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June 24, 2003

Kelly Walsh participants were the first to arrive in Kyoto on Tuesday, giving them the chance for a full day of sightseeing. These Carroll High School participants are heading out to explore the food and shoping at Kyoto station while they wait for the rest of their group to arrive from Sapporo in Hokkaido. After arriving in Kyoto, the St. Mark's group visisted Kiyomizu Temple and Yasaka shrine. Clarkston poses for a group photo in the lobby of the hotel. After arriving from Sapporo, Carroll participants met the rest of their group for an early evening tour of Kiyomizu Temple. The King Kekaulike group visited the Hiroshima Peace Park on the way to Kyoto. Webster High School arrives at the Rihga Royal Hotel. After dropping their bags off and a quick rest, they were off to visit a temple. The Rihga Royal Hotel is NP:J's base station in Kyoto.

Welcome to Kyoto! On the morning of Tuesday, June 24, all NP:J participants in Tour 2 said heartfelt goodbyes to their host families and schools. For the past week, students and teachers have been hosted throughout Japan from Oita, on the southernmost island of Kyushu, all the way to Sapporo, on the northernmost island of Hokkaido. They have attended classes, gone on fieldtrips, and learned first hand about life inside a Japanese home. Perhaps most importantly, each and every NP:J participant has made new friends whom they will remember throughout their lives. Although every groups' homestay experience is a little different, the experience of Michigan City High School at Haguro High School in Higashi Tagawa County, Yamagata Prefecture, is fairly typical. Each morning, NP:J students commuted to school by bus with their host brother or sister. It may surprise you that some students had commutes as long as one hour, but in Japan an hour-long commute is about average! During the week, the Michigan City group took part in some classes, but also had time to try their hand at a few traditional activities. They made soba (buckwheat noodles) from scratch and later had a formal meal featuring the student-made noodles. The group also attended a traditional tea ceremony at Gyokusenji Temple. Students who desired to could take part in various school clubs, such as the Judo club. At night, the cultural lessons continued at home with their host families where students learned through their host brother or sister about the new hot trends or maybe even how to properly wear a yukata (a light-weight summer kimono). After the sad goodbyes on Tuesday morning, NP:J participants boarded planes and trains for the journey to Kyoto, one of Japan's early capitals and the home of Japan's Imperial Family from 794 to 1868. Participants arrived throughout the day, and those that arrived early enough had no sooner dropped off their luggage at the hotel than they were out the door to explore a few of Kyoto's numerous temples or shopping arcades. A few groups did their exploring for the day en route: the King Kekaulike group stopped in Hiroshima to visit the Peace Park on their way north from Oita on the island of Kyushu. Over the course of the next few days, the exploration will continue, with groups visiting Osaka, Nara (Japan's earliest capital city), or Himeji, home of Himeji castle, built in 1580. The groups have two more full days here in Japan before they return to the U.S. on the 27th and you can bet they will make the most of it! Check back with us on June 27th, when the final article for this NP:J tour will be posted. Ja mata ne! Two Kelly Walsh students found the hotel gift shop shortly after arrival. They are wearing uniforms they received while at their host school. What's in those boxes the Eagle students are carrying? Maybe you will find out in a couple of days... Michigan City poses in the Rihga Royal Hotel lobby. They, too, went out to see the sights of Kyoto after their long train ride.