Schedule

The following is the schedule for the 2025 trip.

• 1st section – Stay in the Tokyo area while visiting nine different institutions or facilities.
  • Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant
    • Explore the environmental impacts caused by the accident triggered by the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and the ongoing decommissioning efforts.
  • Nursing Small-scale Multifunctional Home Care Gruntobi
    • The facility seamlessly integrates nursing care, rehabilitation, and home-visit services to support each elderly person’s individual lifestyle. Beyond personalized care, it actively cultivates a community that emphasizes intergenerational relationships and strong local ties.
    • Discover a new approach to community-based care that blends compassionate human connections with expert professional support.
  • Fukagawa Edo Museum
    • Explore daily life in Tokyo during the 1700s and gain insight into an important chapter of Japan’s history.
  • Hikarigaoka Incineration Plant
    • Gain an understanding of Tokyo’s waste management systems, including how the city handles waste reduction, recycling, and disposal to maintain environmental sustainability.
  • Loop Route 7 Underground Regulation Pond for flood prevention
    • Learn how the metropolitan city of Tokyo prevents floods to reduce flood-related damage.
  • Tokyo Fire Department Honjo Citizen Disaster Prevention Education Center
    • Acquiring knowledge, developing practical skills, and gaining a deeper understanding of the measures needed to stay safe during a natural disaster.
  • Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology
    • Develop meaningful connections and engage in collaborative experiences with students at the university, fostering academic, cultural, and personal exchange.
  • Tokyo University of Agriculture
    • Connect and collaborate with university students to foster academic, cultural, and personal growth.
  • Azabu University
    • Lectures/labs and presentations; Build meaningful connections with university students through collaborative experiences that promote academic, cultural, and personal exchange
  • Presentations and lectures.

• 2nd section – Travel to five cities across Japan over the course of a week and visit nine different institutions or facilities
  

  The travel distance is approximately 2,500 miles (4,000km), which is roughly the same as the driving distance from Columbus, Ohio, to Vancouver, Canada.

  • Toyama
    • Itai-Itai disease museum
      • Learn about the effects of mass poisoning caused by industrial cadmium pollution and its devastating impact on human health, while gaining a deeper awareness of ongoing environmental protection efforts aimed at preventing such tragedies from happening again.
    • Storyteller’ talk
      • A relative of an Itai-Itai disease victim who passed away from the disease – a severe condition that primarily affects the bones and kidneys due to prolonged exposure to high levels of cadmium – shares her personal experiences with the family member and describes the suffering caused by the disease.
  • Hiroshima
    • Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum
      • Learn about the vast scale and devastation caused by nuclear destruction, the personal and collective suffering of survivors, and the profound impacts on human health.
      • Lecture given by an A-Bomb Legacy Successor
        • An A-bomb legacy successor shares the story of her aunt and mother, both of whom were affected by the atomic bombing. Her aunt lost her life as a result of the bombing, while her mother endured long-term illnesses caused by radiation exposure.
    • Peace Memorial Park tour
      • Gain insight into the deep historical background of the atomic bombing and Hiroshima’s recovery, along with powerful personal and collective stories of suffering, resilience, and hope.
    • Miyajima
      • Learn about the history and religious significance of the Itsukushima shrine, originally built in 593 AD
  • Kumamoto
    • Kumamoto Castle – damaged by the 2016 Kumamoto earthquakes
      • Examine the damage caused by the earthquakes, the ongoing restoration efforts, and the history of the castle
  • Minamata
    • Minamata disease museum
      • Minamata Disease is a severe neurological disorder caused by methylmercury poisoning.
      • Learn about the suffering endured by victims, the legal and social battles for justice, the environmental and human rights
        lessons learned, and the devastating impacts on human health.
      • Storyteller’s talk
        • A storyteller shares the deeply personal experiences of her family, many of whom suffered from Minamata Disease. She recounts the physical and emotional pain her loved ones endured. Born with congenital Minamata Disease herself, she also describes her own challenges growing up with the condition. Through her story, she offers a powerful testament to the long-term human impact of environmental pollution.
  • Ishinomaki
    • Ishinomaki Red Cross Hospital
      • Presentations by hospital staff on their initial responses to the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and their approaches to disaster preparedness.
      • Learn about the importance of disaster preparedness and the prevention of infectious diseases in large evacuation shelters.
    • Okawa Elementary School
      • The school was struck by the tsunami triggered by the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, and 74 of the school’s 108 students and 10 teachers lost their lives.
      • Storyteller’s talk
        • A parent of a student who lost their life in the tsunami caused by the earthquake shares his personal experiences during the disaster and expresses his own feelings.
    • Kadonowaki Elementary School
      • A symbol and preserved site of the devastation caused by the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami.
      • Join a guided tour led by a storyteller to learn about the importance of disaster preparedness and the extensive destruction caused by the earthquake and tsunami.

You can find the detailed schedule in the PDF file below.

schedule.2025