Visit with the Mayor and Board of Education
This morning when we arrived at Akishima city hall, we were greeted by about 40 people who were lined up and clapping for us as we entered the building. It was amazing and very humbling!! We had a meeting with the mayor and city counsel of Akishima and then another meeting with the members from the Akishima school board. We learned a lot about the city and their educational programs. As a token of friendship, the city counsel gave us all a traditional Japanese fan. The large kanji written on the fan means “mutual encounter and affection”. The three smaller kanji on the right mean “humans, city, and greenery”. This means, people should show affection toward others, the local community, and nature.We had seafood tempura for lunch. Yum!
Next, we went on a city tour. On our first stop we visited two temples. The first one is only open three days a year. During the three days it is open there are over 300,000 visitors. We had the rare opportunity to go inside on a day the temple is normally closed. Our guide told us that in the Edo period not even the emperor was allowed to visit the area of the temple we visited! Unfortunately, we were not allowed to take any photographs inside.
Next, we went to the Haijima-daishi temple. Our guide for the second temple was the wife of the priest. She gave us a demonstration of the temple acoustics and how to ring the large bell outside.
Our second stop was the Showa Kinen Park - the largest park in the Tokyo metropolitan area. It was beautiful with the autumn leaves!
We were treated to a traditional tea ceremony at the park. Before drinking the tea, you are served a “candy” made from red bean paste.Our last stop was the Moritown Shopping Center!
posted by Tattle @ 1:47 AM
5 comments
5 Comments:
In your last blog, you said you went to the Moritown Shopping Center. What was it like? How many stores and what kind of stores were in the shopping center? Are they like the stores in an American shopping mall?
Also, when you were learning about the Japanese educational system, what were the main differences you saw? I'm sure you will share more with us when you get back to Sunnyside. Hope you are having a good time and learning a lot in Japan!
Is it fun in Tokyo
Jennifer...what was the inside of the temple like...do you have its Japanese name?
I will do my best to answer all the questions. Thank you for writing.
Moritown Shopping Center was simliar to Bellevue Square but with both indoor and outdoor shops. There were two levels. I was hoping to find more specialty shops, but many of the shops were very "western". There was also a Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant!
There are many similiarities and differences between the Japanese educational system and the U.S. system. I hope to share many of these with everyone when I return! I thought Japanese schools would be very strict and serious but there were many different teaching styles and variations in student behavior and classroom management.
Yes, Tokyo is fun! It is very large with many things to see.
I am not sure what the name of the first temple was. Inside we saw three budahs. The place where they are kept had very detailed carving and painting that was about 800 years old. There were fruit and gifts placed on the alter. The second temple's name is Haijima-daishi.
beautiful photots!
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