Monday October 22, 2007: Hyogo University and Himeji Castle

We set off at 7:30 am for our visit to Hyogo University of Teacher Education, about 1 ½ hours away by bus (beautiful scenic views on the way there). Because we were running early, we stopped at a rest stop for a short break. I was impressed by the careful set up of the conference room when we arrived. We each had a bottle of water, a packet of informational materials about the college, and souvenirs (a washcloth and sticker with the unidentifiable Hyogo University mascot). Do you remember the lesson on business etiquette during our unit on Confucianism…when we read the excerpt about the “Entering the Company” ceremony from Confucius Lives Next Door? During this lesson, I briefly mentioned how conference rooms were set up deliberately during business meetings (the senior members sit in certain seats and the hosts always sit closest to the door)…that his exactly what I experienced here.

At the opening of our morning session (which was basically an overview of their teacher’s program…student teaching is done in just 2 weeks and 70% of their students are females!), we each had to stand up and introduce ourselves in Japanese…“Watashi wa Connecticut no Lin Chi-Ann des. O ai de ki te ure shi des” (“My name is Chi-Ann Lin and I am from Connecticut. I am very pleased to meet you.”) After a short break, we moved to the library classroom (where we treated to cookies and oolong tea) for a Q&A session with professors and students. “Jimmy” Suzuki, a professor at the college, served as the moderator. He was a really funny, warm, and a very memorable guy…he spoke English really well (having spent time at the University of Wisconsin). At the conclusion of our discussion, we took a group picture and our gracious hosts walked us to our bus waving to us as we drove away. This was a fun visit…I only wish that we were able to see the schools and classrooms before we met with the professors and future teachers.

I was really happy that we had the afternoon to explore Himeji Castle, nicknamed the “White Heron Castle” (which is also the city bird). Construction of the castle first began in the 14th century and was completed in the 17th century during the Tokugawa Shogunate. It was deemed a World Heritage Site by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization) in 1993 and is regarded as Japan’s most beautiful castle.

The castle is breathtaking. Upon entering, you are required to take your shoes off and slippers are provided. There are a few exhibits of the tools used to build the castle and pictures of its reconstruction in the mid-20th century. After climbing up very steep stairs, I reached the top of the castle and was surprised to see a Shinto shrine inside the castle. Making my way down the stairs, I exited the castle and explored the castle grounds browsing through a beautiful chrysanthemum (the national flower and imperial symbol...also saw these at Yasukuni Shrine) and bonsai exhibit.