Japan Lifetime Experience Trip
October 24–November 5, 2025
By Sondra Shields ’89
Thirty travelers, LLUSM alumni and friends, attempted to capture the essence of Japan in two weeks, traveling first to Loma Linda’s sister Blue Zone of Okinawa, the “Hawaii of Japan,” then onward to mainland Japan from Hiroshima to Tokyo with stops at Osaka, Kyoto, Nara, and Mt. Fuji in between.
At its heart, this land of the rising sun is full of contrasts, from quiet Zen gardens and serene tea ceremonies to bustling, sleek modern cities with stimulating department stores and Karaoke. Flat, peaceful coastal areas sit adjacent to steep mountain cliffs, volcanoes, and daily micro-earthquakes. A surging visitor population of 46 million now mixes with a shrinking native population of 124 million. Prewar nationalism has given way to postwar cooperation and efforts to keep the peace. Ancient shrines and temples exist next to sleek modern architecture. Old, preserved artisanship is crafted next to efficient postwar industrial factories. Deep cultural values of harmony coexist with hardworking ambitions and long hours in the office. Reserved demeanor disguises deep fervor for Japan’s international baseball heroes (World Series Dodgers) and sumo wrestlers. Large buses maneuver with miniature cars on narrow left-side-driving roads. Teeming train stations process millions of people daily, yet run timely schedules. Rickshaws and pedestrians trudge next to speeding bullet trains. Overdone consumer packaging still results in little visible trash on the streets despite an absence of trash cans. Colorful kimonos mingle with neutral, crisp business attire. Quiet calligraphy letters repose next to flashing neon signs. Authentic Japanese restaurants are neighbors to McDonald’s, Starbucks, and 7/11 chains. Classic Japanese meals serve tiny bites but in multiple courses and myriad dishes. Miniature bonsai adjoin giant bamboo forests.
As alumni from diverse class years, we came from all around the North American continent to meet as strangers in this foreign land. The beauty of this trip lay as much in the ties and values we suddenly found we had in common as in the beautiful sights. As we traded conversations, shared meals, and mixed our seat companions, our admiration for the quality of our fellow alumni only grew. The rainy days, as those at the Miyajima floating tori shrine, did not dampen our connections, whose depth we could palpably measure on our last day together on the beautiful, sunny Lake Hakone, reflecting Mt. Fuji. Our parting was poignant, knowing what a special time we’d had. To use Japanese haiku poetry:
Friendships old and new
Grew under the rising sun
Magic in Japan
Sondra Shields, MD, a practicing anesthesiologist, attended the Vienna Academy of Music and Southern Adventist University, graduating with a degree in piano performance. She is an active musician in her community. Pictured left with her husband, David Shields ’88, in the renowned Uji tea region in Japan.
