On a Trip to Japan - My Family Travels

           Missing limbs, deadly body burns, and dripping skin.  This is the trauma that I saw while on my trip to Hiroshima, Japan.  During spring break in my sophomore year I was lucky enough to be a part of a “cultural exchange” program.  Our Key Club advisor took a bunch of students from Hilo High School on a home stay in Sumoto City.  For four days we were housed by students living on Awaji Island.  The next day we drove on a bus from the tiny island to Hiroshima.  This was beginning of a trip that touched my life.

            Our group visited the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum remembering the thousands who died from the atomic bomb during World War II.  Being an American in a museum like that is shameful.  You are reminded how absolutely cruel our country was to Japan.  Our atomic bomb decimated Hiroshima.  In the museum there was one model of Hiroshima before the bombing and after.  There was only one important building that stood, which is a monument today.  When you are at the memorial site, you can feel everything.  It is a very hard feeling to describe.  You can feel the sadness, the agony, and pain that those people went through.  You literally just want to cry.

            When we were first dropped off, we were able to view the building that withstood the bombing.  Across the water-work is a big bell.  Visitors can come and ring the bell in remembrance of all those who were killed.  The bell was like a gong.  It was huge and sturdy.  When it rang, it was deep and loud.  The sound waves practically penetrated through your body. 

            The next site was dedicated to Sadako.  She was the girl in the novel Sadako and the Thousand Cranes.  She fell ill with leukemia and was determined to fold 1,000 cranes to get better.  Our tour guide told us that Sadako’s mother, hoping to keep Sadako’s hopes up, would hide her cranes so that she didn’t know she had folded more than 1,000.  This memorial had clear booths filled with cranes.  Prior to our trip, we each folded about 50 cranes and strung them together.  At the memorial we were able to put our cranes in one of those booths to remember Sadako.  There were probably thousands of cranes crowded in those booths. 

            Finally we went inside of the museum.  In the first part, there was information about the attack, copies of letters from the Japanese discussing the possibilities of war, and many models and pictures.  The second part of the museum was truthfully frightening.  There were pictures of people with burns all over their body.  In one display, there was a man’s finger.  All that his mother found of his body after the bombing was his thumb.  Other displays had shreds of skin from victims.  Then there was a full size diorama of a mother with her two children walking in the rubble.  Their clothes were shredded.  Their body was burnt and their skin was oozing off of their arms.  It was those kinds of things where you want to look but you’re not sure if you should.  This part of the museum also had the actual cranes folded by Sadako.  They were so tiny and intricate and most of all, beautiful. 

            This experience helped me see myself and Japan in a whole new way.  I am of Japanese ancestry and my great-grandparents were from Hiroshima.  My trip to Japan really touched me in a deep way.  Japan is a part of me and this trip helped me connect to it. 

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0 Replies to “On a Trip to Japan”

  • carinatenaglia

    hope you all like it!

  • jkwangler

    The Paramount Hotel- http://www.nycparamount.com

    BDC- Broadway Dance Center- http://www.broadwaydancecenter.com

    Ellen's Stardust Diner- http://www.ellensstardustdiner.com

    Capezio store- http://www.capeziodance.com

    Amy's Bakery- http://www.amysbread.com

    Junior's in Times Square- http://www.juniorscheesecake.com

    The Ambassador Theater (Chicago)- http://www.ambassadortheater.com

    Al Hirschfeld Theater- http://www.hirschfeldtheater.org

     

     

  • HaSieler

    I was the same way. I had my Bat Mitzvah on top of Masadah and was complaining of the heat. I didn't truly recognize what an amazing place I was in. I was fortunate enough to return last summer and had the time of my life. I look forward to seeing your post for when you get to return. I wish you all the best!

  • darling.kristina

    one of my all time favorite vacations.

  • kkkaties

    This was one of the best trips I have ever been on.

  • KayLoveGod

    I am ecstatic that I was able to participate in learning my heritage, history, and my parents past.

  • KayLoveGod

    My trip to Africa was really an extraordinary experience, and I fell in love with the country Nigeria. I am so happy that my father allowed me to see my heritage and my family.

  • tamara0110

    Truly humbling

  • carlivogl

    I hope you enjoy learning about my experiences in Paris, France!

  • alli65

    Thank you so much for this information.  Multi-generational travel is an area that I am interested in, but it is not easy to navigate various ages, levels of mobility and interests.  These tips are super useful!

  • kwn236

    This was seriously such a life-changing trip for me. I got to see a whole other way that people live life. It really opened my eyes and made me EVEN MORE eager to learn German and to adopt a more frugal lifestyle. 

  • bettygheb

    My experience with traveling to a foreign nation, in the form of a blog.

  • rmaddison

    Going on that trip was the best thing I have done in my life. I learned so much, and experienced many different things, such as food, culture, and people. It was a great opportunity for me, and I highly advise others to travel as well. You will not be disappointed.

  • emilyredmanhall

    I recommend this or a similar trip for any future paleontologists.  I have since been to the Field Museum in Chicago and the American Museum of Natural History in New York, and am pleased to have visited all the major paleontological museums in North America. 

    I hope you have fun on your trips, too!

  • zentnere14

    This is my submission to the young travel writer scholarship

  • CassieV13

    My trip to South Africa transformed my life. I grew closer to my best friend, as well as experience a culture very different from my own. As a result, my knowledge of the world has grown.

  • sqwertyuiop

    I quite enjoy I can feel the passion.

  • Rebeccakrivitsky

    I hope you enjoy the lessons i learned over seas in Spain! I know I will take them with me as I move forward in life. Thank you for reading!

    -Rebecca Krivitsky

  • chrislolz4

    enjoy my story, i pray it will reveal a new cultural avenue while still providing a humorous tale

  • dusty_soccerking

    This trip was truly life changing. It was the first time I realized that there is a whole other world outside the United States!

  • David Ng

    Thank you very much for your post! I love it very much! I will bring my family to Florida soon!

  • chris_moreno

    Thanks and support

  • MIszler1

    Here is the website documenting my trip: http://madisongoestonewyork.blog.com/

  • brittany.osmers

    My time in El Salvador changed my life. It is my dream that one day I will be able to return there. I can honestly tell you that my love for the people in El Salvador has remained with me. And I hope the best for that nation.

  • brittany.osmers

    The summer of my sophmore year in high school I spent a week in El Salvador. This one week changed my life. As I volunteered in El Salvador I gained an amazing view of different cultures and life styles. I developed a love for El Salvador and its people. And my memories there will remain with me through out my life. It is my dream that one day I will be able to return their and give more of my time to those amazing people.

  • brittany.osmers

    My freshman year of high school I spent a week of my summer in El Salvador. It was a remarkable week that literally changed my outlook on life. I have a huge heart for the people of El Salvador and the country itself. It is my dream that one day I will be able to go back.

  • veoma94

    My amazing trip

  • nicolelyn

    It was definitely a trip to remember that I'd do any day! 🙂

  • nicolelyn

    A trip to remember that I'd do again any day

  • nicolelyn

    It was a trip to remember. Every spect of it was interesting and something I would do again!

  • neddyfranquez

    I enjoy traviling with my family and creating new memories.

  • neddyfranquez

    I enjoy traviling and spending time with my family.

  • ciarafrisbie

    – By Ciara Bri'd Frisbie

  • nathanshaw33

    Thank you for reading my essay.

    -Nathan Shaw

  • nathanshaw33

    Thank you for taking the time to read my essay I really appreciate it.

    -Nathan Shaw.

  • treneau

    This trip was one of the most incredible experiences of my life.  From the Great Wall to the hospitals of Beijing, I learned so much about myself and other cultures.

  • mariajones

    I just love traveling. Disney World is my favourite destination. Above all 10 sposts are my favourite. I would love to visit all that destination.

  • alli65

    Reading this story has been a stroll down memory lane.  I stayed at the Diplomat as a little girl in the 1970's, and still remember how impressed I was with it.  So glad to hear that the resort has bounced back to its original glory.  

  • alli65

    I am very glad to know that Disney Cruise Line is taking health so seriously, yet making  cleanliness palatable for kids.  These suggestions are also great for air travel, another germy breeding ground.  Thanks for the info!

  • Ron

    My family loves Cancun, and we have had good stays at the Oasis and the Sol Melia and the Sheraton too.  Nice to see a new list of recommendations from you. Thanks

  • admin

    This is a really fun outing, but if you can't get out to the countryside, just visit one of those urban tree sellers.  A lot of them in the northeast are staffed by college kids from Canada, who take a break, get into a rental trailer and drive it south, then re-sell trees they have bought on consignment to pay for the next semester.

    I always ask (nicely) and I always get (with a smile), the extra boughs that they take off to make the trees look even all around. With some ribbon, maybe the wire from a coat hanger and lots of creativity, it's easy to get the kids helping you turn old boughts into beautiful wreaths for around the house.

  • hopeworks

    Love the photos in this article!

  • Ron

    Thanks for having this contest; my family loves Snowmass and it would be great to go back there.  We took our son when he was about 7 and it was a great learning adventure for all of us.  The instructors are terrific and we had fun, but it's not something we could afford to do right now.

    Thanks for giving us another chance to go back!

  • admin

    When  Jean Carlisle of Menomonie,  Wisconsin heard she won a family of four Galapagos Adventure Cruise, she wrote us:

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    Jean explained that she'd enjoyed playing along the scavenger hunt but was anxious about the random drawing for a winner.

    "I didn’t sleep well last night because I was so excited!!  LOL  I entered the contest because I had seen many publications and shows on national geographic on the Galapagos Islands and always thought that would be a place I’d like to visit. I was first drawn to the beautiful pictures on the website and when I saw the contest, I knew that I just had to enter and would love to win!

    "I’d like to thank TakingtheKids.com, TravelingMom.com and Family Travel Forum for this once in a life opportunity!!  We are excited to make arrangements and show off photos when we return!"

  • todobigo

    So glad it's helpful to you with your teens, I've already given the Primland brochure to my own mom and her girlfriend who want to tour the Blue Ridge Parkway and look at the Appalachian handcrafts. This is a great base for lots of exploration.  If you go, I know you'll enjoy it!

  • alli65

    This sounds like a real find and perfect for my own family.  I ma always looking for resorts that will work as destinations with lots to do for my two teens, and Primland sounds excellent.  Thanks for spreading the word!

  • FTFstaff

    Thanks so much for sharing your dreams about the Galapagos; that's the way we all felt when we learned that the terrific Lindblad team wanted to work on this project.  so excited to know that someone's dream will reallyl come true!  And a 6th grader is the perfect travel companion.

    Don't forget to post your a link to your comment here :

    http://www.travelingmom.com/freebies/contests/3917-galapagos-giveaway-contest-entries.html

    so you're sure to be recorded as an entry into the grand prize drawing. Hope to see you on Twitter too @familytravel4um  @travelingmoms @takingthekids @LindbladEXP

  • bethanyh944

    If there are no comments on our blog, does this mean that our blog has been rejected, or that it has not been reviewed yet? thanks!

    • admin

      As noted, thanks to your enthusiasm, there are several thousand posts to read, so the judges will be done by mid October.  Check back after that to see your status!

  • ramccallister

    I tried following the steps above for finding out about the scholarship judging, but I'm still lost. Does it show up at the bottom of your blog? Or is it just off to the side when you have the option of clicking on your blog? Like, is it next to the name of your blog, the date it was published and then the word scholarship with either a yes or no? Thanks!

  • lsct2010

     Crystal – you get an email

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