Sakura Science Program-Yamagata University-Daily Chronicle: Day 1
As the incredible day, yet challenging journey came to an end on our day of arrival, another began. This morning (16/02/2023), our team gathered at 8 AM sharp, as promised the night before. Due to the close proximity of Yamagata University to our hotel, we made a decision to walk as a mode of transportation throughout our entire stay in the city located in the Yamagata Prefecture. We were greeted by none other than Prof. Jun Yokoyama and were immediately directed to a classroom for our breakfast session. Afterwards, an orientation was presented to us as delegates of the Sakura Science Program 2023.
To prepare us for our very best performance, Prof. Jun Yokoyama was kind to share a detailed presentation regarding our program’s itinerary, all the way to everything we needed to know about the many years’ worth of our partner university’s city. Starting off with listed activities from day one to day nine of our stay, we were promised the chance of learning lectures related to molecular biology, alongside multiple laboratory courses that would further develop our understanding on the said topics.
Continuing the lessons with the study of weather conditions us, tropical islanders have not been used to. We were told that Yamagata serves as a spot with an extreme distinction between its winter and summer climate. Our own country home was displayed a direct inverse of a constant 30°C all year round, while Yamagata’s winter reached below 0°C and summer nearing 27°C. This difference was not limited only to the currently freezing town’s climate, but also to the rate of precipitation, temperature changes, and radiation waves emitted throughout all 12 months of the year. the summer
Prof. Jun Yokoyama had been very intent on mentioning the found differences in our climate conditions, which would be a major factor in the existing biodiversity – especially of plants, that Earth possesses. Moreover, this was important to the program we are undertaking, as we were facilitated with even more knowledge that would support our work on the molecular biology research that will be done by the week through the next few hours of lecture.
However, we had to end our session right before the said lecture began, for our big portion of the meal had already been served by the time set high in the afternoon. A bowl of rice with salad and soup as our side dishes, a plate of tomato and cheese-stuffed chicken katsu accompanied by bolognese spaghetti to enrich the flavors, we ended our first half of the day with a full stomach and stories to share at the dining table.
After having a delicious lunch at the campus cafeteria, we went straight to our classroom to learn about the diversity in Yamagata. Professor Jun Yokoyama explained about the diversity in different areas in Japan, including areas with different elevations. We were told that areas in Japan have different types of plant species due to the factors mentioned above.
Professor Jun Yokoyama took us on a trip around the campus. There are many lab facilities, such as animal behavior lab, plants development lab, and many other labs with up-to-date equipment. We got the opportunity to visit the lab, also the professor explained about the facilities and the tools in each of the labs. Professor Jun Yokoyama and his colleagues also showed us a room filled with advanced technology regarding science.
For the last activity, we went on a trip to the Yamagata University Museum, which is in a different building. So, we went on a short walk through the campus building. It was super cold and windy. But at the same time, we could enjoy beautiful snowy scenery. We decided to take some pictures of ourselves and the scenery, of course. As we entered the museum, we were mesmerized by the view. In the museum we got a chance to see preserved animals and it was interesting to listen to the professor’s explanation.
After visiting the museum, we went to the cafeteria to have dinner together. Our dinner was chicken curry rice with salad. The dinner was great! We had a lot of fun. After that, we went outside to see the surrounding environment. The temperature was around -4°C at that time. In our free time after the lecture, we went on a sightseeing tour around our hotel, where we visited several stores to buy some food and snacks, and then we went back to the hotel to take some rest. (Zeph&Fel)
