Tiger's Japan Exchange 2016-2017: Day Four

Tokyo-Day Four

Today was our field trip, so we did not go to the University. Instead, we were accompanied by Ikki-san and Sato-san to the TEPIA Museum, Meiji Shrine and Harajuku. Ikki-san is one of the co-ordinators of the Chowgule-Waseda Exchange programme and Sato-san visited Goa last year as part of the same programme.

The TEPIA Museum is full of the latest and most advanced innovations in different fields, created right here in Japan. Just at the entrance we have a ‘segment sensor’ which automatically estimates a visitor’s age and gender through cameras. Then we greet a small, cute, yellow robot who says hello and answers our questions and knows how to have a conversation. That is followed by stalls of different gadgets and gizmos, each with a new and more efficient display of technology. Other articles at the Museum include automated DNA testing chips, Smile Scan, Pulse Monitor using facial imaging etc. There were also augmented reality instruments similar to the Oculus Rift; there were devices that could change the colour of your clothing on a specialised mirror, an earthquake simulator, Manga generator, gyroscopic consoles which gave real-time 3D reproductions of little robots and lots more. Perhaps the most interesting and famously futuristic innovation was the Muscle Suit which gives man superhuman mechanical strength. Examples of some of these varied technologies can be found in Hollywood movies such as Iron Man and Minority Report.

Then we headed to the Meiji Shrine that was built in the 1920’s. To reach the Shrine, one has to walk for at least 10 minutes from the Shrine’s traditional Japanese gate, suddenly surrounded by tall trees unlike any other in Tokyo. This contrast is quite fascinating considering that we were still in Tokyo-with its tall skyscrapers and urban landscape- yet it felt like we were “in a forest” as my fellow Chowgule classmate Uddhav put it. After the peaceful “walk in the forest”, we reached the entrance before which we cleansed our hands with water at the designated purification hutment. The shrine itself was huge and had beautiful wooden crafting with a wide courtyard. We could see little Japanese kids in Kimonos-the traditional Japanese attire- and were joyously excited. After paying our respects to the shrine, we took a short break to rest and take in the tranquil atmosphere before heading back to the main entrance.

After such a serene experience, we had a quick lunch and headed to Harajuku where the girls went shopping and the boys returned to the Hostel. To our surprise, Kumaresh sir who had accompanied us for this trip, found a nice Indian restaurant where we could have a proper Indian dinner. We were delighted at the sight of other ‘natives’ from India and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Uddhav and I even struck up a conversation with the head chef, who was naturally Indian and had a hot cup of masala chai while we reminisced about India. Somehow in this foreign land, we felt right at home.

-Shubhankar Shah