The Tokara Islands, a chain of islands stretching southwest of Kagoshima Prefecture, are currently experiencing seismic activity. Heart-wrenching reports have been broadcast daily, showing residents of Akusekijima Island (photo), one of these islands, evacuating by boat to Kagoshima mainland.
Every time I hear this news, a particular summer from 16 years ago comes vividly back to mind.
16 Years Ago: The Day the World Focused on Akusekijima Island
Exactly 16 years ago, in July 2009, Akusekijima Island became a ‘miracle island’ that drew people from all over the world. Do you recall it? This island was one of the few places on Earth where a total solar eclipse, visible for only a few minutes, could be observed.
At the time, I was a teacher at a boarding school in Aichi Prefecture. Along with five or six first-year high school students, who were part of the school’s inaugural class, and a physics teacher, I planned an expedition to Akusekijima to witness this total solar eclipse. The fact that my relatives ran a guesthouse in Miyanoura, Yakushima Island, significantly helped make this grand plan a reality.
The total solar eclipse fever was immense. Even Yakushima was swamped with people on total solar eclipse tours, making it incredibly difficult to arrange hire cars. Akusekijima Island, being ideally located for a longer observation of the eclipse than Yakushima Island, saw observers from all over the world descend on it – many times the island’s population. Guesthouses were fully booked well in advance, and even a ‘temporary tent village’ sprang up on the island. While the enthusiasm was palpable, it naturally brought with it various challenges. On Yakushima Island, as the total solar eclipse began, the surroundings rapidly darkened, and monkeys and deer huddled together in the middle of the road, making it impossible for cars to move in many places. However, the mystery of that total solar eclipse and the shared excitement of those who witnessed it remain vividly etched in my memory.
Over Time, Passing on Our Aspirations
Time has passed since then, and I now work for an organisation that runs school experience and homestay programmes in Australia. This is my sixth time in charge of these programmes.
Our programmes are unique, offering in-depth cultural understanding that typical tours rarely achieve. In a programme that’s taking place next month, we’ll encounter a mesmerising natural phenomenon called the ‘Staircase to the Moon’. This is when the moonlight reflects on the ocean surface, creating an illusion of a pathway of light leading to the moon.
Remarkably, among the participants on this programme are students from the 17th and 18th graduating classes of the Aichi school where I once taught. As I see the growth of my former students’ successors and feel the connection across generations, I sincerely hope they seize the opportunity in this foreign land to engage with and deeply consider the diverse issues facing the world.
The Grandeur of Nature and Hopes for the Future
While praying for the swift return of peace for the residents of the Tokara Islands, I wish to continue to contribute, however modestly, to fostering children’s understanding of global diversity through cross-cultural experiences, so they can build a sustainable future.
The total solar eclipse I witnessed in Yakushima Island and Akusekijima Island all those years ago taught us how much we are a part of the vast universe. Observing the total solar eclipse in such conditions, with animals reacting to the sudden darkness, truly brought home the immense power of nature. And the ‘Staircase to the Moon’ (photo)we’ll encounter next month in Australia, a breathtaking sight visible only in limited areas of the world under specific conditions, will undoubtedly reawaken our sense of nature’s mystery. These experiences have profoundly impacted my life, and I feel strongly that passing on this wonder to the next generation is my mission.
Engaging with different cultures and values, and observing the world through their own eyes in a foreign land, offers invaluable learning that textbooks and classrooms simply cannot provide. I wholeheartedly hope that as they go on to excel in their respective fields, they will carry this wonder and learning with them, working to solve diverse problems and create a better society.
With the grandeur of nature and expectations for the young people who will shape our future in mind, I intend to continue my work as a bridge connecting children from Japan and the world. As I reflect on my past and present, and my continuing dedication to education, I also offer my earnest prayers for Akusekijima Island’s swift recovery.
