From Kyoto, we are going back to Tokyo via Shinkansen, again! How lucky we were! The Shinkansen ride seems to be an ordinary ride.
We were again booked in the Hotel Metropolitan in Ikebukuro, Tokyo.
If you notice, we had lots of free days before the Evaluation and the Farewell Party. I remember, we were told we had an extra day after the Farewell Party because there was no flight for us yet, and that day we had our Finale, Tokyo Disneyland!
For our free days, we already lined up our schedules with our friends from Kanagawa University. In the morning, we were going to Kamakura and then, an unofficial visit to Kanagawa University and hanging out in their apartments, plus an overnight stay! I don't know if everyone was given a chance such as this...
Here we are now in Kamakura!
From Wikipedia: Kamakura (鎌倉市 Kamakura-shi) is a city located in Kanagawa, Japan, about 50 kilometres (31 mi) south-south-west of Tokyo. It used to be also called Renpu (鎌府) (short for Kamakura Bakufu (鎌倉幕府 or Kamakura Shogunate)).
Our friends from KU were members of the English Speaking Society (ESS) and one of their activities include being tourist guides in Kamakura, as part of their practice in English.
Our first stop is the Kotoku-in Temple which is a Buddhist temple of the Jōdo-shū sect with the Daibutsu, the monumental outdoor bronze statue of Amitābha Buddha.
From Wikipedia: Kamakura (鎌倉市 Kamakura-shi) is a city located in Kanagawa, Japan, about 50 kilometres (31 mi) south-south-west of Tokyo. It used to be also called Renpu (鎌府) (short for Kamakura Bakufu (鎌倉幕府 or Kamakura Shogunate)).
Although Kamakura proper is today rather small, it is often described in history books as a former de facto capital of Japan as the seat of the Shogunate and of theRegency during the Kamakura Period.
Our first stop is the Kotoku-in Temple which is a Buddhist temple of the Jōdo-shū sect with the Daibutsu, the monumental outdoor bronze statue of Amitābha Buddha.
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| We are posing in front of the Goddess of Love, Marriage and Fertility and in other parts of Kamakura! It was so great we all met again! |
The Great Buddha (Daibutsu) is not the largest bronze Buddha but is the more original one, which has withstood weather and time remarkably. I remember they were sharing with us the background about the Daibutsu and we were sharing with them how to express this to the tourists.
From Wikipedia: Kamakura has many historically significant Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines, some of them, like Sugimoto-dera, over 1,200 years old. Kōtoku-in, with its monumental outdoor bronze statue of Amida Buddha, is the most famous. A 15th century tsunami destroyed the temple that once housed the Great Buddha, but the statue survived and has remained outdoors ever since. This iconic Daibutsu is arguably amongst the few images which have come to represent Japan in the world's collective imagination. Kamakura also hosts the so-called Five Great Zen Temples (the Kamakura Gozan).
From Wikipedia: Kamakura has many historically significant Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines, some of them, like Sugimoto-dera, over 1,200 years old. Kōtoku-in, with its monumental outdoor bronze statue of Amida Buddha, is the most famous. A 15th century tsunami destroyed the temple that once housed the Great Buddha, but the statue survived and has remained outdoors ever since. This iconic Daibutsu is arguably amongst the few images which have come to represent Japan in the world's collective imagination. Kamakura also hosts the so-called Five Great Zen Temples (the Kamakura Gozan).
Since almost the whole Philippine and Japanese students gathered, it seemed like an official part of the Friendship Program.
From the Kōtoku-in Temple, we went to another part of Kamakura, the Kamakura beach. The beach together with its temples and proximity to Tokyo, makes Kamakura a popular tourist destination, especially for surfers.
Then, some of us gathered in Junko's apartment. The four famous Kanagawa singers were singing and this song must be a Japanese pop song, "Miss Brand New Day"... "Yumemiru sugata no yosato "bekeiyo" blue jeans"...(I am not sure if this is right!) Thanks to Gretch I.B. for linking this song to our site.
When I heard the song again, I could easily remember Yoshi-san and Taka-san!
Here is the link to the song from You Tube and the lyrics from another site:
サザンオールスターズ ミス・ブランニュー・デイ（MISS BRAND-NEW DAY
www.youtube.com
It was a really fun day!
We stayed over at Junko's apartment and the next day before going back to the hotel, I tried their "pay shower". I had to prepare several ten yen because after a few minutes, the water would close. That was a unique experience!
The Friendship Program was not in vain because even in unofficial circumstances, the delegates and the counterparts met and continued their friendship.
Some of our friends also went to the Philippines for a visit.
At the time, when internet, e-mails and Facebook were not yet available, it was not exactly easy to continue to the communication.
I was just amazed when Emil T. opened our Science Students 1987 group that it was easier to find our groupmates and even some of our Japanese friends. After 24 years, the memories come flooding back in and I hope the others feel the same.
Part 11 will be on the Farewell Party!
Then, some of us gathered in Junko's apartment. The four famous Kanagawa singers were singing and this song must be a Japanese pop song, "Miss Brand New Day"... "Yumemiru sugata no yosato "bekeiyo" blue jeans"...(I am not sure if this is right!) Thanks to Gretch I.B. for linking this song to our site.
When I heard the song again, I could easily remember Yoshi-san and Taka-san!
Here is the link to the song from You Tube and the lyrics from another site:
www.youtube.com
サザンオールスターズ 20th Single：1984年06月25日 リリース
from: http://www.karajapan.com/~nijiiro/englishsouthernmissbrandnewday.html
| MISS BRAND-NEW DAY English lyrics: Kalapana |
| <MISS BRAND-NEW DAY> With a figure that I’m dreaming, way down inside your blue jeans Loneliness is following your walk of rhapsody Oh Oh miss brand new day Everyone acts the same with her Oh Oh miss brand new way She seems like everybody’s girl The words are all a fashion of her vain and high illusion She’s coming off elated with reactions by someone else Oh Oh miss brand new day She loves to show her coming on Oh Oh miss brand new way Why can’t she stop her running around How I’d love to spend the night with you my love You have to let me know that I’m your only man Yes I know she’s right on time Tonight I’ll stay with you You should know You’re playing with my heart You are the one and only one that I love so Interlude; The way you are has got me running round following rainbows My love for you is something that I just can’t hide inside Yes I know she’s right on time Tonight I’ll stay with you Oh Oh miss brand new day Everyone acts the same with her Oh Oh miss brand new way She seems like everybody’s girl Oh Oh miss brand new day She loves to show her coming on Oh Oh miss brand new way Why can’t she stop her running around Oh Oh miss brand new day Oh Oh miss brand new way | ＜ミス・ブランニュー・デイ (MISS BRAND-NEW DAY)＞ 夢に見る姿の良さと美形の Blue Jean 身体と欲でエリ好みのラプソディー * Oh Oh Miss Brand-New Day 皆同じそぶﾘ Oh Miss Brand-New Way 誰かと似た身なり * 意味の無い流行の言葉と見栄の Illusion 教えられたままのしぐさに酔ってる Oh Oh Miss Brand-New Day 月並を愛し Oh Miss Brand-New Way お出かけの前に 終わらない彼と寝てる Night Time 濡れたムードを買い占めて Yss,l know. She's right on time. 今宵 With you You should know she's breaking up my heart 割とよくあるタイプの君よ ありのまま着ままの君で心は Rainbow 人目をはばかるにゃ美し過ぎる (* くり返し) 誰の為本当の君を捨てるの Crazy しなやかと軽さをはき違えてる 慣れない場所で背伸ひ All right 粋な努力をただで売る Yes, I know. She's right on me 今宵 With You You should know she's breaking up my heart 街でよく見るタイプの君よ |
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| Kampai!!! |
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| the night is almost done! |
We stayed over at Junko's apartment and the next day before going back to the hotel, I tried their "pay shower". I had to prepare several ten yen because after a few minutes, the water would close. That was a unique experience!
 |
| This is the group picture in Hakone where we first met. |
The Friendship Program was not in vain because even in unofficial circumstances, the delegates and the counterparts met and continued their friendship.
Some of our friends also went to the Philippines for a visit.
At the time, when internet, e-mails and Facebook were not yet available, it was not exactly easy to continue to the communication.
I was just amazed when Emil T. opened our Science Students 1987 group that it was easier to find our groupmates and even some of our Japanese friends. After 24 years, the memories come flooding back in and I hope the others feel the same.
Part 11 will be on the Farewell Party!
Well-done Inday ! I throughly examined your footsteps from part 1 and part 11 in Japan in summer 1987 and found many few facts that I had never known before about places you visited and encounters ! Thanks a lot for your contribution and entertainment with a lot of useful quatations on many terms and famous sites ! - Ted S.
ReplyDeleteHats off to you! The details you included are incredible! Thanks a bunch for bringing back wonderful memories! Hope to see you again soon. - Gretch I.
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