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We departed from Charlotte on Saturday morning for a very long, but pleasant flight to Tokyo, Japan. The weather has been beautiful in Tokyo with temperatures in the 70s.
The city streets are bustling with activity at all hours of the day and we are taking in all of the new sights and sounds. It is a fascinating mix of traditional and modern culture as evident in the trendy attire of the young Japanese, who look as though they have walked right out of Vogue.
Monday, May 24, 2004
We began the day at the top of the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo, Japan, with breakfast and perspective presentations on the Meiji Restoration, Anti-Agression Policy, the Liberal Democratic Party and Women in Japanese Society.
Before we left Charlotte, each study tour participant selected a research topic, and each day we are on the trip, individuals present their research (perspective presentations) and we have an opportunity for discussion on some fascinating topics.
We visited the U.S. Embassy and met with Ambassador Howard Baker, and staff. Mr. Baker was very gracious and spent quite a bit of time answering our questions and discussing US/Japan relations.
We also toured the Tokyo Tower, the city's radio tower that is modeled after the Eiffel Tower. We visited the Meiji Shrine and were "purified" according to the ancient tradition of walking through the Torii Gate.
We all got to know each other a little better at dinner where we kicked off our shoes (literally) and dined at a traditional Japanese restaurant. Yes, even the cuisine was traditional.
Our perspective presentations today explored Japan, Inc., the Japanese banking crisis and a discussion on Confucius.
We visited the grounds of the Imperial Palace, Bank of America Japan and our favorite Kirin Beer plant.
Wednesday, May 26, 2004
This morning we started the day with discussions about the Chinese Dynastic Heritage, the Opium War, and Sun Yat. Later we visited the Tokyo National Gallery and the Buddhist Shrine.
Now it's off to Beijing!!
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