AIKAWA, Japan – A pair of Army Community Service interns spent the past month creating quick reference guides on local attractions to assist American personnel when they venture outside the gates.
Yukiko Muroi and Anon Anami, who attend Temple and Ferris universities, respectively, developed the guides as part of their capstone projects in U.S. Army Garrison Japan’s summer internship program, which concludes Friday.
“We’re always thinking [about] how we can make the information easier to understand, so that everyone can feel like they want to go there,” Muroi said of the attractions.
The interns completed at least three do-it-yourself guides, which highlight the Great Buddha of Kamakura, the Hakkeijima Sea Paradise in Yokohama, and another on how to purchase tickets to the Tokyo Disney Resort.
ACS also provides several more self-guided tours and other local information for free.
“We do information and referral here, so when new service members or their family members come in, we like to take the opportunity to show them what there is available in Japan,” said Brad Morgan, an ACS specialist.
Morgan said the ACS team continuously considers new ideas to help community members enjoy their time in the country.
While Outdoor Recreation provides various day trips with tour guides, Morgan said the reference guides are a way for people to sightsee on their own.
“Not everyone is the same, so we’re trying to give people different options and opportunities to explore the culture of Japan,” he said.
Last week, Morgan and the two interns conducted a site survey for their next brochure on the Battle of Mimasetoge, the location of which is about 20 minutes northwest of Camp Zama.
The samurai battle, which took place in 1569 between Takeda Shingen and Hojo Ujiyasu forces, was one of the greatest battles in the region, involving roughly 30,000 combatants.
Shingen was a prominent “daimyo,” or feudal lord, during the Sengoku period, a violent and turbulent time in Japanese history. Known as the “Tiger of Kai,” Shingen and his forces, while vastly outnumbered, defeated the Hojo clan in the battle, which left a total of about 4,000 dead.
“For me, it was really interesting to visit there,” Muroi said. “That was one of the hardest fought battles, and so many people died there.”
Anami said she hoped the guides on the battlefield and other tourist sites will help community members learn more about Japanese culture.
“I’m glad to make some brochures to help other people,” she said. “I’m very happy to see when other people are happy.”
Anami, who plans to have a career in customer service after she graduates, was also grateful for the chance to broaden her skills at ACS.
“I learned many things like how to communicate and interact with other people who have different backgrounds than me,” she said. “The world is so international now, so to understand each other is very important.”
Morgan echoed similar sentiment and encouraged U.S. military personnel and their families to expand their knowledge of Japan by visiting historical sites.
“It can sometimes be frustrating if you don’t understand the culture here,” he said. “Maybe if you understand its history, you can understand why things are the way they are.”
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