April 27, 2003

From temples to technological centres, Japan and its people are a facinating mix of old and new. They are a potent reminder of how much a hardworking population can achieve

SOMETIME back, I had the golden opportunity of visiting Japan. I was part of a group of four students and a teacher who were to represent Pakistan. We were joined on our trip by students of five other South Asian countries.

We were part of a cultural exchange programme that spanned over a period of ten days. Our schedule took us to four cities — Tokyo, Hiroshima, Kyoto, and Osaka. Our programme at the Japanese capital included visits to the Diet (Japan’s National Assembly), the Tokyo Recycling Centre and Green House Dome, and the centre of high school education — the Sumidagawa High School.

In Hiroshima, the lecture of an A-bomb victim and the visit to the Peace Memorial Park and Museum, which is at the epicentre of the A-bomb were experiences from out of this world.

The high points of visit to Kyoto, were the visits to the famous grand Kiyomizu Temple, and to a wooden tea house, surrounded by a land full of thick dark green trees, called the Philosophers Land, where we experienced the famous traditional tea ceremony.

Each item on the itinerary was a unique learning experience. Japan itself is a unique country where traditions and technology meet. This unique balance became crystal clear to us while visiting Kiyomizu Temple — a beautiful ancient shrine, which is famous for its three fountains. These fountains represent three different desires of humans: longevity, romance and wealth. You may drink from the fountain that represents your desire and it will be fulfilled. However, if you drink from all three out of avarice, the magic will be lost, or so goes the myth.

In order to drink water from the fountains, long handled ladles are there, that are kept in separate cases where they are cleaned by ultraviolet light. Hygiene is their top priority. Everywhere we went we realized how much attention was paid to detail and how much difference little things could make. Facilities were provided to people and they were expected to abide by the rules.

Even a seemingly casual thing like car parking, is taken seriously. It is illegal to park anywhere, but in the parking lots that were available after every few blocks to allow people to park their car safely close to their destination.

We all were separated from each other for one day as guests of the very hospitable host families in different small towns around Hiroshima to experience the wonders of the beautiful suburban Japanese landscape and the unique culture of Japanese domestic life.

Japan is an amazing example of resilience. After being economically crippled by the Second World War, with its people facing starvation, the country rose up from the dead and developed itself into one of the leading economic powers. However, the answer does not lie in their government, which is almost as unstable as ours. Nor is it in their technology. Rather, it is the people who threw themselves into rebuilding their country. Every individual in this nation is extremely hardworking and dedicated, the likes of which are not available anywhere.

Japan firmly believes in conservation of resources and recycling. Nothing is wasted; there is no excess consumption. An immense effort goes into this and it certainly pays. We visited Japan during the very cold winters. The school we visited, only had the classes and labs heated. The hallways were not which served the dual purpose of conserving energy and keeping the students inside the classrooms.

We also visited a recycle centre, which was an eye opener. The entire plant, which is the largest in Japan, was built in just two years. The actual recycling plant, which is a huge structure, has only 90 employees. However, collection of garbage from the city requires a large number of employees. Thus the process creates jobs and also a healthy and clean environment. Trash is collected from all districts, separated, and then treated accordingly to make an ash like substance, which is spread on a landfill. Japanese citizens are required by law to separate their trash into at least three types: combustible, non-combustible and large sized, and to deposit each in a different coloured bag. But what is more surprising is the fact that people are actually willing to dig into their trash and separate it into these three types. In Nagasaki they have to separate the trash into twelve different types before throwing it!

During the three hour-long tour of the recycle centre we saw the real trash only twice and that too from a glass window. Even the stench of the trash is recycled and the methane in it is removed and used as fuel.

Other than all the sightseeing, we also had a great opportunity to make friends with the very congenial participants from the five other countries. Our free time was well utilized in the incredibly wonderful interaction with our new friends in the hotel rooms or playing charades with them. We also enjoyed roaming in the nearby shopping centres, mostly 100-yen stores.

We really hit it off with the Indians and Bangladeshis. It was like meeting long lost friends; we had so much in common. If we had seen the very same people in Pakistan, we would have taken them to be Pakistanis. After a long day of touring we would usually return to the hotel at around seven and after a two hour break we would be off again to explore the cities on foot and during these night crusades we had some of the most memorable times of the trip.

People here in Pakistan are shocked when I tell them that we had a great time with the Indians. People somehow tend to think all Indian youngsters will be hostile.

Language was a barrier, for unlike other nations, Japan has not accepted English into its folds. English is treated as a second language and it is rare to find English speaking people. Japanese students at the high school barely managed to complete sentences. It is amazing that the Japanese have managed such a high status in the world and have kept their traditions, values and language intact, without the aid of English.

Interacting with people belonging to a totally different culture and not very proficient in English revealed the importance of linguistic homogeneousness in Japan and the power of gestures, of expressions, and above all, of a simple smile in communication. We used all these forms of non-verbal communication at Sumidagawa High School, while applying mehndi on the hands of enthusiastic young students. Taking mehndi with us was an impulsive decision of the last moment and it was a great success. Within seconds we were surrounded by Japanese girls waiting to have henna applied on their hands; for the first time in our lives we had so many and such willing customers.

Although the language barrier was not significant among other participants, as they all spoke English fluently, their own languages were very varied and diverse. It was fascinating to see how much difference there was in the cultures of the six countries that were so close on the world map.

In an English class at the high school, a student from each country went up and wrote greetings on the board in his or her language. We observed with extreme pride how beautiful the Urdu script looked on the board when surrounded by Bengali, Gujarati and other languages from across Asia.

Students from other countries were smitten by Urdu’s haunting rhythm and simple formality. We were also repeatedly requested to recite Ghalib and Mir’s poetry and then translate and explain it.

In those ten hectic days of our lives, we discovered the secrets about the human capacity to learn, to absorb, to accept others, and to allow oneself to change. We came back thoroughly humbled, renewed and inspired. It was an amazing learning experience that exposed us to the true essence of success and the reasons behind it.

We also brought back with us the valuable lesson that how a combination of education, faith, hope, hard work, discipline, respect and tolerance for each other can change a devastated multitude of a nation of 1945 into a formidably strong, extremely prosperous, and unbelievably peace-loving country called Japan.

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