GLFP 11th Cohort visited Kumamoto.
Mar. 17, 2025
For four days and three nights from February 11th－14th, 2025, on GLFP field trip, 14 of the GLFP 11th Cohort, faculty and staff visited Mashiki Town, Koushi City, Kumamoto City, and Minamiaso Village in Kumamoto Prefecture. This field trip aims to provide hands-on experiences to open the students up to local initiatives and insights they cannot gain from campus life in Tokyo, under the themes of “multiculturalism”, “earthquake disaster learning”, “community building” and “human rights”.
On the first day, we arrived in Kumamoto from Haneda Airport as scheduled, and went on the Higashimuta Village Study Tour to Mashiki Town. Our guide began with a presentation about the 2016 Kumamoto Earthquake using videos and photos to illustrate what happened at that time. Following this introduction, the guide led us on a walk through the affected village to observe the surface ruptures generated by the earthquake sequence, providing an overview of the damage that the village suffered after having been struck by two magnitude-7 earthquakes. This study tour reminded us of the importance of local communities and the value of mutual assistance in the event of major disasters such as great earthquakes. In the evening, we headed for Kumamoto City for a scenic stroll through a vast Japanese-style landscape garden in Suizenji Seishuen (Suizenji Park).
We spent the whole second day at Kumamoto City International Center. In the morning, the students attended a lecture on Japanese multicultural coexistence policy and the Kumamoto Earthquakes by Mr. Hiromitsu Yagi, Managing Director of Kumamoto International Foundation. Then the students observed a Japanese language class called “Kurashi-no Nihongo club (Daily Japanese),” which is regularly held for foreign residents of Kumamoto City at the Center and participated in their group study sessions.
In the afternoon, three foreign residents－Kumamoto University faculty and Kumamoto Islamic Center members－joined as guest speakers to share their experiences on the various problems and difficulties they faced due to linguistic and cultural differences at the time of the disaster. This session was followed by engaging group discussions about the topic, with the guest speakers actively joining the students in exchanging opinions. Thanks to the participation of local high school and university students in the second day's activities, the Cohort seemed to enjoy interacting with peers of their generation that they would not normally encounter in their daily lives in Tokyo.
On the morning of the third day, we visited the National Sanatorium Kikuchi Keifuen History Museum, where the museum director and the exhibits provided insight into the history of leprosy, the discrimination and challenges faced by patients, and the circumstances that led to the establishment of the Sanatorium. Furthermore, Dr. Tomomichi Ono, Professor Emeritus of Kumamoto University (Dermatologist), gave a lecture about how Shigenobu Okuma, the founder of Waseda University, was significantly involved in supporting leprosy patients, along with Eiichi Shibusawa. Although this Hansen's disease occurred before the students were born, they deepened their understanding by drawing connections to recent events such as the COVID-19 pandemic. It was impressive to see them intently looking at the exhibition materials and empathizing with each patient’s efforts to survive as an individual with dignity despite facing discrimination.
In the afternoon, with the students divided into groups, both GLFP and local university students spent the rest of the day exploring Kumamoto Castle and the surrounding historic townscape under the guidance of a local guide. Amid the still-visible scars left by the April 2016 Kumamoto Earthquake, they listened to English explanations about the ongoing restoration work, which is expected to continue for the next 30 years, as well as the history of Kumamoto Castle.
On the final (fourth) day, we visited the Kumamoto Earthquake Disaster Museum in Minami-Aso Village in the morning before returning to Tokyo in the afternoon.
Over the span of four days, we realized that preparedness can significantly mitigate the impact of future disasters even though natural disasters are unavoidable in disaster-prone Japan. This field trip underscored the importance of disaster readiness and resilience, the value of human connections, the serious violations of human rights that can arise from misconceptions of illness, and the dedication of doctors and supporters who have confronted these challenges, along with the patients who have survived with strength. It was a valuable opportunity to reflect on how we would respond in such unprecedented circumstances.
Blessed with fine weather throughout the entire period and the warm hospitality of the local people, the GLFP 11th Cohort enjoyed a precious time, when their consistent cooperation ensured the smooth progress of the field trip, further strengthening their friendships.
