Japan Tour

PREPARATORY

Japan is an ancient and fascinating country to explore. It’s a country with deep cultural roots and traditions that stem from remaining heavily protected from influences of the outside world for most of its history up until the 1850s.

The Term 3 break offered the opportunity to explore this wonderful country for a tour party of 26 Preparatory School boys and accompanying staff. The tour in twofold, provided our senior rugby and football boys with an opportunity to develop their skills through international competition and to gain a deeper appreciation for another culture with a rich and contrasting history to their own. For many of the party, this was their first venture to Japan, providing them the opportunity to gain a taste of the hustle and bustle of city life, as well as the beauty of mountainous country regions.

The bustling city of Tokyo provided a great launch pad for the trip, with cultural activities including visits to Mira Kan, the National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation and Yoyogi Park with a stop at the Meiji Shrine. Students were also captivated by colourful eccentric fashion, witnessing the more creative and playful elements of the city as they toured Harajuku. After a long day of sight-seeing, boys enjoyed World Cup rugby action with Australia pitted against Wales and a first division J-League football match at Todoroki Stadium.

After three days in Tokyo, the tour headed to the region of Odawara. The boys were welcomed at Odawara Primary School where they joined in a Japanese calligraphy class and outdoor games. Travelling to the town of Fujinomiya, at the foothills of Mt Fuji, the boys visited the Mt Fuji World Heritage Centre and the Fujisan Sengen Shrine, one of the largest and grandest shrines of the day. After taking part in many authentic Japanese endeavours, the boys headed to their accommodation to rest, situated on a hillside overlooking the city with a clear view of the extraordinary Mount Fuji.

The final area for investigation was the region of Shizuoka. Here the group visited the Yamaha Motorcycle Factory, Kakegawa Castle and the Kakegawa Bird Park. The itinerary included a second World Cup Rugby game at Shizuoka Stadium where the tour group watched the might of the South African team overwhelm the Italians.

One of the highlights of the tour for many boys was experienced on the last day where they visited the Mishima Skywalk and flew across the valley on a 400 metre zipline with the scenic views of Mt Fuji and Suruga Bay as a backdrop.

Over the course of the tour, the boys participated in three matches with the rugby boys finishing with an undefeated record, and the footballers with an even score card of one win, one loss and a draw. It was encouraging to watch the many players who grew in confidence and tenacity with each game. Year 6 rugby player Leo Dearlove said, “My favourite part was experiencing a new culture with such friendly and polite people and being able to discover new places that I haven’t before.”

The trip was hugely successful in providing the tour group with a greater understanding and appreciation of the beauty of Japan and its rich history and dynamic culture.

Peter Allison Head of the Preparatory School

Mother’s Day Superstan

Leadership Day Football 7’s

Visiting former Wallaby David Campese