Anna Ekmekci, Lilian Ivlev, David Szabo-Dery
Day 4 (1/30):
Today, we woke up bright and early for another beautiful day. We met in the lobby for a quick breakfast and visited a few of the convenience stores nearby (7-Eleven continues to be a big hit). After eating, we left for Kokutaiji to attend the first and second period classes. We were able to experience lessons such as biology, language culture, math, and others.
After leaving our classes, we took a quick walk to the Rai Sanyo Historical Museum, where we got an incredible experience of Japanese culture. We split up into two groups and alternated between different activities. We learned about suiboku-ga (ink painting), which is a style of painting that uses black ink and water. We were able to experiment with different brush strokes and lines to create paintings of bamboo plants. At the Rai Sanyo Historical Museum, we also learned Wataji-bon; an old way to bind a book using Japanese paper and rolled paper to make strings.
Following these activities, we had a kimono dressing experience, which was the first time for many of us in trying traditional Japanese clothing. Walking in the shoes they provided us was a bit challenging, but we were able to take many amazing photos.
After we were able to enjoy this experience, we walked back to Kokutaiji, enjoyed convenience store drinks, and ate lunch from the Andersen bakery. Then, we were invited to introduce ourselves at the first grade assembly in the gym and thank Kokutaiji for its hospitality.
Then, to prepare for tomorrow’s presentation, we hung up our posters in the classrooms where the exhibits will take place, and were given some time to practice. We were able to get a quick preview of the Japanese researchers’ posters, and saw many interesting ones including an exploration of Japanese consumerism in schools and the potential of artificial intelligence.
After making sure that we are ready to present, we participated in a tea ceremony experience, which stems from Wabi-cha, invented by Sen no Rikyu, a famous tea master. This provided us with the opportunity to mindfully reflect, while enjoying wonderful matcha tea and a plant-based treat.
Following the tea ceremony, we walked to Shabu-Yo for dinner, a Japanese hotpot all-you-can-eat restaurant. Here, we enjoyed a variety of dishes, including meats, fresh vegetables, and different types of noodles. We also got to enjoy ice cream after our meal, and even saw a robot delivering plates of meat!
When we were done eating, we speed-walked to a Pokemon store minutes before closing and bought a myriad of different souvenirs, including Pokemon decks, keychains, and more. After, we also went to a figurine store with characters from many popular anime, shows, and movies along with a clothing store at Sun Mall. We returned to the hotel to prepare and get some rest before our big day.
As a side note, today we learned that our Peace Discussion from yesterday got featured on Japanese national television!! This is on NHK, and you can watch the whole video here: https://www3.nhk.or.jp/lnews/hiroshima/20250130/4000028354.html
We are also on RCC, another Japanese news article: https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/f737b8e8fa7d9d71d2bc0a6cf80edf636f1736f1
