JOPCA Tour for JICA Training Course Participants

on 24^th August 2019

Mr. Yoshihisa FUJITA

Planning Committee

JOPCA conducted Tokyo City Tour for participants of JICA training course to enjoy Japanese culture and tradition. I participated in the tour as the leader. I report it mainly from the view point of cultural exchange.

Outline of the Tour

Date: Saturday, August 24

Name of the JICA training course: Port Cargo Transport Efficiency for African Countries

Foreign participants: 1 each from Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Egypt, Kenya, Madagascar, Namibia, Senegal, South Sudan and Tanzania. Total is 10 persons

Japanese side: 2 from Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, 2 from Yokohama City, 1 from Nikken Kogaku Co. Ltd., 3 from JOPCA and 2 boys. Total is 10 persons.

① Start the Tour

At the beginning of the tour, I briefly explained the tour and passed trainees PASMO cards as gifts from JOPCA, and we started the tour from JICA Yokohama.

② Old Shimbashi Station House

I always asked participants the same questions.

Q1: Japanese first railway started operation from here in 1872. Where was the other terminal?

A1: Yokohama.

Q2: Why was Yokohama selected as the terminal?

A2: Of course, there was an international port in Yokohama (opened in 1859).

(at Old Shimbashi Station House)

③ Hama Rikyu Gardens

We took a group photo in front of 300-year pine tree. Then we had a plan to have Japanese powder tea at Nakajima-no-ochaya (tea house). But because there happened to be a Japanese traditional culture event, the tea house was so crowded that we gave up drinking tea. We walked around in the Gardens. Foreign participants were interested in design concept of Japanese traditional gardens different form European style. A trainee found a shakuhachi (Japanese traditional musical instrument) in the traditional musical performance and he was glad to know shakuhachi was similar in shape and tone to his country's one. We also enjoyed the distant view of Rainbow Bridge and Oi container terminal from Shinhinokuchi hill. Trainees were very surprised by the spread of Tokyo Port.

(In front of 300-year pine tree, Hama Rikyu Gardens)

④ Sumida River Cruise and Asakusa Culture Tourist Information Center

We enjoyed 55-minute river cruise to Asakusa with soft drink at a cafeteria. We got off at Asakusa pier and took a group photo with Tokyo Sky Tree and Objet of Asahi Beer Building in the background. And then we enjoyed traditional landscape of Asakusa from observation terrace of Asakusa Culture Tourist Information Center.

(Sumida River Cruise, Asakusa Disembarkation)

(Asakusa Culture Tourist Information Center Terrace)

⑤ Tempura Lunch

We had a tempura lunch in a historic restaurant, Sansada. At end of lunch time an Egyptian asked me if he could pray here. At that time we were taking lunch in a single room. As we could get the consent from a restaurant manager, he prayed in the room. For the first time, I saw a Muslim praying nearby.

(Lunch at Sansada)

⑥ Nakamise Shopping Street and Sensoji Temple

Nakamise Shpping Street was very crowded as usual. We walked the street carefully not to miss the foreign participants. They were interested in yukata. Japanese traditional clothes and some took photos with yukata girls.

Before visiting Sensoji I explained Japanese Temples and Shrines have open mind to allow anyone to enter the buildings and pray. For foreign participants Sensoji was the first Japanese religious facility to visit. They entered the main building of the temple with great interest and threw small coins.

(Asakusa Kaminarimon)

⑦ Asakusa Shrine

At the shrine, we were lucky to have a chance to see a monkey performance show, one of the traditional Japanese performing arts. We enjoyed comical exchange between a monkey and a monkey trainer. The tour ended there. Then we took them to JICA Yokohama.

(Monkey performance show at Asakusa Shrine)

I think the tour was a good opportunity for both foreign participants and Japanese participants to come into contact with foreign countries' culture and tradition. Trainees said the tour was great and enjoyed it very much.

I express my appreciation to foreign participants for participating in the tour with respect for Japanese culture and cooperative manner. And I also appreciate Japanese participants for their cooperation and contribution.