DAY 1 (March 11, 2013)
And the day I’ve always thought would come years later finally came.
But of course, who would ever forget it was the same day when 2 years ago, the Great Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami struck the Land of the Rising Sun.
Around 6:00AM, after breakfast and a photo opp with Mr. Shinichi Kato and Director Kiyoshi Takeuchi, we headed to Ninoy Aquino International Airport for our 9:20AM flight to Narita.
I would just like to include how I strongly agreed on how organized this whole trip would turn out to be after reading to the detailed schedule sent to us a week before departure (as expected from the Japanese). Thanks to my course, I have been to different places in groups and in terms of coordination; my past experiences’ weren’t as organized as from what I’ve observed firsthand upon checking-in at the airline counter. It’s always us waiting for the counters to open and getting mixed up with the other passengers ‘causing even longer queues. And so, as we approach Japan Airline’s check-in counter, I saw 3 counters labeled with “Kizuna” with the ground staffs awaiting our arrival. Sorry, I just couldn’t help but compare my past experiences. As a hospitality management student, how I wish a thing as simple as that was done during our time to reduce time and confusion among the group and the other passengers.
After checking in, we had our last photo opp with everyone from batch 2 and the representatives of Japan Embassy before entering Immigration.
On our way to Gate 9, I saw this plane, DL173, which was the plane I boarded in Narita on my way back to Manila coming from my almost 4 month-stay in the United States for my Internship, July 6th of 2012. Brought back memories.
And so we boarded the plane, took off at 9:20AM. I was totally in awe with the bird’s eye view camera,
so as with their long list of in-flight movies and dramas, as I happen to find some of my favorites in it which I have watched during the 4-hour-flight.
Meal time came. During the pre-departure orientation, we were told that JAL’s meal was tasty, and it really was! Definitely the tastiest hamburger steak I’ve had by far.
As we approached Narita, I remembered again the last memory I had during my first landing in Narita: brighter green landscape, clouds, and rain. It was summer back then, but anyway, I was really glad it was neither raining nor cloudy this time.
We rode a tram going to another building for Immigration. And now, I could truly say that I have finally set foot in Japan.
I hurriedly went down for the baggage carousel expecting we’d be the ones to get it ourselves but then again, I was surprised that everyone’s luggage were already segregated according to groups. The tour coordinators from Top Tours guided us near the exit, we lined up there for awhile to wait for the others and to distribute our bag tags.
With everyone ready, we headed outside for the truck which will bring our big luggage first to Kuji City since we were told that there will be no enough space in the bullet train and as well as for everyone’s convenience (Our luggage sure was heavy).
As expected in late-winter, it was cold. The weather I missed so much back when I was in Virginia Beach so I didn’t mind the cold after all.
And we're off to Tokyo.
First view of Tokyo Sky Tree.
Tokyo Disneyland.
After about 2 hours, we arrived in Hotel Metropolitan Edmont in Iidabashi, Chiyoda-ku. There, we first met our coordinators who gave us our I.D.s with an SOS card in case we get lost,
and room keys while in the bus. We went to our rooms to leave our stuff and were asked to assemble in the lobby at 6:45PM for body temperature check (which was done before every meal to make sure everyone’s in good condition) before walking to the restaurant.
The room was big enough for 2, and luckily, it was overlooking the Tokyo Sky Tree.
We had our dinner at “Sai”, a restaurant in a bulding just beside the hotel. And from the restaurant’s view, I saw Tokyo Dome Hotel so I thought Tokyo Dome’s got to be closer.
We passed by Sakura trees as we walked to a building few minutes away for our orientation where JICE discussed the things about the place we’re going, the activities we’ll be doing, as well as our responsibilities. We also received this manual, where a detailed schedule, map of Japan and Iwate Prefecture, complete information on the accommodations’ facilities, details of the activities that we will be doing, information regarding the Japanese culture, etc. were written; a booklet where we can find basic vocabularies and conversations in Japanese; masks, since hay fever is a common sickness during spring in Japan; and 2 SOS-like cards that we were told to insert in our passports and wallets in case we lost it.
Our group experienced a Japanese game called “Amidakuji” which we used to decide on who will be in the Amber Pendant-making Group or Fisherman’s Group. We were first confused on how the game is done, connecting the lines, works like a ladder. It was just that simple yet unexpectedly fun!
Following the orientation, we offered our silent prayers to remember the 2nd anniversary of the Great Tohoku Earthquake. Afterwards, the group coordinators were formally introduced to us. On our group, we have Maki-san and Takahashi-san. We were excited as much as they are. I was so glad when I heard them say that they were lucky to be assigned in a Filipino group because Filipinos are the easiest to handle. I was also sort of psyched because I could finally respond in Japanese during greetings and when we have to respond “Hai!”, which I kind of adapted since getting hooked into Japanese dramas and which I could only just normally murmur to myself before or to those who could understand me.
The orientation ended past 9PM and went back to the hotel for some reminders in case a fire or earthquake occurs. Our group supervisors showed us the fire exits, and believe it or not, they also have an exit which can only be used when an earthquake occurs. I don’t really know in what way they are different or why the exits have to be different when both looked the same from the outside.
After having a short practice for our cultural presentation, we were given a very short free time since our curfew is at 10PM and it was already 9:35PM, we can’t go far away. Finding out Tokyo Dome was just a walking distance away when I researched about the hotel before, it made me wanted to go to Tokyo Dome so badly. I was determined. But I wasn’t really sure which way to go though I have seen Tokyo Dome’s roof when we were walking towards the orientation venue and we can never leave the hotel alone as stated in the rules. Good thing, I have other groupmates who got curious of the place and wanted to tag along. Unsure, we walked straight ahead on the same street we had earlier until the pedestrian crossing with McDonald’s and a train station on the other side. When I turned my head left, there I saw, “Tokyo Dome City”. I screamed “OMG” to myself. Again, got very, very, very excited.
The 2013 World Baseball Classic was ongoing in Tokyo Dome at that time so there were still quite a number of people in the area. From the outside it looked really big, how much more from the inside? I also thought of Kokuritsu which is definitely bigger than Tokyo Dome, I wondered how big it could get in actual. I took a video and a number of photos since the place’s special for me.
Oh how I wish it was an Arashi concert-day instead. And as much as we wanted to explore more of the area, we couldn’t as it’s already past 10PM and so we returned to the hotel already.
It was a Monday and remembered Sho-chan’s News Zero. Though I couldn’t understand most of what was said, I have watched it and the rest of the programs until I got sleepy and called it a night, still with a surreal feeling.
Prologue
Day 0 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
But of course, who would ever forget it was the same day when 2 years ago, the Great Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami struck the Land of the Rising Sun.
Around 6:00AM, after breakfast and a photo opp with Mr. Shinichi Kato and Director Kiyoshi Takeuchi, we headed to Ninoy Aquino International Airport for our 9:20AM flight to Narita.
I would just like to include how I strongly agreed on how organized this whole trip would turn out to be after reading to the detailed schedule sent to us a week before departure (as expected from the Japanese). Thanks to my course, I have been to different places in groups and in terms of coordination; my past experiences’ weren’t as organized as from what I’ve observed firsthand upon checking-in at the airline counter. It’s always us waiting for the counters to open and getting mixed up with the other passengers ‘causing even longer queues. And so, as we approach Japan Airline’s check-in counter, I saw 3 counters labeled with “Kizuna” with the ground staffs awaiting our arrival. Sorry, I just couldn’t help but compare my past experiences. As a hospitality management student, how I wish a thing as simple as that was done during our time to reduce time and confusion among the group and the other passengers.
After checking in, we had our last photo opp with everyone from batch 2 and the representatives of Japan Embassy before entering Immigration.
On our way to Gate 9, I saw this plane, DL173, which was the plane I boarded in Narita on my way back to Manila coming from my almost 4 month-stay in the United States for my Internship, July 6th of 2012. Brought back memories.
And so we boarded the plane, took off at 9:20AM. I was totally in awe with the bird’s eye view camera,
so as with their long list of in-flight movies and dramas, as I happen to find some of my favorites in it which I have watched during the 4-hour-flight.
Meal time came. During the pre-departure orientation, we were told that JAL’s meal was tasty, and it really was! Definitely the tastiest hamburger steak I’ve had by far.
As we approached Narita, I remembered again the last memory I had during my first landing in Narita: brighter green landscape, clouds, and rain. It was summer back then, but anyway, I was really glad it was neither raining nor cloudy this time.
We rode a tram going to another building for Immigration. And now, I could truly say that I have finally set foot in Japan.
I hurriedly went down for the baggage carousel expecting we’d be the ones to get it ourselves but then again, I was surprised that everyone’s luggage were already segregated according to groups. The tour coordinators from Top Tours guided us near the exit, we lined up there for awhile to wait for the others and to distribute our bag tags.
With everyone ready, we headed outside for the truck which will bring our big luggage first to Kuji City since we were told that there will be no enough space in the bullet train and as well as for everyone’s convenience (Our luggage sure was heavy).
As expected in late-winter, it was cold. The weather I missed so much back when I was in Virginia Beach so I didn’t mind the cold after all.
And we're off to Tokyo.
First view of Tokyo Sky Tree.
Tokyo Disneyland.
After about 2 hours, we arrived in Hotel Metropolitan Edmont in Iidabashi, Chiyoda-ku. There, we first met our coordinators who gave us our I.D.s with an SOS card in case we get lost,
and room keys while in the bus. We went to our rooms to leave our stuff and were asked to assemble in the lobby at 6:45PM for body temperature check (which was done before every meal to make sure everyone’s in good condition) before walking to the restaurant.
The room was big enough for 2, and luckily, it was overlooking the Tokyo Sky Tree.
We had our dinner at “Sai”, a restaurant in a bulding just beside the hotel. And from the restaurant’s view, I saw Tokyo Dome Hotel so I thought Tokyo Dome’s got to be closer.
We passed by Sakura trees as we walked to a building few minutes away for our orientation where JICE discussed the things about the place we’re going, the activities we’ll be doing, as well as our responsibilities. We also received this manual, where a detailed schedule, map of Japan and Iwate Prefecture, complete information on the accommodations’ facilities, details of the activities that we will be doing, information regarding the Japanese culture, etc. were written; a booklet where we can find basic vocabularies and conversations in Japanese; masks, since hay fever is a common sickness during spring in Japan; and 2 SOS-like cards that we were told to insert in our passports and wallets in case we lost it.
Our group experienced a Japanese game called “Amidakuji” which we used to decide on who will be in the Amber Pendant-making Group or Fisherman’s Group. We were first confused on how the game is done, connecting the lines, works like a ladder. It was just that simple yet unexpectedly fun!
Following the orientation, we offered our silent prayers to remember the 2nd anniversary of the Great Tohoku Earthquake. Afterwards, the group coordinators were formally introduced to us. On our group, we have Maki-san and Takahashi-san. We were excited as much as they are. I was so glad when I heard them say that they were lucky to be assigned in a Filipino group because Filipinos are the easiest to handle. I was also sort of psyched because I could finally respond in Japanese during greetings and when we have to respond “Hai!”, which I kind of adapted since getting hooked into Japanese dramas and which I could only just normally murmur to myself before or to those who could understand me.
The orientation ended past 9PM and went back to the hotel for some reminders in case a fire or earthquake occurs. Our group supervisors showed us the fire exits, and believe it or not, they also have an exit which can only be used when an earthquake occurs. I don’t really know in what way they are different or why the exits have to be different when both looked the same from the outside.
After having a short practice for our cultural presentation, we were given a very short free time since our curfew is at 10PM and it was already 9:35PM, we can’t go far away. Finding out Tokyo Dome was just a walking distance away when I researched about the hotel before, it made me wanted to go to Tokyo Dome so badly. I was determined. But I wasn’t really sure which way to go though I have seen Tokyo Dome’s roof when we were walking towards the orientation venue and we can never leave the hotel alone as stated in the rules. Good thing, I have other groupmates who got curious of the place and wanted to tag along. Unsure, we walked straight ahead on the same street we had earlier until the pedestrian crossing with McDonald’s and a train station on the other side. When I turned my head left, there I saw, “Tokyo Dome City”. I screamed “OMG” to myself. Again, got very, very, very excited.
The 2013 World Baseball Classic was ongoing in Tokyo Dome at that time so there were still quite a number of people in the area. From the outside it looked really big, how much more from the inside? I also thought of Kokuritsu which is definitely bigger than Tokyo Dome, I wondered how big it could get in actual. I took a video and a number of photos since the place’s special for me.
Oh how I wish it was an Arashi concert-day instead. And as much as we wanted to explore more of the area, we couldn’t as it’s already past 10PM and so we returned to the hotel already.
It was a Monday and remembered Sho-chan’s News Zero. Though I couldn’t understand most of what was said, I have watched it and the rest of the programs until I got sleepy and called it a night, still with a surreal feeling.
Prologue
Day 0 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10