Day Six: Nagoya and Cormorant Fishing

Hi everyone, it’s Zara (August talks about the second half of the day below). This morning was our last at the homestays, and while everyone in our group had their own unique experiences with their host families, we all shared the quiet realization that our time together was coming to an end. Since we didn’t have to meet until 1:30 at the train station, we each spent the morning with our host families, soaking in the final hours of this special part of the trip.

I was lucky enough to sleep in a bit before starting the day. When I got up, my hosts mom had prepared a traditional breakfast of grilled eel over rice, served with warm miso soup on the side. It was super delicious and comforting. As we ate, we watched American music videos on the TV, specifically Billie Eilish and Nicki Minaj, since they were two of my host’s favorites. It was funny and sweet seeing how connected pop culture can be across the world.

Next, after breakfast, we played some traditional Japanese games. We folded colorful origami cranes and played kendama. Around 11:30, her mom drove us to a ramen shop nearby for one last meal together. I wish I remembered the name of the place, but the savory broth and fine noodles definitely won’t be forgotten anytime soon.

Saying goodbye was harder than I expected. In just three days, despite the language differences, we had built such a genuine connection. I was grateful for the time we had, but sad it went by so fast.

At 1:30, we met the rest of the group at the station. After quick catch-ups on everyone’s mornings, we went over the plan for the afternoon of cormorant fishing in Nagoya. I heard stories from my peers who went to the beach, played with fireworks, played badminton, went to aquariums, went to shopping centers, and went to parks. Overall, it sounded like everyone else also enjoyed their home stay experience.

Hi, it’s August. Departing from Mishima station and having said our goodbyes, we found our way to a platform and boarded the Shinkansen (bullet train). After an hour-long ride, we arrived at Nagoya, where we made it out of the station and walked to the hotel. We paused for a quick half-hour to drop off our luggage and then left with only our backpacks, making our way back to the station.

After a significantly shorter train ride, we found ourselves by the old Nagoya castle along a river, upon which waited several wooden boats. We boarded one and sailed across the water as the sun set, taking picture after picture of both the castle, which overlooked the river, and the coromorant fishermen on the adjacent boat. The fishermen held a burning cage of firewood, which shed light upon the birds swimming below. When a bird caught a fish from the river, the fisherman holding the bird's leash would reel it in, take its catch, and throw it back into the water. We watched this process repeat for what felt like a short period of time but what was probably around an hour and a half. As the stars begun to shine, we stepped back on land and found the train back to the hotel. With our hike along the Nakasendo just upon the horizon, I hope we can get a good night's sleep.