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July 22, 2002

Theisen students during their last Study Day in Tokyo. It is sooo hot but they are holding up pretty well, don't you think? Where do these people come from? Over a hundred thousand pass through this intersection every few hours! It's amazing no one got separated from their group! Don't the pizzas behind us look good? Let's eat here. Plastic food samples in display windows help customers decide what they would like to eat. It comes in very handy when one doesn't read Japanese! Here are the Theisen participants in front of a five-story pagoda in Ueno. But there is something really adorable nearby... Pandas! The Ueno zoo has a couple of pandas. Although the Theisen students did not get to see the pandas because they were asleep. The stuffed panda had to do for this photo op. It was cute anyway!

The Last Day in Tokyo and on to Our Host Families and Schools! On the final study day in Tokyo, our camera person followed the Theisen group through Tokyo to the Shibuya and Ueno districts of the city. Shibuya attracts teens and young adults, in particular, because the eateries, shops, and department stores cater to the fashions of these age groups. While some of these fashions can be quite expensive, many street vendors sell imitation goods as well as hand made items such as earrings and necklaces making purchases affordable. Since this is such a popular spot to shop and meet friends, on some days, it may feel like all of Tokyo's teens and twentysomethings are here at the same time. The Theisen students most likely are quite impressed with the numbers of people swarming this Shibuya intersection (see picture to the left). However, at least you can still see pavement. There are times when one might need to be more aggressive to wade through the crowds! The next stop was the Ueno district on the other side of the city. Many of the national museums along with the city zoo can be found in this part of town. Older buildings also remain intact in this section, giving off a very different atmosphere than the new mega buildings in Shibuya. While the juxtaposition of visiting the brand new then the older buildings of Ueno, one of the highlights was the opportunity to see the pandas at the Ueno zoo. Alas, the pandas were taking a "hiru yasumi (afternoon nap). It has been terribly hot since the NP:J participants' arrival in Japan. It is no wonder the pandas were taking a nap! (To view the itineraries of the other groups, please click here. This link will take you to the daily schedule of each group. Included in the itinerary is each group's host school name and location. As you will see, the NP:J participants are located as far north as Sendai and as far south as Fukuoka. One group (Saginaw) is visiting their sister city of Tokushima.) At the end of this day, all teachers and students gathered at the Olympic Center for a briefing on departure procedures. (By they way, if you are curious about what the National Youth Olympic Center looks like, please click here to link to the photos taken during the June tour.) Departure was complicated by the fact that the school groups are scattered throughout Japan; and therefore, there were five separate departure times. The first to depart were Arlington and Saginaw. These two groups flew to their destinations as they were the farthest away. Others (San Clemente, Estill, Redford, and Janesville Craig) took the Shinkansen (bullet train). The remaining three groups (Hamady, St. Maria Goretti, and Theisen) traveled by local or local express trains to their host schools. By far, the most amusing(?) departure was experienced by the Arlington and Saginaw groups. Leaving the Olympic Center at 8:20 am meant that they had to travel through the Tokyo rush hour train system. Imagine hundreds of people, cramming into a train car, some being pushed into the cars by the professional, white-gloved, passenger "pushers," all during a really hot and humid morning. Looking around at the faces of the NP:J participants, all were round eyed with shock. They knew the Tokyo train rush was crowded, but to actually experience it was another matter! Some snapping of photos took place...parents and friends of these groups will need to make sure they see these pictures to believe it! It's doubtful that this can be experienced in Saginaw or Indianapolis! The pictures which follow are examples of what NP:J school groups encountered when they arrived at their host sites. Depending on time of arrival, the welcome scenes vary. But all groups were welcomed heartily and eagerly. As the following pictures show, NP:J groups immediately jumped into activities arranged by their hosts. Because the groups are so spread out in Japan, it is not possible to provide photos of all schools during this phase of the experience, but all groups have a rich, educational schedule outlined by the host schools. In two days, the NP:J teachers and students depart their host schools and families and arrive in Kyoto. No doubt some tears will be shed when saying good-bye because students quickly become attached to their host families during this intense week-long exposure to Japanese family and school life. However, students and teachers will be able to conclude their Japan experience with an unforgettable encounter with the ancient capital of Japan, Kyoto. NP:J participants will once again be able to receive and send email from their npjapan.org email accounts while in Kyoto. In the meantime, the fourth New Perspectives: Japan online newsletter will be posted on July 24. Looking forward to our next visit! Ja mata, ne!