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Wednesday, October 1, 2014

Balmoral at Shinano Junior High School and activities so far.....

So far we have had a great time at Shinano Junior High School - our sister school in Japan.
Yesterday we were officially welcomed to the school. We performed two songs and the Haka. Then we heard some songs from Shinano Junior High School and also got to see the winning team house chant for this year. It was a 3 minute long performance that the students themselves designed, choreographed and performed. No teacher input at all and despite that it was amazing.

After that we went to Seto City Hall to meet the Mayor of Seto. Lily Wright represented our group and gave a short speech to the Mayor about what we have been doing in Japan and how beautiful she thought Seto was. After that we walked around Seto City and visited Fukagawa Shrine.

Today we traveled by bus to Toyota City, home of the Toyota Motor Company. We were very fortunate to visit the Tsutsumi Production Plant and see cars being made. It was very interesting for us to see the processes that go into making cars and how precision and accuracy are key. Unfortunately we weren't able to take photos inside the plant but I am sure that the students will tell you all about it when they come home.

We then took a bus to the Headquarters of Toyota and visited the Toyota Kaikan Showroom. Here we were able to see some of the new models of Toyota cars and learn about the developing electric cars. The students enjoyed sitting in the driver's seat of some very expensive cars.

When the bus pulled in to a highway rest stop the students were able to choose from a variety of Japanese food. Highway rest stops in Japan are far more developed than ones in New Zealand and offer a range of different shopping opportunities and eating spots. It was a great chance for them to choose food for themselves and try something new.

In the afternoon we continued our travels to Nagoya Castle and again were amazed by the physical size of the castle. Students learned about the history of the castle and were able to take in a 360degree view of Nagoya City.

Tomorrow the students have a day of school activities planned. Stay tuned for more action.

Matt.




























































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