Japan 8: The Pocket

 Zoe Devine:

One of the many highlights from this trip was visiting “The Pocket” in Nishiawakura. This building is a part of a community program that helps kids find their interests, as well as turn them into learning opportunities. Made out of Cedarwood and big windows, this place feels open and creative. The building itself has a kitchen theater room loft, play area, reading nooks, and art room, whiteboards and aquariums. The space itself allows children to explore and to think new ways as well as share their experiences together.

We had the pleasure of meeting with three 7th grade girls who were working on an environmental project. Even though we are a large group to present to at that age, especially with the language barrier, the girls did great and I was thoroughly impressed by their work. The project was on pollution and species in the river. One of the students went to the river and collected trash, sorted it by type and weighed it. She had pictures of all the trash as well as maps of the river and the area. She understood that the river flowed to the ocean and how water carries much more than water. On top of pollution she also had great understanding of the species in the river. They also handed out flyers and each species of the river was hand drawn, both accurately, and with a cute child-like style. This is where my mind was blown. These girls live by the river, know who lives in the river, and why we must be keeping it clean on top of the understanding that the execution of the posters and papers are what made their interest real.

She wouldn’t have been able to do something like this at a regular middle school, heck my projects aren’t in this level of detail and care. It’s programs like “The Pocket” that offer these amazing resources and opportunities for these children to explore the interest and grow connection and care to nature and the spaces around them.

 

Japan 7: A Peaceful Stream

 Jevika Khanal:

Sunlight, cold water, and silence. Sometimes that is all we need to reset ourselves. This moment by the river felt like stepping away from everything loud and stressful in life. Sitting on a rock with my feet in the clear flowing water, I could finally slow down and just exist in the moment. The stream moved gently around the stones while the sunlight reflected through the water like gold. It felt peaceful in a way that is hard to describe unless you experience it yourself.

What made this moment special was not only the beautiful scenery, but the feeling it gave me inside. I sat there eating a simple lunch, listening to the sound of the water flowing endlessly while birds flew above me. For those few minutes, nothing else mattered, not stress, not responsibilities, not overthinking and the tiredness of walking. Nature has a way of calming the mind without saying a single word. The cold water touching my feet and the warm sunlight on my cheeks created the perfect balance. It reminded me how important it is to pause sometimes and appreciate small moments.

In today’s world, we spend so much time rushing from one thing to another that we forget how healing nature can be. This little river became more than just a place to eat lunch; it became a reset for my mind and body. Looking around at the rocks beneath the crystal-clear water made everything feel simple again. It reminded me that happiness does not always come from big adventures or expensive experiences. Sometimes it comes from sitting quietly beside a stream, all alone breathing fresh air, and allowing yourself to feel present.

This moment will stay in my memory for a long time because it reminded me how peaceful life can be when we slow down enough to notice it.

 

Japan 6. Japanese Animals

 Freida Kincaid: 

Throughout this trip we have encountered many foreign animals, some we were hoping for and others maybe not so much. Though even the scarier animals have their own sort of beauty and unique adaptations that have led them to still survive today. I’d like to share in this post some of the most unique animals I’ve encountered on this trip, and some of the interesting facts about them. 

The Japanese Skink is a small reptile that we encountered while hiking Mount Kurama and in Nishiawakura. The mating season for these skinks lasts from April to May and during this time frame the males' heads turn a reddish hue. This species of skink has the largest distribution out of all skink species in Japan. 

The Japanese Fresh water crabs are my personal favorite species we were able to see. They were most abundantly found during the habitat restoration. They are most often found in fresh water streams and highland freshwater. Their color can range from a greyish blue to a red brown depending on their location. This species of crab is also nocturnal, and prefers to hide under rocks and logs during the day. Most notably they need very clean unpolluted water, so they are a good indicator for pollution levels. 

The Mukade, also known as the Giant Centipede, is a large insect growing up to twenty centimeters long. I encountered this insect while sitting on the steps of our accommodation in Nishiawakura, and found out afterwards that it is very aggressive and venomous. Its bite causes severe burning, swelling, and can even lead to a fever. With their size and venom this species is a carnivore eating cockroaches, spiders, other insects, and occasionally small rodents or lizards. In some Japanese households if these are caught they are put in a jar with oil to keep as an antivenom if bitten by another Mukade. 

I could honestly go on for days about the cool animals we saw or found traces of, but to me these were the most memorable, but maybe not the easiest to find. If I take another trek back to japan I’d love to see all of these animals again (maybe the Mukade from farther away) and hopefully many more.

Japan 5: Tottori Dunes

Casey Havrda: 

On Japan's west coast on the Sea of Japan in Tottori stand huge sand dunes. Walking up to the first dune felt like stepping onto a different planet. The sand stretched for miles in both directions and was surrounded by deep green forested mountains. 

As we climbed up the tallest dune which bordered the edge of the sea, we were hit with a strong salty breeze which reminded me of the beaches I love at home. Looking to the right, I saw a rocky coastline and huge mountains that were just kissing the coastline. This is a geographical feature I find so striking. 

On the left we could see the port of Tottori and a cozy bunch of homes bordering the large river that flows out to sea. The town is tucked between mountains and the sea. The wind and scenery were so exciting it made me want to jump around and run. 

The waves that were crashing on the edge of the sand dunes below seemed so close to us, yet so far away. A few of us couldn’t help but run down the sand dune to touch the water. Each step just felt like catching myself from falling down the steep pitch of sand. 

I enjoyed feeling the waves crash at my feet and looking up at the huge dune to see the rest of our group waving down at us. This adventure was endlessly worth the trek back up the dune. The dunes were a very special place, and the feeling of the salty wind on my face is not one I’ll soon forget.  

 

Japan 3: A Cat Beckons

The Gotoku-ji Temple. Image source.

 

Editorial note: During 2026 Saint Michael's College academic study trip to Japan, our students were matched in small groups with students from Kokugakuin University in Shibuya, Tokyo. The groups set out from campus to explore Tokyo. The interaction was designed to facilitate cross-cultural exchange, provide an opportunity to practice English, and ways for St. Mikes students to explore with their Japanese peers. In many cases, the visits to culturally significant Tokyo attractions were a first both for our students and the Kokugakuin students. Following the tours, Kokugakuin students joined us for a dinner with Japan-based St. Mikes Alumni.

The Gotokuji Temple  

 Shane Geraldez 

    The Gotokuji Temple in Tokyo is famous for being the birth place of the Maneki-Neko cat (aka the beckoning cat or the lucky cat). During our visit at the temple, we got to see the different shrines and temples dedicated to the cat. They had a Grove or path filled with hundreds of tiny clay cats with pictures of deceased beloved cats. We noticed that the clay cats had names written on them. We greatly appreciated the chance to see this cat filled temple, and I hope to come visit again.
    During our outing, we took two trains to get to the temple and were grateful to our Japanese partners who navigated due to their familiarity with the metro system. When we arrived at appropriate station, we walked around 15-20 minutes through a suburban area. Along the way, the two Japanese students taught us some new words to express our feelings. Additionally, we found that it was very common for young children to be independently navigate the complex rail systems of Tokyo at a very young age. On every train journey we observed groups of young children and single individuals in their school uniforms confidently navigating by themselves. 
    In the the temple, we teamed up in groups of two to explore and choose a  tree and wooden structure to further look into. One group looked at a Japanese cedar tree and another looked at the history of the three story wooden temple. It was interesting experience to piece together information written in a different language: however, the Japanese students were very good at translating information.