Abingdonian 2017

83 www.abingdon.org.uk Summer Term in the mountains with the family I stayed with, before spending the afternoon in the town and the hot springs which were especially different to anything experienced in England. Gifts were exchanged and it was amazing to see the delight on the faces of the Japanese families receiving these gifts, many of which were things they had never previously encountered. After saying goodbye we got ready to travel to Nagoya. We took the bullet train, and it lived up to expectations. It was incredibly fast and it was easy to feel the speed as we passed through incredible scenery. Upon arrival we headed in to the city centre to explore and have some food, which was again delicious. The next day we spent the morning in an old Samurai castle which had some amazing architecture and history. After this, we headed to an amusement park, which contained a water park and a theme park. We had an awesome time enjoying the rides before getting back to the hotel. The following day we took the bullet train again, this time to Yokahoma, where we would play our final match before heading back to Tokyo. Both matches were very successful, with our two teams winning very comfortably. We enjoyed our final post match sing song before heading back to the hotel. We spent the next day looking around previously unseen parts of Tokyo. We visited the largest technology shop in the world, and the teachers enjoyed a round of golf at the top. After this we went to watch a premiership rugby match where we had the chance to see some players who had previously only been seen on the TV. We then enjoyed a final traditional Japanese meal. It was awesome to come together to enjoy our last night in Japan, and awards were given out to some deserving tourists. Overall the tour was an amazing experience and one I will never forget. Over the course of the two weeks I had some of the best experiences of my life and it was incredible to see the Japanese side of rugby and culture. An unforgettable trip. Jamie Masters, 5KEB