On Wednesday 22 April, as part of our unit “Hapori (community)” for Level 3 Japanese, we embarked on a trip to the city. After exploring our Botany community during the start of this unit, we closed this chapter by elevating our gaze towards wider New Zealand, Japan, and beyond.
Our first destination was the Asia Gallery Kimono Emporium which was a haven of vintage Japanese garments and trinkets, some of which were donated by families in the 1900s. The shopkeeper taught us about the importance of symbolism in Japan, adding to the uniqueness of their culture. Every aspect of the garments was intentional; the fabric chosen in correspondence to the season, the weaving and embroidery used to display regional and family icons, and the colours that depicted the status and image of the wearer. We were even blessed with the opportunity to unbox some garments which have never seen the light of day since decades ago (We even got our teacher and a student to try on one of the traditional wedding gowns that were unboxed!).
We then travelled to Auckland Museum and explored their War Memorial exhibition. The main focus was to take a step back and understand the wider connections between Japan and New Zealand in two major conflicts that shook the world. World War II and the Pacific War. The remnants of items post-war that were displayed were harrowing to say the least. There were uniforms, planes, water bottles, and gas masks completely oxidised and destroyed. I remember walking through the exhibition reading the true stories of fallen soldiers, and through a hallway with names plated, ceiling to floor, honouring those who risked their lives. All this revealed to us not only the military and political devastation that came as a result, but the complete destruction of humanity and the connections Japan and New Zealand sought to protect because of that.
We ended the day with a delicious meal at Hokkaido Restaurant, reflecting on our journey through time. It truly felt like I was transported into the era where all these traditions and customs were the most prevalent, making this trip a profound experience of internationalism.
~ Gladelyn Chua 13J11