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"The greatest danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it." -- Japanese Proverb Woodlands Students Discover the Beautiful Country of Japan

Nine students from Woodlands Middle/High School took the trip of a lifetime over spring break, traveling to beautiful and exotic Japan.

The group, accompanied by Woodland teacher Dr. Charles Fritz, landed in Tokyo and began their stay in the Sumo District of Ryoguku, Sumida City. The district is known for its origins of sumo wrestling events and Chanko Nabe, a hearty stew that wrestlers eat. It is common to see wrestlers at restaurants and in the neighborhood.

The students visited Asakusa, Tokyo's oldest shrine, followed by the Meiji Shrine. They also visited home of anime, in Akihabara, the premier electronics district and ate sushi from conveyor belts.

The students and Dr. Fritz also visited the top of the Government Office Towers and the top of the Sky Tree, to see the beautiful Mount Fuji from afar and the expansive skyline in Tokyo. They surveyed the armor and swords of past samurai and looked at early Japanese art and artifacts, with the help of museum curators.

At Kamakura, the group saw the Great Buddha, one of the largest copper statues in Japan. Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gū proved to be an impressive Temple with expansive gardens and students were lucky enough to witness a traditional Shinto ceremony. Then it was on to Hakone, for a stay at a traditional Japanese resort where the group ate in the traditional style on Tatami mats, wearing comfortable kimonos. The resort's windows looked out at the majestic Mount Fuji.

Mount Fuji

During the trip, the group saw active sulfur vents and hot springs, where they ate hard boiled eggs cooked in the vents. (The water made the shells black and filled the shells with nutrients.) They rode a funicular to the top of the mountain and looked down at Lake Ashi.

The group traveled by boat next, to visit Odawara castle, an ancient keep that survived several wars. They caught the fast-moving bullet train to Kyoto, where they arrived to a full moon glowing past the Kyoto Tower. The group enjoyed a cultural exchange with students from a Japanese high school and shared a sashimi dinner of rice and raw fish (and extra wasabi), ramen and other delights.

Dr. Fritz gets a visit from a "bowing" deer

The students were eager to talk about music, language and both Japanese and American culture. Language barriers and anxieties faded rapidly as the students smiled and laughed with one another. Social media has allowed them to stay in touch and some of the Japanese students plan to visit NYC this summer.

Elijah Cintron and Kira Skjeveland talk about their trip to Japan.

Other sights included the Golden Pavilion, a fashion show, and a visit with a kimono maker. They walked on the Nightingale floors in Nijojo Castle, which make a noise as you walk on them to serve as an alarm system in the castle. The students also traveled to the top of the Fushimi Inari shrine, where many fox statues (guardians) line the paths. They took selfies with owls, monkeys, and deer. They were also fortunate enough to see a Maiko (Geisha), which their tour guide, Makisan, said was a rarity. Arishayama proved to be beautiful with its bamboo groves, tempura shrimp and beautiful shrines.

Beautiful kimonos

In Nara, students fed the deer who bowed as they approached, ate grade A5 steak and saw the Todaija Temple, built in AD 752, along Nishi Hongan ji, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Cofi Frimpong-Badu talks about his reaction to Japan.

What a life-changing experience for our students!

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