One-day bus trip to Odawara

30 Oct 2025

With the support of Kasumi Kaikan, a general incorporated association, the International Centre provides international students with opportunities to enjoy Japan's traditional culture.

On October 17, 2025, a total of 37 Gakushuin international students, including two high school students, went for a one-day bus trip to Odawara City located about 80 km southwest of Tokyo.

In beautiful crisp autumn weather, it was a perfect day for a bus trip.

◆Suzuhiro Kamaboko Village◆

First, the party visited the Suzuhiro Kamaboko Village. Kamaboko is a seafood product made from white fish, which is filleted, pounded into paste, mixed with salt, sugar, egg whites, fish sauce and Japanese sake.

In this Village, visitors can buy Odawara specialties, eat meals at the restaurants, and enjoy kamaboko making in a workshop.

~Kamaboko-making workshop~

The first activity the group enjoyed in the Village was kamaboko-making.

Odawara has long been known for its thriving coastal fishing industry, yielding abundant catches. Odawara kamaboko was born as a method for preserving and utilizing such plentiful fish.

Given the instruction on how to make kamaboko, the students were ready to begin kamaboko making.

They formed fish paste neatly into a semicylindrical shape on a wooden board, producing a single piece of kamaboko.

They also made "chikuwa," fish paste shaped into a tubular form and grilled, by wrapping fish paste around a stick.

Some students found it more challenging than expected and had a hard time to produce kamaboko and chikuwa in a neat shape.

The students brought finished products home as souvenirs.

~Lunch time~

The party had Japanese-style lunch at a restaurant in the Village and fully enjoyed the Japanese taste.

◆Odawara Castle◆

After lunch, the group visited Odawara Castle.

Originally built in the 16^th century, the castle played an indispensable role for the Tokugawa Shogunate to defend the capital city of Edo against an attack from the West part of Japan. Currently, the rebuilt castle tower and gates convey the historical values of Odawara Castle.

The party climbed up to the castle tower, seeing the exhibitions on the history of the castle.

Under the blue sky, they also enjoyed the view from the castle tower.

◆NINJA Museum◆

The students visited the NINJA Museum in the Odawara Castle Park to conclude their trip.

In this facility, visitors learn the art of ninja spycraft and experience ninja activities in the motif of "Fuuma Ninja," a ninja faction believed to have supported the Odawara-based Hojo Family in the period of Japanese civil wars.

The students enjoyed ninja activities, including wall climbing, water-surface walking, and "shuriken" star throwing, in the digital space to learn ninja skills.

Particularly, they had so much fun fighting "shuriken" battles. All of them were deeply into throwing "shuriken" to the screen.

At the conclusion of the tour, the international students made the following comments.

"I'm pleased to have learned the history of Odawara and found it more fun than expected to have ninja experience."
"Climbing up the castle tower is really a wonderful experience."
"It was really nice to eat very tasty lunch and make my own kamaboko."

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