In Japan, we were wonderstruck to see the projects developed by the students and realised the kind of exposure the present generation has to technology. During the three days of our stay with the host university, developing an IoT web application with KOSEN students was the main activity under the Sakura Exchange Programme. The main idea of this project was to build a web-based IoT application using a temperature sensor and a Raspberry Pi. The app records the surrounding temperatures every hour. People can track the data and post comments among themselves regarding the weather or something they want to share or know. This application was built with web technologies like HTML, JavaScript, PHP, MySQL etc. As far as we were concerned, at that moment, we only knew the basics of HTML and CSS. So, we struggled while implementing the project. That is when we realised the importance of staying up to date.

From the big cities (like Tokyo) to the small villages, we witnessed the cleanliness, the discipline, the punctuality, and the generous hospitality of the people of Japan. We could see that people from all walks of life work very hard.

A traditional Japanese tea ceremony and a drum performance were also organised as part of the cultural exchange programme. Furthermore, we played games, tried calligraphy, and paid a visit to Okimizu Junior High School. We were also served authentic Japanese cuisine. The most memorable dishes we had there were raw sushi and wasabi.

We also visited many recreational sites, such as Obi Castle, Udo Shinto Shrine, Aoshima Island, the Sakurajima Volcano Aira, Sengan Garden, and Kagoshima City Aquarium. Unfortunately, we did not get the chance to visit Kamakura and see the University there due to the semester break. The trip to Japan helped us learn a lot of new things and gave several unforgettable memories to all of us.