Category Archives: Ueda City

A First Impression of Japan:


Since I came off the plane, people in Japan have been so wonderful to me. The locals have showed me where to go and how to get there even though communication has been difficult at times. I have come to realize how helpful the Japanese people really are. If you are in trouble or lost, they will find a way to help you regardless of any language barriers.

So far I have made many friends and I’m certain we will remain in contact long after this tour is over. I have also become really close with my host family, the Omori clan. They are the nicest people in the world. They remind me of my own family in the United States, always happy and joking around. They said that my roommate and I are a part of the family now, so we can ask and have anything we want. There are so kind!

One unforgettable memory that I have in this new world so far was visiting a forest filled with fireflies. They only light up for a short amount of time before they disappear. There was a pleasant summer breeze that only enhanced the serene atmosphere of that evening. It was such a beautiful moment in such a strange land.

However, the most touching experience so far for me in Japan was at a mentally handicapped facility in Ueda City. We played games with the patients, including with a small softball, soccer, and a number of other traditional Japanese games. I even tried walking on bamboo sticks, which is a lot more difficult than it looks. They gave us handmade origami to show their respect and happiness towards us. It was truly a moving and rewarding experience for all of us.

It’s only the beginning with so much more to come this summer!

(Egan Gibson – Thompson, USA)

The Third World Campus – Japan Program Begins! And Starts with a Courtesy Visit to the Mayor of Ueda City, Nagano:


The mission of World Campus International is in many aspects to interact with Japanese communities in order to obtain a better understanding of Japanese culture, norms and values. And my first interaction with a Japanese community really made it clear to me about how excited the people are in sharing their traditions, working methods, and ways of thinking with us. They were also really eager to hear about our preconceptions of Japan.

On our first courtesy visit, we went to visit the mayor of Ueda City. Yuki, a staff member, acted as the translator, as Japanese was the spoken language during the visit. The tone was friendly and polite but also formal. The mayor and his staff had prepared a nice PowerPoint introduction, telling us some facts about Ueda City; geographic placement, attractions, and number of inhabitants. With 160.000 residents, Ueda City is the third largest city in Nagano and it is known for combining industry, academics, and technology in a harmonious matter. Furthermore, this city has many sister towns around the world including Broomfield, Colorado and Davos Town in Switzerland.

I really noticed how the entire city takes pride in their nature; especially their minerals and fireflies. Regarding the fireflies, the locals actually have a yearly festival, showing their attraction to the rest of the country. In fact, the mayor invited us to partake in the upcoming ceremony.

Finally, we received memorial gifts from the mayor, which included an elegant cloth towel. We also gave the mayor letters written by politicians and businessmen from our home countries.

(Christian Damgaard, Denmark)

Super Happy Sunshine Fun Training Time

Training Time

One of the most neglected parts of training for any group project might the most important. The ability to work and cooperate as a team is fundamental for success. In as much, the first couple of days of staff training focused on building internal team bonds. Of course, trust and camaraderie takes time but all of the staff is eager to learn and work with each other.

Currently, we are staying in a house in the city of Ueda, Nagano. Living in such close quarters is a little cramped sometimes but it also promotes if not forces intimacy. Nothing speaks of closeness quite like being awakened in the middle of the night by the snores of your fellow staff members. Trust must also be high before you should ask someone completely inept to cut your hair. Although I do not like to brag, I must say, I did an excellent job on Henning’s hair (Production Team Assistant). His hair is mostly even and he can still go outside, albeit wearing a baseball cap.

Naturally all teams have certain items that symbolize their membership and for this World Campus — Japan squad it is our matching cups and chopsticks. I am certain we will all treasure these as they represent our shared learning experience in this pleasant house. Plus they are happy, fun, and colorful which I believe indicative of the upcoming tour!

(Guang Yeung)

Ueda City, Nagano

WCI in Schools!

The first stop in the 2007 World Campus -Japan tour was Ueda, Nagano. Participants and staff from around the world met each other and had no idea what to expect. But with time and experiences during the first two successful weeks, we have all become even more excited, are getting to know each other better and looking forward to the upcoming cities and adventures. Here are some highlights from our first community visit.

The Wasshoi event was a fun and energetic activity that was not only shared by the participants of World Campus International, but also by the whole community of Ueda. Wasshoi is a summer festival and the sound made while lifting heavy objects here in Japan. During this festival, people carried portable shrines called omikoshi. It was quite a sight! Those carrying these large wooden objects were having such a great time and that positive energy carried over to everyone else nearby. Some of the World Campus participants and host families even joined in on the fun by dancing with Ueda locals. It was a great experience to take part in this Japanese tradition. 

With our city theme being “Educational Systems”, we had a chance to listen and talk with the Superintendent of the Board of Education for Ueda City and were also invited to visit all the schools in the Maruko district of their community. As you can imagine, the children at these schools were quite excited to take time out of their regular routine to engage with representatives from around the world!

We realized and talked about the distinct differences between the Japanese school systems and the systems in our own countries. This discussion also included special education and adult education and the efforts made to meet these needs in Japan.  One issue that was highlighted and very emotional was the discussion of pressure put on students as well as “bullying”.  Although the Japanese are a highly educated people with an almost 99% literacy rate, there are still challenges with overcoming the social pressures that very much contribute to one’s school experience.

Well, that’s all for now. We do want to sincerely thank all the people in Ueda city for making our stay in their city so comfortable and rewarding! Domo arigato gozaimasu.