A Trip to Tokyo

     In September, I went to Japan with four freshmen in class 405 for a Samba Drum performance.  Months ago when they were still junior high school students, they were members of an aboriginal drum team and were invited by Sunshine City Prince Hotel to perform in a big event, Tokyo Samba Carnival Parade.  That’s why they came to Japan now.  I was lucky to go with them and was impressed by what I saw in Japan.

     They didn’t perform on the first day in Japan.  Instead, they took me to visit Meiji Jingu (めいじじんぐう；明治神宮).  It is a beautiful shrine.  We used the dipper to rinse our hands and mouth.  We also clapped twice before we made a wish.  It was a new experience for them.  We also made delicious Okonomiyaki (お好み焼き；大阪燒) ourselves for lunch.  It was tasty.

       The next day, we went to Tokyo Skytree (スカイツリ；晴空塔) in the morning.  It is a tall tower.  From the Observatories, people can have a wonderful view of Tokyo streets.  In the afternoon, we began our Samba Drum

performance.  The four students performed with their team members near Sunshine City Prince Hotel.  They performed for three times, 30 minutes for each time.  Many other groups also performed Samba dances. It was a lively event.

     On the third day, the four students took me to join the

Samba Carnival Parade around the Sunshine City Prince Hotel.  The video of their Samba drum performance can be seen if you visit the following website: https://youtu.be/NS7VH0u988k.  They enjoyed much in this activity.  After that, the four students and I visited the

aquarium that belonged to the Sunshine City Prince Hotel. I was shocked that I could see animals like penguins and seals in a hotel.  In Taiwan, I can only see them in the zoo.

     Besides these activities, I also had a happy day in Disneyland.  

The roller coasters there are cool.  Before I left Japan, I had some cultural exchange with the students in two Japanese high schools nearby.  We danced, talked to the Japanese students, and also showed them our Samba Drum performance.  We had a good time.  Those Japanese students there were very well-mannered.

     To me, it was a productive and unforgettable trip.  I learned a lot and also enjoyed a lot.