By Kamal Kumar Basnet
Every April and May, just as Kathmandu is painted purple with the blooms of jacaranda, the cities of Japan are adorned with the full bloom of sakura. Having only heard about the sakura in full bloom, I had a strong desire to witness it in person. However, one disappointment was that the time when the sakura buds would bloom in Tokyo coincided with the end of our stay in Japan. So, the dream of seeing the sakura in full bloom remained on my 'bucket list,' to be fulfilled at another opportunity. Nevertheless, many other desires were fulfilled during our stay in Japan. As a result, the ten-day visit felt as if it passed in the blink of an eye.
For us, traveling to Japan was a
great opportunity, and this opportunity was provided by the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs of Japan and the Japan International Cooperation Center. Under the
"Japan Friendship Ties Program," we participated in the GENESIS
(Japan-East Asia Network of Exchange for Students and Youth) program held from
February 22 to 28. A total of 60 participants, including 30 students and 30
working youth, from Nepal, Pakistan, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and the
Maldives, participated in the program.
The objective of the program was
to observe Japanese culture, traditions, lifestyle, and development closely.
This time, the program focused on the "energy" sector. However, it
also concentrated on Japan's development, history, traditions, and culture.
During our stay in Japan, we gathered information and experiences about various
aspects along with the energy sector. When the 10 representatives from Nepal
completed the process at Narita Airport and came out, friends from Pakistan and
two JICE employees were waiting for us. The friends from Pakistan, who had
arrived at Narita via Dubai from Karachi, had completed the process half an
hour before us.
Meanwhile, friends from Sri Lanka
had already visited Tokyo Tower by the time we arrived at the hotel on the same
day. Friends from Bangladesh and the Maldives arrived after us, while friends
from Bhutan landed in Tokyo only the next morning. For all 60 participants from
six countries, it was their first visit to Japan. After breakfast the next day,
we had about an hour to get acquainted with some friends from other countries
and explore the city. We walked for about half an hour in the clean and peaceful
city, observing the tall skyscrapers and the quiet streets, and taking some
memorable photos.
Reaching the 'Kawasaki Eco
Museum' on the shores of the Pacific Ocean was a novel experience. There, we
learned about the environment and energy through various student creations. We
also had the opportunity to visit a nearby solar plant. The plant, with 38,000
solar panels, produced 8.74 million kilowatt-hours of energy, sufficient for
2,800 Japanese households.
During our stay in Japan, we had
the opportunity to learn from various university professors about Japan's
energy problems and the measures taken to solve them. After the 2011
earthquake, which led to the closure of the Fukushima Nuclear Plant, Japan has
been planning new energy source options. We learned about the "Net Zero
2050" goal, aiming to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050,
along with promoting low-carbon buildings.
No visit to Japan would be
complete without experiencing the bullet train. We traveled on the Shinkansen
bullet train from Tokyo to Nagoya, covering a distance of 265 kilometers in
less than an hour and a half, and observed beautiful villages filled with
wooden houses and Mount Fuji along the way. Bicycles were a major mode of
transport, with over a million bicycles sold annually in Tokyo alone. We
learned about the role of bicycles in reducing environmental impact and energy
consumption, as most people preferred cycling.
Our guide explained that private
vehicles were rare in major Japanese cities, with public transport being the
primary mode of transport. While 60% of people in Japan generally used private
vehicles, in Tokyo, it was only 37%. It was surprising to see that in a country
known for its car manufacturers like Toyota, Honda, Nissan, and Mazda, the
preference for public transport was so high. However, private cars were
essential in rural areas where public transport facilities were not as
developed.
During our visit, we toured royal
palaces in Tokyo and Nagoya, visited the Electrical Museum, and enjoyed Turkish
kebabs at Sou Shopping Street in Nagoya. Although our free time usually started
after 7 PM, we could not fully utilize it in Nagoya as the city seemed to sleep
early. Streets were almost deserted by 7 PM, with only a few people around
subway and metro stations, and shopping malls closing by 8 to 10 PM.
In Nagoya, we met with JDS
scholarship students, who received scholarships from the Japanese government
for postgraduate studies. We were provided with hotels that offered mostly
Nepali and Indian food, making us feel at home. Though we tried some Japanese
cuisine, our meals mainly consisted of biryani, roti, naan, and dal. It was
amusing to find Nepali people at almost every restaurant and mart we visited.
No trip to Tokyo would be
complete without visiting the 450-meter-tall Skytree. After seeing it from our
hotel room, we were even more eager to visit it. We finally fulfilled this wish
on the second day of our visit. We reached the Skytree late at night with the
help of Chandra Dai, who lives in Japan, and enjoyed the view of the glittering
Tokyo from 350 meters above after purchasing a ticket for 2,300 yen. Some
Pakistani friends fulfilled their wish to see the Skytree up close by walking
four kilometers that day. In Japan, coins are more common than notes, with no
notes below 1,000 yen, making coin usage essential. However, electronic
payments are becoming increasingly common.
One of the must-visit places on
our list was Hachiko Park, inspired by the 2009 Richard Gere movie
"Hachiko: A Dog's Tale." Nearly a decade after watching the movie,
the dream of visiting the park was finally coming true. On the eve of our return,
we took the metro to see Hachiko's statue, visited some shopping complexes, and
spent time chatting in the park.
Throughout our week-long stay, we
were impressed by the discipline of the Japanese people. They spoke politely,
never made noise, and showed immense respect for others. On the final day,
during presentations, everyone praised these qualities. The program concluded
with a meeting with representatives from the embassies of all six countries,
where we shared our experiences. Our 10-day stay was unforgettable, allowing us
to establish new relationships with friends from SAARC nations and understand
Japan's development, culture, and traditions closely. Although these short but
sweet memories capture our experiences in Japan, the insights we gained will
remain with us for a long time. From this brief stay, I brought back a deep
appreciation for time, effort, and respect for work from Japan.
Comments
Post a Comment