'It is an eye-opener. People here are so polite. They seem to be enjoying their lives despite the fast pace,' said the Raffles Junior College student.

'Their culture is amazing. Despite their economic development, they still keep their traditions,' he added.

The students, accompanied by 10 teachers, had arrived here on Monday for an eight-day visit hosted by Waseda University, one of Japan's most prestigious private universities.

But the trip is entirely funded by the Japanese government through a 35-billion-yen (S$460 million) youth exchange programme announced in January by then premier Shinzo Abe.

Under the programme, Japan plans to invite 6,000 youths, mainly from East and South-east Asian countries, to come to Japan each year for the next five years. Siang Huat's batch is the first from Singapore.

The JC1 students have not only visited the magnificent temples of Kamakura, 50km south-west of Tokyo, but also toured a television station and the waterfront area of Odaiba, now a major commercial, residential and leisure area in Tokyo.

They also attended lectures at Waseda's School of International Liberal Studies (SILS) and checked out what university life is like in Japan. All classes at SILS are taught in English.

Some of the Singapore JC students had studied Japanese at home. Those who do not know any Japanese were given a dose of basic Japanese phrases to ease the communication gap when talking to the locals.

All the students were able to put their knowledge of Japanese to the test on Friday when they visited a top all-boys senior high school - one of five schools affiliated to Waseda - located in the Tokyo suburb of Kamishakujii.

At the school, the Singapore and Waseda students broke up into small groups to discuss such topics as Japanese manga, the subjects they have to study in class, and even the black, high-collared Waseda uniforms.

Asked what she thought of Japanese boys, after visiting the Waseda school, RJC student Cheryl Sim Su Ling paused for a moment before replying: 'I like their hair.'

wengkin@sph.com.sg