Alongside Sam and Jonah, I volunteered at Umekoji Koen on Saturday mornings for 2 hours alongside Kyoto locals. Every week, we would work on different parks of the park for the sake of beautifying it, and by the end we could see our efforts paying off. No week was the same, one week we would be trimming trees and pulling out stumps, the next we could be digging holes to plant new flowers into, it kept the activity fresh and interesting. Everyone was also very welcoming to our different levels of Japanese, and despite language barriers, they made sure we were understood, felt welcome, and made their best efforts

to try to get every point across. After the CIP activities ended, we would huddle around the backyard and drink tea and socialize. Afterwards, we would find ourselves grabbing lunch together as well. I found myself often finding or learning one new thing about plants and Japanese culture just from participating in conversation and volunteering activities.

To future students: This CIP is a fun laid back one if you like gardening, and a low stakes environment to practice your Japanese and learn more about Japanese culture. It is also a great place to get to know one of Kyoto’s largest green areas, and also contribute to a place where much of Kyoto’s greenery thrives and people come to play and host festivals.