This year Maroochydore High School was yet again given the opportunity to spend a week with our Japanese friends at Tono High School. The school’s biannual trip to Japan was again a great success with students returning home with new found friendships, new life experiences and renewed enthusiasm to learn Japanese.

The tour began on Friday 26 September with a group of 15 students accompanied by Ms Susan Coombs and Mrs Belinda Gallaher. They set off for two amazing weeks of sightseeing and cultural immersion. The tour took us from Japan’s capital Tokyo to Kyoto and Hiroshima then onto Gifu for a 7 night home stay (and chance for students to recuperate from their hectic sightseeing schedule).

Week one offered students a taste of the contrasting worlds within Japan, from the bright lights and hustle and bustle of busy Shinjuku and Shibuya regions to the more peaceful and tranquil sights of Kyoto and Hiroshima cities. Students were also able to ride the Shinkansen (300k/ph bullet train) and walk the serene streets of historical towns. Students also had the opportunity to experience other parts of Japanese life and culture such as sleeping on futons and tatami (straw) mats in traditional Japanese style Inns, eat an array of Japanese foods, absorb the serenity of Hiroshima Peace Park while reflecting on its tragic history and partake in the very popular Japanese pastime, karaoke.

The highlight of the tour, however, was the week spent in the homes of families and friends of Tono High School. The staff and students of Tono High and the people of Mitake town opened their hearts and homes for our students during this week giving them an unforgettable cultural experience. The days were spent at Tono High where students were not only able to experience life within a Japanese school but were able to experience first hand some truly Japanese arts and activities such as paper and sushi making and shodo (Japanese calligraphy). During this short week Maroochydore students developed close bonds with many Tono students and friendships were formed that will last a lifetime.

Our time at Tono High School ended with quite an emotional departure and reflection on a week that not only enabled student’s language skills, cultural knowledge and appreciation for Japan to develop but also the formation of friendships that will stay with them forever. We look forward to the possibility of welcoming Tono students to Maroochydore High in 2009.