Day 8

After getting up at 9:00am (this was considered a sleep in) we were off to the train station to catch a bus to Kiomizu Dera Temple in Kyoto. Dating back to 1633, the Kiyomizu Dera is a buddhist temple and is considered one of the most famous landmarks in Kyoto. The temple is dedicated to the God of Mercy, and offers many opportunities to pray, think and relax. The temple also hosts a breathtaking panoramic view of Kyoto.

After exploring the temple and doing a little shopping we took a bus back to the hotel and collected our luggage. We then walked for 3km, which was actually 300m (maybe my whinging the entire way made it seem a lot longer) with our suitcases to our platform. It was at the station I discovered (for the second time) that escalators aren`t really my thing when I have a suitcase. I almost fell down it with my luggage, luckily Mr. Rankin was able to hold me up.
Fifteen students, two teachers and all their luggage = chaos on a local train. We defied all odds whilst taking up half a carriage and receiving a few frustrated looks from fellow commuters.

It was finally time to meet our host families, and the nerves and excitement were obvious. We were greeted by Mr. Morikawa and Mr. Okamoto at the train station and bussed to Gojo. An unusually for us, it was raining, which lasted for more than a day. Our host families were waiting anxiously to meet us.

Upon our arrival at Gojo High School we were invited to a welcome ceremony. Speeches were made as we were welcomed formally to the school.

Everyone then departed the school and headed to their host student`s house for a week of laughs, fun and friendship.

By: Rhylee Elliott.

On Gojo Senior High School`s website, they have photos of our welcome ceremony with the host families. See the picture below and click the writing beside the red arrow to access this page. The website is:

http://www.gojo-h.ed.jp/

At Kiyomizu Temple.

Mitchell, Tom and Courtney infront of a pagoda.

The view across the small valley between one side of the temple and the other.

Looking back towards the main building.

One of the many memorial statues around the temple.

Another one of the statues. This one was guarding a smaller temple.

Cate getting water from the temple to promote long life.

Looking for donations outside the temple.

Packed into the local train headed for Gojo.

Day 7

The day began at 9.00am with us checking out of our hotel and leaving Hiroshima. We boarded a bullet train and set off for Kyoto. Despite not getting up long ago, many of us managed to sleep the entire trip! On our second train we were all surprised to find Risa, an exchange student who had just left Girton at the end of Term 3, waiting for us on the train. Once in Kyoto we were able to check into our hotel, which was also western style. Our rooms this time were even smaller than the ones in Hiroshima and our bathrooms were like those you would find in an aeroplane. Once again, we all bought lunch at a convenience store and then set off for Kinkakyi temple. It has three floors and the exterior is coated in gold leaf – it looks amazing. The gardens surrounding the temple were beautiful. The temple was originally the home of Yoshimitsu, the 3rd Shogun of Ashikaya and after his death it was made into a Zen temple in accordance with his will. Our next stop was Ryoanji temple and the rock garden. It is quiet and peaceful and it is said that it is p to the viewers to find out what the garden signifies for them. Although many of us did not work this out, it was still beautiful in a different way. For dinner that night we booked into a Japanese style restaurant – a private room just for us with tatami mats where we sat on cushions around two long low tables. It is a restaurant which offers every possible type of Japanese food. We ate everything from sushi, tempura, tofu, dumplings, salad, meat skewers, rice, noodles, raw fish and fish eggs. Some people even tried eating horse, however Mr Rankin didn`t tell them it was horse until after they had eaten it! Following dinner we were joined by Risa`s mother and sister. We traveled into Gion hoping we would see a Geisha. The first Geisha we saw was in a taxi which Mr Rankin decided to chase after in order to get a photo. Ashe was running the other way another Geisha walked straight past where we were standing. Mr Rankin then returned panting, with his taxi shot. In the meantime the rest of us had secured a photo without the frantic 100 metre sprint!! It may have been getting late, however many of us were not ready to go to bed. 13 of us, including Risa, her Mum and sister and Mr Rankin, decided to do Karaoke. All of us had a sing and even a dance with a mixture of both English and Japanese songs, with many ending up with sore throats at the end. Everyone returned to the hotel around midnight, by then beginning to feel both nervous and excited at the prospect of meeting our host families the next day.

By: Sarah Edwards

On the bullet train from Hiroshima bound for Kyoto

In front of the Golden Temple in Kyoto

The Golden Temple

Rhylee made some Junior High School friends.

Everyone enjoying the tranquility of the Ryoanji Garden.

Mitchell, Tom & Matt C. at Ryoanji.

Strolling through the rest of the gardens

Enjoying dinner Japanese style on our last night together as a group at an Izakaya style restaurant.

In Gion in search of Geisha.

Mr. Rankin chased down a taxi with a Geisha in it to get this picture.

And casually talking to Mrs. MacCulloch nearly missed this opportunity.

Mitchell having a go at karaoke

Everyone joined in and had a go. Sarah, Britnee & Maddie

Britnee sharing a song with us.

Courtney and Zac having a go.

Day 6

Today we got up at 7:00 and had a delicious buffet breakfast at the hotel. After breakfast we caught a train and then a ferry to Miyajima Island. The Island was spectacular with the temples and the statues actually in the water. When we got there, it was high tide and the temple looked beautiful in the ocean. We walked out to the shrine, over the ocean, and explored parts of the island. Many of us tried mango or green tea ice-cream. We went up to the top of Mt. Misen and saw a lot of monkeys and had a beautiful view of the whole island. Matthew Ambler had a fight with a monkey and many people had to wrestle our food and bags off the deer. One of the stag deer ate my brochure about the island.
Some of us walked down the mountain and we had a water fight in the waterfall near the bottom because it was so hot.
We also visited the spot where Mr. Rankin proposed to Mrs. Rankin. Everyone felt very sentimental.
Yui also came on the trip with us today. So the Year 11s and some Year 10s were very excited. That night our group split up for tea, with some of us going to a sushi bar. Maddie, Cate, Mr. Rankin, Matt Campbell, Mitchell, Timandra and I tried some very interesting foods, like shrimp brains, raw squid, sashimi, raw tuna, boiled shrimp, sea urchin, fish eggs, fermented soy beans and pickled plum.
The rest went to Subway or to an Italian cafe. The day was truely an experience for us all.

By: Amy Cumming

Matt C., Caleb & Josh relaxing on the train heading for Miyajima

In front of the famous floating Tori

Zac proposing to Amy on the spot where Mr. Rankin proposed to Mrs. Rankin

Rhylee, Cate, Matt A., Zac, Amy and Yui at Itsukushima Shrine with the five storey pagoda in the background.

Some of the wildlife on the island.

Britnee walked up Mt. Misen and Josh, Caleb, Amy, Matt A. & Mr. Rankin walked down.

A very traditional bridge we had to cross on the way down.

Eating at the sushi restaurant.

Ikura (fish eggs)

Maddie, Amy & Cate with the sushi chef

Everyone pointing to the sushi that they ate.

Day 5

Today began as usual with everyone getting ready for another exciting day as well as another delicious breakfast.After packing our suitcases and taking photos with the hotel staff, we hit the streets to go to the Shinkansen (Bullet Train) Station. Under Rhylee`s guidance, we arrived at the correct location and boarded the shinkansen. It was called the Hikari super-express and we were heading to Shin-Osaka.
Upon arriving there, we boarded another shinkansen which would take us to Hiroshima. During the shinkansen rides, we passed many rice paddies and green tea plantations. In Japan, each little bit of land is utilised, so even vacant lots in towns had rice growingin them. On the train, Sarah and Mr. Rankin met an old lady named Sanae, she was 78 years of age. She was returning to Kyoto after visiting friends in Yokohama. she said that she was glad that young people were getting out and learning about Japanese culture. Sarah gave her a small koala as a gift because Sanae gave Sarah some coffee lollies.
Another interesting event that happened was when Ryhlee bought some ice-cream and started eating it. The ice-cream was rock hard. She tried to dig her spoon into it and ended up flicking ice-cream into the middle of the aisle. She couldn`t stop laughing.
On the shinkansen we were hoping to see Mt. Fuji, but unfortunately it was too cloudy to see it.
Upon arriving in Hiroshima, we walked to our hotel `New Hiroden` where we met Yui, who attended Girton last year. It was very exciting, especially for Amy, who is very good friends with Yui.
After this, we got into our uniforms and took a tram to the Atomic Bomb Epi-Centre, which is now a Memorial Peace Park. At one end of the peace park is the Memorial museum. Here we learned about the bombing of Hiroshima and all the grief it caused. It was very moving and interesting. It was especially interesting how Japan admitted what they had done wrong, and how they have learnt from the past.
The atomic bomb that was dropped on Hiroshima on the 6th of August, 1945 was of equal power to 1,500 tonnes of TNT.
After leaving the museum, we walked to a mall where we had okonomiyaki for dinner. The experience was like `My Teppanyaki` where you sit around a hot plate and your meal is prepared in front of you. The was very entertaining and the food turned out delicious.
After tea we did some quick shopping before heading back to the hotel. We bought some ice-cream just before arriving back at the hotel.
Everyone had a quick go fo either the internet or calling home before going to sleep.

By Timandra Christiansen.

Our last breakfast at the Ryokkan

Eating Japanese Style

Departing Daimachi Bekkan

Matt and his friend who went to retrieve the ball after it went into bushes

Rhylee, Sarah, Britnee and Timandra and a bullet train cleaning lady

Two of the famous bullet trains. (The one on the right is newer)

Posing as a bullet train passes by.

Sanae and Sarah

Hiroshima Peace Park Memorial Museum

Waiting as our Okonomiyaki is prepared.

Mmmm it tastes so good!

It was cooked right in front of us

And we are all getting used to eating with chopsticks.

Yui (Girton student up until last year) came with us.

The boys really enjoyed their Okonomiyaki

The shop where we ate at Okonomiyaki Mura (Okonomiyaki Village)