India, left for their tour of Japan from 10 to 20 December 2007. All the participants were instructed to assemble in New Delhi one day prior to their date of departure and were provided one night’s accommodation in a city hotel. Upon their arrival, they were registered by the JICE staff waiting at the hotel, and the next morning, i.e. on 10 December, they were transported by coaches to the The Connaught Hotel in Connaught Place, the venue of their Pre-Departure Orientation.

    At the orientation session, representatives from JICE explained the programme outline and the detailed schedule of the programme in Japan. The participants were also provided useful information on Japan, such as, the lifestyle in Japan and the educational system in Japan, etc., after which they were asked to fill in the pre-departure questionnaires and submit to the JICE representatives. The Embassy of Japan also provided them with kits containing useful information material on Japan.

    The orientation session was followed by a Send-off Lunch at the hotel, hosted by the Embassy of Japan, New Delhi, in which Mr. Ryoichi Horie, Deputy Chief of Mission, presided as the host. In his address to the departing group, Mr. Horie emphasized the need for further enhancement of people-to-people exchanges between Japan and India, and hoped that the JENESYS Programme would be a useful means to achieve that objective. He expressed ‘Bon Voyage’ to the Indian group and offered his best wishes for their successful and enjoyable visit to Japan.

    After the completion of the function, the participants left in coaches for the Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi, to take their Japan Airlines (JAL) flight to Tokyo. They returned to New Delhi on 20 December 2008 on a scheduled JAL flight after having a fruitful visit to Japan. Further batches of Indian youths are scheduled to visit Japan in May and June 2008 under the JENESYS Programme.

MY JAPAN VISIT UNDER THE
JENESYS PROGRAMME

By: Deepika Sriram, Tagore International School, New Delhi

The author (extreme right) with other Indian students visiting the Matsuyama Nishi High School in Ehime province

    My joy knew no bounds when I was one of the privileged few to be chosen to represent India in the Japan East–Asia Network of Exchange for Students and Youths (JENESYS) commemorating fifty years of Indo-Japanese friendship. Spanning over a period of 10 days from 10th December 2008 to 20th December 2008, the programme was one of the most culturally enriching experiences for me where I was brought in close contact with various aspects of Japanese customs and traditions, ranging from the educational system to the industrial marvels, from the architectural wonders to the scientific advancements.

    Visiting the Matsuyama Nishi High School in Matsuyama city of the Ehime Prefecture taught us about the system of education in Japan while also familiarizing us with the Japanese youth of today. The beverage factories were an example of the state of the art industries in Japan and the incineration plants an example of marvelous town planning. The visit to the Imperial Palace spoke volumes of Japan’s rich cultural heritage and how much they mean to every Japanese citizen. But one thing was assured; that each of our sightseeing tours only reaffirmed our faith in the fact that Japan truly was a wonderful and beautiful country, true to its motto ‘Yokoso Japan!’

    But the icing on the cake was when I was housed with a Japanese family in the Masaki town of the Ehime Prefecture. True to the Japanese tradition of hospitality, my host family was indeed the epitome of warmth and kindness. Even today, remembering them brings back loads of wonderful nostalgic memories of the times I spent with them.

    So, all in all, the initiative was an achievement in itself, because it cultivated in me a deep sense of appreciation for the Japanese customs, traditions and values, and of course, a respect for punctuality that the Japanese people are renowned for! Back home now, I believe that such experiences are indeed one of a kind opportunity for young students like me, to come in close contact with other nations and foster better understanding and reverence for them. Elucidating one of the most important lessons that I learnt from the experience would be that, no matter where we reside in the world, what we must preserve in our hearts is a deep sense of patriotism and loyalty for our nations, which is enough to make any country develop in leaps and bounds. That is what I noticed the Japanese do for their country and have now learnt to follow their lead myself. So, in short, one basic lesson I learnt is to be a proud Indian!!