A Historical and Cultural Glimpse of Japan and Korea

Fourteen Grade 10, 11, and 12 students from Fraser Academy in Vancouver recently returned from a fantastic trip to Japan and South Korea. Over the 13 days, students were immersed in a wealth of cultural and social experiences, exposed to global perspectives and contexts, and given the opportunity to explore historical locations and artifacts. Various Japanese Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines were visited, including Sensouji Temple and Meiji Shrine in Tokyo, as well as Sanjusangendo, Kyomizudera Temple, and Fushimi Inari Shrine in Kyoto. Sanjusangendo is famous for multitude of Buddhist statues and large open construction. Kyomizudera offers up water believed to extend life and youth and yields a view out over Kyoto. Finally, Fushimi Inari is famous for its long corridors framed of bright red toril. Adventures in more rural settings, such as climbing the Komagatake volcano with its natural sulfur hot springs and black eggs, and touring the historic Shirakawa Village were interwoven with jaunts through the bustling neighbourhoods of Insadong and Myeongdong in Seoul, as well as Harajuku and Shibuya in Tokyo. Further cultural experiences were highlighted with stays at a Japanese Ryokan and partaking in the rituals/etiquette associated with its adjoining onsen, or hot spring baths, and of course, dining on the culinary delights from these two dramatically different cultures.

These intrepid travellers explored a variety of historical structures, including castles (Nijo, Hiroshima, and Matsumoto) and palaces (Tokyo Imperial Palace and Seoul’s Gyeongbuk Palace). More somber reminders of historical events were seen, including the ruined remains of a Japanese communications bunker at Hiroshima castle purported to be the source of the first news of the atomic bomb detonation, as well as the Atomic Dome and Memorial Museum (with its original artifacts and photographs) in Hiroshima and the Korean War Museum in Seoul. All of these provided opportunities for reflection and greater appreciation for the freedoms we have.

The trip was capped by receiving security clearance from the US Army for a visit to the Korean Demilitarized Zone. Here students had the opportunity to travel down into one of the small tunnels that was dug from the North to the South in preparation for an invasion, as well as to visit Panmunjeom (with an escort of armed military personnel), which straddles the border of North Korea and South Korea. This was the site of the 1953 Armistice signing.