The technicolor lights of Tokyo glittered like second stars from the plane’s window. 30,000 feet above the archipelago, anticipation hovers over junior Ishita Prandan’s shoulders.
Prandan joined the week-long trip planned by AP Human Geography teacher Anthony Mancuso, to Japan. Students submerged themselves from June 24 to July 3 in the polar atmosphere of the island state, as they straddled the deep historical culture and the bright modern environment.
“I’ve always wanted to go to Japan,” Prandan said. “I really like anime, plus the rich Japanese culture is so fascinating and so beautiful. I’ve always wanted to visit– especially for the 7-11. My TikTok for you page has been bombarded with late night mukbang runs.”
Buses, boats and bullet trains– the cost, after the initial flight, amounted to only $5,000 per traveler. The trip is one of nine tours offered by Education First, a private educational touring company, with the summer group’s focus on 20th Century Japan: the technological advancements and tragedies post WWII.
“With some tour groups, you just go from one place to another,” Mancuso said. “With Education First, they provide tour guides to explain the culture and history in depth. With EF, it’s not just recreation– it’s about understanding the culture.”
Prandan and her fellow travelers witnessed Hiroshima’s eternally-burning Flame of Peace, which has burned since Aug. 1, 1964, and will continue to burn, until the day when all nuclear weapons have been abolished.
“When we went to Hiroshima, I learned so much about the bombing that the books never taught me,” Prandan said. “We saw the detonation site of the bomb too. It’s on top of a hospital, which was really heart breaking. I became more educated on the horrible orphan situation that Hiroshima faced too, and how so many kids died.”
But the Land of the Rising Sun has since risen out of the destruction of America’s nuclear actions, blossoming once more into a country that straddles the best of the modern and historical world.
“My favorite part of the whole trip was definitely trying new foods and experiencing a new culture,” Prandan said. “I really enjoyed the traditional tea ceremony– the art is just so delicate. Tragically, it is [a dying art], so getting to see a tea master who has spent decades perfecting her craft was amazing. [I also loved] Shibuya and Miyajima Island. Shibuya was anime central. I love Haikyu– it was literally heaven for me.”
Students from across the district were encouraged to sign up for and experience Japan.
“If you go somewhere outside of the country, then you get to see what other cultures are like,” Mancuso said. “You get to learn different languages and how to communicate. For a lot of students, it’s their first time travelling outside of the country– maybe even the state. When you travel to a different country, you get out of your comfort zone. It’s really a learning experience. I’ve seen a lot of students who come back totally different.”
No curfew was placed around students’ necks– as long as the buddy system was in place, students were free to roam nearby neighborhoods.
“Ishita and I basically had the freedom to do whatever we wanted,” junior Avery Huling said. “Every morning I would take a walk and explore the area we were in. One night we all rode bikes around Hiroshima, and it was so peaceful. We’ll always have those memories together to reminisce about.”
As an International Baccalaureate scholar, Prandan said she would love to experience Japan as an exchange student.
“I definitely do want to go back to Japan,” Prandan said. “I love the people. The country is just so advanced and really cares about its people and the environment. I would go back a thousand times if I could. I’m glad and very grateful that I did get to experience Japan at least once.”
