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June 16, 2002

Home away from home! The Rihga Royal Hotel has been our Kyoto home for NP:J. Notice the structure at the top of the hotel? That's the "Top of Kyoto," a very popular restaurant for our NP:J students and trachers. It features terrific view of downtown Kyoto and delicious French cuisine---all in a revolving restaurant! What's my line? Here's a sample of the maps our NP:J participants read almost every day at any train station in Japan. This particular map displays some of the Kyoto train lines? It can be confusing, but it's a fun challenge to figure it out! This shot of Kyoto Station at lunch hour reveals the beauty of the new train station as well as the degree to which most Japanese rely upon Japan's excellent public transportation system Japan is a country on the move. Each day, over one million passengers pass through the doors of the Kyoto "eki."

Weekend in Kansai! Saturday and Sunday, June 15th and 16th This weekend, the student and teachers participating in the June tour of New Perspectives: Japan began their exploration of Kyoto, Osaka and the surrounding region (Kansai). We have customarily referred to this time as the moment when participants "step out of the classroom and into the culture" of Japan. The options for encountering rich culture and for honing Japanese language skills are limitless here. Kyoto is a city noted for its incredibly rich history. Spared bombing in World War II, Kyoto's ancient temples, shrines, museums and cultural sites have survived. Students and teachers walk temple corridors that pre-date America's Declaration of Independence by more than 700 years. When walking the tree-lined cobblestone walkways of the Gion District, one can still catch glimpses of feudal Japan. Next door to Kyoto, NP:J participants can explore Osaka, a thriving business center and sister city to Chicago. Osaka is a city of great warmth and honesty, where the gruffly humorous greeting you often hear is "mokari ma ka," or "how much money did you make?" Delicious cuisine is available in both Kyoto and Osaka, and both cities claim to outdo its neighbor in cooking okonomiyaki, a uniquely Japanese "pancake (this dish defies description...)." Our NP:J schools have experienced many of the cultural riches of Kyoto and Osaka in the past two days, including visits to Kiyomizudera (a beautiful temple with a breathtaking view of Kyoto), Sanjusangendo (an ancient temple that houses 1,001 intricately carved statues of Buddha), Kinkakuji (a silver-plated architectural wonder), Osaka Castle, Himeji Castle, and the gardens and wildlife of Nara. In addition, students have been experiencing valuable lessons about culture and life. For example, some teachers have been asking students to volunteer to lead the group and navigate the subways and buses of Japan, thereby gaining greater awareness of how to get from place to place. Each day, students encounter their Japanese peers and attempt to achieve meaningful communication---purchases are made, directions are requested, menus are deciphered, and in some cases new friendships are begun. While the study tour is only in its early stage, we are begining to see young people becoming more confident in their ability to communicate, more willing to explore the new and unfamiliar, more mature in the face of each day's unique learning challenges. Tonight, Sunday night, when all the teachers and students return from their final day of study and travel in Kyoto, we will be holding a Homestay Orientation. Everyone will receive instruction to prepare them for the next nine days of NP:J, a time spent living with a host family and visiting a host school.On Monday, June 17th, we will depart from the Rihga Royal Hotel for various cities and communities in Japan. From Oita on the southern isle of Kyushu, to the sprawling metropolis of Toyko, to the bit cooler climes of northern Japan, students and teachers will be experiencing the authentic day-to-day life in their new role as a member of their Japanese family. We wish them well! We will be posting the next issue of our NP:J newsletter on June 25th, when the NP:J group regathers at the Olympic Village in Tokyo. Thank you for your continued support and for making it possible for your loved ones to experience this unique learning opportunity! Until the 25th, sayonara! Making new friends is always fun! Here, a group of students from the Shawnee Mission Center for International Studies meet some Japanese students who will soon join them on a bus heading for one of Kyoto's most popular temples, Kiyomizudera.The young Japanese man on the far right asked, in English: "Will you take a picture with me?" And the Shawnee Mission students happily replied in Japanese: "Hai! Sugoi desu, ne?"