3RD COHORT KIZUNA – YOUTH EXCHANGE PROGRAM JAPAN-ASIA

3^RD COHORT KIZUNA – YOUTH EXCHANGE PROGRAM JAPAN-ASIA

Kizuna is a word in Japanese means BOND. This program purpose to attract back all the tourism from Asia to visit Japan again after the incident of Tsunami and earthquake which bring a big disaster to japan on 2011. Japan scared they will lost their tourist believe to visit Japan because of safety reason and feeling unsafe to visit Japan.

                I was the 3^rd batch from Malaysia that join this program which is fully sponsored by Japan government. I went the on 14^th February 2013 to 25^th February 2013. It was a very unforgettable moment for me and it also was the first country I visited. I learnt a lot of Japanese culture. There was 100 participant which was 80 students from Sekolah Berasrama Penuh (SBP) and the rest was teachers from SBP and government workers form education department. Me and Nur Afini Binti Mohd Nizam were represented SAINA (Sekolah Menengah Sains Pokok Sena).

                We were being briefed from Japan’s representative at SMAP Kajang about the trip over there. All of us took Japan Airline to go to Japan. We departed from Malaysia early morning around 3 o’clock and reach Japan early morning around 7 a.m. it was end of peak season for winter in Japan. It was very cold and I could see the snow which was the first time for me to see a real snow right in front of me. I was very happy and could not express it through word. Then we went to one of the Japan’s government building. We were being given a short brief about precaution to be taken if any earthquake happen.

                Next, we went to the hotel to take a rest and had a lunch over there and it also was my first time eat Japanese food in a Japanese style. We were being remind to take care about our health because they worried that we will not being used to the cold season, winter which does not exist in Malaysia. The next day we took a Shinkasen which is a bullet train which use magnet concept that does not touch the ground to travel to Iwate. The train speed was 300 km/hour. The journey took about 8 hour to go to Iwate. It was very fast, because if we took the bas or by car it will took about one and half day to reach Iwate from Tokyo. We stayed at one of the chalets in Iwate. There we experienced using Honsen which is Japanese hot swimming pool. It was a very refreshing way to enjoy during winter season.

                Then we also got a chance to taste Japan’s ice cream which made of cow’s milk which was very tasty and delicious. It was 100% pure milk. We also went to the old folk house to meet them and had a precise wonderful time with them. We sang a Malaysian traditional song to them which was “RASA SAYANH HEY”. They were very happy to hear it and sang it together with us. Then we do some community services. We scoop all the fallen snow that block the door to the old folk’s house. They had a plenty door at every side of the house for the reason it can be used during emergency. Then we went to sea urchin farm located at the seaside. They use sea water to farm the sea urchin. The sea urchin shell had lot of thorn but it was not dangerous to you if you know how to handle it.

               The next day, we went to the fireman station. They show us how to handle the earthquake or tsunami situation. Most of the government workers in Japan joined volunteer fireman. They also taught us how to handle casualties. Then we went to the big walls that located at the seaside which is tall 30 meter and it purpose to block tsunami that could hit the land which have neighbourhood in that area. Most of Japan house and building were installed a very strong spring that embedded to the land. It can hold a small tsunami or earthquake. Then we went to the Iwate High School to study how their student life over there. Japan has a very systematic education system. They will teach their children from young to be what they want to work in the future. We had a small game which called ‘kai ba pok’. It was a rock, scissors and paper game with the Iwate High School.

                The last day in Japan we went to earthquake simulator located at Iwate. We had an experience went through an earthquake situation. A lot of things we learnt from this simulator. It was time for us to leave Japan. Most of us felt very sad to leave Japan and some of us cry during farewell ceremony. It was a very unforgettable experience that I went through. A lot of thing that I learnt at there could be apply at Malaysia and in my daily life.