This past fall break, 19 HBA students from the high school Japanese language program took a trip to Japan. In contrast to previous years when the study tour took students to central cities like Osaka, Kyoto, Hiroshima, and Tokyo, this tour headed north to Hokkaido.
The goal of the trip was to “introduce the culture, geography, and history of Japan,” said Elena Yoo, Japanese teacher and World Languages Department chair. “Many of our students have some connection to Japan, whether through their ancestry or their love for the Japanese language and popular culture, such as anime and J-pop. While it is an academic trip, I hope it also serves as preparation for college, helping students become more independent by managing their daily spending, being punctual for group activities, and being considerate of their roommates,” she added.
In Hokkaido, the students went sightseeing on the various islands that make up the prefecture. Yoo explained, “We took a bullet train that travels through the underwater tunnel connecting the main islands. Hokkaido is so large and boasts more natural beauty, allowing us to engage in nature-oriented activities like picking fresh apples at an orchard, touring the world-famous Royce chocolate factory to make our own chocolate at a workshop, exploring the Ainu Museum Park—dedicated to the indigenous people of Hokkaido—and visiting the Ramen Village in Asahikawa to taste some of the best ramen flavors in Japan. We are slowly starting to plan our next trip to Japan in 2026, which will include the Kyushu region.”
The first part of the trip took students to the Fujikura Masumo Fruit Farm and the Asahikawa Ramen Village. Paisley Chung, a junior, particularly enjoyed the ramen village. “My favorite place had to be Asahikawa Ramen Village because of the very delicious ramen and variety of ramen. Also there was this ice cream shop and their ice cream was so good,” she said.
As Yoo had hoped, many students were struck by the beauty of the natural surroundings in Hokkaido. Madison Ogawa, a junior, enjoyed visiting the shrines and temples the most. “It made me relax more and soak in the beauty of Japan without any distractions,” she said. Abbie Kato, a senior who is on her second Japan trip with HBA, enjoyed the apple orchard the most. “It was a fun and different experience than we would have been able to do here in Hawaii. The weather was chilly and the apples were crisp and delicious,” she said.
Students also had the opportunity to meet students at the Clark Memorial High School. “The students were so sweet. HBA students made friends with them instantaneously,” recalled Yoo. Kato described her experience with the students as “enjoyable and impactful.” She said, “We got to play games such as trivia and kendama along with the students. With this, we were able to test our Japanese skills and the students were able to practice their English skills as well.” Mia Takahashi, also a senior, said, “I really enjoyed this opportunity because, during that time, the Japanese students were able to tell me some interesting things about Hokkaido that I didn’t know before, and I was able to share some facts about Hawaiʻi with them. One thing in common about all the Japanese students I have met, though, is that their English is really good.”
The group also visited a number of tourist attractions such as the Noboribetsu Date-Jidaimura Village, DisneySea, TeamLabs, and the Studio Ghibli Museum. There was also some time set aside to shop in the famous Ginza area. Chung enjoyed her experience at DisneySea the most. “It was so fun waiting in line with my friends and then finally getting to ride the rides with them,” she said. Evan Tamashiro, a senior, also enjoyed spending time with his friends during the trip. “My favorite memory from the trip was opening up Pokemon packs inside the room late at night with my friends,” he said. “I enjoyed this the most because even though we didn’t get anything really good and I lost a lot of money, it was fun to hang out with my friends.”
Many students felt that they returned from the trip with a lot more knowledge about Japan’s language and culture. “I was able to make endless memories with those who I traveled with and made new friends along the way. This experience helped me to improve my Japanese skills and learn more about Japanese culture, ” said Kato. Tamashiro, who was also on his second HBA Japan trip, decided to go this year to make memories with his friends for his senior year. “The Japanese students are exactly like us,” he reflected. “They all laugh and have just as much fun as us.”
Yoo also believes that overseas trips help students gain important life skills. “I hope they were able to learn from their mistakes. I think having problem-solving skills is essential to be successful in life. Having a high GPA doesn’t necessarily help, to be honest,” said Yoo.
The next HBA Japan trip will take place during the 2026 fall break. According to Yoo, the application process will begin at the end of the first quarter of the next school year. “The tour will be somewhere towards the west side including, but not limited to Osaka to visit our sister school, Doshisha Kori High School, and Kyushu including Nagasaki. We have been going to Hiroshima, where the first atomic bomb was dropped, but have never visited the second A-bomb city, Nagasaki” said Yoo.
