Tokyo Day 4

Today was jam-packed with activity and adventure from start to finish...students were unsure what sardines were until 1. We rode the subway to the FISH market and 2. We rode the SUBWAY to the fish market. The ride there helped them empathize with the salty delicacy and helped explain the Japanese habits of wearing a face mask and lacking any conception of personal space. The market itself was ripe with sea urchins, fried squid by the handfuls, and every other seafaring creature you can imagine. Even though it was mid morning everyone at a lot at the food stalls!

Our next stop was the iconic Skytree, the second tallest man-made structure inu the world and a distinct part of Tokyo’s skyline. It is primarily a signal tower but the first eight floors contain shops, restaurants, and a small technology exhibition. This was our lunch stop though no one was really hungry.

The favorite destination of today was Akihabara, the anime and video gaming district. Japanese subculture was on high display as students saw an owl cafe, maid cafe, and hard core gaming enthusiasts sweating at their craft. 

Dinner was Korean BBQ grilled by each guest over an open flame at the center of the table. To get there, we had to pass Shibuya Crossing, one of the craziest intersections you will ever witness. A few students stayed out late shopping with Mr. Neighbors while the rest headed back to bed. After 9 miles of walking and standing on packed subway cars it was a well-deserved respite. 

Tomorrow we drive to Hakone to see Mount Fuji and to get away from the city, but Tokyo was superb and we are sad to see her go.

Asakusa

Spirit Monkey is the unofficial mascot of the trip. Here he poses with a sumo wrestler outside the stadium. This is across the street from our hotel.

Ball High Group with REAL sumo wrestler!

First Full Day Tokyo

Day 3: Tokyo!

First, let’s talk about the bathrooms. The sinks are not made for anyone of standard American height. This subtly forces you to start your day in a humbled, praying, monk-like stature. Then there are the luxury toilets connected to both cold and hot water lines as well as plugged in to the nearest outlet. You feel like you are sitting on top of a Ryobi power washer. 

Breakfast was a combination of American and Japanese cuisine. That means French fries and miso soup. The students also found a bakery across the street with chocolate croissants and hot cocoa. 

Our first tour spot was the 43rd floor of the Tokyo Metropolitan building. The skyline was amazing! It was also the initial encounter with souvenirs so of course that couldn’t be completely passed over. We could see construction in preparation for the 2020 Olympics far in the distance.

A short drive took us next to the EF offices in Tokyo for a presentation by a former professional sumo wrestler. A local tour guide translated for us. The former athlete is now a model and actor! James tried unsuccessfully to take him down.

Lunch was on our own on the crowded Takeshita Street near the Meiji Shrine. Crepes were popular. Just across the road we walked into a serene forest to see the Shinto shrine to Emperor Meiji who led the modernization of Japan in the 19th century. Asakusa, a Buddhist temple, was the final stop for the day. Tourist shops lined the path into the large square and garden where incense was burning and coins could be heard rattling into wooden receptacles. Today was a terrific introduction to Japan...now we are ready to tackle the daunting trains and subways on our way around the city tomorrow

All Safe and Sound

Day 1-2 Flight to Japan

Terminal D? Terminal E? Who knows?! It was a good omen of things to come (and those sorts of things are important in Japan) that everyone was at the airport and checked in by 9:15. The Flight was on time and 13.5 hours later we were in Tokyo...or so we thought. We stood in three lines before getting our bags then waited twice for bathroom breaks before loading the Joyful Bus #168 to the city of Tokyo. But beware—better get to know your bus driver’s face quickly—because there are many Joyful Bus #168s in Tokyo. When something is good luck or fortune for you, keep going to the well! 

There were lots of movies to pass the time on the way over, but one student asked, “Now what do we watch on the way back??!”

Dinner tonight was fried chicken with sticky rice, soup, salad, and grapefruit for dessert. Each family in Japan takes pride in his/her family recipe. We got our bearings, grabbed a drink from one of the multiple vending machines in the hotel and on the street, and called it a night. 

Japan Travel Journal

Your in-depth guide to a 9-day journey through the heart of Japan...this is the beginning of Spring Break 2018!


Japan Travel Journal 2018


Final Pre-Departure Meeting PPT


We meet at IAH Airport at 9 AM Sunday, March 11!

Survivor's Gratitude

Near misses are good things.

Knock on wood, grazing disaster without experiencing the full brunt of calamity often imbues us with a heightened sense of gratitude. It's an altruistic adrenaline rush born of a relieved heart.  As the impending storm nears and the forecast worsens, you contemplate every worst-case scenario. In an attempt to steel yourself for the tragedy about to occur, you begin to second-guess going or staying, questioning your preparation, and fretting what was left behind.   Then, you wake up the next morning and you are still standing.

Instead of disaster, you gasp in astonishment at how you averted destruction and recognize deep in your soul that it was none of your doing. You were powerless and yet were held harmless. You were in the path of the storm yet were saved.

Once you realize you are safe, then you quickly discover your nightmare scenarios have been realized in others lives. Instead of survivor's guilt, the sense of relief transforms into survivor's gratitude. And so you spring into action to help. You carry someone to safety. You offer a place of rest. You serve a warm meal.  You want to do everything you can to make the situation better for someone else--first your family and friends and then for people you don't even know.  

And that's how the Gospel ought to play itself out in our lives. We should be so grateful that we have averted eternal destruction, despite deserving it like everyone else, that we boldly love our friends, family, and total strangers who are still suffering their own spiritual downfall. Many new to the faith do experience an euphoria and eagerly tell everyone they can about their experience. But as our distance from the point of near disaster widens, so often does our energy and compulsion to share. To all who have barely missed a tragedy, congratulations.

Don't forget the feeling. 

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