| Oxnard College adjunct instructor Setsumi Kojima has organized an educational tour of Japan —including the cities of Tokyo and Kyoto—to take place in the Spring 2004 semester from April 2 through April 8.
The six-day tour corresponds with spring break in the Ventura County Community College District, which just happens to occur during the peak of the Cherry Blossom season in Japan, according to Mrs. Kojima.
Hosting the tour in Japan will be Kokusai International Business School, which has enjoyed a sister school relationship with Oxnard College since 1990.
Mrs. Kojima said she corresponded with school officials and was encouraged to set up the tour of Japan, which will give Oxnard College students the opportunity to experience Japanese culture with the Kokusai (International ) Business School providing a home stay program. The cost of the tour is $1500 per person. Those on the tour will also be able to visit the Imperial Palace Plaza, view the giant bronze Buddha at Todaiji Temple, Asakusa Kannon Temple and various Shinto shrines and travel to Mt. Fuji and Nijo Castle.
Tour travel includes hotel stays with bilingual guide services, hotel breakfast, and train transportation with tourist class reserved seats and luggage delivery service from Kyoto to Tokyo. In addition to those two cities, the tour will include visits to Nara and Hakone.
Off and on during the 1990’s Kokusai high school students visited Oxnard College during the spring and summer semesters for single-day visits. While touring the OC campus they would sample classes in conversational English or culinary instruction. For years Kokusai officials had encouraged an exchange student program for Oxnard College students and now Mrs. Kojima, a Japanese language instructor, feels she will finally fulfill that goal.
The tour will be limited to about 30 people in order to keep the travel and accommodations reasonably priced. Participants are required to provide their own valid passport, which can take four to six weeks to obtain prior to departure.
A $200 deposit is required of all tour participants by Feb. 2, 2004. The balance is due by March 2, 2004.
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