los Angeles (5/14/2019 – 5/15/2019)
Los Angeles was the first stop on our way to Japan. We stayed the night in a hotel, then flew out to the Haneda airport the next morning.
Naruto (5/27- 5/29)
Locations visited/activities included: Shopping for meals in Naruto, visiting Naruto Kyoiku University, meals with Japanese students, and visiting the Uzushio Whirlpool and Museum.
Tokyo (5/15/2019 – 5/20/2019)
Locations visited/activities attended include; a koto strings workshop, the Team Lab Digital Art Museum, Odaiba walk, Meiji Jingu Shrine, Shibuya walk, Sensoji/Sanja Matsuri, Akihabara, Shinjuku walk, the Edo-Tokyo Museum, and a sumo viewing.
Kyoto (5/30- 6/3)
Locations visited/activities included: visiting Himeji Street, Himeji Castle, Nara, the Todaiji temple, completing a calligraphy workshop, visiting the Nissin (Cup of Noodles) Museum, Dotonbori street walk, visiting the Fushimi Inari shrine, Kinkaku ji temple, Manga museum, and a Kamogawa and Ponto street walk.
Nagoya (5/21- 5/23)
Locations Visited/activities attended include; visiting Nagoya University (NUFS) , the Toyota Museum and factory, and visiting Chukyo University.
Tokyo (6/4- 6/5)
Tokyo was visited a second time so that we could fly back to the United States from the Haneda airport.
Hiroshima (5/24- 5/26)
Locations visited/activities included: visiting Hiroshima University, Hiroshima walk, Hiroshima peace park, Hiroshima Genbaku Museum, Miyajima/Itsukushima Shrine, and Mt. Misen climbing.
3 weeks in Japan never felt enough to experience everything but it was worth every second to be there no matter what we did and if given a chance to stay longer I would have taken it in a heartbeat.
I never believed I would be given an opportunity to leave the country, but the travel course gave me an unforgettable experience. I learned much more than I could in a classroom, and I had fun doing it.
I’m very grateful that I was given the opportunity to immerse myself in the culture and customs of Japan. I enjoyed everything from exploring Himeji Castle to finding a new gyoza restaurant at every new location we visited. The entire experience was extraordinary and it is something I will never forget.
Within the 3 weks that I was in Japan, I grw so mch as a person. I never thought going to another country and experienceing their culture would make me mature even more. The 21 days spent in Japan was an unforgettable experience that was full of amazing times, spent with wonderful people, and some of the most delicious food I have ever ate.
An absolute blast!
Travelling to Japan this past summer meant a lot to me. It’s been the one place I’ve wanted to go for years and I had never been outside of the country before. It was a lot to take in at first but I’m so glad I made the decision to sign up for the trip.
The Japan summer travel course is quite literally a once in a lifetime opportunity. Having a chance to go to such a beautiful country on an entirely different continent with a group of my closest friends is something that I will never forget.
Words cannot possibly describe what I felt after being on this trip. Being able to go to Japan, enjoy its culture, food, and history in person is one thing. To do so with so many amazing people is something entirely different.
The Travel Course to Japan was a wonderful experience that I will never forget. Culturally it was breath taking and I learned more about the country being in its presence then I would have from an outside view.
Japan was a dream come true. It was amazing to be able to travel around Japan and experience a different culture than what I am used to. Meeting people from our partner universities allowed me to make friends that I have developed a close bond with. When I get a chance I hope to be able to go again.
Going to Japan was one of my dreams, and it was everything I expected and better. The culture, language, and rich history was fascinating to experience first hand. It’s one thing to study in America, but thanks to the trip I was able to walk through Japan, try new foods, and make friends.
The trip was a unique experience that I -and likely the rest of us- won’t get to take again. The experience we had with this trip was well worth the financial cost of it. If I had passed up on this opportunity, then I probably would have regretted it for years.
JSTC 2019 Acknowledgements
Colleagues and Leadership
In no particular order, we thank
· Dr. Yanjun Yan from Engineering and Dr. David Tyler from Sports Management for their tremendous help before, during, and after the travel
· Dr. Scott Rader from Sales and Marketing for his advice from preparation for to closing of the course
· Melissa Allen from World Languages for her assistance in submitting all the paperwork
Hosts
In no particular order, we thank
· Maki Yanai, who gave us a music workshop in Tokyo
· Minami Hoshiya, who helped plan activites and events for our stay in Tokyo
· Faculty and staff who welcomed our visit at Chukyo University
· Faculty and staff who welcomed our visit at Nagoya University of Foreign Studies
· Dr. Brett Walter who arranged activities for our visit at Hiroshima University
· Dr. Miho Mano, Shinji Asano, and Yui Furukawa from Naruto University of Education, who arranged our itineraries in Naruto, Tokushima
· Naruto Elementary School and Middle School
· Professor Yuri Hasegawa, who arranged activities for our visit at Osaka University of Education
· Megan Gill, WCU alumni, who accompanied with our group to guide in Osaka and Kyoto
· The names of our hosts who are not public figures are omitted for privacy. Our appreciation extends to all who have welcomed us.
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