Category Archives: Kumamoto City

Goodbye, Don’t Panic

WCJ Class of March 2009 - Kansai Area


spring '09 program 2 kanto area looking sharp


spring '09 class 3 fun

Time flies by like the shinkansen. It is difficult to put into words the journey we just completed. We laughed, we cried, we shared, we learned, we argued, we loved, and we became a family during these incredible six weeks.

It was very much like living in a dream. Dressing up as sumo wrestlers. Examining genuine katanas. Trying traditional Japanese archery. Being moved by the story of an atomic bomb survivor. Taking part in tea ceremonies. Having a picnic under a soft pink sea of cherry blossoms whilst dressed in kimonos. Asking difficult questions at Toyota Company. Visiting mayors and dignitaries. Performing Japanese songs in front of over 600 people. Relaxing in a cat café. Savoring Kobe beef and raw horse. Building relationships with Japanese families in different cities. Making new international friends. Becoming a family. All those experiences seem so surreal right now, but we did all that and so much more.

Now the tour is over but the incredible experiences and deep relationships remain. We all went our separate ways but don’t panic. Goodbyes are difficult and the physical distance between everyone is far but we all have facebook and email! It is very easy to slip back into your old lives and routines, so please make an effort and stay in touch with your World Campus – Japan family. Thank you everyone for a great tour!

一期一会 (ichigo, ichie), One moment, one meeting. All of us meeting and traveling in Japan during those two months was a once in a lifetime opportunity. It was serendipitous and as is it was perfect. Goodbye, thanks for all the fish! Don’t panic!

Minamata Disease – A City Changed Forever

Minamata musuem


thanking tour guide and translator

Hello again, this is Burcu and today I am going to tell you about Minamata disease.

It is a kind of poisoning, caused by methyl-mercury contamination in the sea. In Minamata, there was a factory operated by the Chisso Corporation which was sending their used water to the sea. In 1926, fishermen noticed the first anomalies in the ecosystem but they didn’t take this seriously. In 1950, the contamination started to affect the jellyfish and fish around Minamata. They were coming directly to the surface and it was easy to collect them, so people didn’t worry much about the cause. In 1953, the first person got sick because they ate the contaminated fish. But it was not until 1956, they officially discovered the cause was Minamata disease.

The disease affects the neural system and brain directly. The damage to the neural system cannot be repaired, so there was no way to help the people who suffered from the disease.

Actually until the volume of methyl-mercury is over 25ppm, it is not dangerous to humans. So the government started a cleaning project and today in Minamata city, the volume is under that limit. They actually filled in a part of the sea that was polluted and an Eco Park was created in its place. But it is still dangerous because in case of an earthquake or tsunami, the mercury may contaminate the sea again. So there is an institute to check the water and water products in Minamata city.

Right now Minamata city is like an eco-land. People learned from their mistakes and they are now protecting nature. They even separate the trash into 22 different categories! But there was also the effect of the mercury on the fishing industry, which is so important in Japan. In Minamata, all fisheries were prohibited from April 1st 1975 to March 31st 1990. One thing I learned is that our mistakes affect lives, directly or indirectly, even if we are not aware of it.

Many thanks to the head of the Minamata Museum for his patience, our tour guide, and our translators!

Burcu Tepik (Turkey)

Stork’s Cradle – Delivering Hope

baby drop off post


presenting stork's cradle

The emotions you experience through the activities in WCI are very broad. Some days are all about having fun, but other days you have to open your mind to more serious issues, like the day we visited the Jikei hospital.

The hospital is special because it is the only place in Japan where you can anonymously leave unwanted babies. This is called “Stork’s Cradle”.

In the morning of that day we had a discussion about ethical questions relating to teenage pregnancies, parental responsibility and science vs. religion. It was very interesting because we were in groups with people from all around the world. We learned about the rules and how things work in each country, but also about the similarities, which I think is much greater.

In the afternoon we went to the hospital and had a guided tour and a Q&A session with the founder of Stork’s Cradle. It was very interesting to hear his story and intentions with Stork’s Cradle, since there are a lot of opinions around whether this is a good thing or not.

He felt so heartbroken every time he saw news of a baby being abandoned alone somewhere, and so he established the Stock’s Cradle in 2007 after a similar system in Germany. It is meant to be a last resort when parents just have no other options. He strongly encourages them to raise the child on their own, and offers many consultations both before and after the baby has been delivered to the hospital. In the end I think that Stork’s Cradle is there to save lives and do good for both parents and children.

Amanda Roland (Norway)

The Thank-you Event (Arigato Evento) in Kumamoto City

In every city we visit, World Campus — Japan participants present a small performance called The Arigato Evento. As an alumnus, and a member of the production team, this event is very exciting for me, and also for the families, many of which are hosting World Campus — Japan participants for the first time. The show begins with a small multimedia introduction, after which, the participants enter to an energized crowd.

The participants spend a few minutes dancing and interacting with the audience before moving to the stage. Once there, the fun really begins, as each of the 14 countries represented offers a small cultural presentation, ranging from a slideshow, to live music, to a story written in Japanese. At the end of the presentations, a host family is called to the stage and asked a few questions about their stay with the World Campus — Japan participant.

In Kumamoto city, the Fukushima family was called to the stage, they happened to be my host family, and had wonderful things to say during their interview. Once they exited the stage, I read to them a small speech I prepared, in Japanese, thanking them for being such a welcoming and kind family.

An American Sign Language song continues the show, which is very popular with the crowd because it is a song most of the communities have heard. Next we have a Japanese Medley, which includes 5 very well known Japanese songs. We have soloists, dancing and a lot of interaction with the audience. After this portion, we teach the Japanese Sign Language that we perform to a famous Japanese pop song. This is also very appreciated by the audience, since they can learn authentic Japanese Sign Language from international people.

At the end of the Arigato Evento, the participants present all the national flags represented by the World Campus — Japan class of February – April 2008, and then thank the host families and local organizing community members for having us. It truly is a wonderful event that will stay in the minds of the people for a long time.

(Cody Permenter, Production Assistant, United States of America)

My Host Family in Kumamoto City

My Host Family in Kumamoto City
Hi, my name is Jonathon Cygnaeus, and I am from Stockholm, Sweden.

As a participant in the World Campus — Japan program, we stay in many host families. I had a great opportunity to live with the head of the Local Organizing Committee in Kumamoto city, Mrs. Maeda, along with Jamshid Ganiev from Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

I had a great time from the moment I entered the house until I left. We had great discussions about several subjects, including life in Japan to bigger questions in society. They also taught me some simple Japanese. I really enjoyed staying with the family because of their immense generosity and kindness.

One special highlight of my time staying with the Maeda family was visiting Mount Aso, the biggest active volcano in the country and one of the largest in the world. It was one of the most impressive sites I have seen.

It is host families like the Maeda family with their huge generosity to open their home to a total stranger that really makes World Campus — Japan program such a great experience.

Thank you to all the host families we have had on the road for opening your homes to us and for including us in your daily life, really making us feel like part of your family. We will treasure the memories made with you for years to come.

(Jonathan Cygnaeus, Sweden)