Category Archives: Toride City

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A Reflection on World Campus International Summer 2009 Tour!

Meeting Great Host Family


Ray from America and Ashwin from Holland


Having fun in Greenland

Okay, wow. First of all, traveling with World Campus International this summer was my first trip outside of Europe and my first trip alone for more than 2 weeks. At first I was a little bit scared. Who will I meet and what will the program be like? Of course I read a lot about the program on the website, but still I could only create an image, which might be different from the real thing… and it was different. All the people I met there were so friendly and open! I am now back in my country called Holland and only now I realize what kind of people I met there and how they changed my whole lifestyle and way of thinking.

I completed all three programs of World Campus International this summer. I visited 6 different cities, lived with 7 different host families and each stay was an experience on its own. I met friends in Japan with the same interests as me, friends with the same passion, friends with a different way of thinking and friends with other customs. I never thought I would meet such a variety of people! Even when I met more than one person from one country, none of them had the same personality or interests. That was the beautiful part of the diversity I encountered. For me, I did not just meet people from Taiwan, Norway, China or Japan; no, I met people who became good friends. I never ever thought that I would get so close to the people I met in the World Campus – Japan program.

The life in Japan I lived was so different from the life I lead in Holland. Not only because it took place in Japan, but also because I was immersed in the World Campus – Japan life. At times we had a busy schedule and I was tired from the program, but it was all worth it. The things I have seen and experienced, shaped my imagination and helped me form opinions on matters like education, international relations and the role of media within the society. Also, my thoughts on different food, customs and languages. Personally, it was weird to speak English every day, but the more I talked with my friends, the more I became accustomed to it. Not only did I learn English, I picked up a little Japanese, Chinese, some Korean and even some New Jersey slang.

I have gained so much. Now, I am sitting in my chair in my house in Holland looking at pictures and videos from the program, reliving the moments. I am trying to reflect on the whole program, but I am still in Japan with my thoughts. I cannot reflect on my experiences if I am still there, can I? When I look at all the pictures and videos, I have come to realize that the time in Japan, which I enjoyed to the fullest, is over.

It might seem sad that the end of the program came. But, it is not the end of World Campus (cliché, but true). I am staying in contact with my new friends on Facebook and mail (people who are reading this and have no Facebook; get Faaaaaaaaaaacebooooooooook!) and I talk to them about everything and nothing as if we were never separated from each other. I think making connections with new people is the focus of World Campus International. Because, truthfully, the program would never have turned out the way it did without the people who were participated.

Thank you for this wonderful time and experience. See you soon!

(Ashwin Ramjiawan, Holland)

City Life, City Theme Activities, Toride City

Kite Making Day!

Making Kites with Host Families


Preparing to Fly Kites


Flying Kites at School Playground

On our last activity day in Toride, all the World Campus International members and their host families spent time together making kites. Split into three teams, the members designed forty different kites within each of their groups. After much effort, the forty kites were strung together and flown at a nearby school. It was beautiful sight to see our colorful artwork displayed in the sky 🙂

City Life, Toride City

Arigato Event in Toride

Arigato Evento


Sekai ni hitotsu dake no hana


Soran Bushi


After staying in Toride for only four days it was time to thank the community and our host families with an Arigato Evento! World Campus International members showed off their cultural pieces and performed many songs and dances including ‘Waiting on the World to Change’ by John Mayor, ‘Soran Bushi’ Dance, ‘Ponyo’, SMAP’s ‘Sekai Ni Hitotsu Dake No Hana’. It was a great time for everyone to celebrate the memories we have made in Toride 🙂

City Life, City Theme Activities, Toride City

A Busy Day in Toride!

Japanese Traditional Dance


Playing Koto

After a visit to Canon’s Toride Plant in Ibaraki Prefecture, the World Campus International members participated in several Japanese cultural activities. Among the activities were playing Koto, a Japanese string instrument, children’s games, and learning about traditional dances, including one called ‘Nankin Tamasudare’. In Nankin Tamasudare, the performers use a bamboo mat to create different shapes during their special dance. At tomorrow’s Arigato Event, WCI members will present the activities they took part in 🙂

City Life, City Theme Activities, Toride City

100 Years Reputation

Hinamatsuri Doll


Hinamatsuri Doll 2


Group at Hinamatsuri Doll Shop

Today’s activities started with the introduction of Toride city by high school students. They talked about a lot of things including the firework festival, kite festival, the famous artifact, Keirin the exceptional Keirin racers, about Kirin which is a famous company working globally, and other big companies like Nisshin and so forth. By looking at their sincere attitudes of trying to communicate with poor English, I could feel that they are like me and many other Japanese students interested in learning different cultures. Since I have participated in this program, I could broaden my perspective and have been motivated by intense interactions with people from many different countries. I hope to be stimulated through more of those intercultural experiences in the future.

In the afternoon, we split into four groups to study Japanese culture in four areas, Toride honjin, Shin ropponten, Tanaka sake production, and Abuichi which are called “hyakunen danren,” and we made “commercials” to promote each of them. I went to Abuichi that specializes in the production of Japanese traditional dolls and decided to promote their Hina ningyou (Hina doll). Even for me as a Japanese person, I learned many new things for example, the origin of Hina Matsuri (festival), which takes place on the 3rd of March every year, is the combination of a doll playing called “Hiina Asobi” in Heian era (about 1200 years ago) and a ritual called “Nagashi Bina” to avoid misfortune and bad luck by transferring them into a doll made by straw or paper and floating it into the river or sea. And also I learned that the role of Hina ningyou is to drive away evil spirits and to wish girls’ good health. Each of the commercials were well done and we learned and had fun with studying each. At the end of the day, the Local Organizing Committee in Toride taught us a famous Haiku (Japanese poetry) piece,

Shizukesaya Iwanishimiiru Seminokoe by Basho Matsuo.

I had a day of direct experience touching Japanese traditional culture that is handed down generation to generation, and I could re-recognize the attraction of Japanese culture.

(Chihiro Abe, Japan)