Visiting the Okawa Elementary school was heartbreaking and devastating to hear about and even more so when visiting. When researching this tragic incident for my background paper, I was not prepared for how emotional I would get and how it would affect me. I was shocked with how upset I was getting when reading the details. I could not believe that the students could have been saved if they had gone up the hill and the teachers didn’t tell them to come back to the courtyard.

On our way to the school looking outside the bus window it seemed like a normal small town until we reached the parking lot of the school. When approaching the school I could see the debris and damage that had occurred. It was surrounded by many tall trees and a large forest behind. Looking in front of the forest you could see a platform on a hill. This is the point where the students would have been safe had they made the climb up the hill. As I looked down from the hill I could imagine what the school looked like before the destruction with kids playing in the courtyard which broke my heart.

The father speaking about how he lost his daughter in the tsunami brought me to tears while we were walking around listening to him speak. It is so difficult to imagine how the parents of the children that passed away had felt, they dropped off their kids to school that day unaware that they would not see them again. One of the things the storyteller had mentioned that stood out to me was that people need to have a mental “switch” in their heads to get ready in an emergency. It is a lot easier said than done, but it taught me a lot about emergency preparedness and how you have to have the proper mentality. Normally, when I hear about people talking about being prepared for difficult situations they mention the practical and physical readiness but they fail to discuss how you have to be mentally ready which can be the difference of life or death. In addition, the situation emphasized having proper communication and the importance of community resilience. I am thankful for the experience of visiting Okawa Elementary school and I will keep the students and the teacher that lost their lives that day in my heart. 

During my stay in Japan I was able to not only try a variety of foods but drinks as well. Some of the drinks I got to try in Japan were sake, vitamin c, roasted rice tea, matcha, peach flavored water, Ramune, plum wine, and many more. I enjoyed how diverse the drinks were and the level of sweetness was just right for most drinks. In comparison to drinks in the US, I normally do not buy very many because of the high price and most drinks are too sweet.

The brightly colored vending machines located almost every few blocks were one of the most noticeable objects when I first arrived in Japan. I was shocked by the large variety of drink options the vending machines contained. They were very amusing for me to get drinks from since most of the time I would not translate anything but look at the bottles and pick different drinks each time. Like most food in Japan, I was shocked by the low prices of these drinks in the vending machines or at convenience stores. However, I did not realize how unusual it would be to not see any water fountains or water filling stations around. I found myself looking for them at the beginning of the trip as I didn’t want to keep buying water bottles. Although the drinks were cheap, the cost of buying water frequently did add up, making me miss the free water refills available back home. The convenience stores offered a wide array of beverages and they also provided an opportunity to try local flavors in a quick and convenient manner. Drinks like vitamin C beverages and unique flavored waters were readily available and provided a refreshing break during my explorations.

When preparing for my trip to Japan one of the things I was looking forward to the most was the matcha. I can confidently say that matcha did not disappoint in Japan. During our free time I got to visit a traditional tea shop in Shimo-Kitasawa. Here we were able to choose what type of tea we wanted, the matcha options were ​​thick (koicha) and thin (usucha). It was more bitter than I expected but they added a sweet on the side to tame the bitterness of the matcha. I thought the amount of matcha I was given at first was too little but after drinking it I realized that it was just enough.

I believe one of the reasons it was so much easier to adjust to traveling in Japan compared to other countries I have previously visited would be the convenience and how easy the Japanese have made tasks for others to complete. Everything feels as if it has been done with a purpose and each detail has been thought out before it is implemented. Many aspects of how food is prepared and served is very convenient and user friendly. Such as bento boxes that provide small portions of a variety of foods presented in a travel sized box to take on the go. I enjoyed trying different bento boxes when possible as no two boxes contained the same food. Additionally, the vending machines filled with ice cream or drinks are very convenient and easy to use. I observed that there were always bins right next to the machines to collect the used bottles.

Next, not only is the trash and recycling separated but they are split into different sections from there. The trash includes burnable and unburnable garbage. Whereas, the recyclables include PET bottles, cans, papers, etc. This allows for an easy waste disposal process when organizations have to sort through the trash. It also makes it simple for people throwing away trash to separate their garbage since it is written very clearly. 

Even when shopping, the experience was seamless and efficient. Everywhere I went the lines in shopping or convenience stores were very organized and straightforward. A story from one of my first shopping experiences, when I walked into one of the changing rooms in a store I was instructed to take off my shoes. Then, I walked in to see a little box of plastic slips. At first this confused me but then I learned that the masks were to cover your face to prevent makeup from getting on the clothes. I was impressed by how little of a task this was but likely very helpful to the staff and store. 

Lastly, I was pleasantly surprised by the heated toilets in most bathrooms. One of the toilets even had a tv on the side playing music videos. A majority of toilets I used also played small music to cover the noises of people using the bathroom. I also noticed that there were no toilet seat covers but there was always a small dispenser of toilet cleaning solution, which likely uses less amounts of paper compared to the toilet seat covers.