How I traveled to Japan for free

Simple answer: through JENESYS exchange program

[embed]Some flashback images of our journey in Japan. Credit: Minh Ha, a Vietnamese delegate, journalism student at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities in HCM city.

Since 2007, 30,000 youngsters from all around Asia have visited Japan through this government funded exchange program. 6,000 youngsters come every year. So what are you waiting for? Now is your turn to grab the chance.

If you are a youngster interested in traveling, learning and experiencing Japan from all perspectives, both academically and practically, then JENESYS is definitely for you.

What’s awaiting you ahead if you are chosen as a delegate? A hectic trip full of laughters and a treasure house of knowledge of Japan, with sightseeing tours, lectures, farm stay/home stay (if you got lucky), school, factory, company visit, local experiences and cultural exchange with other Japanese and Asian youngsters.

I am Trong Giap, reporter from online newspaper VnExpress, one of 22 delegates from Vietnam participating in JENESYS program in September 2016. After the trip, looking at the Facebook fan page of JENESYS, I am so disappointed that the number of its followers is just equal to that of real delegates (30,000). The disappointing fact that not many people know about such an amazing program motivates me to write this story.

Vietnamese youngsters interacted with Japanese tourguides, students, professor and tea expert. Credit: Trong Giap

Objectives of JENESYS

JENESYS stands for Japan-East Asia Network of Exchange for Students and Youths, an initiative launched by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2007. I personally think it is one of the best examples of Japan's commitment to fostering people to people relations with ASEAN and Asian countries, focusing on potential young leaders.

Its objective is “to promote understanding on Japan on many perspectives, not only the economy, politics but also culture, the people and the value and that’s very important”, the organizer of JENESYS once told me.

As Japan is hosting Tokyo Olympic Games in 2020, JENESYS also plays an important role in promoting Japan's image to the world. Through the program, the organizers also expect delegates to encourage others to come to Japan to experience the country themselves.

7 days of amazing experiences

The advanced technology, breathtaking nature and the hospitality of Japanese people make a truly deep impression on me. It is carved into my mind so deeply I will never forget.

Advanced Technology

I remember exactly how my jaw dropped to the floor when seeing rain falling horizontally on the windows of a Shinkansen bullet train due to its super high speed, the anti-fog mirror in the toilet (thanks to a heating machine behind the mirror), the 0,001 mm thin condom (among the world's thinnest one) at 7Eleven shops and how erroneous bottles at Asahi soft drink company are recycled into workers’ comfortable uniforms, how used tea leaves are transformed into fertiliser.

[embed]My impression of Shinkansen, a technological pride of Japan for half a century.

In general, every detail of Japanese products proves how much efforts they put in to bring real valued benefits to customers, from an umbrella holder next to male urinal in a toilet of a shopping mall at Shinjuku, to the automatic traditional wooden door in a restaurant, and of course, not to forget the washlet they have been so proud of.

Within the framework of our program, we got to learn about Japanese technology both theoretically (through lecture of Dr. Manabu Kiuchi, Professor Emeritus, University of Tokyo) and practically (through daily experiences and factory visit). Two highlights included JATCO, number one continuously variable transmission (CVT) manufacturer in the world, and Asahi soft drink factory. We got the chance to tour both factories to get to know its manufacturing process and how the spirit of “Kaizen” is applied to improve productivity in every step possible. What impressed me the most during this site visit is their efforts to recycle as much as possible to protect the environment.

Do you know that Shizuoka is a major industrial manufacturing center of Japan, where factories of famous corporations like Yamaha, Suzuki, Honda are seated, and its residents enjoy the longest healthy life expectancy in the whole country, at the same time? The full awareness of preserving their living environment for themselves and for the sake of future generations lies in every action of individuals and entities.

Picturesque Nature

A picture is worth a thousand words. As it is too hard for me to describe the beauty of Japanese nature with only a several words, so here are “some thousand words” for you to enjoy.

Shiraito Falls, where the crystal clear water flows from Fuji Mount. Credit: Trọng Giáp

Flowers on the street-side. Credit: Trọng Giáp

Beautiful rice fields next to houses. Credit: Trọng Giáp

Gold fish tank in an aquarium. Credit: Trọng Giáp

Kind-hearted and hard-working people

This Japanese boy (black T-shirt) also approached us to give direction when seeing us looking at a map at a metro station in Tokyo. Picture: Trọng Giáp

Japanese people are too kind and polite. At a train station in Tokyo, I approached two Japanese girls to ask for direction, but they couldn't speak much English. Then another Japanese lady saw us having difficulty communicating. She came to us for a favour, speaking fluent English and personally led us to the right way. After the problem was resolved, those two Japanese girls followed her just to say “Arigato” and bowed. Oh my god! They thanked her for helping foreign strangers at the metro station! Such simple yet beautiful behaviour helps us understand so much more about Japanese social manner and their hospitality.

Different shapes of population pyramids of Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar and Japan.

Another interesting fact is that lots of elderly people keep working well after retirement age, due to the ageing population. Its population demographics is compared with “the candle in the wind", while other Southeast Asian countries like Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar have entered the period of golden population with the high percentage of youngsters in their population. The demographics are compared with a broad based pyramid.

But in Japan, I've seen many elderly working not for money, but for fun. They are truly workaholic. When visiting Edo Tokyo Museum, I saw a group of voluntary middle-aged tourguides, who are able to provide free service in different foreign languages, including English, Chinese, Korean…. My tourguide at Shiraito Fall is in his 70s, but he walked even faster than we, young delegates. Their love for work reminds me to work and live to the fullest.

How to apply and some tips

The application process of JENESYS varies in different countries. In Thailand, some apply through Department of Children and Youth, while in Vietnam, students and young professionals apply through The Central Committee of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union. As a journalist, I was personally invited by Japanese embassy in Hanoi so I did not have to go through application process. But I have talked to other Thai and Vietnamese delegates and here are their tips:

1. In Vietnam, in order to keep updated with the latest information on Jenesys program, here are two sites to log on:

• https://www.facebook.com/youthexchange.mofa (Facebook page for youth exchange program of Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
• https://www.facebook.com/banquoctetwd/ (Facebook page for The Central Committee of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union

2. For the interview and application procedures, study as much as you can about the program theme to make your background relevant to the exchange program. There are several batches of JENESYS delegates each year, each one may have a different theme, ranging from economics, social community, to media, technology, tourism. The interviewers may test your knowledge of such issue in your own country and in Japan (for example: economic, foreign policy of Japan, Vietnam, relations between Japan and your country, GDP, population of Vietnam…)

3. If you have any special talent or skill, don't hesitate to show it off to impress interviewers, because it will be helpful during the cultural exchange. A Thai delegate brought with him the trepple to and his music skill, and he made it. In SSEAYP application round (The Ship for Southeast Asian and Japanese Youth program), there was even a round on talent and special skills.

Good luck!

Red impression of Japan. Credit: Trọng Giáp