Kyoto Exchange - Quia

Kyoto Exchange

Turlock High School May

April 2014

A Cultural Exchange with

Kyoto Gakuen High School

April 17th - 26th 2014

1

Table of Contents

Travel Itinerary

3

Estimated Cost of Trip

5

Where is Kyoto?

6

Temples of the Kyoto Area

7

Some Things to Know Before Visiting

8

Getting Around Japan

14

How to Use a Japanese Toilet

15

Japanese Cuisine

17

Appropriate Gifts

19

Japanese Manners and Etiquette

20

Words and Phrases

24

Money and Numbers

27

Useful Kanji and Signs

28

Kyoto Exchange Information (contacts and website)

29

Skoolaborate and PacRimX Projects

30

Kyoto Exchange Reservation Form

31

Skoolaborate Student Agreement

32

Short-Term Independent Study

35

Note: Additional information will be distributed through emails and the Kyoto Exchange website. This is a private website that is password protected. See page 28 for login information.

2

Tentative Travel Itinerary

Kyoto Preview Video ? We visit most of the locations shown in this video during our trip.

Thursday, May 2nd

6:30 am 9:00 am

Depart from THS, drive to San Francisco Airport (SFO) (Parents welcome.) Arrive at San Francisco Airport (SFO)

11:29 am

Flight departs for Kansai International Airport (KIX) Osaka, Japan

(We lose an entire day due to 17- hour time difference and flight time.)

Friday, May 3rd

3:20 pm

Arrive at Kansai International Airport (KIX), Osaka, Japan

7:30 pm

Meet up with host families at Kyoto Gakuen High School

Saturday, May 4th 8:00 am Meet at Kyoto Station, Host Family Day

Nara (Tdai-ji), ancient capital of Japan where sacred deer roam freely Byodoin Temple and museum, temple on the back of the 10-yen coin

Sunday, May 5th

8:00 am

Day with host families (Nothing scheduled.)

Monday, May 6th

8:00 am

Arrive at Kyoto Gakuen High School

8:30 am

Opening Ceremony, be presented to student body in assembly, student speeches,

presentation of plaque to Kyoto Gakuen student representative

10:30 am

Bus to Nishiki Market, oldest market in Kyoto

Noon

Lunch in Nishiki Market area

1:30 pm

Ninenzaka & Sannenzaka, great souvenir shopping streets

Kiyomizu-dera Temple, beautiful temple floating above cherry trees, Otowa-waterfall

4:30 pm

Return to Kyoto Gakuen High School

3

Tentative Travel Itinerary (continued)

Tuesday, May 7th

8:00 am

Arrive at Kyoto Gakuen High School

9:00 am

Train to Arashiyama area, romantic train, bamboo forest, Iwatayama Monkey Park,

Tenryuji Temple, Togetsukyo Bridge, Hozu River boat tour

4:30 pm

Return to Kyoto Gakuen

Wednesday, May 8th

8:00 am

Arrive at Kyoto Gakuen High School

8:30 am

Attend cultural classes in the morning

11:30 am

Lunch in school cafeteria

12:30 pm

Fushimi Inari Shrine, famous tunnel of 10,000 torii (red shrine gates)

4:30 pm

Return to Kyoto Gakuen

Thursday, May 9th

8:00 am

Arrive at Kyoto Gakuen High School

8:30 am

Train to Kyoto Station

9:30 am

Sanjsangendo Temple, 1,001 figures of Kannon

11:00 am

Kyoto Tower tour

10:00 am

Shopping and lunch around Kyoto Station, Bic Camera Electronics Store

2:00 pm

Train back to Kyoto Gakuen

3:00 pm

Farewell Party at Kyoto Gakuen High School

Friday, May 10th 9:00 am Arrive at Kyoto Gakuen High School 9:30 am Entrance Ceremony, welcome new students and their families to the KG High School 11:00 am Early lunch (Change into casual clothes.) Noon Walk to Ryoanji Temple, famous Japanese rock garden 2:00 pm Kinkaku-ji Golden Pavilion, beautiful golden temple in lush garden and lake setting 3:00 pm Bus to Nishijin Textile Center, tour, opportunity to try on a kimono 4:30 pm Return to Kyoto Gakuen High School 6:00 pm Go to Gion Corner Theater [tentative]

Saturday, May 11th

8:00 am

Arrive at Kyoto Gakuen High School

9:00 am

Myshin-ji Temple, tour grounds adjacent to KG High School

Noon

Depart for Kansai International Airport (KIX)

5:30 pm

Depart for San Francisco International Airport

Travel Back in Time

10:59 am

Arrive at SFO six and a half hours "before" leaving Osaka, Japan

Noon

Start your attempt to synchronize your body clock back to local time (Good luck!)

This schedule is subject to change. Many things can affect the schedule. Many times we will encounter parades, festivals, or celebrations when walking between sites and may decide to change our plans.

Estimated Cost of Trip

Airfare

A round trip ticket is between $1,500 - $2,000 depending on when it is purchased and the current exchange range between the dollar and the yen. The current price is under $1900. (This is higher than the average fare last year.) Parents are responsible for making their student's reservation. This allows for flexibility in payment, no travel agent, and the ability to apply frequent flyer miles to receive a seat upgrade or discount. Once the reservation is made, you need to submit a copy to the district to finalize your spot for this exchange.

Incidentals

A deposit of $300 is required to reserve a spot for this trip. Spots are assigned in the order deposits are received. Money is deposited in a Turlock High School student body account and converted to yen prior to the trip. This money will be used to pay for the Christmas Gift Exchange shipping charges, Kyoto Gakuen commemorative trip plaque, trains, buses, temple fees, and other expenses incurred during the trip.

Because we have added activities this year, this amount may increase. We will have a better estimate in late November. It is our intent to keep it below $300. Girls who wish to try on kimonos at the Textile Center will need to pay for this at the time of the tour (approx. $25)

Funds are accounted for individually for each student with any remaining amount given back to the student on the morning of the last day shopping trip. This allows them to have it for souvenir shopping. With the mix of activities planned for this trip, we do not expect that we will have a large amount left by the end of the trip. But schedules can change, and that may change this estimate.

Spending Money

We are always asked, "How much spending money is needed?" This is not a question easily answered. We've had students do this trip with $100 spending money (not recommended) and we've had students bring large sums of money or credit cards to purchase electronics and other high cost items.

We will have many opportunities as a group to discuss this issue and students should have a feel for themselves how much they might need before leaving. We are expecting the exchange rate to not be as good this year as last. This may cause many students to pass on buying more expensive items, and instead stick with small souvenirs.

Students will need more money if they plan on eating out each day. (Most do this.) Noodles and fish are the most affordable items. Students can ask their host family for a bento lunch if they wish. Students are encouraged to try the bento lunches.

5

Where is Kyoto?

Interactive Map of Kyoto:

6

Temples of the Kyoto Area

7

Some Things to Know Before Visiting Kyoto

Time Zone Japan is 17 hours ahead of Pacific Standard Time. Plan any calls home accordingly.

Telephone Calls To place a direct-dialed international call to Japan: 1. 011 is the code used to dial outside of the United States 2. 81 is the international code used to dial Japan 3. 75 is the city code used to dial Kyoto

Internet Students may have an opportunity to send emails from host family homes or the school.

Shoes You are expected to remove your shoes before stepping up from the entry area into a Japanese home. This custom is also observed in many traditional Japanese restaurants, store dressing rooms and a few other businesses. No footwear, not even slippers, should be worn on tatami (rice mat) floors. Please imitate whatever your host family's customs are.

The school will provide slippers for use while at the school. You can also bring your own if you wish, especially if you wear greater than a men's size 9. Soft soles only; no black rubber soles.

Smoking Many Japanese people smoke. Smoking is permitted in restaurants and on local trains that have designated smoking cars available. There does not seem to be any courtesy involved in their smoking habits and if you are unaccustomed to smoke from cigarettes, it could be uncomfortable. If you wish to be placed with a non-smoking host family, let us know. No guarantee, but we will try our best to place you appropriately.

Bathing Most Japanese homes have a shower. The Japanese shower before bed. It is very humid in Kyoto and cleanliness is considered a virtue. Even if you are normally a morning shower person, you should try to adapt to showering at night.

Please ask your host family how to work the controls. The Japanese are on a metered water system and it is very expensive. The Japanese get wet, turn off the water, soap up, and then turn the water back on to rinse.

Some Japanese homes may have a tub used for soaking after your shower. It is filled with bath oils and perfumes. It is shared by the household and is prepared weekly. Although it may be covered, don't splash soap into it, and NEVER pull the plug!

8

 ................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download