KCP Summer Short Term Students Visit Nagano Prefecture

KCP students recently visited Nagano Prefecture. Student Deanna Nardy, of the Japanese Anime and Manga Program, tells us about the exciting excursion. Thanks for sharing, Deanna!

On June 29, we went to Narai-juku and Matsumoto castle by bus. Since Nagano is far from Tokyo, I needed to wake up at 5:30am for the trip. But since I was so excited about the trip ,I couldn’t sleep the night before!

The view from the bus window was beautiful. The big, tall mountains with lots of greenery were impressive. I saw many traditional houses in the mountains, too. I like the city life, but I also love the peaceful countryside.

Mountain view from a moving bus. | KCP Flickr

When we visited Narai-juku, we saw a big wooden bridge. The bridge is very old, so it was built very tough! In old days, many travelers took a break at Narai-juku. We saw lots of shrines and temples, and of course shops that sold hand-made goods.

By the Narai-juku wooden bridge. | KCP Flickr

It was a very sunny day, and  I got thirsty all the time. I tasted Dango (round rice cakes on a stick) for the first time–they were delicious! I also bought a souvenir for my mother.

Walking around these lovely surroundings sure whets our appetite! | KCP Flickr

Then we went to Matsumoto Castle.  On the castle property we took photos with a samurai. It was both fun and exciting. It was dim and a little scary inside but I loved the great panorama we saw from the 6th floor of the castle. Japan is truly amazing!

With a samurai in front of the Matsumoto Castle. | KCP Flickr

For more photos about the Nagano excursion, visit KCP Flickr.