Some quotes were translated from Japanese to English.
TOKYO AND SHIZUOKA, JAPAN — A school trip of 25 students from the Japanese class at Los Alamitos High School traveled to Tokyo and Shizuoka for an once-in-a-lifetime experience that blended friendship, culture and memories. Held every other year, this program aims to share cultural values between students in Japan and Los Alamitos.
On the first full day, students explored the bustling streets of Tokyo and visited many iconic landmarks. After enjoying a delicious breakfast buffet at the hotel, the class visited Tokyo Skytree, a tower over 2,000 feet tall. At skytree, students had a chance to explore the indoor mall, grab food and see a bird-eyes view of Tokyo. A charter bus took the group to many famous streets including Akihabara, Harajuku and Shibuya. Here, they were able to go shopping, try street food and experience life in Tokyo.
Day 2 in Tokyo was a day of adventure and fun! In the morning, students traveled to the Asakusa shrine. There, they were able to get a japanese fortune, visits shrines, and buy souvenirs and yummy snacks. After, students got to spend half a day at Tokyo Disney Sea. There are many famous rides like Rapunzel’s Lantern Festival and treats like the little green dumplings, which have various custard fillings.
“It was very fun and interesting living in a completely different environment for a week and I learned a lot about Japanese culture and values,” said LAHS senior Kai Rolland-Engel.
The 3rd day in Japan was full of new experiences. After checking out of the hotel, students went to the Cup Noodle Museum in Yokohama. They were able to make their own custom cup noodles and shop around at a nearby mall. Then, they were on their way to Shizuoka to meet their homestay buddies. After meeting their buddies at Johoku high school, each student parted ways and began their homestay program.
Each student had a different experience when staying with their host families. Some adventures the students went on were shopping at the local mall, going to karaoke, going to petting zoos, and wearing traditional Japanese attire. Every student made a lifelong friend through this program and immersed themselves in everyday Japanese culture.
“It was really interesting seeing how similar my family was to theirs and the little differences. They made me feel as if I was a part of their family and I wouldn’t trade the experiences I had there for the world,” said LAHS senior, Gwyn Gardener.
Students attended Japanese high school with either their host student or host buddy. They were required to wear a school uniform and stay in class. Each student had a group they did presentations to a few times a day on various topics relating to LAHS and southern California. After these presentations, students were able to talk to students in each class and share about themselves. During a day trip, Losal students visited Salesio High School to learn about their school and introduce LAHS.
“Becoming a host family, learning about American culture and teaching Japanese culture was a lot to learn from! We created a bond so strong that I want her to come everyday already!” said Kazusa Baba, a senior at Johoku High School and homestay program student.
The last day on the trip was emotional for many. Johoku high school prepared a goodbye party where heart touching speeches were presented by teachers and students. Although students said goodbye to their buddies, their friendship will continue to be carried throughout their lifetime.
