The Nara Prefecture International Exchange Salon organized a bus tour to the Tenkawa village, which was attended by several students from various universities in Nara, including those from NAIST.
Tenkawa village is located in the Yoshino district in the south-central part of Nara Prefecture. Tenkawa village is known for its ryokan and onsen and is also home to the Omine Moutain, also known as the “Roof of the Kinki region.”
For the most curious among you, ryokan are traditional and typical inns of Japan, it is even said that they are the oldest type of hotel in the world. Onsen are Japanese thermal baths whose water comes from volcanic springs.
The first step of our journey was a visit to Ryusenji Temple. Ryusenji is a temple from the Shingon Sect of Buddhism and is one of the five temples that protect Mt. Omine taking turns holding opening and closing ceremonies for the temple at the top of Mt. Omine. At this temple, we were taught the importance of entering through the torii gates while avoiding passing through the center of the gate, as the center is considered the path of entry for the deities themselves. After entering, a purification rite called “chouzu/temizu” was performed, and we were able to visit the temple and explore its beauty, as well as observe the prayer practices of the worshippers.
Once the temple visit was completed, we made our way to the village of Tenkawa. From there, we were able to access the Karigane Suspension Bridge, which connects Mount Ohara to the fir forest that stretches behind Ryusen-ji Temple. The name “Karigane” was chosen to express the desire to protect nature in this area. After crossing the bridge, we reached Ohara viewpoint, from which we could admire the Dorogawa River and its surroundings.
It was a beautiful experience to delve into Japanese history and traditions through this immersive journey. We hope to be able to participate in other immersive events like this one.
I was one of the first students who came to NAIST when the COVID-19 pandemic started and I have not been back to the Philippines ever since. I think international students, at least those from countries only a few hours away from Japan, typically visit home at least once a year. But during this period, we faced strict travel restrictions, the possibility of not being allowed to re-enter or yet another period of quarantine should we become infected, and inflated airfare. This continued until late 2022 when restrictions for tourism started to relax but there was still uncertainty at the back of my head that things could change again without warning.
After nearly 2 years without any physical semblance of my life back in the Philippines, a little bit of home came to Japan. A friend told me they would be visiting Japan (in Tokyo) for a business trip and I did not hesitate to schedule a meeting with them. My friend, Gianne Encarnacion, would be coming with other Filipino artists to exhibit their work at the Tokyo Art Book Fair (TABF) in 2022. Although this was an overnight bus ride away from Kansai, I took this opportunity to meet up with her, see and support their art, and catch up with some friends residing in Tokyo.
Tokyo Art Book Fair
We enjoyed the international foods available in Tokyo and had some Chicago-style deep-dish Pizza. We spent the night catching up and getting updates about mutual friends from NAIST and talking about life here in Japan.
Chicago deep-dish pizzaSouth Asian dinner
The following day, I met up with Gianne and her friends to visit teamLab Planets TOKYO together. We exchanged stories and experiences of the pandemic situation back home and here in Japan. I left when restrictions were at their maximum and so I had no idea what the “new normal” was like back home. We enjoyed our time at teamLab before heading towards the TABF together. I went to her exhibit and helped out a bit where I can before visiting the other booths. Artists from all over the world come here to show, demonstrate, and sell their work. We parted ways as I head off to dinner with another alumnus.
TeamLab Planets
I had never been to a Filipino restaurant here in Japan so my friend and I decided to go together. We met some Filipinos who came here for work and had a night of Filipino food and karaoke. We also talked about his new life in Tokyo, how different things are compared to NAIST, and about the future.
Filipino restaurant in TokyoTokyo International Pen Show
On my last day, I went to the Tokyo International Pen Show with fellow stationary and fountain pen-appreciating friends before having my last dinner in Tokyo and finally boarding the night bus back to Osaka. While I was waiting for the bus to depart, there was a bittersweet feeling inside me. I was happy to meet up with old friends and reconnect with a bit of home but also wondered how much home has changed. Would everything still be familiar when I go back or would things have changed so much that it feels like I’m in another new country? Until I visit home, I can rest assured that at least for the people, they will always give me that sense of familiarity, that sense of home.
Every end of April and early May, there are a consecutive number of holidays which the Japanese refer to as “Golden Week”. For some at NAIST, it is a chance to take a break from the busyness of daily business. It is the time to take a rest from research and have a remarkable relaxing respite.
In my case, I was fortunate enough to visit the Okinawa islands for the holidays. Okinawa, the southernmost prefecture of Japan, is known for its beautiful beaches, tropical vibes, and accommodating people. Though part of Japan, their unique culture and history distinguish this place from the mainland of Honshu.
Flight to Okinawa
From Okinawa-ben of saying haisai and mensore instead of konnichiwa and irrashaimase, to their special cuisine and distinct architecture – this tropical paradise would be enjoyable for any tourist, (especially stressed-out students) to visit, relax, and take a break from mind-bending research.
From NAIST, it takes around 2 hours to the Kansai International Airport (KIX) where one can take a domestic flight to Okinawa for another 2 hours. Surprisingly, the flight is cheaper than a one-way shinkansen (bullet train) ride to Tokyo! Then, upon arriving at the Naha airport, you can take a bus or monorail into the city center.
Within Naha, you can visit several places such as the Kokusai Dori shopping street and the Shuri Castle. You can start to enjoy Okinawan cuisine such as varying Okinawa soba places and steak houses. I frequently visited Yappari Steakhouse for their affordable and tasty steak, in tandem with their tabehoudai or unlimited serving of rice and salad.
Shuri-jo Castle
Unlike most of Japan, the other parts of Okinawa are not as accessible via trains, and buses may be a bit sparse at times. So if possible, travel via rental car is the most convenient option — just make sure to have a license and a couple of friends to split the bill.
Then after a 30-40 mins drive from Naha, you can reach Chatan which has the famous American Village of Okinawa. Neon lights, lively music, and a cheerful atmosphere — you may forget that you’re still in Japan. This place offers multiple foreign eating establishments and shopping boutiques that are unique to the area. It is located by the seaside with a nice blend of Japanese and Western culture that gives such a memorable experience. Personally, my favorite area in the American Village is the Christmas Land where it feels like Christmas every day because of the decorations and beautiful lights.
Chatan American Village
Of course, it would be foolish to go to Okinawa without visiting the beaches. With numerous coasts to choose from, it would be difficult to choose the best beach to go to. Nearest to the American Village would be the Araha beach which may get crowded at times but offers a lively coast with nice white sand and clear waters. Other places that I visited were the more secluded Azama Sun Sun beach, Manza beach, and Cape Maeda which is famous for divers who want to visit the Blue Cave.
Okinawan beaches
Snorkeling and Diving
In addition to swimming on the beaches, one can enjoy a kayaking experience along a mangrove forest in the Yambaru National Park. The Yambaru kayak club offers a guided tour along the forest while kayaking, and it was quite fascinating to row through the undergrowth. Then, if you’re feeling adventurous (as I did), you can flip your own boat and just enjoy the cool waters.
Another popular destination is the Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium. It contains hundreds of aquatic species, among the most famous of which is the jinbeizame or whale shark. It also features different rays, sharks, and dolhpins, in addition to beautiful coral reefs and deep-sea creatures.
Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium
Truly, Okinawa has so many sites and experiences to offer that spending more than a week here and its neighboring islands is definitely worth it. But personally, what made traveling here most memorable were the people I went with and those whom I met along the way. Without them, traveling in Okinawa would have been much different. Friends from NAIST made it such a fun and remarkable experience, and even the locals were so kind and friendly. So make sure to go with good company – or if solo travel is your thing – to greet the locals pleasantly. By doing so, you may enjoy a respite from research.
Old and new NAIST international students were in for a treat as the International Student Affairs brought them to Tamba-Sasayama, an old castle town located in the heart of Hyogo, on May 12, 2019. A group of 41 eager students, from all three divisions of NAIST, joins us today! The event opens with soba-making lessons, followed by a refreshing afternoon walk around the garden, all conveniently located at Eitakuji.
We tried our hand at soba-making at Eitakuji Soba Dojo, under the guidance of a master soba maker. We were taught that traditional soba-making follows a rigorous procedure, which can be categorized into three major steps: (1) dough-making (水回し, mizumawashi), (2) flattening (丸出し, marudashi), and (3) cutting (切り, kiri).
Step 1: mizumawashi — thoroughly mixing buckwheat flour and water to make a dough.Step 2: marudashi — rolling out the dough to make a large thin sheet.Step 3: kiri – cutting the sheet evenly into thin soba noodles.
As a reward for our hard work, for making fresh soba from scratch–a hearty soba and tempura lunch!
Students enjoying the soba that they have just made themselves, along with some tempura and rice.
After lunch time, the group then went to the Sasayama Castle Great Lecture Hall (篠山城大書院), which is said to be comparable to Kyoto’s Nijo castle in terms of architecture. It was built on the orders of the 16th century shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu. Inside the structure are replicas of samurai armor, which are said to weigh around ten kilos each. Although this already sounds heavy, the original ones used in the ancient times are believed to be twice or thrice this weight.
Samurai armor replicas displayed in the Sasayama Castle Oshoin.
Following this is a stroll around the Aoyama Historical Village. Housed in this area is the Tamba Sasayama Dekansho Museum, where students got to enjoy a VR experience featuring a dance to the “Tamba Sasayama Dekansho Song – The Memory of One’s Home Sung with Folk Song,” which became a heritage of Japan in April 2015.
An attendee tests out the VR experience at the museum.
The last stop was the Samurai Residence Anma Family Historical Archive Hall, where the participants took a glimpse of a samurai’s humble abode. Descendants of the samurai are said to still reside in some of the houses within the vicinity.
An old samurai head gear displayed at the Samurai Residence Anma Family Historical Archive Hall.
To cap off the informative and enjoyable excursion, the students enjoyed some ice cream made from the popular Tamba Sasayama black soybeans.
Tamba Sasayama black soybean ice cream being enjoyed by the students.
This excursion is one of the many activities organized by the International Student Affairs for the NAIST international students. Such activities are aimed towards promoting camaraderie among international students while deepening their knowledge of the Japanese culture. Come join us next time!
NAIST hosted a grand gathering of international students from several universities across northern Nara to explore and experience the hidden treasures of Ikoma.
NAIST continually offers opportunities for its students, especially international ones, to experience and be more immersed in Japanese culture, besides the world-class research and academic formation that it primarily provides. Last November, around 12 students participated in a tour around Nara Park and visited three historically and culturally significant places: Todaiji Temple, Kasuga-Taisha Shrine, and the Nara National Museum. Continue reading A Day Trip to Nara’s Illustrious Past→
What to do on a weekend in Nara Prefecture? I would argue that a good soak after a good hike is the best way to go. This time, we head east! Continue reading Journey to the East (Nara)→
The ancient capital of Japan, Nara, is a treasure trove of rich culture, tradition, and sites that are accessible from NAIST. Continue reading Cool, Calm, Curated→
