In November, I traveled to Japan for the Nation Model United Nations (NMUN) conference. I was given the opportunity to represent the University of New Haven and the delegation of Afghanistan. My first few days in Japan were considered cultural days, 300 volunteers from Kobe University showed us around, and I am so grateful for the time I shared with them. These accounts are from my journal and discuss the history, culture and customs of such a wonderful country.
Saturday, November 19th
After a16-hour plane ride, one short layover in Hong Kong, I am excited to share that we have arrived in Osaka, Japan. It’s around 10:30 p.m. I’m fatigued from the traveling and I have only eaten airplane food. Surprisingly, the plane offered an assortment of snacks and dinner options. I chose the penne vodka for dinner, delicious.
Although tired from traveling, I am filled with excitement and enthralled by the anticipation of what the next couple of days will entail. Tonight, my class and I will be staying in an Airbnd. The house we are staying in has a simple interior design with sliding doors for every room and floors made of bamboo. Cleanliness and the consideration of others is a big part of Japanese culture. Before entering, we must take off our shoes. This is a Japanese tradition and it is a sign of respect. Tomorrow, we will be traveling to Kobe, Japan. I can barely contain my excitement, but I’m exhausted from the long days of travel. I’ll write in the morning.
Sunday, November 20th
My class and I have just arrived at the Portopia Hotel. If the majestic name didn’t give it away, this place is awesome. Volunteers in blue jackets and a very friendly photographer greet us at the door. After check-in, we get settled into our rooms; I take a minute to step out onto our balcony. The view is beautiful. Mountains, the sea, and large buildings surround me. I am beyond excited to start exploring Kobe, Japan.
Monday November 21st
Today, I am traveling to Kyoto. Kyoto was the capital city of Japan for more than a thousand years before moving to Tokyo in 1868. I am on the bus with other NMUN students from around the world. I know this is a great time to get to know them, but I’m looking out the window in awe of the autumn leaves that have started to change color. I turn to the dude next to me, and instantly we share the same facial expression. We start to converse until we arrive at our first stop. In every aspect, Kyoto is history and shares a culture unlike any other.
The Fushimi Inari Shrine celebrated its 1300 year anniversary in 2011. Inari is another word for fox. The fox is represented in over 32,000 shrines throughout Japan. It is said to provide families with prosperity to business and productiveness. I am known for my procrastination, so I was very excited to pay tribute and say some prayers.
After a few prayers and appreciating the architecture, we travel to the Kiyomizu Temple. Kiyomizu is named after its waterfall, which has continued to flow for 1000 years. This waterfall is considered very spiritual and visitors from around the world drink the water because it is believed to grant wishes.
The Kiyomizu Temple was founded in 778 and is built without using any nails. Inside of the main temple are 15 other temples, which are designed for natural treasures and important cultural properties. The Kiyomizu temple is one of the Historic monuments of Ancient Kyoto, UNESCO World Heritage sites. The main theme of the temple is “save everyone”.
The last stop on todays trip is the Kinkaku Temple. The Kinkaku Temple is known as the temple of the golden pavilion. In Japan, the use of gold leaf has a deep meaning. Gold is meant to reduce and cleanse us of negative thoughts and feelings about death. This temple is designated as a National Special Historic Site and a National Special Landscape.
Tuesday, November 22nd
I wake up to the sun shining through my window. Today will be different from the other travel excursions. Our group gets ready to travel to Hiroshima and its island. It is our last cultural day before the NMUN conference. We travel to the island by boat. As we reach the island, an announcement is said over the loud speaker. The man states, there is a large deer population on the island. We are allowed to pet them, but do not feed them because they will probably want seconds and bite our shopping bags. I laugh at the funny comment and proceed to walk onto the island. Instantly, we are confronted with about 40 deer. However, they are friendly and would prefer to bask in the sun rather than bother you.
Our first stop is the Itsukushima Shrine, which was built on the island about 850 years ago. The island of Hiroshima is considered holy because there are 37 main shrines and 19 subordinate shrines. The Itsukushima Shrine is bright orange and beautiful. The shrine is built on pier-like structures so that it would appear to look like its floating on the water. The view is picturesque and something one would only see in a post card. I snap a few photos and continue on with the tour.
Next, we travel to the mainland of Hiroshima. Instantly, my mood changes from excitement to somber. Hiroshima was the first city in the world to suffer not only once but twice from a nuclear attack. The atomic bomb instantly took the lives of 70,000 people and within four months the death toll was at 146,000. We start our tour at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. This is the hypocenter of the atomic bomb. The park is to memorialize the victims, maintain the memories of the horror of a nuclear war, and advocate for world peace.
The Genbaku Dōmu, also known as the Atomic Bomb Dome is registered as a UNESCO world heritage site. The ruins of the building show the terrible tragedy and destruction of the A-bomb. This site is the only structure that survived in the hypocenter of the bomb’s explosion. People from around the world travel to this site to remember the lives lost and is a testament for the desire of peace.
As I conclude today’s last cultural tour, I am filled with emotion. I am so grateful and indebted for these experiences and the opportunity to travel to Japan. I am honored to represent the University of New Haven, the delegation of Afghanistan, and the United States of America. This trip would not be possible without my professors, parents, classmates and Bartels family. This trip has positively shaped my future, and I am forever grateful.