Our last day of the trip started out early with a kendo lesson, where we got to learn about the ancient Japanese martial art of swordsmanship. After getting dressed up in the traditional armor, we watched a quick demonstration from the instructors before jumping right into it ourselves. We started by learning some of the basic movements and strikes, then eventually put everything together into combinations. Even though we had just started, it was a lot of fun to try. Some of the kids on the trip even got to face off against the instructors, whose armor had balloons attached to it that they had to try and hit. Watching them give it their all while the instructors dodged was hilarious. It definitely gave me a new appreciation for how much skill and discipline kendo takes.
Afterwards, we headed to a revolving sushi bar for lunch. This ended up being one of my favorite meals of the trip because I got to try so many different kinds of sushi and other Japanese dishes that I probably wouldn't have ordered otherwise. My table also decided to make it a competition to see who could finish the most plates. I didn't end up winning, but I had a lot of fun trying. I also thought the desserts were really interesting because they were so different from what I'm used to back home. It was cool getting to experience flavors and desserts that you don't really see in the United States.
Next, we visited a samurai and ninja museum. It was really interesting to see all of the different weapons, swords, and armor up close and learn more about the history behind them. There were so many artifacts and displays that showed how important samurai and ninja were in Japan's history. My group didn't spend too much time there, though, because we still had some last-minute souvenir shopping to do before the trip was over.
We ended up spending the afternoon in the Shibuya area, where I picked up gifts for my family and friends. It was fun walking around one last time, taking in all the energy of the city while checking a few final things off my shopping list. Finally, it was time for our final group dinner. It was honestly a bittersweet moment because it meant the trip was coming to an end. We spent dinner talking about everyone's favorite memories, laughing about things that had happened over the past two weeks, and finding out who won the scavenger hunt. It was the perfect way to wrap everything up before we all flew home the next day.
To finish off the night, a few of us decided to go to Shibuya Sky. Seeing Tokyo from that height at night was absolutely incredible. Getting to look down on the famous Shibuya Crossing one last time was the perfect ending to an unforgettable trip. I think it was the perfect way to spend our final day. We got to experience more Japanese culture, eat amazing food, spend time with friends, and make a few more memories before saying goodbye. While after 3 weeks in Asia I was excited to head home, I was definitely going to miss Japan, and I know this is a trip I'll remember for a long time.
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