A Day with “Chi” and the Futuristic Ship “Hotaluna”── Miraikan & Odaiba Cruise
Earlier this April, we went on a special field trip to the National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation （日本科学未来館）.
We visited the special exhibition “Chi: The Earth Moves” （「チ。－地球の運動について－地球(いわ)が動く」）together with our students—ages 6 to 18—and their families.
We rode the Yurikamome monorail to Odaiba（台場）, and on the way back, we cruised on the futuristic water bus “Hotaluna” （ホタルナ）to Hinode Pier（日の出桟橋）.
Everything ran on schedule, the weather was great, and the group was amazing.
It was a perfect day—not just for the children, but for me, as well.
I was just as excited as they were!
What It Means for the Earth to Move
The highlight of the day was the special exhibition “Chi.”
It tells the stories of those who risked everything to challenge the belief in a geocentric universe（天動説）, advocating instead for the heliocentric model（地動説）.
At a time when going against common belief could mean persecution—or worse—
they were still driven by a deep human instinct to seek truth.
The theme, “Question what is considered common sense,” felt especially relevant even in today’s world.
Our students shared some thoughtful impressions:
“I was amazed that Venus helped prove the geocentric theory wrong!”
“If someone said that back then, they’d be considered a total rebel!”
It wasn’t just about absorbing knowledge—it was about thinking, questioning, and discovering.
That’s the kind of learning experience we’re always hoping to create—and they found it naturally.
Connecting Across Generations
Another beautiful part of this field trip was the intergenerational interaction.
One of our new university students joined us and had thoughtful conversations with younger students during lunch.
They talked about things like school, entrance exams, and the future.
Parents were also incredibly warm and friendly to all the children,
creating an environment that felt open, inclusive, and filled with curiosity.
I was deeply moved watching those moments.
It reminded me that there’s no age limit to learning from others—and everyone was teaching and learning from each other in their own way.
🌷Tulips & Unexpected Company
As we walked through Odaiba, we were lucky to catch the Tulip Festival in full bloom.
Vibrant tulips of every color lined the walkways, and just strolling among them was enough to lift our spirits.
It felt like the whole area was celebrating spring.
At the same time, it seemed like there was also a cosplay event happening nearby—
dozens of anime characters (or people dressed as them!) were posing among the flowers.
It was a colorful and surreal mix: a field of delicate tulips… and bold, vivid costumes.
The contrast was so unexpected that it made the day feel even more memorable.
🚢 A Ride on the Hotaluna
ホタル（firefly）＋月（luna）＝ホタルナ (Hotaluna)
After the museum, we boarded the Hotaluna, a sleek, spaceship-like water bus.
For some kids, it was their first time on a boat, and they couldn’t stop smiling as the wind blew through their hair.
We sailed past the remains of the Sixth Battery Island（第六台場）, glided under the Rainbow Bridge, and headed toward Tokyo Tower.
As the Fuji TV building shrank behind us,
“That’s where we were just a little while ago!”
Words That Stayed with Us
パリ・セーヌ川沿いにある自由の女神像のレプリカ。
After the trip, we received many warm messages from parents:
“The exhibit matched an anime my husband was watching, so they had a great conversation!”
“We told our son how lucky he was to have had this experience.”
“Our dinner table was buzzing with stories from the field trip!”
Another parent wrote:
“Thank you so much for organizing such a special day!
It was great to see our children interacting with older students and even the teachers in a new way.”
Of course, we loved hearing the children say:
“It was so much fun!” and “Thank you!”
But we were just as happy to hear how this experience sparked conversations and insights at home.
“The Earth Was Moving.”
And So Were Our Hearts.
To everyone who joined us: students, parents, volunteers—thank you so much.
We hope to have more days like this in the future.
