I really didn’t know what I
am going to see in Japan. As I told flight was long and boring. I had a lot of
time to think about “what I am going to da?” To tell honestly nothing comes to
my mind at that time. But any way I said I am going to Japan and for sure there
are thausand of things which are interesting.
To be in Narita was really
exited form me. This was the first foreign country I visited exept Turkey. When
we came out of airport I couln’t forget how hot it was. I always say form y
city in Kazakhstan and for Ýstanbul “too hot.” But after I saw Tokyo I will not
say too hot for Ýstanbul or form y city in Kazakhstan.
When we took a bus from
Narita to Tokyo I saw that Japan is different than I thought. First of all it
is really green country which I really didn’ t expect. When we arrived to Tokyo
I saw that city has wide streets and very green plus very clean. These were
the first impressions for me about the city of Tokyo.
And then we arrived to our
hotel. Our hotel is called “Apa Villa Hotel”. Hotel was nice and very good
location. But hotel rooms were very very small as we used for. That was the
only strange thing. After taking some rest we decided to meet in the evening at
the loby of the hotel. And all of us go around “Akasaka”. Form y opinion Akasaka
is one of the best place in Tokyo. You can find what ever you look for.
And we were looking for a
restaurant to have a diner and we decided to eat some Japanese food. Before
coming to Japan only Japanese food I knew was “Sushi”. But ofcourse I know that
I can try some others which I even don’t know their names. So we went to one
restaurant . It was close to “Akasaka Mitsuke” metro station. We sit and Kyoko
san took the menu and ordered something. Everything was delisius. But my
favourites fort hat night was something that we called “Japanese lahmacun”
ourselves and “Yakitori”. And also with Murat’s recomandation I tried “Souva”
and I really like it. After restaurant we back to hotel and instead of sleeping
I walked around Akasaka about 30 minutes more. Then I went back to hotel and I
goto sleep. First night I don’t know why but I couldn’t sleep at all.
Next day was Monday.We woke
up early in the morning and had our breakfast. This was the first time in my
life that I saw people eat fish in the breakfast. And then we left hotel and
start to walk to the building of “The Nippon Foundation”. It takes about 10
minutes from hotel to the building. We meet with the staff of internetional
department who takes care of our Project like David, Vicky, Saito san etc.
After that we went to a lunch and met with one of the Executive Director who’s
name is Mr. Ohno. That meal we also tried some Japanese food and it was nice.
Then we back to the foundation and met with the cairman “Mr. Sasakawa”. We
talked abut our program, about our countries and ofcourse about Japan. I think
form y side it was very productive meeting. And also we gave to him the present
which we brought from our home countries.Then we found about 1 hour spare time
and we visited some temples around Akasaka while Kyoko san and Murat was in the
meeting with the staff. And Monday evening we went to one Japanese restaurant
which is called “Shabusen”. We met with the president of the Nippon Foundation
Mr. Ogata there. He was really friendly to us. He talks with all of us and ask
questions about our countries and cultures and answers everything what we asked
to him. We ate “Shabu shabu” that night and I tried “Sake”. And we gave
presents to Mr. Ogata from our home countries. That night was really enjoyable.
Tuesaday which was third day
in Japan first we visited “The Museum Of Maritime Science”. It was interesting.
I never saw something like that in my own country or in Turkey. It was
interesting plus impressive. I had a lot of information about Maritine Science
that day. And then we went to “Heiwajima Kyotei”. We watched Moto-boat racing,
we took informations about pilots, about boats and about legal betting in
Japan. By the way that day I bet and won 1000 yen. (I stil hide that Money).
Honda san also told us the Money sourse of the foundation is from “Moto-boat
racing”. After we left there we met with Latin American students. We had a
diner together and we talked about our countries they talk about their
countries so a have an information about South-American culture and habbits
that I don’t know at all. It was really good experience form me.
Wendesday morning was exited
form e. Because we are going to travel to Fukuyama city by “Shinkansen”.
Shinkansen is something which I always want to travel. So we arrived to the
city and we went to visit Shipbuilding factory of “Tsuneishi Shipbuilding
Company”. After we left there we went to visit Zeno Shonen Bokujyo the Welfare
Facility for people with mental or disability. I must tell you that I was
impressed with what this people can do. And I bought something for my family
which is made by them. That day we moved to Hiroshima city and stayed there.
Thursday we went to Hiroshima
Peace Park first. We saw the place which atomic bomb was dropped in 1945. We
also visited the museum. That moments was emotional form e. In the museum first
time I understood what the bomb did to the city of Hiroshima. After that we
viist one newspaper Office there. An done journalist who dedicated his life to
stop nuclear thing gave us a lecture. Topic was of course bad sides of nuclear
power.And we left
Hiroshima with mix emotions.
Afternoonwe arrived to the old capital “Kyoto”. We visited Welfare Facility
fort he Blind and Visually Impaired People. I impessed with the employers and
with the people who comes there in that place. And then we visited the golden
tample. I think to descripe that place with the wors is impossible. Only you
can undersand when you see it. That night we saw that there is a kind of
carnaval in Kyoto. I was really interesting and enjoyable. We went to one
traditional Japanese restaurant. It was very nice restaurant and everything was
very delicious. We also saw one “Mayko” that night in that restaurant. We
stayed in a tradational Japanese hotel that night and it was really good
experience.
Next day we went Yokohama
city and we visited Guide Dog Association. The trainer there made us one
demonstration and it was really impressive. To tell you honestly some of these
dogs are much more clever than some people in my country. After that we back to
Tokyo and check in the hotel again. In the evening we had a diner with the
staff of TNF internetional department . And that night we tried something which
I always hear but never try: “Karaoke”. It was really enjoyable.
On Saturday first we went to
see ýmperial Palace. After seeing so many high buildings to see such a huge
garden was really interesting. And thae we went to Asakusa to one temple and we
made some shopping around that temple. And after that we went to Akihabara to
see what is new about tecnology. I was confused after seeing so many things in
the same place. Any way it was good to see there also
And next day was our
departure day. We check out the hotel, say goodbye to Kyoko san and look last
time to the city of Tokyo.
My dream becomes true. I can
never imagine to visit Japan But I did it with the help of TNF and JATCAFA. So
very big thanks to both of them.
TOLEGEN
MAZANOV
