The oldest and newest money: A stroll around Nagatoro Town and Fukaya City, Saitama Prefecture
On Sunday, June 8th, the rainy season was about to begin, but it was cloudy on the day and then sunny.
A total of 50 people participated in the trip, including 24 ANIC volunteers and staff members, and 26 people studying Japanese and volunteers from other countries. The foreign participants were from China, Korea, India, Sri Lanka, Argentina, Myanmar, Taiwan, Iran, France, and Nepal.
First, we went to Hijiri Shrine, which is beloved by people as the god of fortune in Nagatoro Town. Apparently, the first currency in Japan, the Wadokaichin coin, was made from copper found nearby.
Next, we went to Nagatoro Station. We all walked to the rock formations of the Arakawa River. After that, we walked around the souvenir shops as a group. The main purpose of the day was to see the “steam locomotive SL”. There was a powerful sound, smoke, and smell.
For lunch, we had a bento lunch made with fresh vegetables at Torokolo Farm. After filling up, we headed to Fukaya City. At the Eiichi Shibusawa Memorial Museum, we learned a lot about the achievements of Eiichi Shibusawa up to now. We also went to Nakanchi, the house where he was born. It was a magnificent house.
Finally, we went to the roadside station (Michi no Eki) “Okabe” and everyone bought lots of souvenirs.
The participants were divided into groups and through the stamp rally, volunteers and students who do not normally have contact with each other were able to interact with each other, which was a very beneficial experience.
