Autumn Field Trip: Visit to Hakkeijima Sea Paradise

On December 18, 2025, approximately 80 students from our intermediate and advanced classes visited Yokohama Hakkeijima Sea Paradise as part of our autumn semester field trip program. Students departed from the Shin-Okubo Campus at 9:00 AM by chartered bus, arriving at the facility around 10:30 AM. The weather was clear and cool, providing ideal conditions for a day outdoors by the waterfront.

At the aquarium, students explored four themed zones featuring over 100,000 marine creatures, including dolphins, sea otters, penguins, and tropical fish. The dolphin show was a particular highlight, with students cheering enthusiastically as trainers demonstrated the close bond between humans and marine mammals. Many students took the opportunity to practice reading the Japanese-language information panels and quizzed each other on marine vocabulary they had recently learned in class.

After lunch at the park's food court, where students sampled Japanese festival-style foods such as takoyaki, yakisoba, and crepes, the group split into smaller teams for a scavenger hunt organized by the teachers. The activity required students to find specific exhibits, read Japanese signage, and answer questions in Japanese, turning the outing into a fun and immersive language practice session. Prizes were awarded to the top three teams.

The attractions area was also a major draw, with students enjoying roller coasters and other rides while bonding with classmates from different countries. Students from China, Vietnam, Nepal, Indonesia, and Mongolia were seen forming mixed groups and communicating entirely in Japanese, which is a testament to the real-world communication skills developed through our curriculum. Several teachers noted how naturally students used polite forms and casual speech depending on the situation.

Before departing, students gathered at the seaside park area for group photographs with the iconic Yokohama Bay Bridge visible in the background. The accompanying teachers distributed reflection worksheets for students to write about their favorite moments and new vocabulary they encountered during the trip. These worksheets will be used as material for composition exercises in the following week's classes.

Field trips like these are an essential part of our school's educational philosophy, providing students with opportunities to use Japanese in authentic settings while deepening friendships that cross national boundaries. We believe that experiential learning outside the classroom builds confidence and motivation that directly supports academic progress. Planning is already underway for next semester's excursion, and we look forward to creating more memorable experiences for our students.