THE DREAM TO WAKE UP IN A LAND WHICH NEVER SLEEPS FINALLY CAME TRUE.THROUGH THIS PROGRAMME, THE LAND OF GANDHI , LORD BUDDHA, LORD KRISHNA AMD RAMA WENT TO THE LAND OF RISING SUN TO HAVE A PEEP IN ITS CULTURE,HERITAGE, ECONOMY & TECHNOLOGY. WE, THE STUDENTS OF INDIA , RATHER THE GREAT AMBASSADORS FROM INDIA ,WENT TO JAPAN FOR THE EXCHANGE PROGRAMME.

  OUR JOURNEY STARTED FROM BHUBANESWAR ON 25^th MAY 2008.NEXT DESTINATION WAS DALHI WHERE WE STAYED IN HOTEL SAMRAT. NEXT DAY i.e., ON 26^th THE PLANE TOOK OFF FROM DELHL AND FLEW ABOVE THE CLOUDS  ,PASSING OVER MOUNT FUJI, FINALLY REACHED NARITA INERNAIONAL AIRPORT.IN TOKYO, FIRST WE VISITED IMPERIAL PALACE- A HUGE & LMPRESSVE BUILDING . WE WENT TO MIRAIKAN MUSUEM. HERE THE ROBOT SHOW WAS THE MOST FASCINATING ONE.VISIT TO ODAIBA AQUA CITY MADE US SPELLBOUND TO SEE   SUCH A HUGE & ENORMOUS LEISURE COMPLEX BUILT ON A MAN-MADE ISLAND ,HARD TO BELIEVE. THE NEXT DESTINATION WAS KOYASAN ON A MOUNTAIN NAMED MOUNT KOYA , THE MOST SACRED CENTREOF SHINGON BUDDHISM. IT IS ALSO THE FOCUS OFA FAITH CROSSNG DENOMINATIONAL LINES AMONG THE JAPANESE PEPLE. THE LUSH GREERNERY ALL AROUND REJUVENATED US. WE VISITED SENIOR&JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL,INTERACTED WITH THE JAPANESE STUDENTS,ATTENDED CLASSES WITH THEM WHICH INDEED WAS VERY SATISFYING. THE STUDENTS OF JAPAN ARE VERY AMICABLE AND FULL OF HOSPLTALIY WHICH IMPRESS EVERYONE. EVEN  THOUGH INDIA COULDNOT MAINTAIN BUDDHISM WHICH HAD ORIGINATED IN INDIA ITSELF, JAPAN ’S CONTRIBUTION TO THE PRESERVATION & MAINTENANCE OFBUDDHISM ISGENUINELY PRALSE WORTHY. A WALK THROUGH OKUNOIN, THE LARGEST CEMETERY OF JAPAN ,PROVED HOW JAPAN RESPECTS NOT ONLY ITS PEOPLE BUT ALSO OTHER CREATURES LIKE FISHES, TRMITES etc. BY MAKING GRAVEYARDS FOR THEM. WE HAD A FANTASTIC EXPERIENCE OF MAKING HAND- PAPER AT JICA OSAKA CENTRE, WE ACTIVELY PARTICIPATED IN GROUP DISCUSSION IN WHICH WE DISCUSSED ABOUT THE FINDINGS IN JAPAN . BACK TO TOKYO , WE VISITED TOYOTA & PANASONIC SHOWROOM & ASAKUSA TEMPLE IN TOKYO . I AM FASCINATED BY THE FACT THAT JAPN WAS ABLE TO PRESERVE ITS RICH CULTURE AND TRADITION WHILE HARMONISING WITH MODERNISATION. 

  SO,THE LAND THAT  HARVESTS ENORMOUS GOLD AND OVEFLOWIMG WITH TREASURES ’ALWAYS EXTENDS A RED CARPET WELCOME TO EVERYONE FOR PROMOTING MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING AND DEEPENING THE KNOWLEDGE OF YOYTHS& STUDENTS.

                             THANK YOU

                                       {ARIGATO GOZAIMUS}